Your payments partner.

We compare the card machine and POS providers we work with, then give you one clear recommendation, in writing. Already on a good deal? We’ll say so.

Three questions.

One clear answer.

A call within the hour, weekdays.

What half a percent is worth.

A card rate that is half a percent lower sounds like nothing. On card sales of £20,000 a month it’s worth £100 a month, or £1,200 a year. That’s before rental, PCI (a card security fee) and other fees. Try your own numbers.

For example, a card rate of 1.75% falling to 1.25% is 0.5% lower.

£100 a month
£1,200 a yearThat’s what a 0.5% lower rate is worth on those sales. Simple arithmetic, not a quote.

Eight ways card payment deals go wrong.

Choosing a card machine or POS system goes wrong in a few familiar ways. This is how we avoid each one.

What will it really cost?
One monthly figure for your volume: card rates, rental, PCI and every other fee.
Will I be locked in?
We show the machine or system contract and the payment agreement, with notice periods and exit costs, before you sign.
What if I want to switch?
We check what leaving costs, including any machine or system lease, and tell you if staying is cheaper.
Will it work where I trade?
We ask how and where you take payments, then recommend the machine or system that suits your signal, speed and queues.
How fast will I get paid?
We show how fast each provider pays out, and whether weekends are included.
What if my money is held?
We tell you what triggers a risk check, what to have ready, and what each provider’s terms say.
Will I be approved?
Approval can take a few days to a few weeks, and new businesses often wait longest, so start early. We tell you what to have ready.
Will I be pushed to sign?
No. You get the recommendation in writing. The provider sends the contract, and you decide.

Providers change things. We keep up.

Rates, fees and contract terms change, and the emails announcing them are easy to miss. Our experts keep track, so you don’t have to.

On your own

With us

Collect rate cards and contracts from five or more providers.

A team of experts compares them for you.

Work out what each would cost for your volume.

The providers we work with, checked against your numbers.

Hunt for fees outside the advertised rate.

One monthly figure with every fee in.

Check the exit terms and any machine or system lease.

Exit terms and notice period in writing.

Hope you spot the email when a provider changes its terms.

We keep track, and tell you when a change affects you.

You can talk to one of our experts before you decide, by phone or WhatsApp.

Our team does the comparing. An expert makes the call.

One size doesn’t fit every till.

Your counter, your tables and your delivery van don’t need the same thing. We match each part of your business with the right option, all in one clear recommendation.

Built around purpose

Counter, tables, deliveries, a market stall or online. We recommend a card machine or POS system for each job.

More than one machine or till

A counter machine, a handheld, a full POS system. We match the right one to each, and tell you if one provider covers them all.

More than one business

Each business gets its own section in the recommendation, or one shared deal where that works better.

Three questions in. One clear answer out.

You tell us about your business. We do the rest, and you decide at the end. The provider takes over only if you say yes. If they change something that affects your deal later, we’ll tell you.

IA & Partners Finding your machine or system
  1. 1You answer three quick questions: your kind of business, how customers pay, and roughly how much you take on cards.you
  2. 2Our experts compare the providers we work with against your answers.experts
  3. 3An expert picks the best fit and writes it up.expert
  4. 4You get one recommendation, in writing.us
  5. 5If you say yes, the provider contacts you directly and arranges everything.provider

Typical documents: ID, proof of address, bank details. The provider confirms the list.

Recommended
Your one clear answer, in writing
The machine or system
The provider and machine or system we think suits you best, and why.
What it costs
One monthly figure for your volume, and how fast you get paid.
The contract
Length, notice period, auto-renewal and what leaving costs.
What we ruled out
The other options, and why they came second.
Your next step
Say yes and we pass your details to the provider, who contacts you directly. Say no and you keep the sheet.

See exactly what you’d get.

Every provider sets out its rates, rental terms and contract rules differently, so they are hard to compare. You get the comparison done and the reasoning shown.

Already have a machine or system? We’ll tell you if staying put is the better deal.

Want one clear answer? Ask us.

Think you’re overpaying? Check in five minutes.

Not ready to talk to anyone? Get your last card payment statement and contract, then tick these off. They are the things owners most often find they have missed.

Not sure what you’re looking at? Ask for a free statement check. We’ll tell you what your statement says, and whether you’re overpaying.

Get a free statement check

0 of 5 checked

Before you trust us, read this.

The questions people ask before they trust someone to choose for them.

How we choose
We recommend the best fit among the providers we work with, based on your answers: how you take payments, how much, and what you need. We show you our reasoning so you can check it, and if none of them suits you, we’ll say so.
Who decides
A person. Our experts compare the providers, and an expert decides what the numbers mean for your business and signs off every recommendation. You can ask us why we chose it.
When things change
Providers change rates, fees and terms, and their emails are easy to miss. Our experts keep track. Once you’re with a provider through us, if they change something that affects your deal, we’ll tell you, so a missed notice doesn’t turn into an avoidable cost.
If it goes wrong
Contact the provider first about the service, as your contract is with them. If your concern is about our recommendation, tell us and we’ll look into it and reply in writing. If a complaint isn’t resolved, eligible small businesses can take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free. How to complain

Let’s sort your payments.

Three questions, plus your number. We call back within the hour, weekdays 9 to 5.

IA AND PARTNERS LTD. Registered in England and Wales, company number 17527633.

What would you like?
How do customers pay you? (tick any)
When should we call?
Tell us more (optional, helps us choose better)
What worries you most? (tick any)

No obligation. We only use your details to contact you about this request and, if you take up a deal, any changes to it.

You pay us nothing. If you take up a provider’s machine or system, that provider pays us a commission. How we’re paid