Starting out: garages and MOT centres
Your First Card Machine for Garages and MOT centres: What to Get
For new garages and MOT centres, start with a terminal that costs nothing upfront and has no monthly fee, such as Flatpay's at 1.49% on every card. One catch matters when you are new: Flatpay expects at least £1,100 a month in card takings (assessed over the year) or charges £39 a month. If you expect less than that at first, a pay-as-you-go reader from SumUp (£25) or Square (£19) can cost less until trade builds.
Get a free Flatpay quoteWhat to start with: a portable terminal
Flatpay's terminal is free upfront, has Wi-Fi and its own 4G SIM, prints receipts and takes tips. Most service businesses need nothing more on day one.
Your set-up checklist
- Larger bills by chip and PIN
- Business and fleet cards
- Payment at collection
- Low percentage on high-value work
How Flatpay covers it
- Flat rate on all cards, including business and premium cards
- 0.99% once card takings pass £200,000 a year
- Terminal with printer for receipts
- Daily payouts
Worth checking first
- For customers who pay before collecting, you may want payment links from your garage software
Want the numbers for your business? We will arrange a free Flatpay quote and a call from a local sales manager.
Get my free quotePremium, reward and overseas cards: no extra charge
Customers buying something expensive often pay on a reward credit card to collect points, and visitors pay on overseas cards. Many providers charge you more for those. Flatpay charges the same rate for every card type.
| Fee on a £5,000 payment on an overseas card | Cost to you |
|---|---|
| Flatpay | £74.50 |
| Zettle | £87.50 |
| Stripe Terminal (non-EEA card) | £145.10 |
| Square (non-UK card) | £185.00 |
- Flatpay: "You pay the same low rate for every card type." Its UK pages do not list which card networks it accepts, so American Express is confirmed on your quote. source
- Overseas customers with eligible Visa and Mastercard cards can choose to pay in their own currency. Flatpay charges no extra fee for this and shares 1% of the conversion mark-up with the business as a discount on its fees. source
- Square: 1.75% on UK cards; 1.75% plus 1.95% on non-UK cards. source
- Stripe Terminal: 1.4% + 10p on EEA cards; 2.9% + 10p on non-EEA cards. source
- Zettle: the same 1.75% for major cards and wallets, "even American Express". source
What will card payments cost you in year one?
Fees on your card takings plus the cheapest terminal each provider sells. Published rates, checked 21 October 2026.
- 1.Flatpay£715
- 2.Worldpay£720
- 3.Dojo£725
- 4.SumUp£836
- 5.Square£859
- 6.Zettle by PayPal£869
- 7.Stripe Terminal£913
Flatpay includes its £39 monthly charge when takings are under its £1,100 minimum. Stripe includes 10p per payment. Optional monthly plans, VAT on hardware and providers with no published rate are left out. Your own quote may differ.
Card machines for garages and MOT centres near you
- Card machines for garages and MOT centres in Bournemouth
- Card machines for garages and MOT centres in Ringwood
- Card machines for garages and MOT centres in Verwood
- Card machines for garages and MOT centres in Salisbury
Other new businesses
- First card machine for hairdressers
- First card machine for barbers
- First card machine for beauty salons
- First card machine for nail salons
- First card machine for cafes
- First card machine for gyms and fitness studios
- First card machine for independent shops
- First card machine for florists
- First card machine for dog groomers
- First card machine for spas and wellness studios
- First card machine for jewellers
- First card machine for clothing boutiques
Questions
What card machine should new garages and MOT centres start with?
A portable terminal. Flatpay's terminal is free upfront, has Wi-Fi and its own 4G SIM, prints receipts and takes tips. Most service businesses need nothing more on day one.
Why does the card type matter for a garage?
Several providers charge more for business, premium or overseas cards (SumUp Payments Plus, for example, charges 1.69% on those against 0.99% on UK consumer cards), and garages see those cards often. A flat rate on all cards removes that difference.
More card machine guides
Sources, last checked 21 October 2026
Facts about Flatpay come from Flatpay's own website; to get a quote, use the form on this page.
flatpay.com (pricing), flatpay.com (pricelist), flatpay.com (terminal)
Want the numbers for your business? We will arrange a free Flatpay quote and a call from a local sales manager.
Get my free quoteGetBrent is an independent UK directory. We work with Flatpay and may receive a fee if you sign up through this page; that does not change the facts shown, which come from each provider's own website or the regulator, checked 21 October 2026. Terms change, so check your own agreement.