What are unattended payments? Paying where no one is at the till
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
Unattended payments are card or phone payments taken by a machine with no staff member present. Vending machines, car park barriers, ticket machines, EV chargers, laundrettes and self-service kiosks all rely on them.
How they work
- A card reader built into the machine takes a tap, chip or phone payment.
- For fixed prices, the payment is approved and taken straight away.
- For open amounts, such as fuel or charging, the reader places a hold first.
- When the session ends, the final amount is captured and the rest of the hold is released.
Security points
Readers need to be tamper-resistant, since no one is watching them. Businesses also watch for card testing, where fraudsters try many stolen cards on small purchases, and keep readers updated to current security standards.
Costs to check
Unattended readers usually cost more than a counter terminal, need a data connection and often carry a monthly fee. Small payments can also be expensive if a provider charges a fixed fee per transaction.
Where SendPay fits
SendPay doesn't offer card machines, unattended readers or acquiring. SendPay platforms let you get paid with payment links, invoices and subscriptions, alongside GBP, EUR and USD accounts and branded Visa cards, powered by licensed partners.
Build it
Create your own financial platform.
Pick a template, name it, brand it, preview every page before you pay. Your brand, your users, your fees.
Build my platform →Questions people ask
What does a card machine really cost?
Compare two deals on price, fees and monthly charges.
Card machine cost calculator →What is a pre-authorisation?
A temporary hold on a card before the final amount is known.
Pre-authorisation →What is card testing fraud?
When fraudsters try many stolen cards on small payments.
Card testing fraud →What is a payment terminal?
The card machine customers tap or insert their card into.
Payment terminals →Read next
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. PayPal, Patreon and Substack are named as reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.