Card readers

Accept card payments with our wide range of face-to-face solutions.

Mobile card readers

Could be ideal for businesses that take card payments on the move.

  • Radio tower
  • Bluetooth
  • Battery

These battery-powered devices either use SIM card or Bluetooth connectivity. 

Mobile card readers

Portable card machines

Could be perfect for accepting payments in or around your premises.

  • Wi-Fi
  • Bluetooth
  • Battery

These battery-powered devices use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity.
 

Portable card machines

Countertop card machines

Could be ideal if you always take card payments at the till.

  • Mains power
  • Ethernet

These devices generally use mains power and an Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection.

Countertop card machines

Benefits of using Cardnet card readers and card machines

Meet customer expectation

Let customers pay by contactless, chip & PIN, magnetic stripe or Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay.

Reduce queuing time

Accept and process customer payments faster.

Secure settlement

Receive settlement within three-to-five working days, or the next working day for a fee.

Understand your customers

Get real-time sales data through online reporting tools.

Keep customer data safe

Guaranteed secure data processing and fully PCI compliant payment devices.

Receive technical support

UK-based helpdesk available from 8am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday.

Logos of payment types; mastercard, visa, american express, apple pay, google pay, diners club international, and discover.

Support with switching fees

Support with switching fees

We can discuss helping with any exit fees if you’re already with another provider.

Enquire now

Frequently asked questions

Is there a difference between card readers and card machines?

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.

  • A PDQ machine is a generic term for card readers that take card payments. It stands for ‘Process Data Quickly’ and was initially used back in the early 1980s to describe the technology behind the very first machines, though the phrase it is not commonly used today unlike chip & PIN machine, credit card machine or payment terminal. 

  • 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 & 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 customers details using a wireless technology called Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).
    • Mobile wallets (such as Apply 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.

  • 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 payment machine. 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 is difficult to intercept. The contactless limit is currently set at £100.

  • We have a range of card machines for small business operations as well as for larger, more established enterprises. Choosing one 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 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 mobile card reader is a good option.

  • The cost of our card machines and card readers vary across product and type and will depend on factors such as your card turnover, how you want to take card payments and the product you eventually choose. You will have an opportunity to view a clear breakdown of your rates and charges before you decide, so you fully understand the cost before you purchase.

  • Before a Lloyds Bank Cardnet account can be set up for you, you will need to have a business current account in place. Once you have this and you select a card machine, your account will be  set up. This will happen within 7-10 days of your application, subject to our terms and conditions.

  • 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.

  • A PDQ machine is a generic term for card readers that take card payments. It stands for ‘Process Data Quickly’ and was initially used back in the early 1980s to describe the technology behind the very first machines, though the phrase it is not commonly used today unlike chip & PIN machine, credit card machine or payment terminal. 

  • 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 & 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 customers details using a wireless technology called Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).
    • Mobile wallets (such as Apply 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.

  • 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 payment machine. 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 is difficult to intercept. The contactless limit is currently set at £100.

  • We have a range of card machines for small business operations as well as for larger, more established enterprises. Choosing one 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 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 mobile card reader is a good option.

  • The cost of our card machines and card readers vary across product and type and will depend on factors such as your card turnover, how you want to take card payments and the product you eventually choose. You will have an opportunity to view a clear breakdown of your rates and charges before you decide, so you fully understand the cost before you purchase.

  • Before a Lloyds Bank Cardnet account can be set up for you, you will need to have a business current account in place. Once you have this and you select a card machine, your account will be  set up. This will happen within 7-10 days of your application, subject to our terms and conditions.

New to card payments?

New to card payments?

If you’re new to card payments, there’s a few things you’ll want to know, from understanding how they work, to what you might need before you start. 

Learn about card payments

Other ways to take payments:

Illustration of making a payment on a laptop

Online

Take payments through your website and other digital channels, including pay by link.
 

Online payments
Illustration of making a payment on a mobile phone

Over the phone

Take payments over the phone using the additional functionality of a card reader or by using our secure online virtual terminal.

Over-the-phone payments

Important legal information

Cardnet® is a registered trademark of Lloyds Bank plc.

We may monitor or record calls to make sure we have carried out your instructions correctly and to help improve the quality of our service.

Please remember we cannot guarantee the security of messages sent by email.

Lloyds Bank plc and Bank of Scotland plc (member of Lloyds Banking Group) are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Authorisation can be checked on the Financial Services Register at www.fca.org.uk