Tag Archive for cashless payments

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Best payment apps for small businesses

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By Dom Walbanke on Small Business UK – Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs

The number of providers offering payment services to UK small businesses has exploded.

Many of these are app-based solutions, which offer businesses a simple and cost-effective way to start accepting customer purchases, whether they’re contactless card payments or even bank-to-bank transfers.

These payment apps are essential for small businesses and customers alike, making it easy for both parties to complete quick but secure transactions. With more consumers choosing to pay via contactless and suppliers invoicing online, businesses no matter how small need to be ready to process transactions.

>See also: Best mobile phone payment for self-employed

Payment apps for small businesses 

You can use payment apps to make bank transfers, mobile payments, online card payments and point of sale payments.

This list includes payment gateway apps and point of sale (POS) payment apps. If you work in brick-and-mortar retail or are taking more than £10,000 per month, a more substantial payment solution, such as a card reader, might be a better option.

Here’s our pick of the best payment apps for small businesses.

WorldFirst

GoCardless

Wallestar
Worldpay

Square

Takepayments

Online payment gateway apps
 

Price
No monthly fee

Transaction fee
30p to £4 (+0.50 currency conversion)

Set-up fee
None

Terminal
None

WorldFirst is bringing down the cost of

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10 card payment machines ideal for small business

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By Tim Adler on Small Business UK – Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs

In an increasingly cashless society, if you don’t have card payment machines, you risk losing out on sales.

The 2025 UK Payment Markets report, found that debit card payments are by far the country’s most popular type, accounting for more than half of all payments (26.1 of 49 billion transactions) made in 2024, while 39% of all payments were made using contactless cards or mobiles. By contrast, less than 10% of all payments were made in cash.

Every one of the card payment machines on this page accepts debit, mobile and card payments. But there are differences in features, fees and upfront costs which will make some more or less suitable for your business than others.

This article will break down the hardware and functionality of the best card payment machines currently on the market to help you choose the one that’s right for you.

Card Payment Machine Reviews
Jump straight to a particular card machine or discover our full ranking of the 10 best card payment machines for small UK businesses in 2025.

Square Reader

Tide Card Reader

TakePayments

SumUp Air

Zettle Reader 2

MyPOS Go

Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere

Tyl (by Natwest)

Shopify

Worldpay DX800

How much does a

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How to optimise cash flow with cashless payments

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Originally written by Dan Matthews on Small Business
Cash flow is the lifeblood of enterprise. Plenty of small businesses go to the wall each year, despite being fundamentally strong, because without having a view of how much money they have for payroll, inventory and long-term growth it’s difficult to determine how much money is needed to safeguard their business.
Boosting cash flow, not just sales
It doesn’t matter whether your products and services are in demand if the money from sales arrives too late to pay for business-related costs. This is a balancing act that many businesses struggle to achieve.
The good news is there are several ways to control cash leaving your business, while ensuring money comes in thick and fast. They include leasing big-ticket equipment, negotiating better deals with suppliers, and creating an efficient system to crunch your numbers.
For businesses that get paid through invoices, there are strategies to speed up payment times and ensure your customers are solvent and reliable.
But what about businesses that take payment at point of sale – is there a way to ensure payments hit your bank account in good time?
Upping your cash flow game with Square
Firstly, you need a payment platform with a positive reputation in

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Hot Business News Today

How to sell anywhere with contactless payments

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Originally written by Dan Matthews on Small Business
The way consumers pay for goods and services has been revolutionised in recent years. From the coins and notes that we have all used for decades, to the smart digital applications of the 2020s, people now have more ways to pay than ever before.
As a small business owner, keeping up with advances in payments technology can feel like a challenge, but in truth getting set up is easier than you might think.
Why go contactless?
Cash remains a popular way to buy. According to the Bank of England, there are around £70bn-worth of notes in circulation, or about £1,000 for every member of the British public.
But plastic has caught up and, in 2017, overtook paper and coins as the UK’s preferred payment method. At the same time, the old-style Chip and PIN method has been joined by contactless as a quick and easy way to settle bills of £45 and under.
Before the coronavirus took hold in the UK, there were 889m contactless payments in February 2020 alone, the vast majority of which were made via credit or debit card. But customers also increasingly use their phones or smart devices to pay.
But at the peak of

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

How to sell anywhere with contactless payments

by  •  • 0 Comments

Originally written by Dan Matthews on Small Business
The way consumers pay for goods and services has been revolutionised in recent years. From the coins and notes that we have all used for decades, to the smart digital applications of the 2020s, people now have more ways to pay than ever before.
As a small business owner, keeping up with advances in payments technology can feel like a challenge, but in truth getting set up is easier than you might think.
Why go contactless?
Cash remains a popular way to buy. According to the Bank of England, there are around £70bn-worth of notes in circulation, or about £1,000 for every member of the British public.
But plastic has caught up and, in 2017, overtook paper and coins as the UK’s preferred payment method. At the same time, the old-style Chip and PIN method has been joined by contactless as a quick and easy way to settle bills of £45 and under.
Before the coronavirus took hold in the UK, there were 889m contactless payments in February 2020 alone, the vast majority of which were made via credit or debit card. But customers also increasingly use their phones or smart devices to pay.
But at the peak of

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

5 reasons why (and how) you should meet demand for cashless payments

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Originally written by Lee Jones on Small Business
For businesses in the unattended market, keeping up to date with ever-progressing technology poses a challenge. Cashless payments and new payment methods have been growing in popularity, and it can feel like a struggle to keep up. Not to mention the fact that the time and expense of upgrading self-service payment terminals can be intimidating.
However, failure to move with the times could cost merchants business.
Here are five reasons why (and how) any merchant who operates unattended terminals – whether they’re in hospitality, parking, transport, retail, transport or travel – should be looking to meet the demand for cashless payments.
>See also: Why businesses should go cashless: pros and cons
#1 – Cash has been dethroned
The old saying, cash is king, has become less and less relevant in recent years. Card payments in the UK have grown at an exponential rate, and research from UK Finance showed that the amount of payments made with physical money dropped by 22 per cent between 2006 and 2016. In fact, card payments overtook cash payments in 2016, with notes and coins accounting for just 40 per cent of spend. It’s predicted that, by 2026, cash will be used for

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