myPOS review: pay-as-you-go card machines with online business account

Mobile terminals with a few extras

myPOS UK currently sells these models:

• myPOS Go
• myPOS Go Combo
• myPOS Pro
• myPOS Slim

They all connect with 3G with the help of a free SIM card that includes unlimited data, valid across the UK and EU. This makes them great if you travel a lot and frequently need to take payments in other countries, like France or Ireland. If mobile connectivity is not an option, all but Go connect with WiFi.

If you’re looking to accept just simple payments, i.e. manually entering the card total to process, they would all suit. Features include tipping, multiple staff accounts and customised receipts.

For more POS features, we recommend the Pro terminal that has free POS register software built in. Here, you can add products to an inventory library, track stock levels, set discounts and more directly on the touchscreen. It’s not as advanced as tablet-based POS systems, but does the trick for e.g. table-service staff and corner shops.

myPOS Carbon and Combo are older models that’s not as feature-rich and physically hardy as Carbon, but still powerful. Pro’s large touchscreen with all of myPOS’s apps available, in addition to a range of third party apps for different industries.

myPOS Pro has a built-in receipt printer, while myPOS Go and Slim only send receipts via text or email. Go’s and Slim’s lack of receipt printing enables them to be smaller and lighter-weight than Pro. The Go reader has the option of a charging dock with a built-in printer though, making it possible to use both on its own, and on the printer dock.

myPOS Slim is the smallest of the smart POS terminals. It’s the size and shape of a smartphone and can have more features added through apps. The built-in barcode scanner is handy for retailers with an inventory library, as you can scan products to sell, check stock counts and more. Like Pro, you can use myPOS’s free cash register app on this terminal.

The myPOS Go card reader, on the other hand, can perform basic functions like accepting chip, contactless and swipe cards. The previous version resembled a narrow calculator with its push-button PIN pad and small (but colour) display. The new version of Go launched in 2023 is significantly upgraded in appearance, and the keyboard is easier to work with.

While simple, myPOS Go is the cheapest independently-working card reader in the UK that doesn’t require a Bluetooth connection with a smartphone to function.

The pricier card machine models can sell mobile top-ups, request payments remotely and issue gift cards. There is also a myPOS app for your phone where you can monitor sales remotely, manage your myPOS accounts, send payment links and more.

For more complex features, you can integrate Carbon and Combo with POS systems through APIs and SDKs (the website provides technical information on setting it up). The company also sells big touchscreen POS machines (‘Hubs’) and unattended POS registers for those with a larger budget.

Getting started takes some work

Getting started with myPOS is done in three steps (if all goes well). Step one is going to the website, clicking “sign up” and completing required details including company and director information, ownership structure, projected turnover and more. You then receive a 4-digit code as a text message to your phone, to enter on the sign-up form.

After submitting all this, you get an email about the next step: identity verification. A 5-minute video call with a myPOS team member is required, along with proof of ID and documents to verify your identity. This, myPOS says, is a requirement from the EU Fourth Money Laundering Directive, which – maybe because the devices by default work across Europe – they need to comply with.

By contrast, SumUp and other card reader providers don’t typically have this requirement – perhaps because their terminals by default only work within the country of registration.

After the video identification, you will receive confirmation within 8 business hours of whether you can proceed with the application. Then you are required to provide legal documents to verify your company’s identity. The type of documents will depend on your company.

Only after these submissions have been accepted do we recommend purchasing a card machine, since some businesses will be rejected if they do not fit in with the accepted business models. It’s straightforward to buy a myPOS terminal on the website or by visiting their London store.

It is normally cheapest to buy a terminal on myPOS’s own website. You can find them online too, for instance on Amazon, Android EPOS and DirectShopfittings.

Fees fairly transparent, but there are catches

In some regards, myPOS has simple fees. They have no monthly costs and seemingly “no hidden fees”, but if you buy into the service expecting to receive transactions into your bank account, you’ve got another think coming.

The transaction fee is 1.1% + 7p for consumer Visa, Mastercard, V Pay and Maestro cards issued in the UK or EEA, which is quite a good deal without a contract.

All American Express cards are 2.45% + 7p per transaction, and all other cards that are commercial, issued outside the EEA or of other card brands cost 2.85% + 7p per chip, tap and swipe transaction.

Payments online or via the virtual terminal (keyed) incur higher fees, as shown in the table above.

In contrast to other mobile card machines in the UK, you have to pay a transfer fee to send money from the myPOS E-money Account to a bank account. Settlement is not automatic, but it is instant (or up to 2 hours in the slower cases) when you submit the transfer to a UK bank account.

If your account has been inactive for ten months, a monthly charge of £10 + £5 is taken until your next myPOS transaction or you close the account. In other words, you can’t just open a myPOS account and leave it unused indefinitely without paying something eventually.

Apart from the above-mentioned fees, there are several other fees specific to international money transfers, myPOS Business Card use and more. And let’s not forget the £6 shipping charge on all myPOS card machines.

myPOS merchant account with Business Visa card

Would your business benefit from a dedicated merchant account separate from a local business bank account? Or do you just want a temporary business account before you set up a permanent one in a bank? If so, myPOS could work for you.

Merchants operating internationally will like that myPOS works through a “merchant account” – or myPOS E-money Account – with its own IBAN. (Note: The myPOS merchant account is different from a traditional merchant account purely for card processing purposes)

In fact, you can create multiple currency accounts in the online dashboard, sort of like different virtual wallets for designated currencies. This allows you to transfer foreign currencies across the border without paying currency conversion fees (if the recipient has the same currency as the one you send).

Multi-currency accounts are managed in the myPOS Dashboard.

The e-money account is where your money clears immediately after accepting a card payment on a terminal and where the money stays and can be spent in stores with the complimentary myPOS Business (Visa Prepaid) card.

Every merchant gets one free myPOS Business card to use in any store accepting Visa (additional cards cost £5 each) or for cash withdrawals.

The myPOS Business Card is included with all the card machines.

This is great if you’re happy using the e-money account as your main business account and the myPOS Business Card for spending. But if you need to transfer money to a bank account, it costs £1.50 per transfer to a UK bank account, and by default, you do these transfers manually. There is, however, an option to schedule automatic or mass transfers.

PayPal similarly offers instant settlement in an online account and a Mastercard on request, but it operates as an aggregator so you don’t have your own IBAN.

Online payments

myPOS has in recent years added a plethora of online payment methods that don’t have monthly fees, just pay-as-you-go transaction fees. This makes myPOS a direct competitor to Square, SumUp and Zettle that also offer multichannel payment tools at no monthly cost, in additional to in-person card machines.

You can send payment links and electronic (email) invoices from the online account in the myPOS app or browser dashboard. There is also a website builder with a choice of online store templates, making it easy to start an online business.

If eligible, you can have the virtual terminal activated in the account for Mail Order and Telephone Order (MOTO) payments. This is also accessible on any device – whether desktop, tablet or smartphone – and employee permissions can be set so only some team members can access the virtual terminal.

As with card machine payments, online and remote transactions are immediately settled in your myPOS account.

Who is it best for?

Rocky startups and low-volume merchants prioritising instant access to money – whether through card or cash – might prefer myPOS.

Its business model is centred around the e-money account making things easy for multichannel businesses. If you’re happy either using this as your main business account for money processing, or paying settlement fees, myPOS could be an effective, contract-free solution for you.

The cross-border SIM card makes it great for merchants who travel in the EEA and still need a functional way to accept money in person.

The terminals meet the needs of those who just need to get paid in person, simply and anywhere. This makes it suitable for street vendors, small food-and-drink outlets, and cab drivers. If you need more features, the terminals can utilise third-party apps, provided they are developed for myPOS and made for Android.

Customer service and user reviews

Judging by customer reviews, it’s hit-and-miss how good your experience of myPOS’s customer service will be. Some countries have no phone number to call, but in the UK, there is a 24/7 customer support line on hand when you need it.

The fact that the company operates internationally means they have more compliance rules to follow.

In line with that, we have seen more user reviews mentioning myPOS’s requests for additional documentation to verify certain payments than we have for other providers, so it appears you can expect them to take more anti-fraud precautions than other payment companies.

During the sign-up process, myPOS is asking for more proof and documentation than other UK-based payment providers.

According to myPOS, they are following the same UK and European laws as any other payment provider, but at least during the sign-up process, they are asking for more proof and documentation than other UK-based payment providers.

An example of more paperwork is account holds. Some users have entered into ongoing communication loops with myPOS who requested documentation and proof to verify payments, and sometimes it appears the merchant ends up not getting the money (though it’s hard to tell if the user really did provide the correct details).

There have also been reports of merchants whose accounts were shut down due to myPOS not accepting their business type, even though it was accepted during the application.

Londoners can visit their London store near Blackfriars Bridge to see the card machines in person and talk to a member of the team about any queries.

Our verdict

myPOS is great for instant access to funds, a commitment-free business account and mobile card processing on the go. The system allows you to transfer money internationally, give out Business Visa cards to multiple staff members and process payments through a multichannel, multi-currency solution.

The card machines are for straightforward transactions, with the added benefit of working outside the UK. If you’re trading across the EEA and domestically, it could therefore be your go-to card solution.

That being said, we’ve seen mixed reviews about the service, and the hidden costs of payouts, transfers and miscellaneous things like cash withdrawals can make it more expensive than small-business alternatives like SumUp that also includes a business account.

The fact you have to close the account to avoid an inactivity fee is another minus, as it makes myPOS not totally commitment-free. It is, however, a potentially valuable service with many tools to draw from.

Bottom line: Ideal for those who need a mobile card machine connected to an online business account with instant access to funds.