PayNuts vs Shift4 (ex-Smartpay): which is better for your business?

Both known for “no fee” EFTPOS solutions, PayNuts and Smartpay have made some changes in the past year.

For one, Smartpay is now Shift4. Though Smartpay was a market leader in the Australian EFTPOS segment, Shift4 has been around for nearly 3 decades in the US. It decided to buy Smartpay and rebrand it with virtually no changes to the product. Its main selling point? To pass on fees to customers through a surcharge.

Newer contender PayNuts, on the other hand, has proven more adaptive to the changing market. With the upcoming surcharging ban in October 2026, PayNuts has already scrapped its surcharging to refocus on a more sustainable, low-cost EFTPOS plan. The company also offers features helping business owners to sell, not just accept chip and tap cards.

Let’s dig into the differences between PayNuts and Shift4 to understand which is best for your business.

Shift4 and PayNuts overview:

EFTPOS terminals – 1 vs 4 different models

Both PayNuts and Shift4 rent out reliable, high-quality terminals.

Or I should say terminal for Shift4, as it only offers the versatile, mobile PAX A920Pro, not any other models.

PayNuts offers the same EFTPOS terminal in their Prime package, plus three others.

Photo: Mobile Transaction

Shift4 and PayNuts offer the same PAX A920Pro EFTPOS machine (pictured).

Shift4’s only EFTPOS machine (and one of PayNuts’)

Shift4’s only choice of a card machine is PAX A920Pro, but it is a good one we have tested extensively.

Whether you need it on the go, for table service or at a fixed register, this smart POS terminal will process cards and print receipts in seconds. It works with WiFi, 4G and even broadband and contains simple Android software to accept chip and contactless payments.

The surface above the large touchscreen has a pearlescent look to it, emphasising the high-resolution screen. Its built-in payment software is simple and user-friendly, though with a different design depending on whether PayNuts or Shift4 provided it.

Other features include email receipts, tipping and a simple overview of payouts. Shift4 also has a cash-out option, which is rare to see!

Three more terminals by PayNuts

Business looking for something different can choose between PayNuts’ other three EFTPOS machines:

• PAX A910S – cheaper version of A920Pro
• PAX A77 – mobile and small, no printer
• PAX A80 – fixed or portable, with push-buttons

Most small businesses will be happy with A910S, which is a cheaper version of A920Pro. It has a smaller touchscreen, shorter battery life (still good for a day’s use) and no professional-grade barcode scanner built in like PAX 920Pro. These trade-offs don’t compromise on the card processing experience, though.

PAX A77 is mainly ideal for table service, as the lack of receipt printing makes it smaller and flatter so it slips into a pocket easily.

A80, on the other hand, is chunkier and has push-buttons, which many people still prefer for more precise tapping. If you wear gloves or have sight impairments, pressing physical buttons is often the only reliable way to enter the right numbers fast.

Integrations with POS software

Overall, PayNuts stands out for those looking for variety. It integrates with over 1,000 business software solutions including POS systems, compared with Shift4’s 20+ POS integrations.

Unlike Shift4, PayNuts also offers its own POS software with their own tablet registers. From what we’ve learned, the POS features would suit small cafés and independent retail shops, but not anything more complicated yet.

It’s a great way to get your POS and payments needs met by the same supplier, but complicated inventory mangement and ordering integrations would need a custom setup.

Pricing and fees – more different than previously

The pricing differences are important to highlight.

Shift4 and PayNuts fees compared:

Shift4 fees – high monthly minimum charge

Shift4 (or Smartpay who started the idea) is best known for its plan passing fees on to the customer. Previously known as ‘Zero Cost’, the plan is now called ‘Pass the Fees’ – though it does require fees, as we shall see.

Cardholders, not the merchant, essentially pay for eftpos, Mastercard and Visa transactions on Pass the Fees. There’s no EFTPOS machine rental cost.

However, Pass the Fees requires that a minimum of A$100 + GST in transaction fees per month are processed through the terminal. If the surcharges don’t amount to this, the merchant is charged the remaining amount up to $100 + GST that month.

Shift4 also offers a ‘Pay the Fees’ plan that’s pretty straightforward. Your business will get a single fixed fee per Visa, Mastercard and eftpos transaction. You also pay $34.95 + GST per month to rent the EFTPOS machine. Like Pass the Fees, Shift4 demands a monthly minimum of $100 + GST in transaction fees, so any given month, you pay at least $134.95 + GST.

On both plans, American Express can be added as an option for additional, higher charges. Receipt rolls are provided free, except you pay for shipping.

Shift4 requires a cancellation notice of at least 90 days on both plans.

PayNuts – simplified vs detailed fees

PayNuts offers a ‘Low Fee’ plan without a monthly fee, just a fixed rate between 0.7%-1.5% for all Mastercard and Visa transactions. The exact rate depends on your business type and turnover.

It used to have a ‘Pay Nothing’ plan comparable to Shift4’s surcharging, but decided to scrap this in advance of the upcoming surcharge ban.

The alternative is an ‘Interchange++’ plan with detailed fees reflecting the true cost of transactions that card schemes and banks charge, plus a small commission for PayNuts and monthly terminal rental. In a way, this is more transparent since you receive a full breakdown of the actual costs incurred, not a blended rate hiding what the payment processor actually makes from it. It automatically uses least-cost routing to pick the lowest rates possible.

None of these plans require a minimum monthly charge, and they can be cancelled any time with no penalties. You also don’t pay for receipt rolls.

With PayNuts, short-term hire is available for those who just need an EFTPOS setup for an event.

Access to funds – just one offers same day

Shift4 settles funds the following business day in your bank account, as long as the transactions were made before the nightly cut-off time.

So payments accepted on a Friday or over the weekend will settle Monday, plus any additional time it takes for your bank to clear the money in your account (clearance times vary between banks and card types).

PayNuts has a similar schedule with its standard Next Business Day settlement, but offers Same Day Funding too as an upgraded feature at no extra cost.

Same-day deposits allow you to receive funds in your bank account the same evening by 11.30pm, 7 days a week, if your PayNuts terminal accepts the payment before 9pm. An alternative is Square’s instant transfers arriving within minutes of each transaction, but for an extra fee of 1.5%.

PayNuts’ same-day payouts stand out for speed and weekend accessibility, which can be helpful for companies with urgent expenses.

Reporting – no apps, just an online dashboard

Both PayNuts and Shift4 allow you to track transactions through an online merchant portal in a browser, not a mobile app.

Shift4’s EFTPOS terminal shows transaction summaries for your choice of time period, like a specific day or shift. A monthly statement is sent by email, and an online dashboard with sales information is viewable from any internet browser. Shift4 doesn’t integrate with accounting systems, though.

PayNuts, on the other hand, has a richer online reports stack. Its browser-based dashboard contains sales overviews, tables and charts with the flexibility of exporting detailed transaction reports and looking at real-time information of sales and fees. It also integrates with Xero and other popular bookkeeping systems.

On the whole, PayNuts offers a more sophisticated and user-friendly online reporting interface, while Shift4 only launched its merchant portal fairly recently.

Credit: PayNuts

From PayNuts’ online portal, you can send payment links (pictured) and manage transactions.

Online payments – only PayNuts is built for this

PayNuts offers a multichannel payment solution covering in-store, online and mobile payments, including:

• Online checkout (payment gateway) for a website
• Payment links sent via email or SMS
• Browser-based virtual terminal where merchants can key in remote transactions

Shift4, in contrast, focuses on in-person payments via its terminal, with only this option for remote payments:

• Keyed entry transactions on the EFTPOS terminal for over-the-phone payments

We should emphasise that keyed entry and virtual terminal payments carry more risks for the merchant than payment links. For example, the payment links by PayNuts come with 3DS2 (a robust authentication protocol) – meaning the risk is pushed to the issuing bank and not the merchant who could otherwise bear the security responsibilities of taking card details.

Customer support and reviews – 24/7, but not same quality

PayNuts includes 24/7 customer service via email, phone and chat. As a fairly new company, customer reviews of the service are limited, but its Google reviews are generally positive of the quality of service, as were those of its previous brand More Payments.

User experiences at Shift4, however, are divided. Although Shift4 offers 24/7 support, it is better for live support for urgent issues than complex problems related to the account. Its reviews for onboarding are mainly positive, but critics raise issues about troubleshooting delays.

In a nutshell, PayNuts makes itself accessible and dependable with its readily available customer service. While Shift4 also provides round-the-clock support, there are conflicting opinions about its response times.

Verdict – one stands out repeatedly

Frankly, PayNuts comes out best in most categories, as it’s just more flexible, cheaper for all levels of turnover and with a better service. But both companies have chosen excellent EFTPOS machines, even if it’s just one model (in Shift4’s case).

Customers signing up for Shift4 likely do so for their “fee-free” surcharging plan. We don’t recommend starting this only to cancel it straight away (requires 90 days’ notice) before the surcharge ban starts. PayNuts was sensible to remove their similar plan to avoid that becoming an issue.

For businesses without consistent sales, PayNuts is better priced with no minimum turnover requirement. Its Interchange++ is potentially cheapest with its lower card fees and least-cost routing, even with EFTPOS rental factored in. But if you’re accepting less than $5,000 monthly, Square would be an easier choice.

PayNuts also stands out for its online payment options and same-day payouts in your bank account which can ease cash flow for merchants with unpredictable purchasing needs.

Once your transaction volume scales to above $150k annually, you might need a POS integration, as higher sales volumes usually go hand in hand with more advanced setups. PayNuts is more versatile with its 1,000+ integrations and own POS registers versus Shift4’s 20+ integrations.

On the whole, the decision to choose PayNuts or Shift4 depends on your particular business needs and transaction volume. You should compare each provider’s costs and features with your needs to make an informed decision.