Opening a new business and buying your first credit card machine? These are our starter picks: proven countertop, mobile and PIN pad machines you buy once and own, with no lease and no monthly hardware fee. Every machine here takes EMV chip, tap-to-pay (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay) and magnetic stripe. Starter machines in this collection run $265 to $485 (prices on 29 Oct 2026; each product page shows the current price).
Three questions before you buy your first machine
1. Where will you take payments?
- At a fixed counter (shop, salon, office, café register): a countertop machine. Budget pick: Dejavoo Z8. Android touchscreen pick: Dejavoo P1. More choice: all countertop terminals.
- On the move (food truck, deliveries, tableside, markets, field service): a wireless machine with 4G and Wi-Fi, such as the Dejavoo P3 or PAX A920 Pro. More choice: wireless credit card machines.
- Next to a POS or register you already have: a PIN pad that connects to it, such as the refurbished Ingenico Lane 3000. More choice: PIN pads.
2. Do you have a merchant account yet?
The machine is the hardware. To take cards you also need a merchant account with a payment processor. You can buy the machine before or after you choose a processor: most machines we sell are unlocked, so they are not tied to one processor. If you do not have a processor yet, ask us and we will point you to options that fit your business type.
3. Do you want it ready to use when it arrives?
If you tell us your processor, we can program the machine and inject its encryption keys before it ships, so it is ready to take payments out of the box. Debit PIN key injection is $20 per device. Programmed or injected orders ship 2 to 3 business days after the order is placed; blank machines ordered by 10 AM Central ship the same day. How key injection works.
Buying vs. leasing a card machine
A lease adds a monthly hardware fee for as long as the agreement runs, and the machine may stay locked to the leasing company's processor. Buying outright is a one-time cost and you can keep the machine if you change processors later. Tight budget? Certified refurbished machines cost less and are tested before they ship.
Need several machines, or buying for clients as an ISO or reseller? See all credit card machines and terminals or ask about wholesale pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a first credit card machine cost?
In this starter collection, countertop machines run $265 to $425, PIN pads $345 to $460 and wireless machines $365 to $485 (prices on 29 Oct 2026; current prices are on each product page). You pay once and own the machine.
Which credit card machine should a new small business buy?
Choose by where you take payments: a countertop machine such as the Dejavoo Z8 or Dejavoo P1 for a fixed counter, a wireless 4G machine such as the Dejavoo P3 or PAX A920 Pro if you move around, or a PIN pad if you already have a POS system. If you are unsure, call us and we will match a machine to your processor and setup.
Will these machines work with my payment processor?
Most machines we sell are unlocked and work with most major processors and gateways. We program and inject terminals for your processor; programmed or injected orders ship 2 to 3 business days after the order is placed. Contact us with your processor details before ordering.
Do I need a merchant account to use a credit card machine?
Yes. A credit card machine is the hardware; you also need a merchant account with a payment processor. If you don't have one yet, our team can point you to processor options that fit your business type.