Dojo Card Machine Review UK
Dojo is one of the stronger options for UK businesses where card payments are central to day-to-day trading. It combines dedicated hardware, fast settlement, UK support, EPOS integrations and hospitality-focused features with a published 1.2% blended transaction rate for businesses below £100,000 annual card turnover.
See how Dojo compares for your business
Compare transaction costs, hardware, settlement, support and contract terms using your actual card turnover rather than relying on one headline percentage.
What is Dojo?
Dojo is a UK card-payment provider aimed particularly at businesses that want more than a basic app-connected reader. It combines card machines with payment processing, reporting, settlement tools, EPOS integrations and support.
That makes it quite different from the cheapest pay-as-you-go readers. A sole trader taking occasional card payments may only need a simple device. A restaurant, pub or busy retailer has more to lose if payments are slow, the Wi-Fi drops out or the terminal fails during a peak trading period.
Dojo’s current range includes the portable Dojo Go Max, the order-and-pay Dojo Pocket, the fixed Dojo Wired and Tap to Pay on iPhone. Businesses can also use payment links, remote payments and wider business-management tools through Dojo’s software ecosystem.
In simple terms
Dojo is best thought of as a fuller merchant-service package for businesses that care about reliability, settlement, integrations and support as well as the headline transaction rate.
For the wider market, compare our guides to card machine providers, payment processing companies and merchant accounts.
Is Dojo a good card-machine provider?
For busy premises, particularly hospitality and established retail, Dojo deserves to be near the top of the shortlist. For a very small or irregular-volume seller, a cheaper PAYG reader may still make more sense.
Strongest when payments are mission-critical
Dojo’s advantage is not simply its 1.2% published blended rate. The proposition becomes stronger when you value portable dedicated hardware, 4G backup, EPOS integration, faster access to takings and support.
The important caveat is that 1.2% should not be treated as the whole monthly bill. Dojo’s published fee information also lists a 5p secure transaction authorisation fee, hardware costs and optional account services.
Restaurants, pubs, cafés, salons and established retailers where payment speed and reliability are commercially important.
What we like
- Competitive published rate for smaller merchants
- Portable and fixed hardware options
- Wi-Fi plus 4G resilience on Go Max
- Strong hospitality features
- Broad EPOS integration support
What to watch
- 1.2% is not necessarily the complete cost
- 5p secure transaction fee is listed separately
- Hardware/package pricing can vary
- Above £100k annual card turnover moves to custom pricing
- Contract structure depends on the package chosen
Alternatives worth comparing
- Square for a low-cost entry point
- SumUp for PAYG processing
- Worldpay for traditional acquiring
- takepayments for service-led SME payments
Dojo card machines compared
Dojo now covers portable payments, order-and-pay workflows, fixed counter payments and phone-based Tap to Pay.
| Option | Current positioning | Best fit | What stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dojo Go Max | Portable flagship terminal | Restaurants, cafés, salons and retail | Wi-Fi with 4G fallback, built-in printer, up to 10-hour battery, 450+ EPOS integrations |
| Dojo Pocket | Portable order-and-pay device | Table service and hospitality | Combines ordering and payment workflows |
| Dojo Wired | Fixed countertop terminal | Kiosks, counters and fixed tills | Stable fixed connection and EPOS integration |
| Tap to Pay on iPhone | No dedicated payment hardware | Mobile staff and backup acceptance | Uses a compatible iPhone to take contactless payments |
Dojo’s 1.2% blended rate
For businesses processing below £100,000 a year by card, Dojo currently advertises a 1.2% blended transaction rate. That is lower than the standard published PAYG rates from Square and SumUp.
At £5,000 of monthly card turnover, 1.2% is £60. At £8,000 it is £96. At £10,000 it is £120.
However, that percentage alone is not the complete comparison. Dojo’s own fee information also lists a 5p secure transaction/authorisation fee, alongside card-machine services and any account extras.
Worked example: £10,000 turnover and 200 transactions
At 1.2%, the percentage charge would be £120. If the standard 5p secure transaction fee applied to 200 authorisations, that would add £10, bringing those two processing components to £130 before hardware or optional services.
Compare the effective monthly cost
Do not compare Dojo’s 1.2% with another provider’s percentage in isolation. Include pence-per-transaction charges, terminal costs, minimums, software and any account extras.
Our best card machines for small businesses guide compares the wider market.
What happens above £100,000 annual card turnover?
Dojo moves larger merchants to custom pricing. Its current pricing information offers the choice of a 12-month fixed plan or a 30-day rolling arrangement for businesses in this segment.
This is where a recent processing statement becomes particularly valuable. Give every provider the same card turnover, average transaction value and card mix so the quotes are genuinely comparable.
See our payment processing companies guide for more on comparing pricing structures.
Dojo Go Max
Go Max is Dojo’s main portable payment terminal. It combines Wi-Fi with automatic 4G fallback, has a built-in receipt printer and is designed to keep taking payments for up to 10 hours.
Dojo also promotes more than 450 EPOS integrations for Go Max. That matters in busy venues because an integrated till can send the payment amount straight to the terminal, reducing double-keying and reconciliation errors.
Dojo’s current web pages present hardware pricing differently depending on the package and promotion being shown, so confirm the exact upfront or monthly Go Max cost in your quote rather than relying on an old promotional price.
Dojo Pocket
Dojo Pocket combines taking an order and taking payment on one handheld device. That makes it most relevant to hospitality businesses where staff are already moving around the venue.
If you are evaluating a wider order-to-payment workflow, compare Dojo with our restaurant EPOS systems and Clover card machine guides.
Dojo Wired
Dojo Wired is the fixed terminal for counters, kiosks and other businesses where payments happen at a permanent checkout point. It is designed around a stable wired connection and integrated payment flow.
For more on fixed and portable hardware, see our PDQ terminal guide.
Tap to Pay on iPhone
Dojo also offers Tap to Pay on compatible iPhones. This lets businesses accept contactless card and mobile-wallet payments without issuing a separate terminal to every member of staff.
It can also provide another payment route if the main terminal is unavailable. Our card reader for iPhone guide compares phone-based acceptance in more detail.
Essential and Plus software
Dojo’s Essential plan is currently free and includes the core tools required to accept payments and review transactions.
Plus adds deeper business insights such as customer-spend analysis, benchmarking, weekly performance reporting and remote refunds. Dojo’s pricing page currently advertises an introductory £11.99 per month per location for qualifying new customers and new locations.
Do not pay for Plus simply because more features sound useful. It earns its place if you will actually use the extra insights to make operational or marketing decisions.
Hospitality features
Hospitality is where Dojo’s proposition becomes particularly compelling. Features include bill splitting, tipping prompts, pre-authorisation, portable payments and integrations with restaurant EPOS systems.
For a busy restaurant or pub, reducing payment delays and double-keying can matter just as much as shaving a few basis points off the transaction rate.
See our dedicated guides to card machines for hospitality and card machines for pubs.
EPOS integration
Integrated payments allow the till to pass the sale value directly to the terminal. That can reduce staff errors, speed up checkout and make end-of-day reconciliation easier.
If you are replacing both systems, compare the payment provider and EPOS system together rather than choosing each independently.
Settlement and cash flow
Dojo currently promotes getting takings the next day. Fast settlement is useful for businesses buying stock frequently or operating with tight working-capital margins.
Ask how weekday and weekend takings settle into the bank account you actually use, rather than relying only on the headline “next day” statement.
Connectivity and uptime
Dojo promotes 99.99% platform uptime and gives Go Max Wi-Fi plus 4G connectivity. For businesses that take nearly every sale by card, the operational value is obvious.
No provider can guarantee that a terminal will never fail. A busy venue should still consider a fallback such as another terminal, Tap to Pay or a separate mobile card reader.
Support
Dojo promotes UK-based support and says small-business customers have continued account and technical support available seven days a week.
For a business where card acceptance is mission-critical, support hours and replacement arrangements should be part of the buying decision. Saving £10 a month matters less if a payment outage costs hundreds of pounds in lost sales.
Already taking a meaningful amount by card?
Use a recent processing statement when requesting quotes. That gives providers enough information to price your actual turnover and card mix rather than quoting against a generic example.
Dojo vs Square
Square remains simpler for a new or very small business. Its Reader has a low upfront cost, standard POS software is free and its normal face-to-face pricing is straightforward.
Dojo becomes more interesting when the business processes more cards and values dedicated hardware, settlement, support and deeper hospitality or EPOS integration.
Read our Square POS review or compare both providers in our card machine provider guide.
Dojo vs SumUp
SumUp’s PAYG model is excellent when keeping fixed costs low is the priority. It is particularly strong for sole traders and smaller businesses with variable card turnover.
Dojo is the stronger comparison for busy premises that want a more managed payment setup and deeper integrations. See our SumUp fees guide.
Dojo vs Worldpay and takepayments
Worldpay and takepayments remain useful comparisons for established merchants that want traditional acquiring or service-led card-machine packages.
At meaningful card turnover, request all quotes using the same recent processing data. Our Worldpay review and takepayments review cover those providers in more detail.
PCI DSS and security
Dojo says its card machines use point-to-point encryption and are PCI compliant. The merchant still has responsibilities around how payments are handled and how its wider systems are managed.
Read our PCI DSS guide for the current compliance position.
Questions to ask before signing
- Does the 1.2% blended rate apply to my exact turnover and card profile?
- What fixed authorisation or transaction charges apply?
- What is the monthly or upfront cost of each terminal?
- Is there a minimum monthly charge?
- What is the minimum contract term for my package?
- What happens if my annual turnover moves above £100,000?
- Which EPOS systems integrate directly?
- When do Friday, Saturday and Sunday takings reach my bank?
- What support and replacement arrangements apply?
- What fees apply to refunds, chargebacks and optional services?
Frequently asked questions
How much does Dojo charge per transaction?
Dojo currently advertises a 1.2% blended transaction rate for businesses below £100,000 annual card turnover. Its published fee information also lists a 5p secure transaction authorisation fee, so compare the full quote rather than the percentage alone.
What happens above £100,000 annual card turnover?
Dojo moves businesses in this segment to custom pricing, with current options including fixed and rolling arrangements.
Does Dojo offer next-day settlement?
Dojo currently promotes next-day takings. Ask how this applies to your banking window and weekend transactions when receiving your quote.
Is Dojo good for restaurants?
Yes. Portable terminals, bill splitting, tipping, pre-authorisation and EPOS integrations make hospitality one of Dojo’s strongest use cases.
Does Dojo work if Wi-Fi fails?
Go Max supports Wi-Fi with 4G fallback, giving businesses another connection route if venue Wi-Fi drops.
Is Dojo better than Square or SumUp?
It depends on the business. Square and SumUp are generally easier and cheaper to start with for low-volume sellers. Dojo becomes more compelling where dedicated hardware, support, settlement and integrations are more important.
Final verdict
Dojo is one of the strongest current card-machine options for busy UK premises. Its published 1.2% blended rate below £100,000 annual card turnover is competitive, while the hardware, 4G resilience, EPOS integration and hospitality tools make the proposition about more than price alone.
It is not our default recommendation for every micro-business. If you take cards occasionally, Square or SumUp may be simpler. Once payments become an important part of daily operations, Dojo deserves a proper quote.
The key is to compare the complete monthly cost. Include the percentage rate, 5p authorisation charge, hardware, software and any optional services before deciding whether Dojo is genuinely cheaper for your business.
Compare Dojo with other card-machine providers
Use your business type and expected card turnover to compare providers. It gives you a stronger benchmark for transaction fees, hardware and contract terms before you commit.
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