Best Card Machines for Healthcare UK 2025

Healthcare Payment Processing Needs

Private healthcare businesses require:

• Patient data security: PCI DSS compliant, GDPR adherence
• Deposit collection: £50-£200 deposits for dental procedures
• Treatment plan billing: Multi-part payments for orthodontics, implants
• Insurance billing: Direct billing to private medical insurance
• Appointment integration: Link payments to patient records
• Professional image: Sleek terminals for reception areas

Top 5 Solutions for Healthcare

1. Square - Best for Private Clinics & Physios

Rating: 9.0/10 for Healthcare

Square dominates private healthcare with over 3,500 UK practitioners using Square Appointments for patient booking and automated payment collection.

Pricing:

• In-person: 1.75%
• Online/invoices: 2.5% + 25p
• Terminal: £269

Healthcare Features:

• Square Appointments (FREE) - Patient booking worth £40/month
• Automated appointment reminders (reduce DNA rate by 35%)
• Patient profiles with treatment history
• Deposit collection at booking
• Invoicing for insurance claims
• GDPR-compliant data storage
• Treatment plan payment schedules

2. Dojo - Best for Dental Practices

Rating: 8.7/10

Dental practices with high-value treatments (£500-£5,000 for implants, orthodontics) save with Dojo's 0.9% + 9p vs Square's 1.75%.

Pricing:

• Fee: 0.9% + 9p
• Monthly: £0
• Terminal: FREE

Cost Comparison - £2,000 Dental Implant:

• Dojo: £18.09 ✅
• Square: £35.00
• Savings: £16.91 per implant

3. Worldpay - Best for Multi-Site Clinics

Rating: 8.5/10

Clinic chains with 3+ locations benefit from centralized management and volume-based rates.

Pricing:

• Fee: From 0.85% (negotiable)
• Monthly: £20-£30 per site

4. Clover - Best for Large Private Hospitals

Rating: 8.3/10

Private hospitals use Clover for sophisticated patient billing and insurance integration.

Pricing:

• Fee: From 1.5%
• Monthly: £49-£89
• Terminal: £299-£1,299

5. SumUp - Best for Mobile Practitioners

Rating: 8.0/10

Mobile physiotherapists, osteopaths, and chiropractors visiting patients at home use SumUp's £19 portable reader.

Pricing:

• Fee: 1.39%
• Reader: £19

Patient Data Security

All recommended providers are:

• ✅ PCI DSS Level 1 certified (highest security standard)
• ✅ GDPR compliant (patient data protection)
• ✅ Encrypted transactions (end-to-end encryption)
• ✅ Secure card storage (for recurring billing)

Handling Multi-Part Payments

For expensive treatments (£2,000+ implants, £5,000+ orthodontics):

1. Deposit at consultation: £200-£500 (10-25%)
2. Mid-treatment payment: 30-40% at halfway point
3. Final payment: Remaining balance on completion

Square Invoices makes this seamless with automated payment reminders and tracking.

Final Recommendation

Choose based on practice type:

• General practitioners/physios: Square (free appointments + billing)
• Dental practices: Dojo (0.9%, saves on high-value treatments)
• Mobile practitioners: SumUp (£19, portable)
• Clinic chains: Worldpay (volume discounts)