EFTPOS Fees Explained for Nail Salons
Card payments are the default at most Australian nail salons. Clients tap their card or phone, and the money arrives the next day. But every tap has a cost, and many salon owners aren't sure what they're actually paying — or whether a different provider would be cheaper.
This guide explains EFTPOS fees in plain words, so you can read your statement and compare offers with confidence.
The fees you might pay
- Merchant service fee — a percentage of each card payment. This is usually the biggest cost.
- Terminal rental — a monthly fee per terminal, unless you bought the device outright.
- Monthly account or facility fees.
- Other charges — for example chargebacks, paper rolls, minimum monthly fees or early termination.
Some providers bundle everything into one flat rate. Others charge different rates depending on the card type. Neither is automatically cheaper — it depends on your mix of cards and your monthly volume.
Flat rate or "cost plus"?
Flat rate pricing charges the same percentage on every card. It's easy to understand and predictable.
Cost-plus or blended pricing passes on the underlying card scheme and bank costs plus a margin. It can be cheaper for higher volumes but is harder to compare.
Ask any provider for a worked example using your real numbers: last month's card volume, number of transactions and average sale.
Least-cost routing
Many debit cards in Australia carry two networks — eftpos and Visa or Mastercard. Least-cost routing (sometimes called merchant choice routing) sends contactless debit payments through whichever network is cheaper for the merchant. Ask your provider whether it's available and switched on for your terminal.
How to read your statement
- Find your total card turnover for the month.
- Add up every fee — merchant fees, terminal rental, monthly fees.
- Divide total fees by turnover. That's your effective rate.
The effective rate is the number to compare between providers, because it includes everything — not just the headline percentage.
Questions to ask before switching
- What would my effective rate have been last month?
- Is there a contract, minimum term or early exit fee?
- Is terminal rental included?
- When does money settle in my account?
- Does the terminal integrate with my salon software, so totals don't have to be typed?
- Who do I call when the terminal stops working on a Saturday morning?
Don't forget the time cost
Fees aren't the only cost of card payments. If your terminal isn't connected to your booking system, someone types every total by hand, fixes mistakes and reconciles the day. Integrated payments remove that work and the errors that come with it.
Where Ukilu fits
Ukilu is booking and POS software, not an EFTPOS provider — you choose the terminal that suits you. See the salon POS system page for the terminals Ukilu works with, or talk to our team about connecting yours.