How you take payments is crucial for any small business. And the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift away from cash to contactless. According to UK Finance, the total value of contactless transactions in 2021 hit £165.9bn, more than double the amount recorded in 2019 pre pandemic.

However, whereas before taking card payments was just a matter of renting a card reader, today’s payment systems are truly sophisitacted, connecting your till, your inventory and even direct to your bank account – which means you can even borrow money against your cashless payments. Today’s payment systems are seamlessly connected.

But where do you start when it comes to contactless payments? What’s the best electronic payment system to use? How do they compare?

On this page, you can discover 11 of the best payment processors, which card payment machines are idea for your small business, optimising cash flow with cashless payments, the best payment systems for outdoor festivals, pop-ups and street food markets, and even which is the best payment system for accepting US dollars.