Mobile card reader

treecol

I didn't know where to post this - hope here is ok as it's kind of connected to work. Finally we're going to have to get a card reader for our business. It needs to be mobile as we work outside at customer's properties. Our bank have one but the costs are huge as they will only issue us one if we have a business account - currently we operate as a sloe trader with a personal account. So I've looked at some online and izettle seems to be ok. Costs are reasonable and there don't appear to be any hidden costs. But the thing I'm not sure of is that the payments take 1-2 days to clear in the bank account. 
So do any of you wonderfully knowledgeable people here have experience of mobile readers, please? I'm concerned,  not being very tech savvy, that after taking a payment, it may not clear in the account . Or do you get guaranteed payment because the card reader transaction went through at the time? Thank you so much if you can help.

DCFC79

Do these 3 reviews help
https://www.mobiletransaction.org/card-machine-small-business-uk/

https://startups.co.uk/best-mobile-card-readers/

https://www.techradar.com/uk/best/best-mobile-card-payment-reader

treecol

Thank you very much. I will have a good read. I would be interested in any personal experience of card readers, if anyone can also chime in, please?

jonnygee2

 But the thing I'm not sure of is that the payments take 1-2 days to clear in the bank account.

That's the same for all card purchases. The payment is guaranteed to clear. Chargebacks can happen though - I imagine iZettle have some guides on how to deal with those, if starting card payments you should understand them.

iZettle is pretty decent.

ceh209

I use izettle for a voluntary organisation I'm treasurer for. You can set deposits as daily, weekly or monthly. I have weekly and money comes into our bank account on a Wednesday for sales up to the previous Sunday. All card payment providers will have a bit of a delay on receiving the cash - you'd have to check with each of them how long it is. Izettle takes their fees off and just sends you the net cash, so you don't have to worry about paying them separately. It was set up before I joined, but I believe it's just a one off payment for the card reader aswell.

In general, if the card payment goes through, you'll get the cash. However as jonnygee2 mentioned, chargebacks are possible if someone claims it's a fraudulent transaction etc.

blakeyboy72

iZettle is fantastic - my wife uses it at craft and trade shows as its so simple.   
If you get it do a few practice runs on your own card.  

zaintech

It sounds like iZettle is a popular choice here, and it does seem pretty reliable for a lot of small businesses. If you're looking for an alternative, you might want to check out Tectah’s mobile card machines. They’re easy to set up, work well in remote areas, and offer quick processing with reasonable fees—ideal for small businesses working on the go.

You can check here too: tectah.com/card-machines/ 

General_Grant

treecol said:

I didn't know where to post this - hope here is ok as it's kind of connected to work. Finally we're going to have to get a card reader for our business. It needs to be mobile as we work outside at customer's properties. Our bank have one but the costs are huge as they will only issue us one if we have a business account - currently we operate as a sloe trader with a personal account. So I've looked at some online and izettle seems to be ok. Costs are reasonable and there don't appear to be any hidden costs. But the thing I'm not sure of is that the payments take 1-2 days to clear in the bank account. 
So do any of you wonderfully knowledgeable people here have experience of mobile readers, please? I'm concerned,  not being very tech savvy, that after taking a payment, it may not clear in the account . Or do you get guaranteed payment because the card reader transaction went through at the time? Thank you so much if you can help.

"Sole trader" but "our"/"we"?
So you are a sole trader who employs some other person(s)?

The T&C of most, if not all, banks include not using a personal account as a business account.  Is most of your income in cash?  Is most of your expenditure by card/cash?

400ixl

Other half used to use Zettle, but has found Sum Up to be better and cheaper). But could depend on your monthly turnover.

DullGreyGuy

This is a zombie thread from 4 years ago just dug up by a spammer

zainul

I recently started using a Tectah portable card machine, and it’s been perfect for on-the-go payments. Transactions are secure, and payments usually clear by the next day, which helps with cash flow. Their pricing is transparent with no hidden fees, and the setup is simple—even if you’re a sole trader without a business account.