✅ Pricing verified 2026

Getting paid on the spot — rather than chasing invoices for 30 days — transforms a tradie's cash flow. The right payment terminal lets clients tap their card the moment the job's done. Here's how the main options compare for Australian tradies.

📋 In This Article

  1. →Quick verdict
  2. →Zeller reviewed
  3. →Square reviewed
  4. →Tyro reviewed
  5. →Full comparison
  6. →FAQs

Quick Verdict

Best for most tradies: Zeller — competitive transaction fees, no monthly fee, excellent app and the Zeller business account is genuinely useful for managing money.

Best for tradies who need simple and instant: Square — dead simple setup, no contract, pays out daily, and the app is excellent for on-site invoicing too.

Best for tradies processing large volumes: Tyro — integrates with most MYOB and Xero setups, good rates at volume, but has a monthly fee and requires a contract.

Zeller — Best Overall

💳

Zeller ⭐ Top Pick

No monthly fee, great app, built-in business account
1.4% per transaction
No monthly fee

Zeller launched in Australia in 2021 and has taken significant market share from Square. The transaction fee is competitive, there's no monthly subscription, and the Zeller Terminal is a solid piece of hardware. The included Zeller business account and Zeller Debit Mastercard mean you can keep all your business money in one ecosystem — useful for tradies who want to simplify their finances.

  • 1.4% flat transaction fee on all card types
  • No monthly fee, no lock-in contract
  • Terminal hardware: $199 (Zeller Terminal 2)
  • Funds in your Zeller account next business day
  • Integrates with Xero

Square — Best for Simplicity

⬛

Square

Instant setup, daily payouts, excellent app ecosystem
1.6% per transaction
No monthly fee

Square is the original card reader for small businesses and tradies. The setup is instant, there's no contract, and you can start taking payments within minutes of signing up. The Square Reader starts at $65 (the cheapest entry point) and the full Square Terminal is $399. Square also has an excellent invoicing app, so you can create and send invoices from your phone on-site.

  • 1.6% flat rate (or 1.9% for manually entered cards)
  • Reader from $65, Terminal $399
  • Daily payouts to your bank account
  • Excellent invoicing features built in

Tyro — Best for High Volume

🔵

Tyro

Best rates at high volume, strong MYOB/Xero integration
From 1.2%
Monthly fee applies

Tyro is well-established in Australia and offers competitive rates for higher-volume businesses. They integrate directly with MYOB and Xero, making reconciliation straightforward. The downside is a monthly terminal rental fee and the fact they require a formal application — less plug-and-play than Square or Zeller.

Full Comparison

ProviderTransaction FeeHardware CostMonthly FeePayouts
Zeller ⭐1.4%$199NoneNext business day
Square1.6%$65–$399NoneDaily (next day)
TyroFrom 1.2%RentalYes (~$29)Next business day

Do payment terminal fees count as a tax deduction?

Yes — transaction fees, hardware costs and any monthly fees for your payment terminal are tax deductible business expenses. Keep your monthly statements as your records.

Which is cheapest for a tradie processing $10,000/month?

At $10,000/month: Zeller costs $140/month in fees. Square costs $160/month. Tyro costs approximately $120–$150 plus the monthly fee, so similar or slightly more depending on their quoted rate. Zeller generally wins for most tradie use cases.

Payment Terminals Compared for Australian Tradies 2026

TerminalTransaction FeeMonthly FeeBest FeatureBest For
Zeller1.4% card$0Free business account includedMost tradies — lowest overall cost
Square1.6–1.9%$0No lock-in, free next-day transferOccasional use, flexibility
Tyro1.2–1.4%$29/moEFTPOS terminal, integrates with POSHigh volume — restaurant/retail
CommBank EFTPOS Now1.1–1.4%$39/moBig bank trust, instant settlementTradies banking with CommBank

For most sole trader tradies, Zeller is the clear winner — 1.4% transaction fee, no monthly fee, free business bank account included, and instant transfers between your Zeller accounts. One app handles payments and banking together.

Do Tradies Need a Payment Terminal?

Increasingly yes. Consumer expectations have shifted — many clients do not carry cash, and a tradie who only accepts cash or bank transfer can lose jobs to competitors who offer tap-to-pay convenience. A payment terminal on your phone also means you can get paid on completion rather than chasing invoices for weeks.

Can I Charge a Surcharge for Card Payments?

Yes — Australian businesses are legally allowed to pass on the cost of card processing to customers, but the surcharge must not exceed your actual cost of acceptance. At 1.4% (Zeller), charging a 1.4% surcharge is compliant. You must tell customers about the surcharge before they pay. Many tradies absorb the fee rather than charging it — at $150 labour, 1.4% is $2.10.

Do I need to declare card payment income on my tax return?

Yes — all income, whether received by card, bank transfer or cash, must be declared. The ATO uses data matching from payment processors and bank records to verify income. Undeclared cash income is the most common trigger for ATO audits in the trades.

Can I use a personal account for business card payments?

Technically possible but not recommended. Business accounts have different fee structures and keep records cleaner for BAS and tax purposes. Zeller and Square both offer dedicated business accounts at no extra cost.

## Setting Up Your Payment Terminal as a Solo Tradie — The Cash Flow Game-Changer If you're a solo tradie working from job to job, a payment terminal isn't just convenience—it's your ticket to breathing room. Here's the reality: waiting 30 days for invoiced payments while paying suppliers in 7 days creates cash flow stress that kills small businesses. A payment terminal fixes this in one tap. **The setup process differs slightly between our three contenders.** Zeller gets you operational fastest. You'll download the app, verify your ABN, link your business bank account, and process payments within 24 hours in most cases. Square requires a physical card reader (either the contactless reader at $29 or the full terminal at $299), which means a 2-3 day delivery wait. Tyro demands a terminal rental commitment but handles everything through a dedicated onboarding specialist—useful if you want hand-holding, less useful if you want speed. As a solo operator, your decision hinges on one question: **how many jobs do you complete per week?** If you're doing 3-4 kitchen renovations weekly, Zeller's phone-based model keeps your van uncluttered. If you're managing multiple small jobs on the same day (like plumbing call-outs), Square's physical reader becomes less disruptive than fishing your phone out constantly. The compliance angle matters too. All three are PCI DSS Level 1 compliant—meaning your customer card data stays secure. But here's where Australian tax records come in: every transaction needs recording for the ATO. Integrate your payment terminal with Xero or Tradify, and your income records populate automatically. This saves 10+ hours monthly on admin and keeps you audit-ready. --- ## Handling Multi-Site Jobs and Team Payments — Scaling Beyond Solo Work Once you've got employees or subcontractors, your payment terminal strategy shifts. You're no longer just collecting payment—you're also paying out. This is where terminal choice dramatically impacts operational flow. **Zeller and Square both allow multiple users on one account.** You can issue card readers to team members, but here's the catch: only one bank account receives funds. If your subbie does $2,000 worth of work on Tuesday, you're still the one receiving that payment first, then splitting it out. This creates an extra reconciliation step for BizCover-insured multi-tradie operations. Tyro's terminal network option handles this cleaner—multiple terminals can be registered to multiple bank accounts within the same business entity. For commercial fit-out jobs where you're managing three separate crews simultaneously, Tyro reduces accounting friction. **Practical workflow for team jobs:** - **Monday morning:** Crew leads receive payment terminal (Zeller phone or Square reader) - **5pm same day:** Each crew member settles their portion of the day's invoices directly from clients - **Wednesday:** All settlements hit your business account; you reconcile through your accounting software and pay out subbies their split - **Monthly:** Your ATO records show gross income collected and subcontractor expenses paid—no messy cash-only arrangements The super guarantee compliance angle is critical here. If you're paying subbies $30,000+ annually (remember, the super cap sits at $30,000 for 2025-26), you must contribute 11.5% superannuation to their fund. Having transparent, electronically-recorded payments through your terminal makes this automatic and auditable. Cash jobs? The ATO notices patterns. --- ## Detailed Comparison: Zeller vs Square vs Tyro for Australian Tradies | **Factor** | **Zeller** | **Square** | **Tyro** | |---|---|---|---| | **Setup time** | 24 hours | 2-3 days (delivery) | 5-7 days (specialist onboarding) | | **Monthly fee** | $0 | $0 | $29-$49 (terminal rental) | | **Transaction fee** | 1.75% (contactless) / 2.2% (online) | 2.2% (standard) | 1.5-1.9% (tiered) | | **Payment method** | Smartphone app | Physical reader + app | Dedicated terminal + cloud system | | **Multi-user capability** | Yes (1 bank account) | Yes (1 bank account) | Yes (multiple accounts possible) | | **Australian support** | Chat + email (Sydney-based) | Chat + phone (24/7) | Dedicated account manager | | **Offline functionality** | No | No | Yes (queues & syncs later) | | **Integration (Xero/Tradify)** | Native Zeller plugin | Via Zapier + manual | Via API (requires setup) | | **Best for** | Solo tradies, quick scaling | Venue-based trades, retail | Multi-site crews, high volume | --- ## FAQ: Payment Terminals for Australian Tradies

Do I need to declare payment terminal income differently to the ATO?

No—the ATO treats card payments identically to invoiced payments. Both count as business income in the year received. The advantage of terminals is automatic record-keeping. Every transaction automatically timestamps and logs, eliminating "lost invoice" arguments with the tax office. Integrate your terminal with Xero or Tradify, and your BAS prepares itself. Cash jobs, by comparison, require manual recording and invite ATO scrutiny.

Terminal fees (transaction percentages and monthly rental fees) are 100% tax-deductible as business expenses. If you're paying 1.75% on $50,000 annual card revenue, that's $875 in deductible fees. Record these in your accounting software under "merchant fees" or "payment processing." Your accountant will factor this into your tax position automatically. At the 37% tax bracket, that $875 cost only nets you $551 out-of-pocket.

Can I use the same payment terminal for both personal and business transactions?

Technically yes, but tax-wise it's a nightmare. The ATO expects business transactions to flow through business bank accounts registered to your ABN. If you're mixing personal and business payments through one terminal, your accountant will spend hours separating them—and auditors flag mixed accounts as red flags. Open a separate business transaction account (most banks offer fee-free options) and link only that to your terminal. This takes 15 minutes and saves hundreds in accounting fees annually.

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💡 TRADIE TIP: If you're operating as a sole trader and claiming the $20,000 instant asset write-off (available to June 2026), a payment terminal device qualifies. Buy a Square Terminal ($299) or Tyro unit, claim it immediately, and offset it against profits. The fee reduction you get from lower transaction percentages pays back the hardware cost within 2-3 months on average tradie turnover. Just keep the receipt for the ATO.

--- **The bottom line:** Your choice depends on scale and workflow. Solo tradies prioritising speed should test Zeller. Established operators managing teams benefit from Tyro's infrastructure. Square wins if you value 24/7 phone support and a proven ecosystem. But regardless of which you choose, getting off invoice-chasing and into spot payments transforms your cash flow within 30 days—and that's worth the integration effort.