How to Take Card Payments Without a Machine in New Zealand

Yes — you can accept card payments without an EFTPOS machine in NZ

The common assumption is that to accept card payments, you need a physical EFTPOS terminal. That used to be true. It isn't anymore.

Using a QR code payment platform like Tillify, any business or individual can accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay, and Google Pay using only a phone or tablet — no card reader, no EFTPOS hardware.

How it works: QR codes and card payments

You generate a QR code from your Tillify account — for a specific product, a fixed amount, or an open amount. You display it on your counter, stall, or include it on an invoice. When a customer scans it with their phone camera, they're taken to a secure payment page where they choose how to pay:

• Pay by Bank (direct transfer from their ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Westpac, or Kiwibank account)
• Visa or Mastercard (debit or credit)
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay

No app download is required for the customer. The payment is processed securely through Stripe (for cards) or New Zealand Open Banking APIs (for bank transfers).

Who benefits from card payments without a terminal?

This approach works especially well for:

• Market stall and farmers market vendors
• Tradies and contractors invoicing on-site
• Food trucks and mobile vendors
• Event sellers, pop-ups, and fetes
• Schools, clubs, and charity fundraisers
• Private sellers and online marketplace sellers

What does it cost to accept card payments without EFTPOS?

With Tillify, the platform fee is 1% + $0.25 per transaction, capped at $2.50 — plus standard Stripe processing fees for card payments (~2.9% + $0.30). There are no monthly fees and no hardware costs.

For Pay by Bank (direct bank transfer), you only pay the Tillify fee — no card network fees on top. This makes Pay by Bank the lower-cost option for both merchant and customer.