About this site

Who publishes PaymentCardReader.co.uk, how the research is done, how the site is funded and where to read our editorial, review and corrections policies.

PaymentCardReader.co.uk is an independent UK resource about card readers for sole traders and small businesses, written and maintained by Haley Duster. It exists because the honest answer to “which card reader should I get?” depends on numbers most comparison sites never ask you for, and because published headline rates hide more than they reveal.

The site is funded by referral commission, disclosed on every commercial page. We are not a bank, a payments firm, a broker or an introducer regulated to advise you, and nothing here is financial advice.

How we work

People and contact

Our Mission: Transparency in Payments

PaymentCardReader.co.uk was founded with a single goal: to bring radical transparency to the UK card reader market. For too long, small business owners have been forced to navigate a landscape of teaser rates, hidden fees, and complex contracts. We believe that every sole trader, café owner, and market trader deserves to know exactly what a payment solution will cost them before they sign up.

Our approach is data-driven. We don't just look at the headline percentage; we model the impact of fixed pence fees, monthly subscriptions, and the specific transaction patterns of different business types. By providing these insights for free, we aim to level the playing field for small businesses across the United Kingdom.

Why Independence Matters

Our independence is our most valuable asset. While we earn commission from some providers, it never dictates our rankings or reviews. We frequently recommend competitor products when they are a better fit for a specific business type, ensuring our readers always get the best advice for their unique situation.

How We Research and Review

Every piece of content on this site undergoes a rigorous research process. We start by analyzing official provider documentation, including the "small print" in terms and conditions that most users never read. We then cross-reference this with regulatory filings and public fee schedules to ensure our data is as accurate as possible.

Data table
Research Phase	Activity	Outcome
Data Collection	Analyzing T&Cs and fee schedules	Verified pricing baseline
Modelling	Running transaction scenarios	Effective rate calculations
Verification	Cross-checking with UK regulators	Regulatory compliance check
Editorial Review	Fact-checking and peer review	Final published article

We also monitor the market daily for changes in offers and rates. When a provider updates their pricing, we aim to reflect that on our site within 24 hours. This commitment to real-time accuracy is what sets us apart from static comparison sites.

Understanding the UK Market Context

The UK payment landscape is unique, shaped by specific regulations from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR). We focus exclusively on the UK market to provide deep, localized expertise that global comparison sites often miss.

From understanding the impact of Brexit on interchange fees to navigating the requirements of Making Tax Digital (MTD), we provide the context that UK business owners need. We don't just tell you which reader is cheapest; we explain how it fits into the broader UK financial ecosystem.

A Note on VAT

All pricing on this site is shown exclusive of VAT unless otherwise stated, as is standard for B2B services in the UK. We encourage all business owners to factor in their VAT status when calculating the total cost of any payment solution.

Frequently asked questions

Are you part of Tide?

No. We are an independent publisher with a referral relationship with Tide. We have no access to applications, accounts, eligibility decisions or cashback payments, and we cannot influence any of them.

How does the site make money?

Referral commission when a reader signs up through a tracked link, disclosed on every page carrying one. We do not sell sponsored posts, paid placement or positive coverage, and commission does not change what we write.

Have you tested the products yourself?

Current pages are desk research against official provider documentation, and every page says so. Where hands-on testing has happened we will label it explicitly and describe the conditions rather than implying experience we do not have.

Can I reuse your content?

Short quotations with a link back are fine. Wholesale copying is not. If you would like to reference our research in a publication, get in touch and we will help you cite it accurately.

Editorial Standards & E-E-A-T Disclosure

This site follows strict editorial guidelines to ensure accuracy, independence, and transparency. We are a UK-based research publisher, not a financial institution.

Lead Researcher: Haley Duster
Editor and researcher, Payment Card Reader UK
Verification Dates: Published 4 August 2026
Last Fact-Checked 13 October 2026
Research Methodology & Basis: "Desk research against official provider documentation. No hands-on testing has been carried out at the time of writing."
Primary Sources & Evidence: 1
Tide — TCRPOS partner landing pageCurrent cashback amount, qualifying transaction threshold, qualification window and eligibility wording. (Accessed 13 October 2026)
2
Financial Conduct Authority registerChecking the regulatory status of payment and e-money firms referenced on this site. (Accessed 13 October 2026)

Trust Signals

Independent ResearchWe are not owned by Tide. Our data comes from public fee schedules and regulatory filings.
Editorial IntegrityCommission never influences our findings. We recommend competitors when they are a better fit.
Accuracy GuaranteeWe log every correction. If you find an error, we aim to fix it within 24 trading hours.

Methodology Report Error