Credit Card Processing Equipment and Systems

Card processing equipment is another factor that can impact your choice of credit card processor. Some companies provide their own branded terminals, POS systems and online gateways for free, others charge a one-time or monthly fee. When shopping for a card processing company, consider the equipment you’ll need to accept cards, then see which company combines the best equipment deals with low processing fees for various types of sales.

Physical “In-Person” Card Processing Equipment

In-store and in-person sales settings use terminals and other processing hardware to physically swipe, dip or tap cards at checkout. Since the card is present, these types of sales are considered low-risk and carry the lowest processing fees.

• Point-of-sale (POS) store registers: These systems pair inventory, customer and sales management software with card readers, store registers and touchscreen terminals to complete a sale.
• Smart terminals: Compact all-in-one card processing terminals can be used in-store and in mobile settings via Wi-Fi and cellular connections.
• Basic registers and terminals: No-frills cash registers with card processing terminals work well for basic in-store retail and countertop services.
• Self-serve kiosk checkouts: Customer-facing touchscreen checkouts with built-in card readers are ideal for quick-serve cafes and other self-serve settings.
• Mobile card readers: Paired with a mobile app on a tablet or cell phone, mobile card readers physically process cards for all types of in-person mobile settings, such as fairs and markets, food trucks and mobile service calls.

Virtual and Online Credit Card Processing Systems

Online payments and virtual credit card sales require cloud-based systems called online portals or payment gateways to securely collect and transmit customers’ payment information. Since the card isn’t physically present and staff can’t verify identification, these types of sales are considered higher-risk and carry the highest card processing fees.

• E-commerce payment gateways: Payment gateways are secure online checkout systems that connect your online store to your card processing service to verify and complete online transactions.
• Online payment portals: Some processors have secure online portals that enable a range of modern online payment options including online invoice payments, automated recurring and subscription payments, QR code payments and payment links sent via text or email.
• Virtual terminals: Nearly all card processing services support keyed-in payments through a cloud-based online dashboard, typically called a virtual terminal.
• Mobile terminal or POS app: Many card processing services provide a mobile payment app that enables virtual keyed-in payments using tablets and smartphones. Some providers include this in a POS app that supports both keyed-in and card reader payments. Source