Compare PDQ Machine Costs: The Definitive Guide

PDQ machine costs can range anywhere from around £15 to £50 for a basic mobile card reader to £600 for a high-end countertop terminal — and that’s before you consider additional charges like transaction fees, setup costs and merchant account fees.

Most PDQ machine providers also offer the option for businesses to lease readers, with costs ranging from £10 to £25 per month. 

Also known as card readers, PDQs allow you to process credit and debit card transactions quickly and securely, making them essential for any business accepting in-store debit or credit card payments. While PDQ machines don’t come cheaply, choosing the right pricing structure can significantly impact how much you pay for them overall. 

This guide covers exactly how much PDQ machines could cost you — including explaining the different options available and breaking down the different types of costs involved — to help you avoid paying more than you need to.

What Is a PDQ Machine?

A PDQ machine is a type of card payment terminal used to accept credit and debit card payments quickly and securely. The term “PDQ” stands for “Process Data Quickly”, highlighting how these machines instantly communicate with a cardholder’s bank to authorise transactions and complete purchases.

Also known as chip and PIN machines, or card readers, PDQ machines are essential for any UK business wanting to accept in-store card payments. They are renowned for being fast, reliable and secure, and are the preferred solution for retailers, restaurants and service providers interested in streamlining payments.

Types of PDQ machines

There are three common types of PDQ machines: countertop PDQ machines, portable PDQ machines and mobile PDQ machines. You can see the differences between these payment methods in our comparison table below.

Depending on how your business operates, you may need multiple PDQ machines of different types. For example, a restaurant might use a countertop PDQ machine for its take-out window, several portable PDQ machines for customers seated at tables and a mobile PDQ machine for its food truck.

All PDQ machines can process cards on the major credit card networks, including Visa, Mastercard and American Express.

How Much Do PDQ Machines Cost?

PDQ machines aren’t cheap and have several types of costs associated with them. Let’s take a closer look at the main ones.

How much does it cost to purchase a PDQ machine?

To get a PDQ machine, you need to either buy one or lease one — we’ll dive into the pros and cons of buying versus leasing in more detail in the next section.

If you buy a PDQ machine, expect to pay around the following upfront price:

• Countertop PDQ machines: £200–£600 (top-of-the-range models can reach £800)
• Portable PDQ machines: £100–£300
• Mobile PDQ machines: £15-£50

Mobile PDQ machines are much cheaper and typically cost less than £100. Costs for all types of PDQ machines vary a lot depending on what model you choose.

For instance, an affordable provider like Square charges £19 + VAT for its 2nd Generation Reader and £149 + VAT for its portable Square Terminal, while SumUp prices its basic mobile Solo Lite reader at £25 + VAT and its standalone SumUp Solo terminal at £79 + VAT.

Real-world pricing example: A mid-sized boutique clothing store might buy two portable PDQ machines for its checkout counters, at £250 each. This would bring its total upfront cost to £500 upfront, with no ongoing rental fees.

How much does it cost to lease a PDQ machine?

If you lease a PDQ machine from your merchant account provider, you’ll have to pay a monthly fee for the rental. You can usually negotiate this rental fee — you might be able to get a lower per-unit cost if you need a large number of PDQ machines.

• Typical monthly rental fees: £10–£25 per PDQ machine

For reference, providers like Barclaycard Business advertise countertop terminals from around £16 + VAT per month and portable machines from around £18 + VAT per month, while takepayments offers its takepaymentsplus countertop terminal from £25 + VAT per month, on a rental contract.

Real-world pricing example: The same boutique decides to lease two portable PDQ machines at £20 per month each. The monthly fees total £40. So, over 12 months, the store will pay £480 — slightly less than buying, but the store doesn’t own the machines.

How much are contracts and setup fees?

For your PDQ machine to function, your business must have a merchant account. Your merchant account provider acts as a middleman between your business and financial institutions. For example, it relays information from your PDQ machine to your customer’s bank and plays an important role in ensuring your business is paid for customers’ card purchases.

Many merchant account providers require a contract, which usually includes a one-time setup fee, a monthly fee or both. You’ll have to pay this fee regardless of whether you’re using your own PDQ machine or buying or leasing one from your merchant account provider.

Some merchant account providers don’t require a contract, but they may still charge a setup fee for connecting your PDQ machine. Each provider is priced individually, but you can expect to pay:

• Contract fees: £15–£25 per month, depending on merchant account provider
• One-time set-up fee: £50–£150 (some providers don’t charge a one-time fee)

For instance, Barclaycard Business charges £16 to £18 + VAT per month for portable terminals on a 12 to 18 month contract, plus a setup fee of £50 to £100, whereas takepaymentsplus’ terminals cost £25 + VAT per month, with a setup fee of roughly £75 to £100 up-front, depending on the plan.

Real-world pricing example: A café setting up a PDQ machine might pay £100 upfront to connect their terminal and software to a merchant account, on top of monthly fees of around £20 per month for a rented terminal.

How much are PDQ machine transaction fees?

Every time you process a credit or debit card transaction using your PDQ machine, you’ll need to pay a fee to your merchant account provider. The standard credit card processing fees are as follows:

• Debit card fees: 0.3%–0.8% per transaction on traditional merchant service plans (cheaper than credit cards)
• Credit card fees: 0.9%–1.75% per transaction for standard card type
• Flat‑rate providers: Some pay‑as‑you‑go providers charge a uniform rate (e.g. 1.69%–1.75% per terminal transaction)
• Per‑transaction fixed fees: Many agreements also include a small per‑transaction amount (e.g. £0.02–£0.10), on top of the percentage rate

Importantly, many merchant account providers have what’s known as a minimum monthly service charge. This is the minimum amount you’ll have to pay in transaction fees each month. If you don’t meet this threshold through fees on your sales, your merchant account provider will round up your bill to this minimum amount.

For instance, For instance, Barclaycard Business typically charges 1.4%–1.6% per card transaction, whereas takepaymentsplus generally charges 1.5%–1.7% per transaction, depending on the card type and plan.

Real-world pricing example: A mid-sized café processing £12,000 in card payments per month could expect to pay around £195 per month or £2,340 per year with a 1.5% transaction fee and £15 monthly account fee. However, if monthly payments are only £4,000, the minimum service charge of £100 still applies, bringing the monthly total to £115.

How much are monthly merchant account fees?

Many merchant account providers charge a monthly account fee. This isn’t specifically related to your PDQ machine, but it’s a fee you’ll need to pay to process credit cards. Monthly merchant account fees can vary widely, but expect to pay:

• Pay-as-you-go plans: £0–£5
• Small business plans: £5–£25
• Advanced plans: £25–£30+

For reference, PayPal Point of Sale has no monthly account fee on its basic pay-as-you-go plans, while Clover usually charges a monthly account fee starting around £10 to £25 per month, depending on the chosen plan and hardware.

Real-world pricing example: A small café could end up paying £15 monthly for merchant account fees. Over 12 months, this totals £180.

Learn more about merchant account fees in our comprehensive guide.

Do PDQ Machines Have Any Hidden Fees?

Unfortunately, there are some less common costs associated with renting or buying PDQ machines. To ensure you have a full grasp of your outgoings, here are some often-overlooked fees to be aware of.

• Minimum monthly fee: Some providers require you to pay a minimum amount on transaction fees each month. If your card sales don’t reach up to that threshold, you may have to pay extra to make up the difference.
• International card fees: If you accept payments from non-UK cards, you may be charged higher transaction fees. These can include cross-border fees and currency conversion fees, and the amount will vary depending on your chosen PDQ machine.
• Replacement and damage charges: If you lose, damage or have a rented PDQ machine stolen, you may be responsible for covering the cost of its repair or replacement. These fees can be significant, depending on the device and coverage options.
• Early terminal fees: If you’re tied into a fixed-term contract and decide to exit early, your provider is likely to charge you an exit fee. This could include paying the remaining months of your agreement or a fee of a fixed amount.
• PCI compliance fees: Certain PDQ machine providers charge ongoing or up-front fees to ensure your business remains compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) requirements. If you don’t complete necessary compliance checks, you could face penalty fines, so skipping this coverage isn’t recommended.  

Should I Buy or Rent a PDQ Machine?

One of the most important choices you’ll have to make when getting a PDQ machine for your business is whether you want to buy or rent your machine.

Most of the time, it’s much cheaper to buy a PDQ machine than to lease one from your merchant account provider. For example, you could buy a portable PDQ machine for £300 or lease it for £20 per month. If you use your PDQ machine for more than 15 months, you’ll come out ahead by buying.

However, there are a few important things to consider before you buy:

• Compatibility isn’t guaranteed: Not all PDQ machines are compatible with all merchant account providers’ point of sale systems. So, if you switch merchant account providers, you could be forced to buy new PDQ machines as well.
• Maintenance costs add up: If you buy a PDQ machine, it’s up to you to keep it in working condition. That means you have to pay for maintenance and repair costs.
• Technology becomes outdated: PDQ machines do go out of date as technology improves. If you buy a PDQ machine, you could be left behind if newer models come out with enhanced technological features.

In addition, if your business is short on cash, renting could be a good solution to pay less upfront for PDQ machines. Renting can be especially attractive for new businesses that need a lot of PDQ machines, but want to keep startup costs to a minimum.

How Do I Choose the Right PDQ Machine for My Business?

There are a few important things to consider when choosing a PDQ machine for your business.

• Merchant account compatibility: Not all PDQ machines are compatible with all merchant account providers, so it’s important to think about what merchant account provider you’re planning to use before you buy a PDQ machine. However, if you’re planning to rent a PDQ machine from your merchant account provider, you don’t have to worry about compatibility, as your merchant account provider will only offer machines that work with their system.
• Card reader compatibility: Most modern PDQ machines are capable of reading EMV chips, but it’s still possible to find machines that only have a magnetic stripe reader. We highly recommend buying a PDQ machine that supports EMV chips and that enables customers to pay with a mobile wallet (like Google Pay or Apple Pay).
• Portability: Whether you should choose a countertop, portable or mobile PDQ machine depends on how your business makes sales. Countertop machines are great if you have a register in a fixed location, like at a retail store. Portable machines work well for restaurants since your staff can take payments right at customers’ tables, while mobile machines work best if you need to take payments outside your business.
• Your sales volume: The number of card transactions you process each month will affect which PDQ machine pricing model will be better value for you. For instance, if you have a high sales volume, you may benefit from lower transaction rates and buying a card reader up-front. On the other hand, if you take more sporadic card payments, a simple low-commitment option with slightly higher transaction fees may work out cheaper overall.
• Contract lengths: Some PDQ machine providers require you to sign fixed-term contracts, while others offer monthly agreements. Longer contracts may offer lower rates but are less flexible, while shorter contracts give you more freedom to switch providers or upgrade your equipment, often at a slightly higher monthly cost.