Before looking at hardware, determine how and where you will take payments:
The cost of owning a machine goes beyond the sticker price. Look out for: how to buy a credit card machine
The "machine" is only a tool; the or Merchant Account Provider is what actually moves the money. You generally have two paths: Before looking at hardware, determine how and where
: Requires a traditional wired terminal or a full POS system with a screen. Before looking at hardware
: Usually a percentage of the sale (e.g., 2.6%) plus a flat fee (e.g., $0.10).
: Decide if you need Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or a built-in 4G/5G SIM card for mobile use.
: Run a small "penny test" transaction to ensure funds are correctly routing to your bank account before opening to the public.