Compare EFTPOS providers
Every major Australian EFTPOS provider, side by side, on the four things that decide your bill: the rate per tap, the monthly cost, what the terminal costs up front, and whether you are locked in.
| Provider | Rate per tap | Monthly cost inc GST | Terminal cost inc GST | Lock-in | Least cost routing | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zeller | 1.4% | None | $99.00promo as at 27 August 2026 | No | Yes | Small business wanting one simple rate, including AmexOne flat rate across all card types, including Amex. Terminal price is promotional — normally AU$199. |
| Square | 1.6% | None | $65.00 | No | Yes | Starting out, or occasional trade — cheapest way onto a readerHardware figure is the Square Reader at $65; the Square Terminal is $329. No monthly fee on the free plan. |
| Tyro | Not published — quoted per business | $19.00 | Included | No | Yes | Established businesses, especially hospitality and healthRate is quoted per business and not published. Monthly figure is Tyro Pro Lite from $19; Tyro Pro is from $29. |
| Shift4 (formerly Smartpay)grossed up from ex GST | Not published — quoted per business | $38.45 | Included | No | Yes | Businesses considering a surcharging modelRate quoted per business, not published. Their "zero cost" product relies on surcharging and carries a $100 + GST monthly minimum. |
| Stripegrossed up from ex GST | 1.87% + 11cPublished as 1.7% + A$0.10 ex GST. | None | $97.90 | No | Yes | Businesses already taking payments online with StripeHardware is the entry BBPOS WisePad 3 (A$89 ex GST); Stripe Reader S710/S700 are A$449 and T600 A$469, all ex GST. Stripe has flagged lower domestic pricing from 1 Oct 2026. |
| PayNuts | Not published — quoted per business | $29.00 | Included | No | Yes | Businesses over $10k/month, or wanting a surcharging modelIn-person rate is quoted per business, not published. The $29 inc GST applies per terminal only in a month under $10,000 turnover on their Pay Nothing plan — otherwise $0. No terminal rental, no lock-in. Online payments are published separately at 1.60% + $0.25 inc GST. |
How to read this table
Rate per tap is what you are charged as a percentage of each card sale. It is the number providers advertise, and on its own it tells you very little.
Monthly cost is charged whether you take one payment or a thousand. A plan with a monthly fee and a low rate only wins once your turnover is high enough to spread that fee thin. Ourfee calculator finds that crossover for your numbers.
Terminal cost is the hardware. "Free" terminals are usually paid for through a higher rate or a longer contract — worth checking rather than assuming.
Lock-in matters more than it looks. A contract you cannot leave removes your ability to renegotiate, which is the single biggest lever most merchants have.
Least cost routing decides whether eligible debit taps go down the cheaper Eftpos network or the more expensive Visa and Mastercard ones. It is often off by default.Here is how it works.