Worldpay card machines best on custom fee plan
A major credit card processor in the UK, Worldpay continues to be a popular choice for traditional card machines. You can choose to rent a countertop, mobile or portable card machine with a contract of 18 months.
Worldpay can offer a fixed transaction rate (Simplicity plan) for businesses with an annual turnover below £100k in card payments. There is a Custom plan, but this is geared towards businesses with a monthly turnover of at least £20,000.
Additional fees may apply, like a monthly minimum service charge if you don’t make enough money one month. The Custom fee plan is overall better value than Simplicity, but it’s not available for lower-earning businesses.
To receive a quote on fees, you just need to sign up online and await a callback from a Worldpay consultant. Card machine packages are unique to your business, so it’s not a one-size-fits-all arrangement.
Card machine rental starts at £17.95 + VAT for a standard model (Ingenico Desk/5000), and then you have transaction charges and merchant account fees on top. While SumUp and Square use their own merchant account for card processing, Worldpay gives you a unique merchant account that is better for payments stability.
Beware that Worldpay may not be transparent about all fees, so make sure you get them to explain all the costs and responsibilities involved. For instance, PCI-DSS compliance is required for a cost of £5 + VAT monthly on the Custom plan.
The contactless card machines are high-quality models by Ingenico. There’s a stationary chip and PIN machine for the countertop (Desk 5000), but the portable and mobile smart POS terminal with a touchscreen (Axium DX8000) is ideal for most merchants. Having tested both, we felt the Axium DX8000 model feels more premium and versatile with its software options, but the physical PIN pad of Desk 5000 may be preferred at the till.
Worldpay accepts most cards, though American Express requires a separate agreement. Next-working day settlement is available.
Email invoicing, an online payment gateway (for ecommerce), virtual terminal for phone payments and payment links have an additional monthly cost.
A great thing about Worldpay is the free phone support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.