Compare Zettle card readers
With the ever-growing cashless society, card readers are now a must-have for any business. We compare PayPal’s Zettle Card Reader and Payment Terminal.

The Zettle Reader 2 (launched as the iZettle in 2011) is an award-winning card reader that allows small-medium businesses to take payments on the go or docked into a professional set-up. In 2018 PayPal bought the Zettle Reader and after its success, it launched the Zettle Payment Terminal in 2021.
The card machines allow businesses to take payments in a user-friendly and dynamic way with and without the additional pairing of the Zettle Go app. Find out more about the Zettle card readers below:
After you have researched and chosen the best card reader for you or your business, you can start the application process.
To apply for a Zettle card reader, head over to Zettle's online application, which takes 10-15 minutes to complete. Once your application is accepted, your card reader will be couriered to you.If you’re looking for an ergonomic and fairly priced card reader, Zettle by PayPal has 2 great options depending on your business’s needs. The light and compact Zettle Reader 2 is a good option for small businesses that need to take payments on-the-go. In comparison, the sleek, all-in-one Zettle Payment Terminal could be more suited for businesses that have a professional set-up, for example a small-medium food or shop service. Both Zettle card readers are fairly priced and take payments from a variety of card networks (including American Express).
However, many reviewing customers have complained that their accounts had been frozen after being flagged for suspicious activity, impacting transactions taking place. If you are at the research stage or are ready to order a card reader, make an informed decision with our comparison table.
Zettle has received mixed reviews from customers, according to customer review sites like TrustPilot and the Apple App Store.
It currently has an “Average” TrustPilot rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars, based on 3,175 reviews (updated 25 March 2022). Those who rated the product and service as “Excellent” commented on the straightforwardness of the product and the quick settlement period of payments. However, those reviewing customers who rated Zettle card readers 1 out of 5 stars or “Bad”, commented on the poor customer service after running into account issues on the device that impacted successful transactions. One customer complained of “refund issues and poor support”.
In comparison, on the Apple App Store, Zettle Go currently has a rating of 4.7 out of 5, based on 9.8K ratings (updated 25 March 2022). Many customers praised the “simplicity” and “layout” of the app and the “compactness” and “battery life” of the card readers. But, similar to TrustPilot, those customers who came into trouble with the Zettle card readers complained about their accounts being frozen unexpectedly and being met with poor customer service.
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