The Real Cost of EFTPOS Terminal Rental in Australia

The real cost of EFTPOS terminal rental in Australia

That $35/month your bank charges for an EFTPOS terminal seems minor. But add it up across multiple devices over a 3-year contract and it's a significant line item — especially when there's a better option.

The typical rental breakdown

• Desktop terminal: $25–$45/month
• Portable/wireless terminal: $35–$55/month
• Fast-food/retail terminal: $40–$60/month

A venue with 3 terminals at $40/month pays $1,440/year in rental alone. That's before processing fees.

What you don't own at the end

Most terminal rental agreements are operating leases — you never own the hardware. At the end of a 3-year term, the vendor takes back the device and you start the cycle again.

The lock-in problem

EFTPOS terminal rental often comes bundled with processing agreements. Breaking early can trigger break fees of $500–$2,000 per device.

A different model: own your hardware

Payflo sells hardware outright. You own the device. No rental, no lock-in. The Payflo Go device handles both POS and payments on one screen — eliminating the need for a separate EFTPOS terminal entirely. Over 3 years, venues switching from 2 rented terminals to Payflo typically save $2,500–$4,000 in rental alone.