Written by Isobel O'Sullivan Reviewed by Tatiana Lebreton Published on 5 January 2026 On this page How Much Does Handepay Cost? What Card Machines Does Handepay Offer? What Are Handepay's Software Features Like? Our Experience With Handepay How Does Handepay Compare With Its Competitors? How We Researched and Reviewed Handepay Verdict: Should Your Business Get a Handepay Account? Expand All providers have been tested by our Research team. By requesting a quote or clicking a link, we can match you with a potential supplier, and we may earn a small commission for this referral. Learn more. Handepay is a merchant services provider and payment processing service that provides businesses with a straightforward way to accept card payments. During recent platform tests, we found Handepay’s intuitive payment software and well-signposted card terminals make the payment process simple.However, it lacks some EPOS features found in top-tier merchant account providers, like Clover and Square, including inventory management and advanced reporting. This makes it more suitable for smaller businesses that simply want simple, reliable payment processing, rather than those seeking an all-encompassing, industry-focused point-of-sale platform.If you’re interested in using Handepay, this guide uncovers everything you need to know about the service, including its pricing model, contract length, features, and how it compares to its industry rivals. Handepay 4.3 Pricing Custom Compare Quotes Suitable for Merchants who need next-day payouts Businesses that prefer simple payment processes Sellers that prioritise flexible, short-term contracts Not suitable for Merchants who require POS features Micro-businesses after a free merchant account plan Businesses that need extensive reporting Pricing See more See less Monthly fee Custom pricing Transaction fees Custom pricing Card machines Custom pricing Handepay Review: Key Takeaways Both Handepay’s traditional Countertop Card Machine and fully portable Saturn Android Smart Terminal support chip and PIN, contactless, and mobile-wallet payments.Handepay negotiates bespoke rates for its monthly fees, card terminals and transaction fees.Handepay offers one-month rolling contracts with no exit fees.Handepay offers basic payment and reporting capabilities, but lacks POS-style features offered by competitors like Clover, Square and Stripe. How Much Does Handepay Cost?Learn about how much the merchant account provider could cost you in our pricing breakdown. Handepay Pricing: Quick Summary Monthly costs: Handepay negotiates custom rates for each business.Transaction fees: Regular debit and credit payment rates have been reported to be around 1-2%, with higher risk transactions costing more.No free plan: Handepay doesn’t offer a free or hardware-free plan.Contract length: One-month rolling contracts with no exit fees.Handepay Price Challenge: If Handepay can’t beat your current card-processing fees, they’ll pay you £1,000.How much are Handepay’s monthly costs?Handepay operates on a fully custom pricing model, meaning there is no standard monthly fee published on its website. Instead, the company states that it “negotiates rates on behalf of our customers” when businesses apply.Your monthly cost will depend on factors like the type of card machine you choose, whether you rent or buy it, your transaction volume and the mix of card types you typically process.How much do Handepay card machines cost?Costs for Handepay’s card terminals depend on whether you rent or buy the terminal outright. However, unlike providers with fixed published prices, Handepay quotes machine rental on a custom basis, so you’ll have to reach out to a member of its team for exact prices.What are Handepay transaction fees?Handepay does not charge a single flat-rate fee for all users. Instead, its fees are tailored — transaction fees depend on your business type, card type (debit versus credit versus “premium”) and your processing volume.If you rent or buy a card machine through Handepay, typical debit-card transactions are quoted around 0.3%-1%, and credit-card transactions somewhere between 1%-2%, depending on your chosen agreement.For “premium” cards, like certain credit cards, cards flagged as higher-cost or higher-risk payment methods like card-not-present (CNP) over-the-phone payments, higher fees may apply.Does Handepay offer a free plan?No. Unlike zero-monthly-cost competitors like Zettle and Square, which offer some of the cheapest ways to take card payments, Handepay doesn’t offer a free plan. Instead, you’ll need to pay for a merchant account and either rent or purchase a card machine, with transaction fees quoted on a custom basis.How long are Handepay contracts?Handepay offers highly flexible one-month contracts and doesn’t charge exit fees to businesses looking to leave early. This separates the provider from the crowd, with most merchant account providers locking businesses into 12-to-24-month contracts and imposing extra charges for leaving early.Ultimately, this will make Handepay more attractive to casual sellers that aren’t interested in committing long term, especially in comparison with merchant account providers with longer contracts and stringent terms, like Worldpay and Tyl by NatWest. What is the Handepay Price Challenge? The Handepay Price Challenge is a guarantee that the merchant account provider can beat your existing card machine costs. To check this, businesses submit a recent statement, and Handepay’s experts review your current rates, fees, and contract terms to see if they can offer you a better deal.If Handepay cannot offer lower costs for your card payment, they promise to pay you £1,000, as part of their mission to encourage businesses to switch to cheaper processing. What Card Machines Does Handepay Offer?Handepay offers two main card machines for taking payment: one fixed-location and one portable. Each option has its own specialisms and ideal use cases, so see how they compare when it comes to mobility, payment types and hardware specifications.1. Handepay Countertop Card MachinePrice: CustomHandepay’s Countertop Card Machine is a fixed-location card terminal designed to securely accept card payments via broadband or phone line. It sits at business counters or checkouts to facilitate face-to-face payments, and features a simple colour screen and receipt printer.Handepay Countertop Card Machine key featuresWired broadband or phone-line connectivitySupports chip and PIN and contactless payments, including Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung PayBuilt-in thermal receipt printerCompact and durable countertop designFact transaction processingWho is the Handepay Countertop Card Machine best for?The card machines’ hardwired connections make them an asset to fixed-location businesses that operate from a permanent till point. This can include any sellers that value stability over portability, including bricks-and-mortar stores, cafes or dentists.While pricing for the card machine is opaque, Handepay’s website claims that merchants can get started with its card machines for under £20 per month, suggesting that its countertop card machine will also suit businesses looking to keep overheads low, while benefiting from a reliable payment solution.However, the Handepay Countertop Card Machine’s battery life falls short of many similar models, with card machines by Square, Zettle by PayPal and SumUp offering over 10 hours of battery time. This makes Handepay’s wired card terminal less suitable for rural sellers and those who regularly take payments on the go.2. Saturn Android Smart TerminalPrice: CustomThe Saturn Android Smart Terminal represents the next generation of card machines. Unlike Handepay’s Countertop Card Machine, it relies on Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity, making it completely portable. Its rechargeable Li-ion battery (6,000mAh) also allows it to run for several hours without being plugged in.Saturn Android Smart Terminal key featuresWi-Fi and 4G connectivitySupports chip and PIN and contactless payments, including Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.Next banking day settlement for fundsEasy-load thermal printer5.5-inch colour touchscreen displayWho is the Saturn Android Smart Terminal best for?The card machine’s wireless connectivity and long battery life make it ideal for businesses that don’t operate at fixed locations, like market stalls, pop-up shops or on-site services.Yet, it’s smart POS style terminal — which supports flexible payment processing and customer loyalty tools — also lends itself well to established sellers that want a more modern, feature-rich alternative to traditional countertop terminals.Handepay's Countertop Card Machine is wired, making it ideal for fixed location sellers. Source: HandepayThe Handepay Saturn Android Smart Terminal's wireless connectivity makes it ideal for on-the-go sellers. Source: Handepay What Are Handepay’s Software Features Like?Handepay’s software boasts a number of payment and management features to help streamline operations. Next, we dive into different areas of functionality to help you understand what the merchant account provider could bring to your business.Payment optionsHandepay offers a range of payment options. Its Countertop and Saturn Android Smart Terminals devices support chip and PIN payments and mobile wallet payments from services like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay.The provider also lets businesses accept payment online through secure payment gateways, virtual terminals or secure payment links with its Pay by Link capability.A standout addition is Handepay’s Tap to Pay functionality for Android and iPhone smartphones, which allows businesses to accept card payments without purchasing extra hardware. This brings Handepay closer to feature parity with market leaders like Square and Zettle, in terms of mobile payment flexibility.ReportingHandepay offers standard reporting and analytics capabilities via its Back Office Portal. Businesses are able to filter reports by card type and generate summaries of daily, weekly or monthly transactions. The software now lets you gain deeper employee-focused insights too, helping keep a clear overview of your team’s activity.However, Handepay’s reporting system remains much less comprehensive than many of its rivals. For instance, the provider doesn’t let you carry out itemised reporting, unlike other merchant accounts, like Clover or Worldpay.Handepay reporting features are quite limited, especially compared with other merchant account providers like Clover. Source: HandepayAccessing basic reporting features was confusing with Handepay, too. When we tested out the software, we were unsure which button to press to view daily sales and had to assume the ‘Summary’ report was correct. This made it hard for us to gain a clear understanding of our insights, especially compared with Clover, which clearly signposts its different report types.Payout timeframeHandepay typically deposits funds into your account the next banking day, making cash flow predictable for small and medium-sized businesses. However, an exception is that payments processed on a Friday or over the weekend will typically be settled on Monday, the next banking day.To ensure your funds will be paid the next day, you must perform an “end of day settlement”, otherwise known as reconciliation, before the end of the day. This settlement service may incur a small fee of £4 per month, depending on circumstances.Ecommerce integrationHandepay supports online payments via secure gateways, virtual terminals and payment links, but it does not offer a native ecommerce or shopping-cart platform.While merchants can accept card payments online, the system lacks advanced features such as automated inventory syncing, product-level reporting or multi-channel order management.This makes Handepay better suited for businesses that prioritize simple, reliable payment processing — both in-person and online — rather than fully integrated ecommerce operations or complex digital storefront management.Handepay mobile appHandepay’s mobile app supports both iOS and Android, allowing on-the-go merchants to accept payments directly via smartphone. You can also connect your existing Handepay hardware to the app for integrated use.The app provides basic transaction summaries and analytics, though it lacks some advanced reporting features found in competing apps like Square or Zettle, such as SKU-level insights, customer profiles or multi-location reporting.You can view recent transactions, issue digital receipts, and keep tabs on daily totals, but it isn’t built to handle stock tracking, invoicing, or staff management. For merchants that want a straightforward companion app to their terminal — without the complexity or fees of a full POS system — Handepay’s mobile app will be up to par.Handepay's mobile app is compatible with iOS and Android devices. Source: HandepaySecurityHandepay merchant accounts are PCI compliant. This ensures all cardholder data is processed, transmitted and stored securely in line with industry standards.Both of Handepay’s payment terminals use point-to-point encryption (P2PE), meaning card data is encrypted immediately at the device and remains protected until it reaches the payment processor. This significantly reduces the risk of data breaches during transmission. Usability: Our Experience With HandepayCarrying out simple transactions with Handepay was straightforward. The payment process was smooth and intuitive, thanks to the platform’s “big fat sales button”, and the large contactless indicators on the handset.This, combined with Handepay’s more stripped-back display, makes it ideal for businesses that prefer simple, no-frills cash-taking functionality.However, navigating Handepay didn’t come without hiccups. We found its interface to be quite outdated, with menus and icons that felt noticeably less “iPhone-like” and less modern than competitors.We were also disappointed by the platform’s navigational flow. The device lacked a clear home screen, and consistently defaults to the Sales page when you back out of a menu. This interrupted the user journey and could make it more likely for users to charge customers by accident. How Does Handepay Compare With Its Competitors?Handepay is a reliable, secure merchant account provider, but this doesn’t mean there aren’t other options that compete. We’ve compared Handepay with other leading services, so you can see how it weighs up against the competition when it comes to price and capabilities. Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward FEATURED PROVIDER OUR TOP PICK Square Terminal takepaymentsplus Tide Card Reader Plus Barclaycard POS System Zettle Reader 2 SumUp Air Reader Best for Businesses looking for an all-in-one platform Best for Businesses that need a flexible payment solution Best for Data-driven businesses Best for Businesses that bank with Barclays Best for New businesses Best for Best for businesses on the go Monthly fee None Monthly fee Custom Monthly fee £0 to £24.99 Monthly fee Custom Monthly fee None Monthly fee None for pay-as-you-go, £19/month with subscription Hardware cost £149 + VAT (interest-free financing available) Hardware cost From £25/month + VAT Hardware cost £199 + VAT Hardware cost £29/month + VAT Hardware cost £49 + VAT Hardware cost £25 + VAT Transaction fee 1.75% (in-person) Transaction fee Bespoke Transaction fee Sell In-Person Plans Buy: 0.79%+£0.03 | Rent: 0.69%+£0.03 | Pay As You Go Plan: 1.39%+£0.05 Transaction fee 1.6% or variable (in-person) Transaction fee 1.75% (in-person) Transaction fee 1.69% (in-person pay-as-you-go)0.99% (in-person with paid subscription) Fund transfer time Next business day Fund transfer time Next day Fund transfer time 1-3 business days Fund transfer time Next business day Fund transfer time 1-2 business days Fund transfer time 1-3 business days Contract length Zero contract Contract length 12 months Contract length Zero-contract Contract length 12 months Contract length Zero-contract Contract length Zero-contract See Pricing See Pricing See Pricing Compare Quotes Compare Quotes Compare Quotes Handepay’s wired card readers aren’t just phone-paired, making them more stable than more lightweight readers offered by providers like PayPal by Zettle, SumUp and Square. It doesn’t tie you into long-term contracts either, making it a more flexible option than providers that tie you to fixed contracts, like Worldpay or Tyl by NatWest.Yet, while the reliability of Handepay’s card terminals and its custom pricing position it well for businesses with consistent or higher turnovers, this model comes with a trade-off. The provider is more of an investment than systems that don’t charge monthly subscription fees, making it less suitable for micro-businesses or sellers with irregular transaction volumes.If you fall into this category, we’d recommend opting for Zettle by PayPal or Square instead, as these providers allow you to hit the ground running after you make a small one-off hardware purchase, with no ongoing rental fees and a simple setup for mobile sales. Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward takepayments Retail Merchant Services Worldpay Dojo Barclaycard Score 4.8 Score 4.7 Score 4.7 Score 4.3 Score 4.6 Best for Best overall Best for Low transaction fees on card payments Best for Integrations Best for Scalability Best for Businesses who want to bank with Barclays Monthly fee Bespoke Monthly fee From £10 + VAT/month Monthly fee From £19.95 + VAT Monthly fee £10 + VAT / Custom Monthly fee Custom (from £15/month) Transaction fee Custom (e.g. 1% + £0.02-2.75% + £0.02 for £50-£100k turnover; average transaction £0-£50) Transaction fee Bespoke in person0.79% +10p online Transaction fee Online: 1.5% or 1.3% + £0.20, OR custom fees depending on contractIn-person: Custom (as low as 0.75%) Transaction fee 0.8% + 5p to 2.49% + 5p rates or custom Transaction fee 1.60% or bespoke Key features Lots of hardware choicesEnhanced securityEight reporting toolsSupport 170 currencies Key features Real-time data insights100 currenciesNegotiable fees and custom rates Key features 24/7 phone supportFastest payout time in our research100 third-party integrationsSupport 120 currencies Key features Simple compliance procedureSupport available via phone and live chatTwo reporting tools Key features Available in a pay-as-you-go basisReporting appSupports 96 currencies How We Researched and Reviewed HandepayTo bring you our reviews, we tested and researched 18 payment services providers, assessing them across five main areas of investigation and 23 subcategories. These included ease of use, the quality and feel of hardware, and the price of products and services.Here’s what we looked at:Hardware: We looked at the size, weight, and portability of the card machines they offer, and assessed their connectivity, interface, receipt printing and battery life.Software: We tallied up how many payment types and methods each provider accepts, looked at payout times, reporting and security features, EPOS functionality, and what systems they integrate with.Pricing: We compared monthly fees, card machine costs, transaction fees and contract lengths against the features of each payment services provider, to determine the value for money of each.Ease of use: We had several different average users test each card machine and payment processing system to see how intuitive each one was to use, and how quickly everyday tasks could be completed.Help and support: We assessed providers based on how many different channels of support they offered, and how available and responsive the support team was.We then gave each provider an overall score based on how well they fared in the above assessment categories. Verdict: Should Your Business Get a Handepay Account? Handepay is a reliable, no-frills merchant account and payment platform. Its stripped-back software, user-friendly payment terminals and flexible contracts make it a great fit for traditional businesses, like simple retail stores or professional services with fixed locations.However, the platform does have a number of shortfalls. Handepay lacks essential EPOS features, like order editing and itemisation, and its interface looks notably more dated than much of its competition.Combine this with the platform’s complex navigational flow, and Handepay may struggle to meet the needs of modern businesses with fast-paced environments.If you’re looking for a more multipurpose solution and are happy to commit to longer fixed contracts, you’d be better off with more feature-rich solutions, like Square and Clover. Alternatively, if costs are your top priority, Handepay can’t compare with the free hardware and apps offered by providers like Zettle by PayPal, SumUp and Square.Still unsure if Handepay is the right merchant account for you? Use our quick and free comparison tool. All you need to do is answer some quick questions about your needs and we’ll provide you with tailored obligation-free quotes. Our site is reader-supported. Some featured providers are our partners, so we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through our site. This is at no extra cost to our readers, and this doesn’t affect the independence of our reviews. Whether or not we have a partnership with a company does not affect our rating and review of the service. Written by: Isobel O'Sullivan Senior Writer Isobel O'Sullivan (BSc) is a senior writer at Expert Market with over four years of experience covering business and technology news. Since studying Digital Anthropology at University College London (UCL), she’s been a regular contributor to Tech.co, Startups.co.uk, and Market Finance. Isobel’s always up to date with the topics in employment and data security and has a specialist focus on POS systems. Reviewed by: Tatiana Lebreton Senior Grow Online & Business Software Expert Tatiana is Expert Market's resident payments and online growth expert, specialising in (E)POS and merchant accounts, as well as website builders.