Hardware

EFTPOS Terminal Types in Australia: Which One Does Your Venue Need?

Countertop, mobile, SoftPOS, and integrated POS terminals compared, with hospitality-specific guidance on which type suits your venue and service model.

Choosing the wrong EFTPOS terminal is more expensive than most venue operators realise. Not in transaction fees. The real cost is in the time and cost of switching hardware, renegotiating contracts, and retraining staff after you realise the setup does not suit how your venue actually operates.

This guide covers the five main terminal types available to Australian hospitality and retail businesses, what each one is suited to, and the specific questions worth asking before you commit.

About this guide

HEFTE provides educational content about EFTPOS in Australia. We earn a referral fee from some of the providers listed on this site if you choose to switch through our quiz, calculator or compare tools. This commercial relationship does not change the information presented in our guides, but you should know it exists. We recommend confirming any rate or feature directly with the provider before signing.

The five types of EFTPOS terminal in Australia

Countertop terminals

A countertop terminal is a fixed device connected to your venue's network via Ethernet or WiFi. It sits at a fixed point: the bar, the front counter, the host stand. Customers come to it to pay.

Suited to

Cafés and takeaway venues with a clear payment point
Retail stores with a dedicated checkout
Any venue where staff do not need to take payment to the customer

Providers

All major banks, Tyro, Zeller, Square, SumUp, Shift4, urpay

The integration question matters most here. A countertop terminal that does not integrate with your POS means staff manually key the amount into the terminal after it has been rung up at the register. This is slow, introduces keying errors, and creates reconciliation headaches at end of day. If you are running H&L, Lightspeed, or Impos, an integrated terminal is almost always the better choice.

Mobile / wireless terminals

A mobile terminal operates on a built-in 4G SIM card or WiFi, allowing staff to take it anywhere in the venue: to the table, to the function room, to the car park. These devices have a battery that typically lasts a full shift.

Suited to

Table service restaurants and bars
Function and event venues
Pop-up and market traders
Any venue where bringing the terminal to the customer is standard practice

Providers

Tyro (Pro Touch, Pro Key), Zeller Terminal 2, SumUp Go (built-in 4G), Square Terminal (WiFi only), Shift4

4G vs WiFi only. Some "mobile" terminals only have WiFi. They are wireless within your venue but cannot operate without a network. True 4G mobile terminals work anywhere with phone coverage. Square Terminal is WiFi-only; SumUp Go has built-in 4G.

Battery life under load. A terminal used across a busy Friday night service needs a battery that holds for 10+ hours. Check manufacturer specifications and, if possible, read operator reviews.

Integration with your POS. Table service venues using H&L or Lightspeed benefit enormously from a terminal that communicates directly with the POS: the server selects the table, the amount flows to the terminal, and the payment is reconciled automatically.

Pay@Table in H&L: Pay@Table is supported natively in H&L POS through both Tyro and H&L Pay. When a server selects a table in H&L, the payment amount flows directly to the Tyro or H&L Pay terminal for tap or swipe, with the transaction reconciling automatically against the table. Other providers may offer H&L POS integration, but Pay@Table in H&L is most commonly delivered via Tyro or H&L Pay. Operators should confirm with their preferred provider whether equivalent functionality is supported. For venues where tableside payment flow is a priority, this constrains the provider choice but significantly simplifies end-of-service reconciliation.

SoftPOS / Tap to Pay (phone as terminal)

SoftPOS uses an NFC-enabled smartphone or tablet as the payment terminal. No hardware required. The customer taps their card or phone directly to the employee's device. Tap to pay on mobile devices is the newest category and the one growing fastest in 2026, partly because it removes the need to purchase or rent any hardware, and partly because the October 2026 RBA reforms are pushing providers to simplify their cost structures.

Suited to

Sole traders and mobile operators (market stalls, food trucks, mobile caterers, pop-up events)
Venues that need a backup terminal without buying a second device
Event or charity collections where a dedicated terminal is not practical

Provider	Rate	Platform
Zeller	1.40% flat	iOS & Android
Square	1.60%	iOS & Android
Westpac EFTPOS Air	Variable	Requires Westpac banking
ANZ Worldline Tap on Mobile	Variable	Requires ANZ account
Tyro BYO	Variable	iOS & Android

Integrated POS terminals

Some POS systems offer their own payment integration where the terminal is part of the POS software itself, rather than a separate device that communicates with it. With a true integrated POS payment, the POS and the terminal are one system.

Suited to

Venues already committed to a specific POS platform that offers its own payments product
Operations where deep POS reconciliation (table management, split bills, tipping at POS) is a priority

Australian examples

H&L Pay: payment integration built natively into H&L POS. Full and split payments, tipping, and table reconciliation happen directly at the POS.
Square POS with Square Terminal: Square's terminal integrates directly with Square POS. Strong fit for retail and café venues in the Square ecosystem.
Lightspeed Payments: Lightspeed's built-in payment product for existing Lightspeed POS users.

Before committing: check whether switching to an integrated POS payment means also switching your POS software (a much larger decision than just changing EFTPOS providers). Also confirm whether the integration handles split bills and tipping in the way your service model requires, and how your provider is addressing the October 2026 surcharging ban.

H&L Pay and the October 2026 surcharging ban: H&L Pay's published model is currently a surcharging arrangement. Operators considering H&L Pay should confirm the provider's position ahead of the October 2026 reforms.

References to the October 2026 RBA reforms are based on materials published by the Reserve Bank of Australia. Operators should confirm the final form and commencement date directly with the RBA or their provider.

Unattended / kiosk terminals

Unattended terminals are fixed-installation devices designed to operate without a staff member present: self-order kiosks, vending machines, ticketing systems, car park payment points. Providers include Till Payments, Windcave, and Stripe Terminal (developer integration required).

This category is included for completeness. For most independent hospitality operators, unattended terminals are not relevant to the buying decision.

Choosing the right type for your venue

Rather than a prescriptive answer, three questions narrow the decision:

Q1: Does payment need to come to the customer, or does the customer come to payment?

Table service restaurants and bars need mobile or SoftPOS solutions. Cafés and takeaway venues with a queue can use countertop or integrated POS terminals.

Q2: How integrated does the terminal need to be with your POS?

If you run H&L, Lightspeed, or Impos, integration is not optional. It is the difference between a seamless close-of-day and a manual reconciliation nightmare. The terminal type you choose constrains the provider options available for your POS system.

Q3: How much hardware do you want to own or manage?

SoftPOS (phone as terminal) eliminates hardware entirely. Mobile terminals require battery management and periodic replacement. Countertop terminals are low-maintenance but fixed. For a sole trader or small venue, SoftPOS may be more practical than it first appears.

Ready to match a terminal to your venue? Take the HEFTE quiz for a matched recommendation based on your POS system, service style, and volume.

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Next steps

Take the HEFTE quiz: three questions about your venue, POS system, and priorities, and we'll match you to the right provider for your setup. Start the quiz.

Compare providers on rates, terminals, integrations, and contract terms across all major Australian EFTPOS providers.

Understanding your fees. Once you've identified the terminal type that suits your venue, understanding how EFTPOS fees work will help you evaluate providers on cost, not just features. See our guide to EFTPOS fees in Australia.

About this guide

General information only

This guide is general information about EFTPOS arrangements in Australia. It does not take into account your specific business circumstances and is not financial, tax, legal or professional advice. Rates and product features change. We recommend confirming current rates and terms directly with the provider, and seeking professional advice tailored to your business before making a decision.

Rates and product features cited in this guide are accurate as at 13 May 2026. Rates change frequently; confirm current pricing directly with the provider before making a decision.

Rates last reviewed: 13 May 2026

Terminal types at a glance

Countertop terminals

Fixed payment point

Café / Takeaway / Retail

Mobile / wireless terminals

Payment to the table

Table service / Events

SoftPOS / Tap to Pay

Phone as terminal

Sole traders / Mobile

Integrated POS terminals

POS-native payments

H&L / Square / Lightspeed

Unattended / kiosk terminals

Self-service payment

High-volume / Automated

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