takepayments Review 2026: Rates, Contracts and Card Machines
You've seen takepayments machines in corner shops, salons and takeaways up and down the country. What you won't see is a price list, because it doesn't publish one. So in October 2026 we read through takepayments' own website and support pages to explain how its pricing works and what you should ask before signing.
Overview
takepayments supplies card terminals, online payment tools and support to small and medium sized UK businesses. Its head office is listed as Highbank House, Stockport. It works on a quote basis: a payment consultant assesses your business, then builds a pricing package.
A key point many owners miss: you sign two contracts. One is with takepayments for the terminal hire and services. The other is with an acquiring bank that takepayments nominates, which processes your card transactions and charges the transaction fees. takepayments' support pages confirm you receive two separate bills.
Quick verdict: takepayments can suit established businesses with steady turnover that want a face to face service and a dedicated welcome team. Small or seasonal businesses will usually get better value and more flexibility from a no contract reader.
Card readers and hardware
takepayments lists two main card machines on its site:
| Device | Connection | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| take payments plus | WiFi or 4G (smart terminal) | Card and cash transactions, real time on screen reporting |
| PAX A920 Pro | Built in SIM, 4G, WiFi | Long battery life, portable |
You can read more about the A920 Pro in our PAX A920 Pro guide. Terminals are supplied on hire rather than sold outright.
Hardware costs
takepayments doesn't publish terminal hire prices. Its site says what you pay depends on the model, the card types you accept and your turnover. Ask for the monthly hire fee per terminal, any PCI compliance fee and any minimum monthly service charge in writing.
Fees and pricing
Transaction rates
Transaction rates are set in your agreement with the acquiring bank and aren't published by takepayments. That means we can't quote a rate here without inventing one, and we won't do that. Third party comparison sites report historical example rates, but takepayments itself no longer shows them, so treat any figure you see online as indicative only.
What to ask for in your quote
| Charge | Ask for |
|---|---|
| Debit card rate | Percentage and any pence per transaction |
| Credit card rate | Percentage and any pence per transaction |
| Business and premium cards | Separate rate, often higher |
| Authorisation fee | Pence per transaction, if any |
| Terminal hire | Monthly fee per terminal |
| Minimum monthly service charge | Amount and how it is calculated |
| PCI DSS fee | Monthly fee and how to avoid non compliance charges |
| Chargeback fee | Fee per dispute |
To compare the quote fairly, add up all charges for a typical month and divide by your card takings to get an effective rate. Then compare that figure with published options such as Dojo at 1.2% or SumUp at 1.69%. Our card machine fees UK guide walks through this.
Contract and setup
takepayments says its contract is 12 months, shorter than the 18 month terminal hire common with some acquirers. A welcome team helps you start transacting. Because the acquiring agreement is separate, check its own term and notice period too.
Payout speed
takepayments offers next day settlement for customers accepted for acquiring services, subject to the acquirer's approval and terms. You must run the terminal's banking function before the acquirer's cut off to be paid the next banking day. Online, pay by link and virtual terminal payments may settle on different timescales.
Customer support
takepayments advertises support seven days a week, with separate support and sales lines, and reports high customer review scores on its trust page (stated as correct as of March 2025).
How takepayments compares
| takepayments | Handepay | SumUp | Worldpay | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Quote only | See our review | 1.69% or 0.99% with Payments Plus | 1.50% Simplicity |
| Contract | 12 months | See our review | None | 18 months hire |
| Hardware | Supplied on monthly package | See our review | Buy outright | Hire |
| Settlement | Next day, subject to acquirer | See our review | 7am next day | Next business day |
Checked October 2026. Read our Handepay review for its current details.
Online payments
takepayments also offers ecommerce pay pages, pay by link and virtual terminals. Its site notes these may settle on different timescales from terminal payments, so ask how quickly online takings will reach you.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Rates tailored to your business, which can beat flat rates at higher volumes
- 12 month contract rather than 18 months
- Next day settlement
- Welcome team and seven day support
- Range of countertop, portable and mobile terminals
Cons
- No published prices, so comparison takes effort
- Two separate contracts and two bills
- Ongoing hire fees even in quiet months
- Less suitable for seasonal or very small businesses
Who it suits
Established shops, salons, takeaways and pubs with steady monthly card takings who prefer a sales consultant and phone support.
Alternatives
- Handepay: another UK terminal hire provider. See our Handepay guide.
- SumUp: no contract, published fees. See our SumUp card reader review.
- Traditional PDQ: compare options in our PDQ machine guide.
See our best card machines UK shortlist for more.
Worked monthly cost examples
takepayments publishes no rates, so we can't show what it will cost you. What we can show is the figure its quote has to beat. The table below shows what published alternatives cost at three turnover levels (checked October 2026). Add up every charge in your takepayments quote (transaction fees, authorisation fees, terminal hire, PCI fee and any minimum monthly service charge) and compare the total with these.
| Monthly card takings | SumUp Payments Plus (0.99% + £19) | Dojo (1.2%, under £100,000 a year) | Worldpay Simplicity (1.50%, excluding hire) |
|---|---|---|---|
| £2,000 | £38.80 | £24.00 | £30.00 |
| £10,000 | £118.00 | Custom rate above £100,000 | £150.00 |
| £30,000 | £316.00 | Custom rate | £450.00 |
How to compare a quote: a worked method
- Take your typical monthly card takings, for example £10,000.
- Split them by card type using your current statements (for example 70% consumer debit, 20% consumer credit, 10% business or premium).
- Apply each quoted rate to its share, and add any pence per transaction charges multiplied by your number of transactions.
- Add monthly terminal hire, PCI fee and any minimum monthly charge if your fees fall below it.
- Divide the total by £10,000. That is your effective rate.
If the effective rate is well under 1.18% (SumUp Payments Plus at £10,000), the quote is competitive. If not, push back or look elsewhere.
Why card mix matters
UK interchange on consumer cards is capped by law (see our card machine fees UK guide), but business cards and cards issued abroad aren't capped. If many customers are trades buyers paying with company cards, their rate will be much higher, so make sure the quote shows it.
takepayments for different businesses
Cafe and takeaway
A takeaway taking £15,000 a month with many small contactless payments should watch authorisation fees closely, as pence per transaction charges add up with small baskets.
Corner shop and retail
Steady daily takings suit a 12 month contract. Ask whether the take payments plus smart terminal can record cash sales too, as its listing suggests.
Hairdresser
A salon taking £4,000 a month may find terminal hire and minimum charges make a quote less attractive than a no contract reader.
Market stall and trades
Seasonal or irregular takings are a poor match for a fixed contract with monthly hire. A no contract reader is usually better.
Taxi
The A920 Pro with a built in SIM suits drivers, but compare the total monthly cost with no contract options first. See our guide to card readers for taxi drivers.
Setup and contract tips
- Get everything in writing. Rates, hire fee, PCI fee, minimum monthly charge and exit terms for both contracts.
- Read the acquiring contract separately. Its term and notice period may differ from the takepayments agreement.
- Know the banking cut off. Run the end of day banking function before the acquirer's cut off for next day settlement.
- Diary the renewal date. Review your rates before the 12 month term ends.
- Ask about PCI. Find out how to complete compliance so you avoid any non compliance charge.
Verdict
takepayments can be competitive for established businesses, but only once you've a written quote that shows every charge. The lack of a published price list and the two contract model cost it points against transparent rivals. We rate it 3.7 out of 5.
FAQs
How much does takepayments charge?
takepayments doesn't publish rates. Your transaction fees are set by the acquiring bank it nominates, and terminal hire and services are quoted by takepayments. Checked October 2026.
How long is a takepayments contract?
takepayments says its contract is 12 months. The acquiring agreement is separate, so check its terms too.
Why do I get two bills from takepayments?
One bill comes from takepayments for terminal hire and services, and the other from your acquirer for processing transactions.
Does takepayments offer next day payments?
Yes, next day settlement is available, subject to the acquirer's terms and running your banking function before the cut off time.
Can I cancel takepayments early?
Check your agreement for early termination charges on both the takepayments contract and the acquiring contract before you sign.
Who is the acquirer for takepayments?
takepayments nominates the acquiring bank for each customer. Your contract will name it.
Can takepayments beat SumUp or Dojo?
It can for some businesses with steady volume. Work out the effective rate on your quote and compare it with the published rates above.
Does takepayments sell card machines outright?
Its site describes terminals supplied with a monthly package rather than sold outright. Ask if purchase is possible.
Does takepayments offer online payments?
Yes. It offers ecommerce pay pages, pay by link and virtual terminals, which may settle on different timescales from terminal payments.
What contactless limit applies on takepayments machines?
takepayments says customers can pay contactless for items up to £100, the UK contactless limit.
How do I compare a takepayments quote?
Ask for the total monthly cost at your real turnover, including terminal rental, per transaction fees, PCI charges and any minimum monthly charge. Divide by your card takings to get an effective rate, then compare it with published rates such as SumUp's 1.69% or Dojo's 1.2%.