Zeller vs Square vs Shift4: 2025 EFTPOS Comparison for Australian Businesses

Looking for the right EFTPOS solution to elevate your business? You have a few different options to choose from.

In this complete deep dive, we’ll look at three leading EFTPOS payment providers in Australia: Zeller, Square and Shift4 (formerly Smartpay). We’ve got the information you need to make the right decision for you.

What is the difference between Zeller, Square and Shift4?

All three of these providers aim to offer efficient and reliable EFTPOS. However, they also each have unique focus areas:

• Zeller: Zeller has a range of payment solutions for businesses. Its EFTPOS terminal can work well if you use services like Zeller Transaction Accounts.
• Square: Square is best known for a broader ecosystem of products including POS systems. Its EFTPOS terminal is best suited if you’re already within this ecosystem.
• Shift4 : At Shift4, we’re EFTPOS specialists. We offer a single machine with two different pricing plans to choose from. Unlike Zeller and Square, we offer machines for rent, rather than for sale. That means there’s no commitment to stick around if you decide Shift4 isn’t for you. We’re also able to offer $0 in terminal rental fees if you process $10,000 a month in card transactions on Shift4 Zero Cost™ EFTPOS.

Zeller vs Square vs Shift4: Side-by-Side EFTPOS comparison for Aussie Businesses

Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of the key differences between these EFTPOS providers:

Shift4 In Depth

Product

Rather than making you choose from a number of different machines, Shift4 offers customers a single EFTPOS terminal. It works perfectly as a countertop terminal for taking payments at your main point of sale.

It also functions on the go thanks to a built-in 4G Multi-Network SIM card, which detects, connects, and auto‑switches to the strongest signal in real-time and features all-day battery life. When you’re using it as a countertop machine, it integrates with point of sale (POS) software to offer fast and efficient transactions.

It also offers features like a charging dock and a built-in receipt printer. It’s an excellent solution for streamlining payments in your business.

Pricing and Fees

Shift4 customers get to choose between two different pricing methods. Our Zero Cost™ EFTPOS offering means you don’t have to pay anything to cover merchant service fees. These fees are covered by passing a small surcharge onto your customers.

You can also pay $0 in EFTPOS terminal rental if you process $10,000 or more in card transactions each month.

The other option for Shift4 customers is Simple Flat Rate. Under this plan, you don’t pass a surcharge onto your customers. Instead, one flat low fee is paid by you on each transaction.

For Simple Flat Rate customers, terminal rental is $34.95 a month.

Integration

With Shift4, you can enjoy the benefits of integrated EFTPOS with a number of major POS systems. With integrated EFTPOS, transactions automatically appear on your EFTPOS terminal as they are processed on your POS system.

This means that transactions are processed more efficiently, with a reduced risk of human error. You’re able to serve a greater number of happy customers.

Ease of Use

A great EFTPOS terminal needs to be usable for experienced team members and newcomers alike. That’s why Shift4’s EFTPOS machine is designed with ease of use in mind.

Setting up your machine can be completed in just minutes. Simply power on your machine and start accepting payments!

Then, decide if you want to integrate your system with your POS or use it on its own. You can also choose to activate features like tipping by calling up our friendly support team.

Contract Terms and Conditions

Our contracts are simple and straightforward. We have no lock-in contracts or hidden fees.

If you decide that Shift4 isn’t right for you, it’s easy to switch to another provider. With our fully transparent contracts, you can focus on what matters to your business.

Customer Support

Our expert team is available to you 24/7, 365 days a year. We provide the support you need to keep your EFTPOS up and running.

You can get online support here or via our Help Centre. Plus, if your terminal is faulty or damaged, we offer replacements free of charge.

Payout Speed

Shift4 settles payments to your nominated bank for processing the next business day. Keep the cash flowing so your business finances stay on track.

Accepted Payment Methods

Our terminals accept all major debit and credit cards. This includes Visa, MasterCard, EFTPOS and American Express.

You can also use our terminal to accept contactless payments from cards, smartphones and wearable devices. Help your customers make payments with their preferred methods.

Pros of Shift4

• We pride ourselves on providing outstanding customer service whenever you need it. You can get in touch with our team over the phone to get the help you need, any time.
• You can choose between pricing options like Shift4 Zero Cost™ EFTPOS and Simple Flat Rate to handle your EFTPOS costs.
• Our terminals integrate with major POS systems for smoother transactions.

Cons of Shift4

• We offer one single EFTPOS terminal that isn’t always suitable for very low turnover businesses such as small market stalls. 

Zeller In-Depth

Product

The Zeller Terminal 2 is part of Zeller’s overall business solutions. It sits alongside other Zeller offerings like transaction accounts, and accepting online payments through a virtual terminal. Zeller’s virtual terminal also allows you to create and send payment links to customers.

This simple and portable machine offers comprehensive EFTPOS features. It also runs Zeller POS Lite.

This allows you to fully process transactions on your system. It can function over Wi-Fi and offers the ability to insert a SIM card for mobile payments. It offers additional features like digital receipts, split payments and tipping.

The older Zeller Terminal 1 is also available for a cheaper price of $99. It offers more limited features compared to the Zeller Terminal 2, but can still get the job done for many businesses.

Pricing and Fees

Zeller offers a few different pricing models. In-person transaction fees incur a 1.4% charge on all cards, including American Express.

Zeller also offers surcharging. You can surcharge all or part of your transaction fee.

You can also purchase a Zeller SIM card, allowing your machine to function portably with mobile data. This card costs $15 a month.

Zeller terminals are available for purchase rather than rent. The Zeller Terminal 2 costs $199, while the older Zeller Terminal 1 costs $99.

Integration

The Zeller Terminal 2 comes with Zeller POS Lite installed for free. As the name implies, it doesn’t have the same functionality you’d expect from a full-blown POS system. However, it does offer things like the ability to create items, categories and discounts, as well as inventory management features.

The Zeller Terminal 2 also offers integration with over 600 other POS solutions.

Ease of Use

The Zeller Terminal 2 is a fairly streamlined solution. However, making full use of the Zeller POS Lite on the machine can be tricky compared to simpler systems. If Zeller POS Lite isn’t for you, you can also integrate the machine with other POS systems.

The terminal offers the ability to insert a SIM card for mobile functionality. While useful, this isn’t quite as convenient as a machine like Shift4, which offers a free, built-in 4G SIM card.

Contract Terms and Conditions

Zeller does not have lock-in contracts. However, since you purchase your terminal outright rather than renting it, you are more committed to sticking with the product long-term.

Customer Support

Zeller offers 24/7 customer support over phone, email or SMS. It also has a Support Centre available on its website, featuring troubleshooting guides.

Payout Speed

Zeller offers same-day settlement for Zeller Accounts. Settlements to external bank accounts occur on the next business day.

Accepted Payment Methods

The Zeller Terminal 2 can accept credit and debit card payments, as well as contactless payments. This includes contactless card payments and payments from smart devices.

Pros of Zeller

• For some businesses, the free inclusion of Zeller POS Lite can be a convenient solution to streamline payments.
• Zeller has a solid range of EFTPOS features, including mobile functionality, accepting contactless payments and tipping.

Cons of Zeller

• Unlike competitors like Shift4, you’ll pay a monthly fee to take advantage of portable payment functionality via 4G SIM.
• Purchasing your terminal outright rather than renting it means you’re more committed long-term. This can be inconvenient if you decide Zeller isn’t right for you.

Square In Depth

Product

The Square Terminal is an EFTPOS machine that sits within the larger Square ecosystem of products. This includes POS systems and the smaller Square Reader.

It’s possible to run the Square POS software on the EFTPOS terminal itself. This means it can do some extra things compared to competitors. However, it’s not a proper replacement for a full POS system.

The Square Terminal has a built-in receipt printer and a battery that “lasts all day”. Unlike Shift4 and Zeller, the Square Terminal does not offer mobile connectivity.

As an alternative, you can accept offline payments with the machine, or connect the machine to a mobile device over hotspot.

Pricing and Fees

Like Zeller, Square Terminals are available for purchase rather than rent. You can buy a Square Terminal for $329, or $28 a month paid over 12 months.

For most in-person transactions, Square charges a 1.6% fee. You can get custom rates if you process more than $250,000 a year.

Square currently offers zero-cost EFTPOS via surcharging in a Beta trial format.

Integration

The Square Terminal is primarily designed to function alongside other Square products, like the Square Stand POS system. It can also run Square POS software itself. This could allow you to manage your transactions entirely from your machine.

Square also has a Terminal API. This means the terminal can be alongside other systems outside of the Square ecosystem. However, it’s a more complicated process than integrations offered by machines like Shift4.

You can also integrate the Square terminal with other products like restaurant order management systems.

Ease of Use

The Square Terminal is designed to be easily picked up by your team. Set-up is straightforward and it offers a user-friendly experience.

However, unlike Shift4 and Zeller, it doesn’t offer mobile connectivity. It can accept offline payments, but this isn’t the same level of convenience you get from its competitors.

Contract Terms and Conditions

The Square Terminal doesn’t come with a lock-in contract. However, it’s worth noting that since Square terminals are purchased rather than rented, there’s a greater overall commitment to your system.

Systems like Shift4 offer no lock-in contracts and terminal rental, meaning you’re not tied to your system in any way.

Customer Support

Square Support can be contacted by phone, email or live chat from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (AEST). Outside of these hours, support is limited.

There are resources available on the Square website and app, offering troubleshooting for common issues.

Getting a Square Terminal replacement is quite different to Shift4, since you purchase the terminal rather than rent it. Find out about Square warranty and returns here.

Payout Speed

Square offers standard next-day transfers for payouts. Customers can also get instant transfers to linked bank accounts. However, instant transfers incur a 1.5% fee per transfer.

Accepted Payment Methods

With a Square Terminal, your business can accept any Australian-issued and most internationally-issued magstripe or chip cards. You can also accept contactless payments from cards, smartphones and wearable devices.

Pros of Square

• If you already use other Square products in your business, the Square Terminal is a solid choice. It will fit in well to your current set-up.
• Since you can run Square POS software on the terminal, it does have some additional functionality you may not find with other systems.

Cons of Square

• Integrating a Square Terminal with non-Square POS systems can be less seamless than Shift4 or Zeller.
• Square’s zero cost EFTPOS solution is currently in a Beta testing phase.
• Square Terminals don’t offer built-in mobile connectivity.
• Since you purchase your Square terminal rather than rent it, it’s a bigger commitment than a month-to-month rental solution like Shift4.
• Square offers more limited customer support outside of traditional business hours.

Zeller vs Square vs Shift4: Which is cheaper?

Here’s a complete breakdown on how much it costs to use each of these EFTPOS machines.

Zero cost options

Shift4 offers Zero Cost™ EFTPOS to eligible customers. You can pass your transaction fees onto your customers through a surcharge. When you process over $10,000 in monthly transactions, your terminal rental is $0.

Zeller and Square also offer surcharging, allowing you to pass on your transaction fees. Square’s surcharging option is in a Beta testing period.

However, since both Zeller and Square offer terminals for purchase rather than rent, these “zero cost” options don’t affect your overall expenses in the same way.

Paid options

If you don’t choose the zero cost options of these providers, here’s what you’ll pay:

• Shift4: $34.95 + GST for monthly terminal rental. You pay a tailored flat rate on every transaction.
• Zeller: $199 for the Zeller Terminal 2, and $99 for the original Zeller Terminal. You’ll also pay $15 per month to use the Zeller SIM card. In-person transaction fees incur a 1.4% charge on all cards.
• Square: Square Terminals are purchased for $329, or $28 a month paid for 12 months. In-person transactions carry a 1.6% fee. If you process over $250,000 a year, you can get custom rates.

For many customers, Shift4 Zero Cost™ EFTPOS can be a highly cost effective option. With no transaction fees and free terminal rental if you process over $10,000, you can reduce your commitment while getting efficient, reliable EFTPOS in your business.

Sign up for Shift4 today and find out how we can help elevate your business.to wipe out the cost of your terminal, and pass processing fees onto customers with a small surcharge.

Is Zeller or Square better?

Zeller and Square bring different things to the table. If you use other Square products in your business, the Square Terminal fits in well.

If you’re not in the Square ecosystem, you might find it less convenient. For example, integrating the terminal into other POS systems is a more difficult process.

For many businesses, Zeller may prove to be a more convenient option. It can be used on-the-go thanks to a $15/month SIM card. It also offers integration with a large number of major POS systems.

Shift4 is a strong choice for businesses wanting to minimise fees and keep payments simple. With Shift4 Zero Cost™ EFTPOS, you can enjoy a more affordable approach to payment processing thanks to $0 terminal rental if you process over $10,000 in card transactions per month.

We also go further when it comes to portable functionality. Our terminals come with free 4G SIM cards built-in, meaning you can take payments virtually anywhere.

We also offer POS integrations and features like tipping, built-in receipt printing and more. Sign up today and join 40,000+ businesses who choose Shift4.

If you’re looking for more comparison content, check out our guide on Tyro vs Square vs Shift4.

^{The information presented in this article is based on publicly available sources and is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing. Readers should verify details directly with the companies mentioned before making decisions.} 

^{This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, business, or legal advice.}