Best card machine for B&Bs and Airbnb hosts
Independent B&Bs, self-catering hosts, Airbnb / VRBO operators. Booking-platform-mediated revenue plus direct bookings.
Our pick
Stripe Reader S700 or Tap to Pay on iPhone
Acquirer: Stripe
Most revenue is platform-mediated (Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO process the payments). Direct bookings need card-on-file plus chip-and-PIN for in-person checkout charges. Stripe handles both.
Why this trade matters
- Cashflow shape
- Booking-platform settlement varies (Airbnb 24h after check-in, Booking.com on commission cycle). Direct bookings via own card flow.
- Average transaction
- £80 to £400 per booking
- Contactless share
- ~40%
Watch outs
- Platform-mediated revenue means most card flow is not via your own acquirer.
- Pre-authorisation holds for damage deposits need handling.
- Booking-platform fee deductions need separate reconciliation.
Alternatives
Compare picks
How Stripe Reader S700 or Tap to Pay on iPhone stacks up
B&Bs and Airbnb hosts by location
Locations we cover for B&Bs and Airbnb hosts.
- Leicester
- Southall (Ealing)
- Wembley (Brent)
- Harrow
- Birmingham (Handsworth and Soho Road)
- Smethwick (Sandwell)
- Slough
- Coventry (Foleshill and Stoney Stanton)
- East Ham (Newham)
- Manchester (Cheetham Hill and Rusholme)
- Leeds (Harehills and Chapeltown)
- Wolverhampton (Bilston Road and Whitmore Reans)
- Tooting (Wandsworth)
- Bradford
- Forest Gate (Newham)
- Hounslow
Related on our sister sites
Need finance for your B&Bs and Airbnb hosts business?
Card flow is the security on which most B&Bs and Airbnb hosts businesses borrow. See our sister site BestBusinessLoans by sector for editorial reviews of UK lenders that fund B&Bs and Airbnb hosts.
Director, MerchantHQ
Oliver leads MerchantHQ's terminal testing and acquirer comparison. With a background in UK commercial finance and merchant payments, he oversees terminal reviews, switching guidance and high-risk vertical mapping.
Last reviewed: 26 April 2026