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Card readers built for business
Find the best business card machine for your setup.
- Choose a flexible device with market-leading integrations.
- Get fast, safe and secure payments.
- Stay supported with UK-based help, available seven days a week.
Why choose a Lloyds card machine?
Do more, faster with card readers
Card readers do more than just take payments – they support smarter decisions that help your business grow. Whether you’re serving coffee or offering consultancy services, card machines make payments quick, secure and seamless, with support for contactless, mobile wallets and chip and PIN.
They also keep queues moving and reduce cash handling risks. And with digital records of every transaction through our platforms, you’ll spend less time on admin and more time growing your business.
A card reader for every business, big or small
Everyday card reader
£23 monthly rental + VAT
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Out-of-the-box card reader to start taking payments quickly and easily.
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Connects with Wi-Fi and 4G using free SIM.
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Tailored transaction fees.
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Up to 10 hours battery life.
Business management solution
£21 monthly rental + VAT (optional £10 SIM)
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Comes with optional apps to help you take payments, manage stock and more.
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Connects with Wi-Fi (optional 4G SIM for £10 a month + VAT).
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Tailored transaction fees.
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Up to 8 hours battery life.
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Business card machine FAQs
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No, you don’t need a Lloyds account to apply for the majority of our card machines. Our card machines are available to all businesses, regardless of who you bank with.
If you do bank with Lloyds, you may benefit from additional features and integrations, but it’s not a requirement. We’re here to help you take payments securely and efficiently, whether you’re just starting out or scaling up.
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There’s no difference. Whether you call them mobile or portable, our card machines offer the same flexibility, features and reliable connectivity. With options like 4G and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth you can take payments wherever your customers are. Simple, secure and built for business.
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While card reader and card machine are often used interchangeably, they refer to devices that perform the same essential function, despite minor differences. A card reader generally refers to smaller devices that pair with a smartphone or tablet and allow you to process payments and refunds. These could be ideal for businesses that are new to cards, work seasonally or have a lower turnover.
A card machine generally refers to a slightly larger and robust device that doesn’t require a smartphone, tablet or till system to operate. They’re well-suited for busy environments where customers tend to pay at their table, and are usually capable of more complex transaction types.
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We have a range of card machines for small business operations as well as for larger, more established enterprises. Which one you choose will depend on how you want to accept card payments, as well as how much flexibility you need.
For businesses that prefer customers to pay at the till, a countertop card payment machine could be the best option.
If you plan to offer a more flexible way to pay, such as taking payments at a table, then a portable card machine is better. If you need to sell away from your business premises, then a smaller, hand held card reader is a good option.
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The best card machine for your small business will depend on how it runs. But if you need flexibility, a portable card machine such as Clover Flex or Castles Saturn offers wireless connectivity and long battery life, which is ideal for taking payments at tables or events.
All our machines support contactless, chip & PIN and mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
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A PDQ machine is a generic term for card readers that take card payments. It stands for ‘Process Data Quickly’ and was first used in the early 1980s to describe the technology behind the very first card machines. But it isn’t commonly used today unlike chip and PIN machine, credit card machine or payment terminal.
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A card reader works by reading information from a customer's credit or debit card. It can do this in a number of ways, including:
- Chip and PIN – the card reader ‘reads’ an embedded chip that stores the customer’s 4-digit PIN.
- Contactless – the customer touches their card on or near the card reader which detects the customer’s details using a wireless technology called Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).
- Mobile wallets (such as Apple Pay) – these are an app that use Near-Field Communication (NFC) to provide the card information.
It only takes a few seconds for the cardholder and payment information to be transferred from the cardholder’s bank to the merchant’s acquiring bank or payment services provider using NFT. Once available funds are detected the transaction can be approved.
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A contactless payment is a secure way for a customer to pay for products or services using their debit, credit, smartcard, or digital wallet on a contactless card payment machine without entering their pin.
It uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and near-field communication (NFC) and works when a customer taps a payment card or other device near to or onto a machine that has contactless payment technology.
The information transferred through a contactless payment is encrypted, meaning it’s difficult to intercept. The contactless limit is currently set at £100.
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The cost of card payment machines vary across product and type and will depending on your card turnover, how you want to take card payments and the product you eventually choose.
We’ll give you the chance to view a clear breakdown of your rates and charges before you decide, so you fully understand the cost before you purchase.
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Our terminals all come with some accessibility features for the visually impaired to help your customers complete transactions effortlessly.
- Castles Saturn currently has a visually impaired mode on the terminal which guides the cardholder to complete the transaction with voice over instructions. The software has been approved by the RNIB.
- The Clover Flex comes with a physical overlay, which can be placed over the touch screen and acts as a keypad for the visually impaired. The physical overlay is also provided with the Clover Station and Mini.