Countertop card machines

A countertop card machine (also known as a ‘desktop card machine’ or a ‘fixed card machine’), is used by a business that takes card payments at one or more permanent locations within their premises, without a need to carry or move the card machine around.

Imagine a newsagent, bakery or deli with a till at one end of the counter. Or a fast-food outlet, barber or dry cleaner, who has a high frequency of lower value payments consistently throughout the day.

Customers of these businesses expect to pay quickly, and in the same place. For this reason, a countertop card machine is connected using a hard-wired internet connection or a phone line, which when paired with fast processing speeds, makes the machines a reliable and no-nonsense option for small business owners.


How to spot a countertop card machine

Uses a wired connection to a phoneline or broadband
Stays fixed in one place, like next to a till
Reliable and fast

No - but you will need an internet connection.

Traditionally, countertop card machines were connected using a phoneline, and some models still have that option, but it’s not recommended because inbound and outbound calls can occupy the phoneline and interrupt the connection to the card machine.

A much better option is to connect to broadband internet using a wired (ethernet) connection. This will keep your phoneline free for customer enquiries and give your terminal a reliable connection.

A countertop card machine can be connected to the internet (recommended) or a phoneline (dependent on model).


Typically, a card machine can be connected using the following steps:

Put the card machine in a convenient place for both you and your customers.

Insert the power cable jack into the card machine power port.

Insert the power cable plug into an electrical socket and switch it on.

Insert an ethernet cable into the ethernet port on the card machine (labelled ‘ETH’).

Insert the ethernet cable into a router or wall mounted ethernet socket.

Follow the steps presented on-screen by the card machine.


If you’re using a standard telephone line connection, connect the card machine to a wall telephone socket using a standard telephone lead. This connection port is usually labelled ‘IN’.

If you’re looking to connect a specific card machine, check out our user guides.

The ‘PDQ’ in PDQ machines stands for 'Process Data Quickly'. It's an obsolete term for the modern-day card machines, card readers or chip and PIN machines that we use in everyday life.

Some business owners (and customers) still use the name 'PDQ machines', and this isn’t wrong, it’s just a different way of saying the same thing, like 'wireless' instead of 'radio'. Ultimately the function remains: a device to take payment from a credit or debit card.

A traditional PDQ machine would accept payment by swiping the customer's card down the side of the machine. The payment was then authorised when the customer physically signed a printed receipt and handed it back to the merchant, who would check the two signatures matched.

This technology was replaced by chip and PIN for its obvious security benefits. Previously, a criminal could simply practice the signature of a lost or stolen card to use it fraudulently.

Here are 3 ways you can take credit card payments without a physical card machine:


Through your website, using an online payment gateway
Send your customers a pay by link to a secure payment page
Over the phone, using a virtual terminal


Payment Gateway – online, through your website

Accept online card payments through your website with a payment gateway that connects to your chosen shopping cart. Once users have selected or reserved their product or service, they can be either directed to a hosted payment page or use a payment form that’s built directly into your website through an integration.


Pay by Link – through any device with a web browser

Send your customers a unique URL (payment link) by email, WhatsApp, SMS or social messaging to initiate a payment request for a specific, outstanding amount, without the need for a website of your own. The link will direct them to a payment page hosted by us, accessible through any device with a web browser. From here, they can enter their card details like they would pay for any other product or service over the internet.


Virtual terminal – over the phone

This is effectively an online card machine, accessible through your laptop, phone, or tablet. Simply login to our portal where you can enter the payment amount and customer’s details whilst they recite them to you over the phone. This can also be useful for companies dealing with mail orders.

In order to start an application for a card machine, we need some proof that it's being used for business purposes.

As a provider of POS and payments solutions, it’s important that we can identify and verify who our users are, for the financial safety of us, our associated acquiring banks, and the applicant’s customers.

To begin an application we start by asking for the following documents:


Photo ID
A current and valid passport or Driving Licence ID.

Proof of business
A utility bill* showing both the trading name and trading address or a lease agreement signed by the merchant and the landlord. Invoices are not accepted.

Proof of business banking*
A voided cheque, paying in slip, bank statement or welcome letter. Documentation must have an account name, sort code, account number and bank logo.

Proof of address*
A home utility bill, personal bank statement or credit card statement.

*Documentation must be dated within the last 6 months.


Note: You may be asked for additional documentation further into the application process. What you need to provide may differ depending on your business type (sole trader or a limited company).

If the information on the documents does not coincide with the information on the application, we may contact you for further clarification.