Card machine for your barber

Simple, reliable card payments at the chair or the counter. No fuss, competitive rates, no long-term lock-in.

Common challenges

  • Still turning away customers who don't carry cash
  • Want to take card payments but unsure where to start
  • Worried about transaction fees on smaller payment amounts
  • Don't want to be tied into a long contract
  • Current card machine is more complicated than it needs to be

Recommended solutions

SumUp

Solo

Compact, buy-outright card reader with Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity. No monthly fees, no contract — just a one-off hardware cost and a simple flat transaction rate. Ideal for low-volume merchants, micros and seasonal trading.

  • Touchscreen display
  • Wi-Fi connectivity
  • Contactless
  • No monthly fees
  • No contract
  • Buy outright — yours to keep
Hardware
£79
Monthly
£0
Debit
1.69% +
Credit
1.69% +
Commercial
1.69% +
International
1.69% +
Per transaction
0p
Contract
No contract

Shift4

Pax A800

Portable/countertop Android 10 terminal with 5.7-inch touchscreen and Payment & POS functionality. Built-in thermal printer along with Wi-Fi & 4g connectivity. Latest model from Pax includes on-screen merchant branding, intuitive over-the-phone payment flow, on-board POS features, as well as being configurable for full Shift4 POS integration (Dine & Delivery)

  • 5.7-inch HD touchscreen
  • Built-in printer
  • Wi-Fi & 4G
  • Contactless, chip & PIN, over-the-phone
  • Queue-Busting Fast Transacting
  • Only integrated with Shift4 POS
  • Latest Android POS & Payments
Hardware
£0
Monthly
Free for 1st machine
Debit
< 1.25% blended
Credit
< 1.25% blended
Commercial
< 1.25% blended
International
< 1.25% blended
Per transaction
0p
Contract
negotiable

Why barbers choose uno

More and more customers expect to pay by card - especially younger clients who rarely carry cash. A simple, reliable card machine means you never turn away a paying customer.

We keep it straightforward for barber shops. You don’t need a complex POS system - you need a card machine that works, every time, at a fair price.

Counter or chair

A countertop terminal at the till handles most barber shops perfectly. If you prefer to take payment at the chair, a portable terminal works too. We’ll recommend whichever fits your shop’s layout.

Simple setup

We come to your shop, set up the terminal, and walk you through how it works. It takes minutes, and there’s nothing complicated to learn.

Fair rates

Transaction fees matter when your average payment is £15–£25. We compare rates across multiple providers to find the most competitive deal for your volume.

What you get from uno

  • A card machine matched to your barber shop’s setup
  • Rates compared across multiple providers
  • On-site installation and walkthrough
  • UK-based support if you ever need it

Common questions from barber owners

Can customers tip the barber on the card machine?

Yes. The terminals we supply support on-screen tipping - the customer sees a prompt to add a tip before they complete payment. Percentage-based or custom amounts. Useful for barbers where tipping is common but increasingly awkward with cash becoming rare.

My average haircut is £15 - which rate is best for that transaction size?

At £15 per haircut, you're in the range where a blended rate under 1.25% saves money compared to a flat 1.69% rate - about 7p per cut. If you're doing 20 haircuts a day, that's £1.40 saved daily, or roughly £30 a month. Whether that justifies a monthly fee depends on your volume - we'll model the numbers for you.

I'm a sole trader - can I get a card machine without a long contract?

Yes. The SumUp Solo is £79 outright with no contract and no monthly fees - you own the terminal. For a sole-trader barber doing a handful of card payments a day, this keeps fixed costs at zero. If your card volume grows, we can compare whether moving to a lower-rate terminal saves more money.

General questions about uno
Which card machine is right for my business?

It really does depend on how your business operates - there's no one 'best solution' for all, as a Fine Dining restaurant in Covent Garden has completely different operational requirements to a Market Trader in Glasgow's bustling Barras, or a Cardiff Arms Park pub. We make the effort to truly understand how your business actually operates - before recommending the best solution from a range of providers, not just one.

How much does a card machine cost?

It varies by provider and model. With some providers, your first card machine comes with no upfront cost, no monthly rental, and no per-transaction fees - so your only cost is the processing rate on each sale you make. Additional terminals - or those from other providers - may well carry rental or per-transaction fees. The exact cost depends on your terminal type, provider, and monthly card turnover. Because uno works across multiple providers, we compare the real-world, overall costs and then find the most competitive deal for your specific situation.

How long will it take for me to receive my takings?

We know for many UK independent buinesses cashflow is a daily struggle. We can offer various options, with settlement times ranging from just a few hours, to the full three days it takes providers to actually receive your customers money. Whatever your working requirements are, we'll find the ideal solution to match those needs.

Do all uno card machines accept contactless payments?

Yes. Every payment terminal we recommend accepts contactless payments, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and standard contactless cards. Contactless is now the default way most customers pay in the UK.

Will I be able to take 'over-the-phone' payments?

For most merchant-types this will be offered as a default payment option, available on-screen along with contactless and Chip'n'Pin. There are a small number of exceptional businesess operational-types where this is not the case - but for most, 'over-the-phone' payments will be offered as standard.

How can we process refunds?

Any terminal uno suggests would allow you to easily identify the original transaction. If still within the same day as the sale, then the transaction could then be 'voided'(aka 'reversed'). Voids/Reverses are typically instantaneous. However, if that trading day's 'banking window' had closed (typically at Midnight) then it would technically be classed as a 'refund' - which would be subject to the bank's standard 3-5 processing timeframe to complete.

Will we need to do complicated PCI compliance like we do with our current provider?

The great news for you is none of the providers uno works with have complicated anything! For those that require PCI of any sort atall, it really is a simple, painless process that just takes a few minutes per year!

Am I locked into a contract?

Not with every provider. Several of the solutions we offer have no long-term contract - you can switch or cancel without penalty. We'll always be upfront about contract terms before suggesting you commit to anything.

How long does it take to get set up?

Most businesses are up and running within a few days. We handle the supply, installation, and configuration so you can focus on serving your customers. We walk you through everything on-site - so you're confident from day one.

Why go through uno instead of going direct to a provider?

Going direct means you only see a single provider's products, at a single provider's prices. Because uno works across multiple providers, we can genuinely compare options and recommend the solution that suits your business - not just the only one we happen to sell! You also get a dedicated point of contact for ongoing support.

Ready to find the right card machine?

We make the effort to your business, understand how you take payments, and recommend the solution that genuinely fits - not the one with the biggest commission.

Call 07395 451520 Get in touch