Ways to take payments in NZ, compared

Card machines, card readers and tap-to-pay apps, bank transfers and QR codes all take money. They suit different sellers. Here's how they compare, and what Tillify does that the others don't.

Last checked 21 October 2026.

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What Tillify does differently

Printed QR codes that take payments on their own: Print a QR code once and put it on your stall, honesty box, gate or poster. Customers scan it with their phone camera and pay, whether or not you're there. A card machine or tap-to-pay app needs you there to take each payment.
Several items in one QR code: List your products on one QR code. Customers pick what they want and how many on their own phone, then pay once. You can track stock: customers see how many are left, and sold-out items can't be bought.
Event tickets: Sell tickets before the event, each with its own code. Scan them at the door with any phone, or let volunteers scan with a code instead of your login. Take payments on the night from the same account.
A till on any phone, tablet or computer: Key in an amount or build a cart from your product list, with discounts. The customer scans and pays on their own phone, and you see it confirmed before you hand anything over.
Pay by Bank as well as card: Customers with ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank or Westpac pay straight from their bank account, and the money goes straight to yours. Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay work too.
Volunteers take payments without your login: Give staff or volunteers a 6-digit code. They take payments on their own phones, and every payment goes to your account.

How the options compare

	Card machine	Card reader or tap-to-pay app	Bank transfer	Tillify
What you need	A terminal, usually rented	A card reader, or a phone that takes taps	Nothing	Nothing: a printed QR code, or your phone
Monthly fee	Usually, for the rental	Usually none	None	None. You pay per sale
Takes payments when you're not there	No	No	Yes, but you check each one by hand	Yes, from a printed QR code
Customer picks several items on their phone	No	No	No	Yes, with stock counts
Sells and scans event tickets	Usually a separate ticketing service	Usually a separate ticketing service	No	Built in
Till with your product list	Usually a separate till	Usually included	No	Included
Volunteers take payments	On the one machine	On your device or account	They can't confirm a payment arrived	On their own phones, with a 6-digit code
Pay by Bank	No	No	The customer types in your account number	Yes, from ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank and Westpac
You know you've been paid	Straight away	Straight away	When you next check your bank	Straight away
The customer needs	A card	A card or a phone wallet	Internet banking and your account number	A phone with a camera and internet, and a bank app or card

When something else suits you better

Customers without a smartphone: Every Tillify payment happens on the customer's phone. If many of your customers don't carry one, or there's no mobile signal where you sell, keep a card machine or cash as well.
Long queues of quick sales: Tapping a card is a few seconds quicker than scanning a code. At a busy coffee cart, a card reader can keep the queue moving faster.
A card machine that already works for you: If you're happy with yours, Tillify can sit beside it for the sales it can't take: an honesty box, a volunteer's phone, tickets sold before the day.

What Tillify costs

No monthly fee, no setup fee and no hardware. Each sale costs:

Sales under $6.25: 5% (minimum 10c). A $2 sale costs 10c.
Sales of $6.25 and over: 1% + 25c, capped at $2.50.
Card payments: The same Tillify fee, plus Stripe's card processing fee.

Work out the fees on your own sales

Common questions

What's the cheapest way to take payments at a market stall in NZ?: It depends on how much you sell. A card machine usually has a monthly rental, so it costs most in a quiet month. Tillify has no monthly fee: Pay by Bank sales under $6.25 cost 5% (minimum 10c) and larger sales 1% + 25c, capped at $2.50. Card payments add Stripe's processing fee. The Tillify fee calculator works it out for your own sales.
Can I take payments when nobody is at my stall?: Yes. Print a Tillify QR code and put it on your stall or honesty box. Customers scan it with their phone camera and pay by Pay by Bank or card, and the money goes to your bank account. You can set a fixed price or let the customer enter the amount.
Can customers buy several items from one QR code?: Yes. A Tillify QR code can list several products. The customer picks what they want and how many on their own phone and pays once. Stock can be tracked, so customers see how many are left and can't buy sold-out items.
Can I sell event tickets and take payments on the night with one account?: Yes. Tillify sells tickets through a QR code or link, each with its own code, and scans them at the door with any phone. Volunteers can scan with a code instead of your login. On the night, the same account takes payments at the till or from QR codes.
Do I need a card machine to take card payments in NZ?: No. With Tillify, customers scan a QR code and pay by Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay or Google Pay on their own phone, or by Pay by Bank from ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank or Westpac. You need no terminal or card reader.

More about Tillify

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What Tillify does differently

Printed QR codes that take payments on their own

Print a QR code once and put it on your stall, honesty box, gate or poster. Customers scan it with their phone camera and pay, whether or not you're there. A card machine or tap-to-pay app needs you there to take each payment.

Several items in one QR code

List your products on one QR code. Customers pick what they want and how many on their own phone, then pay once. You can track stock: customers see how many are left, and sold-out items can't be bought.

Event tickets

Sell tickets before the event, each with its own code. Scan them at the door with any phone, or let volunteers scan with a code instead of your login. Take payments on the night from the same account.

A till on any phone, tablet or computer

Key in an amount or build a cart from your product list, with discounts. The customer scans and pays on their own phone, and you see it confirmed before you hand anything over.

Pay by Bank as well as card

Customers with ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank or Westpac pay straight from their bank account, and the money goes straight to yours. Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay work too.

Volunteers take payments without your login

Give staff or volunteers a 6-digit code. They take payments on their own phones, and every payment goes to your account.

How the options compare

	Card machine	Card reader or tap-to-pay app	Bank transfer	Tillify
What you need	A terminal, usually rented	A card reader, or a phone that takes taps	Nothing	Nothing: a printed QR code, or your phone
Monthly fee	Usually, for the rental	Usually none	None	None. You pay per sale
Takes payments when you're not there	No	No	Yes, but you check each one by hand	Yes, from a printed QR code
Customer picks several items on their phone	No	No	No	Yes, with stock counts
Sells and scans event tickets	Usually a separate ticketing service	Usually a separate ticketing service	No	Built in
Till with your product list	Usually a separate till	Usually included	No	Included
Volunteers take payments	On the one machine	On your device or account	They can't confirm a payment arrived	On their own phones, with a 6-digit code
Pay by Bank	No	No	The customer types in your account number	Yes, from ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank and Westpac
You know you've been paid	Straight away	Straight away	When you next check your bank	Straight away
The customer needs	A card	A card or a phone wallet	Internet banking and your account number	A phone with a camera and internet, and a bank app or card

When something else suits you better

Customers without a smartphone

Every Tillify payment happens on the customer's phone. If many of your customers don't carry one, or there's no mobile signal where you sell, keep a card machine or cash as well.

Long queues of quick sales

Tapping a card is a few seconds quicker than scanning a code. At a busy coffee cart, a card reader can keep the queue moving faster.

A card machine that already works for you

If you're happy with yours, Tillify can sit beside it for the sales it can't take: an honesty box, a volunteer's phone, tickets sold before the day.

Common questions

What's the cheapest way to take payments at a market stall in NZ?

It depends on how much you sell. A card machine usually has a monthly rental, so it costs most in a quiet month. Tillify has no monthly fee: Pay by Bank sales under $6.25 cost 5% (minimum 10c) and larger sales 1% + 25c, capped at $2.50. Card payments add Stripe's processing fee. The Tillify fee calculator works it out for your own sales.

Can I take payments when nobody is at my stall?

Yes. Print a Tillify QR code and put it on your stall or honesty box. Customers scan it with their phone camera and pay by Pay by Bank or card, and the money goes to your bank account. You can set a fixed price or let the customer enter the amount.

Can customers buy several items from one QR code?

Yes. A Tillify QR code can list several products. The customer picks what they want and how many on their own phone and pays once. Stock can be tracked, so customers see how many are left and can't buy sold-out items.

Can I sell event tickets and take payments on the night with one account?

Yes. Tillify sells tickets through a QR code or link, each with its own code, and scans them at the door with any phone. Volunteers can scan with a code instead of your login. On the night, the same account takes payments at the till or from QR codes.

Do I need a card machine to take card payments in NZ?

No. With Tillify, customers scan a QR code and pay by Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay or Google Pay on their own phone, or by Pay by Bank from ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank or Westpac. You need no terminal or card reader.