Are you still struggling to decide whether to use a traditional credit card machine or a more powerful POS cash register for your travel agency? Traditional credit card machines vs POS cash registers may look similar, but in reality there is a big difference! Travelconnect has compiled a comparison of the two types of POS cash registers to help you understand the differences between traditional credit card machines and smart POS machines!
Extended Reading：Travelconnect Partners with eftPay to Offer Tailored Digital Payment Solutions for the Tourism Industry
POS Cash Register Comparison: Traditional Credit Card Machines vs POS Cash Registers Which One Is Better For You?
When running a business, you can’t afford to be careless with your cash registers. There are so many choices in the market, but the two most common are “traditional credit card machines” and “POS cash registers”. Many bosses have questions at the beginning:
- 👉 Is it enough to use traditional Hong Kong credit card machines? Or should I upgrade to a POS cash register?
- 👉 Is it necessary to spend thousands of dollars more when the price difference is so much?
In fact, both types of equipment have their own purposes, and whether they are suitable for you or not depends on your business model and collection needs. Below we have organized two tables about the difference between traditional credit card machines and POS cash registers:
POS Cash Register Comparison: Traditional Credit Card Machine vs POS Cash Register Functions and Usage Scenarios Comparison Tablea
| Project | Traditional Credit Card Machines | POS Cash Registers |
| Key Features | Card swipe, card insertion, NFC (inductive payment) | Multi-payment support (cash, credit card, QR code, e-wallet, etc.) + Inventory/Membership/Report Analysis |
| Advantages | ✅ Easy to operate ✅ Relatively inexpensive ✅ Ideal for merchants who only use basic cash collection functions | ✅ Multi-functional ✅ Sales analysis, member management ✅ Multi-payment support |
| Disadvantages | ❌ Single function ❌ No reporting, inventory management function ❌ Not conducive to operational expansion | ❌ High cost of equipment and software ❌ Time to get started ❌ Sometimes need to update program |
| Suitable for Stores | Small retail, fast food restaurants, pop-up markets, etc. | Restaurants, supermarkets, travel agencies, e-commerce, medium and large chain brands |
POS Cash Register Comparison: Traditional Credit Card Machine vs POS Cash Register Fee Structure Comparison Table
| Fee Items | Traditional Credit Card Machines | POS Cash Registers |
| Equipment Costs (Purchases) | About HK$1,000-3,000 | Approx. HK$3,000-10,000 (depending on functions) |
| Equipment Costs (Leased) | HK$100-400 per month | HK$200-600 per month |
| Transaction Fee | 1.5%-2.5% per transaction | 1.8%-3% per transaction (depending on supplier and payment method) |
| Monthly Software Fee | 0 monthly fee or charge HK$50-300 (depending on the provider) | 0 monthly fee or charge HK$100-600 (depending on the provider) |
| Other Potential Costs | Refund fee: HK$10-30 per transaction | – Software Update Fee – Cloud Support – Additional charges for technical support, etc. |
*The above charges are for reference only and are subject to the actual application fee of the supplier.
So if you are:
- Just started business, just want to collect money, don’t want to make it too complicated → suggest using traditional credit card machine.
- To manage inventory, read reports, do member marketing, and support various payment methods → POS cash register recommended
How should a Travel Agent Choose a POS Cash Register?
Nowadays, most of the people who travel out of home do not carry cash, and will only choose to swipe card, Apple Pay, WeChat Pay, Alipay …… For you who run a travel agency, the POS cash register is no longer a “dispensable” device, but a key tool that affects the efficiency of the collection and the customer experience.
Especially when receiving foreign travelers and group customers, if you are slow in collecting payments and do not support all kinds of payment methods, it is very likely that your customers will feel unprofessional and even cancel the transaction. The following points are the key points you must figure out when selecting a POS:
| Core Issues | Why Is it Important? |
| ✅ Are there enough supported payment methods? | Can I swipe Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay? Alipay, WeChat Pay, Octopus, Apple Pay, Google Pay? If it only supports one or two types of payment, it’s not enough. |
| ✅ Is it easy to operate? | It’s important for front desk staff to be able to change shifts quickly, learn quickly, and make fewer mistakes. The more intuitive the system, the lower the error rate. |
| ✅ Is it safe enough? | Are you PCI DSS certified? Travel agencies often handle credit card information of overseas clients, and it is important to ensure the security of the transaction. |
| ✅ Are the fees transparent? | Is it a fixed % or does it vary by payment method? Are there any monthly fees, rental fees, or account opening fees? Ask about all these. |
| ✅ Is there a reporting system? | Is it possible to check daily sales, refunds, and payment method analysis? This is super important for managing tour revenue! |
| ✅ Is checkout fast? | Some platforms have to wait for 7~14 days for funding, which will put a lot of pressure on the cash flow. It is better to choose a system that is “quick to pay”. |
Simply put, the more functional your POS is, the easier it is for customers to pay and the better the shopping experience.
Which Is the Best Travel Agency POS Cash Register Application?
For travel agents, the most convenient way is to find a one-stop electronic payment provider, such as eftPay, a platform that can help you integrate up to 20 mainstream payment methods at a time. This way, you don’t have to apply for each payment platform on your own!
It is worth mentioning that by applying for eftPay POS cash registers through Travelconnect, travel merchants can enjoy 👉 0 application fee, 0 annual fee, 0 rental fee, handling fee as low as 1%, and 1-day payout at the shortest. If you don’t want to waste time, want to keep costs low, and need to collect money quickly, then applying for eftPay through Travelconnect is a smart choice!
📞 If you are interested in learning more about how to apply for an eftPay POS cash register, please feel free to contact us for professional consultation and support!
Frequently Asked Questions About POS Cash Registers
POS cash registers support a wide range of payment methods, making it convenient to receive guests from different regions. By using smart POS, travel agents can also improve collection efficiency and manage sales data to help them make favorable business decisions.
Traditional credit card machines can only swipe or insert the card to pay, the function is relatively single; while the smart POS cash registers not only support credit cards, but also can accept Apple Pay, Google Pay, QR Code, Octopus, etc., and most of them also have built-in reporting, inventory and membership systems, more suitable for travel agencies and other merchants who need multi-functionality.
Payment methods are diversified, secure and compliant, easy to operate, reasonable transaction fees, and supported by complete back-office reports.
