DNA Payments at a glance

Choose around the customer, not the model number

The DNA terminal range includes the PAX A920 Pro, a portable machine with a large screen, printer, Wi-Fi and 4G. It also lists smaller handheld and fixed devices. Those product details were checked on 11 September 2026.

For a café, a portable machine could let staff take payment at a table. For a courier or mobile service, a compact device may be easier to carry. For a shop where customers always pay at one counter, a fixed payment point might be perfectly adequate.

You do not need to memorise every model in the catalogue. Ask DNA which device it recommends for your circumstances and why. Then hold it, read the screen and see how it handles the jobs you repeat every day.

Paper receipts are a good example. If you regularly serve customers buying something for work, being able to hand over a receipt may matter more than a larger touchscreen. If most customers decline a receipt, ask whether the proposed setup offers a convenient digital alternative.

A mobile connection can help where Wi-Fi is unreliable, but it still depends on coverage. Tell the supplier if payments happen in a basement, outside or in different rooms. A demonstration at somebody else's office cannot tell you what signal you will have at your premises.

Could it stop you typing everything twice?

If staff enter the bill on a till and then type it again into a card machine, there is an opportunity for mistakes. A supported connection can send the amount across automatically. The important word is supported: ask about your exact till software and version.

Imagine a lunchtime queue. Somebody orders two coffees and a sandwich, then changes the sandwich. You want the corrected total to reach the payment device without another round of typing. You also want the till to know that payment has been completed.

Have that shown to you. Then try a refund. Ask what staff should do if the connection fails. Those few minutes reveal more than a long explanation about payment technology.

DNA calls its terminal software axept PRO. You do not need to learn the name to judge the experience. Watch how quickly somebody unfamiliar with the screen can find the ordinary buttons. The person covering a Saturday shift should not need the owner beside them for every unusual sale.

If replacing the whole till is on your list, our EPOS guide helps separate payment needs from stock, orders and other business software.

Deposits, delivery orders and payments online

Not every customer pays while standing in front of you. A florist might need payment before arranging a delivery. A salon might want a deposit for a longer appointment. A repair business might send a customer the amount due when the job is finished.

DNA lists online payments, payment links and telephone-payment options in its wider service. Ask which of these comes with your proposal and what each costs. A link that lets a customer pay on their own device may be all you need; a complete website checkout is a different job. Source: DNA Payments.

Try the customer side as well as your own screen. Is the business name clear? Can the customer see the amount? How do you know the payment succeeded? For a deposit, make sure your own records show what remains to be paid later.

A card machine does not automatically solve booking administration. If you want deposits to appear inside appointment software, ask whether that exact connection is available. Otherwise, you may still be updating the booking manually. That can be acceptable, provided you know before signing.

DNA Payments pricing in plain English

There is no single DNA price used in this review. The public pages checked direct businesses towards an individual discussion rather than a universal all-in small-business tariff. Your written offer needs to explain the equipment and payments together.

Ask for a normal month's cost based on your sales. Start with three figures: how much you take by card, roughly how many payments that represents and how much is taken online. Tell the supplier about any unusual trading pattern, such as taking large deposits long before delivering the work.

Then check the recurring extras. These could include machine rental, software or a minimum monthly charge where your agreement has one. Ask what is included rather than assuming every item in a product brochure comes with the base price.

Here is an illustration, not a DNA quote. Suppose a shop takes £12,000 through 600 payments each month:

A hypothetical 1.5% service with no other charges would cost £180 on the same sales. The difference is £11. These examples exclude hardware purchases, VAT where applicable and any additional fees.

That £11 is useful context. If one setup genuinely saves staff time or gives you better help, the higher processing bill might be acceptable. If it adds no benefit, there is no reason to ignore the saving. Compare the complete offers using your own figures.

Where your money goes after the sale

The word settlement simply means paying out your card takings under the account's arrangements. Ask when the money reaches the bank account you actually use, including sales made at weekends.

For a small shop, the report should answer an ordinary question: “We took £700 yesterday, so why did a different amount arrive?” Refunds, fees and timing may explain the difference. Ask to see how those appear together rather than accepting a screen full of totals without an explanation.

If you have two payment points, check whether you can separate their sales when useful. You might want to understand the main counter and a pop-up stall without opening another spreadsheet every evening. Only pay for extra reporting if you will use it.

Help when something stops working

Ask a plain question: “If the till stops talking to the card machine, who do I call?” You want to avoid spending the busy part of the day explaining the same problem to two companies.

Find out the support hours, the replacement process and what happens while you wait. If you trade on Sunday, weekday-only help may leave a gap. These details belong in your decision alongside the rate.

When switching, keep your old payment arrangement until the new one is ready and your contract obligations are clear. Pick a quieter time to show staff the machine. Explain refunds, receipts and where to find help, then let them try the common tasks themselves.

Alternatives worth comparing

Compare your in-person payment costs

Use the cost checker below to explore card-machine options with your own sales figures. It is a comparison aid, not a quote from this provider. Online payments and any extra services need to be priced separately.