Best card machine for vape shops

Vape and CBD retail are classified high-risk by most mainstream UK acquirers. Specialist routing required.

Our pick

High-risk specialist hardware (PAX A920, Verifone)

Acquirer: Trust Payments / Universe Payments

Mainstream acquirers (SumUp, Square, Dojo) decline or terminate vape merchants on category. Specialists with publicly accepted high-risk programmes are the only stable route.

Why this trade matters

Cashflow shape: Steady retail, with seasonal post-Christmas dip. CBD-led shops have stronger summer.
Average transaction: £15 to £50
Contactless share: ~55%

Watch outs

Mainstream acquirers may terminate post-onboarding if category becomes obvious. Use a specialist from day one.
PCI compliance scrutinised more.
Settlement reserves common.

Alternatives

Acquired.com

Sign through us, get all of this

Take your trade. We do the rest.

Named UK account team for the life of the agreement. Acquirer pays our commission on completed introductions, so it costs you nothing on top.

24/7 dedicated support
Direct line to a named UK account manager, not a generic acquirer helpline. When your terminal goes down on a Saturday night you call us.
Quarterly rate reviews
As your card volume grows your rate should drop. We renegotiate against the 80+ UK acquirer panel every quarter, so you never overpay because you forgot to ask.
Chargeback and dispute help
UK chargebacks cost £15 to £35 per case and 60-80% are friendly fraud you can win with the right evidence. We draft the response and escalate where the acquirer drags its feet.
Switching support when you outgrow
If a better acquirer fit emerges as you grow we manage the cutover. No exit-fee surprises, no dual-running gap. Same account team across acquirers.

How we work, end to end →

Related on our sister sites

Need finance for your vape shops business?

Card flow is the security on which most vape shops businesses borrow. See our sister site BestBusinessLoans by sector for editorial reviews of UK lenders that fund vape shops.

Last reviewed: 2026-04-26.