Overview

Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, United States, Verifone is a leading payment platform and merchant acquiring solutions provider. With over four decades in payment terminals (POS), Verifone has deployed more than 10 million devices across 150+ countries and has long ranked among the world's top three electronic payment system vendors.

Starting with telephone-based authorization terminals, Verifone has expanded into countertop payment terminals, mobile POS, self-service and unattended payment, and online acquiring. After acquiring 2Checkout in 2020, Verifone unified hardware and software as well as online and offline payment capabilities on a single platform, delivering end-to-end payment solutions to retailers, restaurants, fuel stations, hotels and e-commerce merchants worldwide. Its 2Checkout online acquiring covers 200+ countries and 150+ currencies.

Key Strengths

  • Global Terminal Leadership: With 10M+ payment terminals deployed across 150+ countries, Verifone has consistently held a top-three share of the global POS terminal market and offers the industry's most complete hardware portfolio.
  • Unified Online and Offline Acquiring: Through the 2Checkout acquisition, Verifone connects offline terminals with online gateways, letting merchants manage both channels on one platform with online acquiring in 200+ countries and 150+ currencies. See cross-border payment platform comparison.
  • Payment Security and Compliance: All terminals are PCI PTS certified with end-to-end encryption (P2PE) and tokenization, significantly reducing payment fraud and data breach risk.
  • Full-Scenario Coverage: From countertop checkout to mobile collection and from fuel-station self-service terminals to unattended convenience stores, Verifone offers a complete terminal matrix for retail, restaurant, hospitality and mobility scenarios.
  • Merchant Value-Added Services: Remote terminal management, an app store, loyalty and promotions capabilities help merchants close the marketing loop at the checkout counter and improve per-store efficiency.

Product Ecosystem

Countertop Payment Terminals & PIN Pads

Verifone's countertop terminals (VX, Omni and Carbon series) are the most common payment devices at retail checkouts, supporting magstripe, chip (EMV), contactless (NFC) and mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. They integrate with major cash register software (ECR/POS) and support receipt printing, signature capture and application extensions.

Mobile POS

A mobile payment solution for micro-merchants, combining Bluetooth card readers with a smartphone app. Suitable for market stalls, door-to-door collections and taxi scenarios, with low onboarding cost and no cabling required.

Self-Service & Unattended Terminals

Verifone provides dedicated self-service payment terminals for fuel stations, parking lots, ticketing machines, kiosks and unattended convenience stores, supporting QR, card and cash payments — key infrastructure for retail automation.

2Checkout (Digital Commerce)

Acquired in 2020, 2Checkout forms Verifone's online acquiring business, supporting cross-border online payments in 200+ countries with credit cards, digital wallets, local payment methods and subscription billing — a solid option for software, SaaS and digital goods going global. See digital products payment guide.

Payment Security (VeriShield)

VeriShield provides end-to-end encryption and tokenization services, encrypting data at the source on Verifone terminals to reduce PCI compliance burden. Ideal for chain retail and financial industries with strict data security requirements.

Limitations

  • High Hardware Costs: Terminals start at several hundred dollars each, plus maintenance and replacement costs — a heavy initial investment for micro-merchants. For lightweight collection, consider mobile POS options like Square.
  • Limited Online Depth: Compared to online-first acquiring platforms such as Stripe and Adyen, 2Checkout lags in developer tools, subscription billing and analytics depth.
  • Opaque Pricing: Terminal procurement and acquiring rates require sales negotiation with no standardized public pricing, making budget planning costly.
  • Limited China Coverage: In China, Verifone is mainly sold through hardware agents; online acquiring is largely unavailable to mainland merchants.
  • Post-Merger Integration: After multiple acquisitions (HP, Francisco Partners buyout, 2Checkout), brand and product lines are still integrating; some merchants report friction in pre-sales and after-sales handoff.

Use Cases

  • Physical Retail Checkout (★★★★★): Reliable countertop terminals are the standard for large global retail chains.
  • Restaurants / Hotels / Fuel Stations (★★★★★): Self-service and unattended terminals have high penetration in hospitality and mobility scenarios.
  • Global E-Commerce Online Acquiring (★★★★☆): 2Checkout covers 200+ countries, ideal for software and digital goods going global.
  • Unified Cross-Border Merchant Acquiring (★★★★☆): Unified online and offline management suits mid-to-large enterprises with both stores and online stores.
  • Online-Only Developers / Startups (★★★☆☆): Functionality and pricing lag online-first platforms; evaluate Stripe first.

Pricing

Item Reference Price Notes
Countertop Terminal ~$300-$800/unit Depends on model and features; quote required
Mobile POS Reader ~$50-$200/unit Bluetooth/audio interface with smartphone app
2Checkout Online Acquiring ~3.5% + $0.35/transaction and up Tiered rates; volume discounts negotiable
Monthly/Account Fee Some plans Hardware service contracts usually include monthly maintenance
P2PE Encryption Service Custom Billed per terminal and transaction volume

FAQ

  • What is the relationship between Verifone and 2Checkout? Verifone acquired global online payment platform 2Checkout in 2020 and operates it as its digital commerce business. Merchants can process cross-border online payments through a 2Checkout account and reconcile them with offline terminals. See cross-border payment comparison.

  • Is Verifone suitable for online-only e-commerce? If your business is fully online with no physical stores, platforms such as Stripe and PayPal usually offer better developer experience and rates. Verifone's core strength lies in unified online and offline scenarios.

  • Which payment methods do Verifone terminals support? Visa, Mastercard, American Express, UnionPay and other major card networks, plus EMV chip, contactless NFC, QR codes, Apple Pay and Google Pay.; see cross-border payment comparison 2026.

  • How do I procure Verifone terminals for my stores? Usually bundled through local Verifone distributors or acquiring banks, with pricing covering terminals, software licenses and maintenance. Evaluate total cost against payment gateway rate comparison.