No Cost EFTPOS Australia – Keep 100% of Your Sales With Zero Merchant Fees

Australian businesses processing $10,000/month in card payments spend up to $1,920 a year on merchant fees alone — money that goes straight to the bank, not your pocket. No cost EFTPOS eliminates that expense entirely. The terminal automatically calculates a compliant surcharge, displays it to the customer before they confirm, and you keep 100% of every sale. Zero setup fees, zero monthly rental, zero merchant fees.

APS Business provides no cost EFTPOS across Australia with no lock-in contracts, plug-and-play terminals, and ongoing support from a dedicated payment specialist. The solution is fully compliant with Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) rules and accepted by thousands of Australian small businesses — from cafés in Melbourne to market stalls on the Gold Coast.

What Is No Cost EFTPOS and How Does It Actually Work?

No cost EFTPOS is a surcharging model where the small cost of accepting a card payment is passed to the customer — not absorbed by the business. The result: the merchant pays nothing to process the transaction.

Here's exactly what happens at the point of sale:

1. The customer presents their card or device to the terminal
2. The terminal automatically detects the card type (Visa, Mastercard, eftpos, Amex)
3. A compliant surcharge — typically between 1.2% and 1.6% — is calculated instantly
4. The surcharge amount is displayed clearly on screen before the customer confirms
5. The customer taps, inserts, or swipes to approve
6. The full sale amount, including the surcharge, is captured — and the merchant receives 100% of the original sale

This is not a hidden fee. The surcharge appears on screen, on the receipt, and is fully disclosed before the transaction completes. That transparency is exactly what Australian consumer law and RBA regulations require.

The average surcharge on a $50 café bill is around 80 cents. Most customers accept this without hesitation — particularly in a business environment where surcharging is now standard across hospitality, retail, and services.

What Does a No Cost EFTPOS Setup Include?

With APS Business, no cost EFTPOS comes with no upfront costs, no hidden fees, and no lock-in contracts. Everything is included from day one.

Here's what the setup covers:

• $0 upfront cost — no purchase price for the terminal
• $0 terminal rental — you're not paying $20–$50/month just to use the machine
• $0 setup fees — no onboarding or installation charges
• $0 merchant processing fees — 100% of your sale stays with you
• No lock-in contracts — exit at any time without penalty
• No chargeback fees — disputes don't cost you extra out of pocket

Accepted payment types include:

• Visa and Mastercard (credit and debit)
• eftpos (Australian debit network)
• American Express
• Apple Pay and Google Pay
• Afterpay and other Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) providers

The terminal arrives ready to use. Plug it in, connect to WiFi or use direct POS connectivity, and you're processing payments in minutes. No technician required. No lengthy onboarding call.

For businesses already running a POS system — whether that's Square, Lightspeed, Xero, or any of 450+ supported platforms — the terminal connects seamlessly without disrupting your existing workflow.

How Much Does No Cost EFTPOS Save Australian Businesses?

The savings are immediate and measurable. A business processing $10,000/month in card payments at a standard 1.6% merchant fee pays $160/month — that's $1,920 every year in fees that go to the bank.

With a no cost EFTPOS solution from APS Business, that figure drops to $0.

Beyond processing fees, consider what most providers charge just to rent the terminal: $20–$50/month is common. Over 12 months, that's up to $600 per terminal — gone before a single payment is processed.

The surcharge model averages the cost across all card types for simplicity. Rather than charging 0.5% for eftpos and 1.8% for Amex separately, a single blended surcharge rate is applied to all transactions — making the checkout experience faster and less confusing for staff and customers.

According to the Australian Payments Network, card payments account for over 70% of all consumer payments at the point of sale in Australia. For most businesses, that means the majority of revenue flows through a card terminal — making fee elimination a genuine financial priority, not a nice-to-have.

Is No Cost EFTPOS Right for Your Business?

No cost EFTPOS suits most Australian small businesses, but it works best in specific environments. Here's an honest breakdown.

Best fit for:

• Hospitality venues and cafés — surcharges are already expected by customers; no friction at the counter
• Restaurants and takeaway shops — tableside payment with a portable terminal is standard
• Retail stores — any retail business not in a highly price-sensitive, margin-thin category
• Health clinics, physios, and allied health providers — professional settings where surcharges are accepted without pushback
• Hair salons and beauty businesses — loyal repeat customers rarely object to a small surcharge
• Market stalls and outdoor traders — battery-powered terminals work without fixed infrastructure
• Tradies and mobile service providers — invoice-level payments on the spot, no terminal rental eating into margins

Minimum monthly turnover: Most businesses processing $10,000/month or more in card payments get the best-fit plan. Businesses below this threshold are still eligible — but a payment specialist will assess whether no cost or low cost EFTPOS is the stronger financial match.

Where to think carefully:

High-volume retail businesses in heavily competitive markets — for example, supermarkets or discount stores — sometimes prefer a low-cost blended model to avoid any customer friction at checkout. That's a legitimate consideration, and APS Business will tell you honestly if another model suits you better.

Surcharging, Compliance, and the Proposed RBA Changes in 2026

Australian merchants can legally surcharge customers for the actual cost of card acceptance — but the rules are changing, and businesses need to be prepared.

Under current RBA regulations, which have applied since 2016, merchants may pass on the cost of acceptance — typically 1.2%–1.6% — but cannot profit from the surcharge. The automated surcharging system built into no cost EFTPOS terminals handles this compliance automatically. There are no manual calculations, no risk of over-surcharging, and no exposure to RBA enforcement action.

The proposed change for 1 July 2026: The RBA has flagged a potential ban on surcharging for eftpos, Visa, and Mastercard transactions. If legislated, businesses using a pure surcharge-to-customer model would need to transition to an alternative structure.

What this means for businesses starting no cost EFTPOS today:

• The ban is proposed — not yet law
• Amex surcharging is not currently included in the proposed ban
• Businesses still have time to benefit from $0 fees before any change takes effect
• APS Business will proactively guide all clients through any transition — either to a low-cost blended rate model or another structure that protects their margins

No client is left stranded. Any regulatory change is managed with advance notice and a clear transition path — not a surprise invoice.

Terminal Features – Battery, Connectivity, Settlement, and POS Integration

The APS Business terminal is built for real-world Australian business conditions — not just a clean counter in a quiet shop.

Portability and power:

• Battery-powered for tableside service, market stalls, outdoor events, and mobile trades
• No fixed power source required during operation
• Lightweight and compact — fits in an apron pocket or tool bag

Connectivity:

• WiFi connection for businesses with reliable internet
• Direct POS integration for wired setups
• No fixed internet required — suitable for markets, pop-ups, and outdoor trading

Payment capability:

• NFC (tap to pay), chip and PIN, swipe
• Accepts Visa, Mastercard, eftpos, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Afterpay/BNPL
• Automated surcharge calculation — no manual input from staff

Settlement:

• Fast settlement into your nominated bank account
• Next business day settlement is standard; same-day options available depending on your bank and setup
• Refunds are processed directly through the terminal — and where a surcharge was applied to the original transaction, the refund is calculated proportionally and returned to the customer automatically

POS integration:

• Compatible with 450+ POS systems including Square, Lightspeed, Xero, Kounta, and more
• No disruption to your existing setup
• Surcharging is automated within the integration — staff don't need to think about it

Fraud and security:

• EMV chip compliance
• PCI DSS compliant
• Built-in fraud protection at the network level

No Cost EFTPOS vs Low Cost EFTPOS – Which One Suits You?

Both models eliminate the crippling effect of standard merchant fees — but they work differently, and the right choice depends on your business type and customer base.

Tradespeople and market vendors almost always prefer no cost — their customers expect it, and the savings are immediate and total.

High-volume retailers sometimes prefer low cost because the competitive environment makes visible surcharges a friction point. At 1.2% blended, costs are still dramatically lower than standard bank rates of 1.6%–2.2%.

APS Business offers both models. A payment specialist will recommend the right one for your specific turnover, customer profile, and industry — not just the one with the highest margin for the provider.

How to Get Started With APS Business Today

Getting set up with no cost EFTPOS through APS Business takes less than 2 minutes to initiate. Here's the exact process:

1. Visit aps.business and submit a free enquiry — no obligation, no commitment
2. A payment specialist contacts you — usually within one business day — to understand your business, transaction volume, and current setup
3. A tailored recommendation is made — no cost, low cost, or a hybrid depending on your business type
4. Your terminal is configured and dispatched — plug-and-play setup means you're processing payments quickly
5. Ongoing support is available — a real person, not a chatbot, for any questions after go-live

There is no lock-in contract. No exit fees. No surprise charges six months in. APS Business works with businesses across Australia — from single-terminal cafés in regional Queensland to multi-site retail chains — and the service model is built around long-term partnership, not a quick sign-up and disappear.

Start Saving Today With APS Business

Every month you pay standard merchant fees is money your business will never get back. At $160/month on $10,000 in card sales, that's $1,920 a year funding your bank's profits — not yours.

APS Business offers no cost EFTPOS across Australia with $0 setup, $0 rental, $0 merchant fees, no lock-in contracts, and a team of payment specialists ready to find the right solution for your business. Whether you run a café, a health clinic, a market stall, or a trade business, there's a plan that works — and a specialist who will tell you honestly if no cost or low cost EFTPOS is the better fit.

Visit aps.business today and get started in under 2 minutes. No obligation. No lock-in. Just a smarter way to take payments.