A card reader for a traditional vending machine costs $329 to $399 (Cantaloupe6, Nayax1). After that you pay about $10 a month and up to 5.95% of every sale (Cantaloupe6). On a machine selling $400 a month, the fees come to about $34 a month with Nayax or Cantaloupe, which passes the hardware price within a year.
In Cantaloupe’s 2026 report, 78% of food and drink vending sales on its network were cashless in 2025, and the average cashless purchase was $2.45 against $1.57 in cash (Cantaloupe report13).
Published prices and fees
| Reader | Hardware | Monthly | Processing | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nayax VPOS Touch1 | $399 for 1–4 units; $314 for 5–14; $289 for 15–19 | $9.99 | Not shown as a percentage | $20 one-time activation on a first order; no returns (FAQ2); 12-month warranty |
| Nayax VPOS Touch, via D&S Vending5 | $349.95 kit | $7.95 | 5.95% | $30 activation for first-time customers |
| Cantaloupe Engage6 | $329 | $9.95 | 5.95% | Needs a Cantaloupe account; ships after onboarding, up to 3 weeks |
| Cantaloupe Engage, Cantaloupe One plan7 | Included | $19.95 in the plan options; the description says $18.95 is deducted | 5.95% | 36-month commitment; early termination fee |
| Cantaloupe ePort G11 | $329 kit direct (G11 kit9); $189 telemeter only (telemeter8); $140 reader only (reader10); $329.95 kit at D&S17; $399 at Vending World11 | $9.95, or $12.95 for “Cashless Plus” (what it adds is not published) | 5.95% | 12-month commitment; leaving early costs the remaining months |
| PayRange12 | Not published | $0.99–$1.50 per machine per week | 3.95% + $0.02 | $35 activation per new device; 10-machine minimum |
| WeVend19 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Sold by demo |
| Greenlite Pico18 | $348.75 at Vendnet, marked down from $425 | Not published | Not published | Sold through Vendnet; a lease option is listed at $0 hardware, terms not published |
Nayax’s shop calculates a processing rate from the price range you enter and does not display a percentage. Kleen-Rite, a reseller, lists 5.95% per transaction, suggested for sales of $5 and under, or 2.5% plus $0.10, suggested for sales over $5, and a monthly fee of $7.95 where Nayax’s own shop says $9.99 (Kleen-Rite3). Get Nayax’s rate in writing.
What a month costs
A machine selling $400 a month across 160 purchases:
| Reader | Monthly fee | Processing | Month’s fees | First year with hardware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PayRange | $4.29–$6.50 | $19.00 | $23.29–$25.50 | Hardware not published |
| Cantaloupe Engage | $9.95 | $23.80 | $33.75 | $734.00 |
| Nayax VPOS Touch, at the reseller’s 5.95% | $9.99 | $23.80 | $33.79 | $824.48 |
| Cantaloupe One plan | $19.95 | $23.80 | $43.75 | $525.00 |
Fees and rates are from the Cantaloupe Engage6, Cantaloupe One7, Nayax1, Kleen-Rite3 and PayRange12 pages. PayRange’s weekly fee is converted to a month at 52 weeks over 12. Nayax’s first year includes the one-time $20 activation (Nayax FAQ2).
The Cantaloupe One plan costs less in year one because the hardware is bundled, and more in years two and three: $525 a year against $405 on a reader you own.
The hold on the customer’s card
A reader authorizes an amount before the vend. Cantaloupe’s readers pre-authorize up to $5; the pending charge stays until the final amount posts, about 24 to 72 hours, longer at some banks. Its G10 and G11 devices can authorize the exact price in single-vend mode (Cantaloupe14).
Nayax says modern Nayax machines use Virtual Credit20 by default, which reserves no money in the customer’s account.
Before you buy one
- Check the machine supports one. Readers connect through the machine’s MDB port. Vending.com notes21 that older used machines may not be equipped to accept cards.
- Count your machines. PayRange’s pricing page12 states a minimum of 10.
- Read the term. A 12-month or 36-month commitment follows the reader, not the location. If the location closes, you still owe it.
- Look at support. Nayax’s Trustpilot page15 shows 2.1 out of 5 across 487 reviews; customer support is the most common complaint. Cantaloupe’s16 shows 2.8 from three reviews.
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