Elavon Card Machine Review 2026: Plans From £5, Fees Checked
Elavon doesn't shout as loudly as the app based readers, but it's quietly one of the bigger acquirers in Europe. It says it supports more than two million customers across 36 countries. What surprised us when we went through its UK pricing in October 2026 is how much of it is actually published: a £5 reader, fixed monthly plans and a headline rate for personal cards. That's more than a lot of traditional providers will tell you before a sales call.
Overview
Elavon is a merchant acquirer. That means it processes your card payments itself and pays the money into your own business bank account, rather than holding it in an app wallet. It sells face to face card machines, online checkout, payment links, a virtual terminal for phone orders and its own point of sale software.
For small businesses, the useful bit is the pricing page. Elavon splits its offer into four plans aimed at different turnover bands, from a pay as you go mobile reader up to a portable terminal with a monthly fee. Above £200,000 a year in card turnover, it asks you to talk to its sales team for tailored pricing.
Quick verdict: Elavon's Business Booster plans are good value for established counters and cafes taking roughly £40,000 to £200,000 a year on cards, thanks to a 0.99% rate on personal Visa and Mastercard cards. The £5 Elavon Mobile reader is a cheap way in, but you'll still sign a 12 month contract and need to sort PCI compliance within 90 days.
Plans and pricing
Here's what Elavon's UK pricing page showed in October 2026:
| Plan | Device | Monthly fee | Rate on personal Visa and Mastercard | Elavon says best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start simple | Elavon Mobile reader, £5 one off | £0 | 1.75% | £0 to £40k card turnover |
| Business Booster Desk | Tetra Desk countertop | £15 | 0.99% | £40k to £200k |
| Core All in one | Tetra Move plus online gateway | £15, plus 16p per gateway transaction | 0.99% | £40k to £100k |
| Business Booster Move | Tetra Move portable | £18 | 0.99% | £40k to £200k |
Source: elavon.co.uk/accept-payments/pricing, checked October 2026. Elavon's pricing page says all plans come with a 12 month contract.
What the 0.99% covers
Read the small print on the table. The 0.99% applies to personal (consumer) Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards. Business cards, Amex and other schemes such as JCB, UnionPay and Diners are priced separately, and Elavon's own pricing tool lists things like a high risk loading and an authorisation fee for some card types. If a good share of your customers pay with company cards, ask for those rates before you work out your costs.
POS bundles
If you want a till as well as a card machine, Elavon offers the Ingenico DX8000 handheld with its own POS software. The Operate Smarter bundle was £30 a month in October 2026, made up of a £20 plan fee and a £10 Elavon POS Standard licence. A Premium POS licence costs £40, with extra licences at £10 each. Premium adds hospitality tools such as table management, coursing, split orders and kitchen printing.
Card machines
Elavon's small business plans use three devices:
- Elavon Mobile: a pocket sized reader that pairs with the Elavon Mobile POS app on your phone. £5 one off.
- Tetra Desk: a countertop terminal with a large touchscreen, optional customer PIN pad and preauthorisation, so it works for hotels and venues that take deposits.
- Tetra Move: a portable terminal for taking payments at the table or around the shop.
All of the plan terminals can let overseas customers pay in their home currency, and the Business Booster plans include next day funding.
Setup and support
Elavon says you can apply online and get a decision in about 15 minutes. Technical support runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, while customer service is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm by phone and until 6pm on chat. Every customer gets Elavon Connect, an online portal for statements, transactions and account settings, at no extra cost.
Worked monthly cost examples
These use only the published rates above and assume every payment is on a personal Visa or Mastercard. Real bills will be a little higher once business cards, Amex and any PCI charges are added.
| Monthly card takings | Start simple (1.75%, £0 a month) | Business Booster Desk (0.99% + £15) |
|---|---|---|
| £2,000 | £35.00 | £34.80 |
| £10,000 | £175.00 | £114.00 |
| £30,000 | £525.00 | £312.00 |
There's a neat lesson in the first row. At around £2,000 a month the two plans cost almost exactly the same, and above that the countertop plan wins every time. So if you're already taking more than £2,000 a month on cards and you trade from a fixed counter, the £15 plan is worth a look even though Elavon pitches it at bigger businesses.
Comparing with no contract readers
At £10,000 a month, a SumUp reader on pay as you go (1.69%) would cost about £169 in fees, and Square or Zettle at 1.75% about £175. Elavon's Desk plan at £114 saves you roughly £55 to £60 a month, or around £700 a year, in exchange for a 12 month commitment. That's a fair trade for a business that knows it'll still be trading next year.
Elavon for different businesses
Cafe
A cafe with a single till taking £8,000 a month on cards would pay about £94 a month on the Desk plan (£79.20 in fees plus £15). If staff take payments at tables, the Move plan at £18 a month costs £3 more and saves walking customers to the counter.
Market stall
For a weekend stall taking £1,500 a month, Elavon Mobile costs about £26 a month in fees. That's similar to other mobile readers, but you're tied into 12 months, so a no contract reader such as SumUp or Square is usually more flexible if your trading is seasonal.
Hairdresser
A salon taking £6,000 a month on a portable terminal would pay around £77 a month on Business Booster Move (£59.40 plus £18). Preauthorisation on the Tetra terminals can also be handy if you take deposits for long appointments.
Trades
Plumbers and electricians who invoice as well as take payment on site might like the Core plan: a portable terminal plus an online gateway for payment links and phone payments. Budget for 16p per gateway transaction on top of the £15 monthly fee.
Taxi
Elavon's plans don't advertise a 4G terminal on the small business pricing page, so taxi drivers should check mobile data options first. Our guide to card readers for taxi drivers covers devices built for that job.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Published plan prices, which is rare for an acquirer
- 0.99% on personal Visa and Mastercard cards is sharp for small and mid sized businesses
- Money goes straight into your own bank account, with next day funding on Business Booster
- 24/7 technical support and a free reporting portal
- Optional POS software with hospitality features
Cons
- 12 month contract, even on the £5 reader plan
- PCI non compliance fees apply if you don't prove compliance within 90 days
- Business cards, Amex and other schemes cost more than the headline rate
- Customer service phone lines only open in office hours
Who it suits
Elavon makes most sense for cafes, takeaways, shops and salons with steady takings of roughly £3,000 to £15,000 a month on cards. If you're just starting out, or your takings bounce around a lot, a no contract reader keeps your options open.
Setup and contract tips
- Ask for the full schedule of charges. The plan table shows the headline rate. You want the rates for business cards, Amex and any authorisation fees in writing.
- Do your PCI questionnaire in week one. Elavon says non compliance fees apply if you haven't validated within 90 days. It's usually a short online form for a business using a standalone terminal.
- Check what happens at 12 months. Ask whether the contract rolls monthly or renews for another year, and how much notice you need to give.
- Count your terminals. Elavon offers preferential pricing for extra terminals on some plans, so ask before you order two separately.
- Test the Tetra Move's range. Take a test payment in the furthest corner of your venue before you rely on it on a busy night.
Alternatives
- Barclaycard: another bank backed acquirer.
- Lloyds Bank Cardnet: worth comparing if you bank with Lloyds.
- Tyl by NatWest: NatWest's card machine offer.
- Teya: hospitality focused, with its own business account.
- Square: no contract and no monthly fee.
Verdict
Elavon's published plans are refreshingly clear for an acquirer, and 0.99% on personal cards beats every flat rate app reader we've checked. The catch is the 12 month contract and the PCI admin. If you've got a fixed counter and steady card takings, it's well worth a quote. If you're testing an idea at weekend markets, start with something you can walk away from.
FAQs
How much does an Elavon card machine cost?
In October 2026 Elavon's UK pricing page listed the Elavon Mobile reader at £5 one off with no monthly fee, the Tetra Desk at £15 a month and the Tetra Move at £18 a month.
What are Elavon's transaction fees?
1.75% on personal Visa and Mastercard cards with Elavon Mobile, and 0.99% on the Business Booster and Core plans. Other card types are priced separately.
Is there a contract with Elavon?
Yes. Elavon's pricing page says its plans come with a 12 month contract.
Does Elavon charge a PCI fee?
Elavon says non compliance fees apply if you don't prove your PCI DSS compliance within 90 days of signing up on the Start simple plan. Ask about PCI charges on any plan before you sign.
When does Elavon pay out?
The Business Booster plans include next day funding into your business bank account. Elavon's DX8000 bundle advertises same day funding.
Can Elavon take online payments too?
Yes. The Core plan includes the Elavon Payment Gateway for payment links and online payments, at 16p per gateway transaction plus the £15 monthly fee.
Is Elavon good for big businesses?
Yes. If your card turnover is over £200,000 a year, Elavon asks you to speak to its sales team for tailored pricing.