Credit card terminal technology is finally starting to progress into 1990’s technology. However, how much technology does it take to process a credit card?

With the exception of businesses needing to process over an Ethernet / IP connection, the simplest terminals are still the best choice for most businesses.

With the cost of higher-end terminals approaching $500 when purchased from an online retailer, what does $200 get you nowadays? For $200 or less, most businesses can get a terminal that is perfectly acceptable for their business’s processing needs. These terminals all have thermal printer, can accept PIN pads, smart card readers, check readers, contactless readers, and just about any other peripheral that you need.

The only thing that they cant do is process over an IP connection, and they cant handle some more advanced processing applications (which most businesses will never need).

Terminals under $200:

• Nurit 2085
• Omni 3730LE / VX 510LE
• Hypercom T7P / T7 Plus

If you are in the market for a new terminal, and you are perfectly happy with processing over a standard telephone line, save yourself some money and stick to a basic terminal. Don’t let someone (including yourself) talk you into something that you don’t need, just because it is the next great thing. Apart from the price, these low cost terminals are easier to operate, more reliable, and much less expensive to replace than higher-end terminals.