What does an EFTPOS machine cost?

Australians have embraced cashless payments as a convenient and reliable way to shop, with more than 2 billion EFTPOS transactions¹ made each year.

What are the costs of EFTPOS?

When shopping for an EFTPOS machine, it’s not just the cost of the EFTPOS machine to consider. It’s helpful to take into account the overall cost of doing business electronically. This includes:

1. EFTPOS machine purchase or rental
2. Point of Sale (POS) merchant plan
3. Data or internet plan
4. Business transaction bank account costs or fees 
5. Any processing fees associated with specific payment networks (like the Visa network or Apple Pay network).

Where can you buy an EFTPOS machine?

We have a range of fast, flexible EFTPOS terminals to suit your business needs.

What about surcharging?

To cover the cost of using EFTPOS, you may consider passing on those charges to your customers, or set a minimum purchase amount. If you choose to do that, make sure you understand how your customers might feel about the additional costs of purchasing from your business. Find out more about surcharging customers.

Where will you use your EFTPOS machine?

Some EFTPOS machines require a fixed line broadband connection, which means you can only do business at the point where the machine is installed. Many EFTPOS machines, however, can be used ‘on the road’ using 4G/3G connectivity. Some machines can do both, making use of a data plan when you’re working remotely, or connecting to your Wi-Fi or broadband via Bluetooth connectivity so you can do business anywhere within your store.

Which do you need more, portability or visibility?

The smallest EFTPOS machines, such as our Smart Mini, are simple contactless card readers. They’re easily portable, meaning you have the freedom to take payments wherever you are, but they don’t include a display screen. Your customers can still view the payment details on a separate screen (such as a mobile device). These EFTPOS machines work well for farmers’ markets and pop-up stores, and are also found in small retail stores.

Other EFTPOS machines, like our Smart terminals, do have a display screen, and allow customers to add a tip and get a digital receipt. However, you may need to enter the sales total manually into these EFTPOS machines. You’ll often find these used in restaurants, supermarkets, and large retail chains.

Is the machine compatible with your software?

Make sure that your EFTPOS machine is compatible with your POS software system and that it works with the separate payment networks you plan to use, like Visa, MasterCard®, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay™ and others.

Do you have reliable internet or data access during business hours?

EFTPOS machines and POS software rely on internet connectivity to connect to customer and merchant banks. If you conduct business in an area with unreliable or unavailable internet or data, you may need to consider an EFTPOS terminal with enhanced connectivity, such as Dual SIMs. Every CommBank Smart terminal is fitted with two sim cards from different telco providers, so you can quickly switch your terminal to a new network and continue to take payments, in the event of an unexpected network outage.

When might you need to contact technical support?

Depending when you plan to do business, you may want to check the technical support hours for your EFTPOS machine and POS software. You can message us in the CommBank app, call us, or check out the merchant support hub for technical support any time so you’ll be ready to do business whenever your doors open.