CARD MACHINES
Credit card machines for small business how to choose one and what to pay
A wireless card machine takes tap, chip and phone payments at the counter, table or truck window. Truvana Tech helps small businesses in DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia take cards without an equipment lease, with every fee in writing first.
- Tap, chip and phone payments
- Free when you process with us
- Setup in English or Spanish
Wireless card machine features for small business
What a card machine should solve for you, and what Truvana Tech puts in writing first.
Tap, chip and phone payments
Cards, phones and watches all work, and the wireless machine comes to the table or the line.
Free, with no lease to sign
Some leases can't be cancelled, even after you close. Ours is free when you process with us, with no lease and no contract.
Specs in writing before you sign
Printer, 4G, battery and switching processors: we answer each in writing for the machine we quote.
Cash prices your state allows
We explain your state's card fee rules and set up a cash price or surcharge that fits them.
Every fee explained in Spanish
We go through the card rate and the monthly fee with you, line by line, in English or Spanish. There is no contract.
A local team when it stops
When it stops on a Friday night, you call the local team that set it up, and we come by if needed.
Types of credit card machines
They take the same cards. What changes is where you take payments and what else the device does.
Countertop terminal
- ■Stays by the register, often with a printer
- ■Fits stores and counter service
Wireless card machine
- ■Battery powered; Wi-Fi, and 4G on some models
- ■Goes to the table, truck or market
Phone or tablet reader
- ■Pairs with your phone or tablet
- ■Cheapest to start; no printed receipt
Card machine deal problems Truvana Tech fixes
The machine is the easy part. The trouble is the lease, the contract and the day you switch.
Truvana Tech
Card machines for food trucks, shops and tables
A machine that can't reach the truck window or the table loses sales. Truvana Tech matches the machine to where you take payments, in DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia.
Trucks and markets
No surprises at the truck window
A truck window or market stand often has no Wi-Fi or outlet, so 4G and battery life matter most. We put both in writing for the machine we quote.
- Tap payments at the window
- 4G and battery in writing
Bays and job sites
Get paid where the work is done
Tire shops take payment in the bay, and cleaning or moving crews at the door. Bring the machine to the bay, or text a payment link from the job.
- Card payments in the bay
- Payment links by text
Tables and patios
Pay at the table, tip included
Guests want to pay and tip at the table. A restaurant handheld POS takes the order there, sends it to the kitchen and takes payment and tip on one device.
- Order, payment and tip on one device
- Split checks: we answer in writing
How to get a card machine for your business
Switching? Keep your old account open until the first deposit from the new one arrives.
- 01
Tell us where you take payments
Counter, tables, truck, market or job sites, plus a recent card statement if you have one.
- 03
Set up, test and train
We set up the machine where you take payments, run a test sale and train your team in English or Spanish.
What is a credit card machine?
A credit card machine, or card terminal, reads a customer's card, phone or watch and sends the payment to your processor, which deposits it in your bank account.
The account behind the machine
The machine is the part you see. The processing account behind it decides most of what you pay and how hard it is to leave.
How much does a credit card machine cost?
You can buy a card machine, lease one or get one free with processing, and each way has a catch.
| Option | What you pay | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Buy | Square Terminal $299.00; Clover Flex $749.00, or $699.00 without a printer | A Square Terminal works only with Square processing |
| Lease | A monthly payment | Many leases can't be cancelled, and closing your account doesn't end them |
| Free with processing | Nothing for the machine | It usually comes with a processing contract: get the term and exit fee in writing. Ours has no contract |
| Every month | Card fees on each sale, any monthly fee, paper rolls and a data plan if it uses 4G | See how card fees work |
Checked November 10, 2026: Square, Merchant Maverick on the Clover Flex, Merchant Maverick on leases.
How to choose a credit card machine
Ask these about any machine, ours included. We answer each in writing for the machine we quote.
| Ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Does it print receipts? | If not, receipts go by text or email; if so, you buy paper rolls |
| Does it have 4G and an all-day battery? | Trucks and markets often have no Wi-Fi or outlet |
| Does it take payments offline? | They go through later; a declined card is your loss |
| Does it do tips, table payments and split checks? | Table service needs all three |
| Can it show a cash price and a card price? | For a cash discount, where your state allows it |
| Does it take EBT chip and tap cards? | Maryland and Virginia began issuing chip EBT cards in 2026 |
| Is the screen in Spanish? | Your staff or customers may read Spanish first |
| Will it work with another processor? | A locked machine stops working the day you switch |
Card fee rules differ in DC, Maryland and Virginia. Leaving Clover? Read the switching checklist. See also retail POS, tire shops, churches and invoicing.
Credit card machine questions owners ask
How much does a credit card machine cost?
Popular machines cost $299.00 to $749.00 to buy (checked November 10, 2026), and each month you pay card fees on every sale. Hardware is free when you process your card sales with us; your written quote shows the terms. There is no lease.
Should I lease a credit card machine?
A lease is a contract of its own, so read it before you sign. In 2024, New York's Attorney General secured more than $4.6 million for small businesses harmed by the leasing company Northern Leasing (NY Attorney General). Ours comes with no lease and no contract.
Is a free credit card machine really free?
The machine is often free because it comes with a processing contract. In a 2022 FTC case, owners, many with limited English, were held to three-year terms and a $495.00 exit fee in English-only contracts (FTC). Ours is free when you process with us, and there is no contract.
What is the cheapest way for a small business to accept credit card payments?
For a few sales a week, a phone reader or tap to pay on your phone costs the least. Once you take cards daily, the rate matters more: on $10,000.00 a month in card sales, every 0.1% is $10.00.
How do I get a card machine for my small business?
Open a merchant account with a card processor, using your business details and a bank account for deposits, and get a machine set up for it. With us, a written quote comes first.
What is contactless payment?
Contactless payment means tapping a card, phone or watch on the machine instead of inserting or swiping it. The card never leaves the customer's hand, and our machine takes tap, chip and phone payments.
Is it illegal to charge a 3% credit card fee?
Not in most states, if you follow the card network rules: Visa allows a surcharge up to 3% or your cost, whichever is lower, and never on debit cards. Connecticut, Maine and Massachusetts ban credit card surcharges, California and Texas still have bans on the books, and Colorado and Oklahoma cap them at 2%. See the rules by state.
Can I use any card machine with any processor?
No. Square Terminal works only with Square processing, and Clover machines usually stop working when you leave Fiserv and its resellers (KORONA POS). Ask in writing before you buy whether a machine can move to another processor.
Get a card machine
Tell us where you take payments: counter, tables, truck or job sites. A person replies in English or Spanish.
Tell us about your business
Your name and email are enough to start. Write in English or Spanish.