Important — October 2026: The RBA has banned card surcharges on Visa, Mastercard, and eftpos from 1 October 2026. Merchants will no longer be permitted to pass card transaction fees on to customers as a surcharge. Any "no-cost EFTPOS" model that relies on surcharging customers will no longer be compliant after this date. All pricing in this guide is current as of May 2026.

Understanding how much an EFTPOS machine costs in Australia requires looking beyond the sticker price. The terminal hardware is often the smallest part of the total cost. Transaction fees, monthly rental charges, and hidden costs add up quickly — and the differences between providers can amount to thousands of dollars per year.

This guide covers every cost component: upfront hardware, rental fees, transaction rates, monthly fees, setup costs, and the hidden charges providers rarely advertise upfront. We also compare eight major Australian EFTPOS providers side-by-side so you can work out which is actually cheaper for your business.

How Much Does an EFTPOS Machine Cost to Buy?

In Australia, EFTPOS terminals can be purchased outright or rented. Purchase prices start from $99 for outright-purchase terminals. Bank-issued and provider-supplied rental terminals vary — contact each provider for pricing.

Terminals available to purchase outright in Australia (as of May 2026):

• Zeller Terminal 1x — from $99 AUD (countertop/portable)
• Zeller Terminal 2 — $199 AUD (advanced portable)
• Square Terminal — $329 AUD (all-in-one with built-in printer)
• Square Reader — from $19 AUD (card reader only, requires a compatible device — verify current price at squareup.com/au)
• Tyro Go — see tyro.com for current pricing (compact reader)

Most bank-issued terminals (CommBank, NAB, Westpac, ANZ Worldline) and provider-supplied terminals (APS, Tyro) are available on rental models only — you do not purchase them outright.

EFTPOS Machine Rental Costs in Australia

Rental models charge a monthly fee for the terminal. The terminal remains the property of the provider. Most providers waive the setup fee but charge ongoing rental. Rental rates as of May 2026:

• APS — $0/month (terminal provided with service, no rental charge)
• Tyro — $29/month (waived if your business processes more than $10,000/month in card transactions)
• NAB — $25/month
• ANZ Worldline — $19.95/month (standalone) or $29.95/month (integrated)
• CommBank — contact CommBank for current rental rate
• Westpac — contact Westpac for current rental rate

At $29/month, Tyro rental costs $348/year. At $25/month, NAB costs $300/year. ANZ Worldline costs $239–$359/year depending on terminal type. These are real annual costs before any transaction fees.

APS provides terminals at no cost as part of the service — there is no rental fee and no upfront hardware cost. This makes APS the lowest hardware-cost option in Australia for businesses that qualify.

EFTPOS Transaction Fees: The Biggest Cost

Transaction fees are typically the largest ongoing cost of accepting card payments. They are charged as a percentage of each transaction value. Publicly listed transaction rates in Australia as of May 2026:

• CommBank — 1.1% flat rate on all Visa, Mastercard, eftpos, UnionPay
• NAB — 1.15% flat rate on all Visa, Mastercard, eftpos, UnionPay
• Westpac — 1.2% flat rate (1.4% for EFTPOS Air tap-on-phone)
• Zeller — 1.4% per in-person card transaction
• Square — 1.6% per tap, dip, or swipe
• Tyro — negotiated rate (contact Tyro for a quote)
• APS — negotiated rate (contact APS for a quote)
• ANZ Worldline — not publicly listed (contact ANZ Worldline)

Transaction fees compound at scale. At $50,000/month in card turnover, the difference between 1.1% (CommBank) and 1.6% (Square) is $250/month — or $3,000/year. Work out your monthly card volume before comparing providers on transaction rate alone.

Monthly Fees and Ongoing Costs

Beyond rental and transaction fees, some providers charge additional monthly fees:

• Gateway or platform fees — some providers charge a monthly software or platform fee on top of rental and transaction costs
• POS integration fees — certain POS software subscriptions charge separately for EFTPOS integration
• Chargeback fees — most providers charge a fee per chargeback dispute; confirm the exact amount with your provider before signing up
• Statement or account fees — some providers charge monthly statement or account maintenance fees
• Early termination fees — if a provider claims "no lock-in" but has a minimum monthly volume requirement, not meeting that volume can trigger additional charges

APS, Square, Zeller, Tyro, NAB, CommBank, Westpac, and ANZ Worldline all offer no lock-in contracts as of May 2026. Always request the full fee schedule in writing before signing up.

Setup and Installation Costs

Most EFTPOS providers in Australia charge no setup fee. Confirmed $0 setup fee providers as of May 2026: APS, Square, Tyro, Zeller, CommBank, NAB, Westpac, ANZ Worldline.

Installation and configuration costs can still apply in some situations:

• POS integration setup — if your POS system requires a technician to configure the EFTPOS integration, the POS vendor may charge a one-off setup fee
• Network or Wi-Fi setup — portable and wireless terminals require a stable internet connection; if your premises need a network upgrade, that cost is separate
• Multi-terminal deployments — businesses with multiple checkout points may incur additional setup costs per terminal

Hidden Costs to Watch For

Several costs are commonly omitted from provider comparison tables but can significantly affect total cost of ownership:

• Terminal replacement fee — some providers charge for replacing a damaged or lost terminal; confirm coverage before signing up
• Paper roll costs — terminals with built-in receipt printers (Square Terminal, some bank-issued models) require ongoing paper roll purchases
• Connectivity fees — SIM-enabled terminals may include a mobile data fee in the rental, or charge it separately
• Minimum monthly turnover requirements — Tyro's rental waiver requires $10,000/month in card transactions; falling below this reinstates the $29/month rental fee
• Currency conversion fees — accepting foreign cards (particularly Alipay+, WeChat Pay, UnionPay international) may attract additional fees not included in the standard transaction rate

EFTPOS Machine Cost Comparison: All 8 Providers

All pricing verified from official provider websites in May 2026. Contact each provider directly for a full fee schedule before committing.

How to Calculate Your True EFTPOS Cost

To compare providers accurately, calculate your total annual cost across all fee types:

Formula: Annual cost = (Monthly rental × 12) + (Monthly card turnover × 12 × transaction rate ÷ 100)

Example: A café processing $30,000/month in card payments:

• APS: $0 rental + negotiated rate (contact APS for quote)
• NAB: ($25 × 12) + ($30,000 × 12 × 0.0115) = $300 + $4,140 = $4,440/year
• Westpac: contact for rental + ($30,000 × 12 × 0.012) = rental + $4,320/year
• Zeller: $0 rental + ($30,000 × 12 × 0.014) = $5,040/year
• Square: $0 rental + ($30,000 × 12 × 0.016) = $5,760/year

At $30,000/month, the difference between NAB (1.15%) and Square (1.6%) is $1,620/year in transaction fees alone, before accounting for rental. For businesses with higher turnover, the gap is even larger.

No-Cost EFTPOS: What It Means in 2026

Important update for October 2026: The RBA has announced a ban on card surcharges from 1 October 2026. Surcharging customers for card payments — which underpins most "no-cost EFTPOS" or "zero-cost EFTPOS" models — will be prohibited on Visa, Mastercard, and eftpos transactions after this date.

Before October 2026, "no-cost EFTPOS" models work by passing the transaction fee to customers as a surcharge. The merchant pays nothing per transaction; the customer pays the fee. From 1 October 2026, this model is no longer permitted on Visa, Mastercard, and eftpos transactions.

APS offers EFTPOS terminals at $0 hardware cost and $0 monthly rental. Transaction rates are negotiated directly — contact APS for a quote specific to your business type and volume, and to understand how their pricing model applies after the October 2026 surcharge ban.

Cheap EFTPOS Terminals: What to Look For

The cheapest EFTPOS option depends on your business model:

• Lowest upfront cost: Zeller Terminal 1x from $99 (purchase) or APS at $0 (rental with service)
• Lowest monthly cost: APS at $0/month rental, or Zeller/Square at $0/month (purchase required)
• Lowest publicly listed transaction rate: CommBank at 1.1%, NAB at 1.15%, Westpac at 1.2%
• Lowest total cost at high volume: depends on negotiated rates — contact APS and Tyro for volume-based quotes

"Cheap" on the terminal price does not mean cheap overall. A $99 terminal with a 1.4% transaction rate costs more than a $0 rental terminal with a 1.1% rate for any business processing over ~$5,000/month in card payments.

EFTPOS Machine Rental vs Purchase: Which Is Better?

Rental benefits:

• No upfront capital cost
• Provider handles hardware maintenance and replacement
• Easy to upgrade to newer terminal models
• Terminal is returned if you cancel the service

Purchase benefits:

• No ongoing rental fee — lower total cost if kept long term
• You own the hardware outright
• No dependency on a provider for hardware continuity

For most Australian small businesses, rental makes sense if the provider charges $0 rental (APS) or if the monthly rental is low relative to transaction savings. At $25–$29/month rental, the rental cost equals $300–$348/year — the equivalent of a $99 terminal after 4 months. If you plan to use the terminal for 2+ years, purchase may save money if transaction rates are comparable.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an EFTPOS machine cost per month?

Monthly EFTPOS costs depend on rental fees and transaction volume. Rental fees range from $0 (APS) to $29/month (Tyro) to $25/month (NAB) to $19.95–$29.95/month (ANZ Worldline). Transaction fees are charged as a percentage of card turnover — typically 1.1%–1.6% for flat-rate providers. A business processing $20,000/month at 1.2% pays $240/month in transaction fees alone.

Can I get an EFTPOS machine with no monthly fees?

Yes. APS provides terminals at no monthly rental fee with no setup fee. Square and Zeller also have $0 monthly fees, but require purchasing the terminal upfront ($329 for Square Terminal, from $99 for Zeller). All three require accepting transaction fees on each sale.

What is the cheapest EFTPOS machine in Australia?

The cheapest EFTPOS machine by upfront cost is the Square Reader from $19 AUD (card reader, requires a compatible phone or tablet). The cheapest standalone terminal by upfront cost is the Zeller Terminal 1x from $99. For businesses that prefer rental, APS provides terminals at $0 upfront and $0/month rental.

Do EFTPOS machines have hidden fees?

Yes — common hidden costs include chargeback fees (amount varies by provider — confirm before signing up), paper roll costs for receipt-printing terminals, terminal replacement fees if hardware is damaged, and monthly fees for POS software integration. Always request a full fee schedule in writing before signing with any provider.

What happens to no-cost EFTPOS after October 2026?

From 1 October 2026, the RBA's surcharge ban makes it illegal to pass Visa, Mastercard, or eftpos transaction fees to customers as a surcharge. No-cost EFTPOS models that rely on customer surcharging will not comply with this rule. Contact APS directly to understand how their pricing and terminal model applies after the October 2026 surcharge ban.

How do I choose the right EFTPOS provider?

Calculate your total annual cost using your monthly card volume and each provider's transaction rate and rental fee. Compare the total, not just the headline rate or hardware cost. Also consider: POS system compatibility, settlement timing, support hours, and whether you need a countertop, portable, or mobile solution. Contact APS for a no-obligation quote tailored to your business volume and industry.