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As more and more people shun cash in favour of card payments, choosing the right type of card payment machine for your business is becoming increasingly important. This review takes a closer look at the card machines on offer from Worldpay.
What is Worldpay?
Worldpay is a payment processing company that was founded in 1989 as a subsidiary of NatWest. It became the first electronic payment system operating in Europe.
In 2002, NatWest, and therefore Worldpay, was acquired by Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and the Worldpay business was expanded into other countries. In 2019, Worldpay was bought by American multinational corporation Fidelity National Information Services (FIS) for $43 billion (£32 billion). FIS is now the largest processing and payments company in the world.
Worldpay card machines
Worldpay offers 3 different types of card machine, allowing you to choose the one that’s most appropriate for your business. You’ll also be able to choose from a fixed monthly plan, suitable for mid-sized businesses with consistent transaction levels year round, or a custom plan which is more suited to established busineses with more complex payment requirements. Both plans have an 18-month terminal hire agreement.
The fixed monthly plan has a monthly package fee starting from £49.99 which includes your terminal rental fee, plus transactions up to a set threshold and authorisation fees.
With the custom plan, there is a monthly terminal rental fee from £17.95, plus variable transaction rates based on your business volumes. There is a minimum monthly service charge of £15.
Both plans have 3 months’ free access to the Worldpay Dashboard which enables you to view your business and payment activity. After this, access will cost £4.99 per month or you can downgrade to the free Lite Membership.
The key features of each card machine are outlined below:
Countertop (DESK5000)
Enables you to take payments from a fixed point, making it ideal for retail, cafes and convenience stores
Accepts credit and debit cards and contactless payments including Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay
Connects through a phone line, landline or Wi-Fi
Easy to process sales, refunds, cashback and gratuities
Includes receipt roll, power supply unit, ethernet cable to connect to the router, power cable and phone line connector
Mobile
Enables you to take payments anywhere, making it ideal for businesses on the road
Can be connected either through Wi-Fi which will need internet connectivity, or through Bluetooth which will require a phone line or ethernet connection (you’ll need to select which option is best for you)
Connects through built-in SIM providing coverage over O2, Vodafone and EE
Accepts contactless payments including Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, as well as credit and debit cards
Extendable battery life and separate charging station
Processes sales, refunds, cashback and gratuities
Includes receipt roll
How to order a Worldpay card machine
You can order a Worldpay card machine by signing up, getting a quote and putting in your order online, or by arranging a free sales call. Once your application has been approved and you’ve received your Worldpay customer number, your terminal should arrive within 4 days.
Pros and cons
Pros
Range of devices for different requirements
Terminals accept contactless payments
Different pricing plans to suit different business types
Easy to process sales, refunds, cashback and gratuities
Cons
Tied into an 18-month agreement
Poor pricing transparency
Costs can be higher than some of its competitors
Worldpay customer reviews
Worldpay has an “average” rating on review site Trustpilot, scoring 4.7 out of 5 from more than 6,000 reviews (updated January 2024).
Positive comments focus on the polite and helpful staff and easy and fast setup. However, other customers have commented on the poor customer service and high fees.
Our verdict
Worldpay offers a range of card machines, which means there should be something suitable for every type of business – whether you’d prefer a fixed terminal at your shop till point or a terminal you can take from client to client if you’re a mobile tradesperson, for instance.
However, the main drawback is the lack of pricing transparency, particularly with the custom plan. This makes it difficult to understand exactly how the cost compares to other options out there. To be sure you’re getting the best deal, you’ll need to research your options carefully once you’ve received a quote for Worldpay and then make your decision.
Yes, Worldpay is safe to use. All of its devices are certified to UK finance regulations, UK common criteria and EMV (the schemes of Visa and Mastercard), as well as Payment Card Industry (PCI) regulations, which means you can relax, knowing you can take payments securely.
Transaction fees with Worldpay will vary depending on your business volumes.
Some of the companies that use Worldpay include Monsoon Accessorize, Stagecoach, Superdrug and British Airways.
We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
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Written by
Rachel Wait
Rachel Wait is a freelance journalist and has been writing about personal finance for more than a decade, covering everything from insurance to mortgages. She has written for a range of personal finance websites and national newspapers, including The Observer, The Mail on Sunday, The Sun and the Evening Standard. Rachel is a keen baker in her spare time. See full profile
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