Card machines forBookshops
Ring through 90 titles a day from the till or an author signing table across the shop.
- First terminal free
- £0 monthly bill
- Next-day payouts
Every kind of bookshop
Independent bookshops, secondhand shops, campus shops and pop-up stalls.
Independent bookshops
Handheld terminal covers the till and events held in the shop.
- Till
- Events
- Browsing
Secondhand bookshops
Low-value trade-in style sales carry no per-transaction pence fee.
- Secondhand
- Trade-ins
- Rare finds
Campus bookshops
Term-time rushes handled without extra staff on the till.
- Students
- Term time
- Textbooks
Author events
Take payment at a signing table away from the main counter.
- Signings
- Festivals
- Events
Why bookshops choose Shift4 One
Take payment at events
Set up an author signing table and take cards without a fixed till.
Fair on small baskets
A £6 paperback is charged the same percentage as a boxed set.
Next-day payouts
Weekend event takings settle into your account the next working day.
No monthly bill
No rental or minimum charge weighing on quiet midweek trading.
How it stacks up
| Feature | Shift4 | SumUp | Zettle | Dojo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Free | £29+ | £19+ | £100+ |
| Monthly fee | £0 | £0 | £0 | £15+ |
| Rate | 1.25% | 1.69% | 1.75% | 1.2% |
| 4G built in | ||||
| Next-day payout | ||||
| No use, no bill |
Blended rate on Visa and Mastercard. Amex 1.9%. Over £10k a month, pricing is quoted individually.
Competitor pricing from published UK rates, last checked August 2026. Providers change pricing without notice — confirm directly.
What you'd save each year
Competitor pricing from published UK rates, last checked August 2026. Providers change pricing without notice — confirm directly.
Bookshops card machine questions
Can I take payment at an author event?
Yes. The handheld terminal runs on WiFi or 4G, so a signing table anywhere in the shop can take card payments directly.
Is it fair for low-value paperback sales?
Yes. There is no per-transaction pence charge, so a £6 paperback and a £40 boxed set are charged the same percentage.
Does term-time trade need a second terminal?
Some campus shops add one for £14 a month during peak weeks, then keep just one running the rest of the year.
Can I take payment outside for a book fair?
Yes. The terminal has built-in 4G, so it works at outdoor stalls and festivals without needing WiFi.
Is there an early exit fee?
No. The agreement is eighteen months with no early exit fee if the shop closes or relocates.
Get your bookshops quote
First terminal free. Additional terminals £14/month. £0 monthly bill, no minimum monthly service charge. no use, no bill: no transactions in a month means no bill. Next working day, including Saturdays settlement and 4g and wifi built in.
Turning over more than £10k a month? Your rate is priced individually — send a statement and we'll come back the same day.
Explore more
Same free terminal, same rate — every trade, every postcode.
Built for your trade
Popular UK cities
Ready to stop renting a card machine?
1.25% (£1.25 per £100) on Visa and Mastercard, American Express 1.9%, and your first terminal free.