Introducing Paystack Terminal

Paystack helps businesses connect with customers, and over the years, we’ve done this by helping you create memorable online payment experiences. Today, we’re excited to take a big step forward, and help you create delightful in-person payment experiences as well!

Say hello to Paystack Terminal

Paystack Terminal helps modern teams in Africa build custom, delightful in-person payment experiences that keep customers coming back.

More than a POS

We believe that your point-of-sale (POS) solution should work harder for you.

This is why Terminal integrates seamlessly with your business operations, collects payment however customers choose to pay you, and is infinitely customisable to fit your unique business needs.

If you’re a business owner who cares deeply about creating magical experiences that deepen customer relationships and drive lifetime value, or a developer who is excited to program custom in-person payment experiences, then Terminal has a lot in store for you.

Let’s dive into some of the ways Terminal does more for your business!

Receive payments through multiple channels

Most POS devices accept only card payments. This means that merchants who want to accept payments via alternate methods often end up with manual processes that involve calling a team member outside the store to confirm whether the payment was successful.

With Terminal, customers can pay you via card, bank transfers, and USSD. So if a customer’s bank experiences a card-related downtime, or they’re simply more comfortable with a different payment method, you still get paid.

Easy end-of-day accounting

When many businesses close for the day, they print out a long list of all their POS transactions, and painstakingly check each sale against the money in their bank account. With Paystack, even if you run multiple stores and also accept payments online, you can connect all your Terminals and reconcile your books in only a few clicks.

You also get useful, granular data on each sale made, instead of the typical lump sum reports that other POS solutions send.

Track all payments from your phone

Terminal is part of the Paystack ecosystem, so if you accept payments both online and in-person (even across multiple stores), you can easily monitor all your payments and reconcile your accounts in one central place on the Paystack Dashboard.

This also means that you can monitor your transactions on the go using the Paystack Merchant App for iOS and Android. Download the Paystack Merchant App to get started!

Blazing fast connection

Terminal card readers come with both wifi connectivity as well as a global SIM card. This allows your device to automatically switch to the data signal with the strongest network connection. With Terminal, your staff will process payments faster, and experience much fewer downtimes — shorter queues, happy customers!

Split payments

If you run a company that has several lines of business, Paystack allows you to receive payment and automatically pay different amounts into separate business bank accounts.

For example, a school might want to accept a single card payment and automatically pay a fraction of the payment to the Admissions team, a fraction to the Textbooks team, and a fraction to the Canteen.

Integrate seamlessly with your existing POS systems

Paystack Terminal integrates seamlessly with your existing point-of-sale and inventory management systems. You can get started by using a no-code tool like Zapier, or even by creating an integration of yours via API.

Terminal is both hardware and software

Paystack Terminal is the union of both a high-performing physical device and elegant software. For now, we’re launching Terminal with a single device: the SmartPeak P1000.

But over time, you can expect more hardware options optimised for different use cases. Need a small device that can fit into a pocket, or an unmanned ATM-sized kiosk in a prominent location? Watch this space!

Build custom experiences with Terminal

One of the most exciting things about Terminal is that ambitious teams can build fully custom experiences on top of it. Here are a few examples.

How Burger King boosts sales with a self-serve system powered by Terminal

When Burger King launched in Nigeria, they partnered with Paystack to create the brand’s iconic self-serve “build your own burger” experience using Terminal. This custom experience ensured that customers could be served more quickly.

Some more examples of how you can use Terminal

Let’s take a look at some other exciting examples of sales-boosting automation you can build for Terminal.

• You can build loyalty programs that keep customers coming back with Terminal. Imagine an experience that incentivises repeat purchases by showing customers a countdown to when they can win prizes, or enjoy discounts!
• With Terminal, you can monitor changing purchase patterns, so when one of your VIP customers hasn’t shown up for a while, your customer success team can give them a call to re-engage them.
• You can update the design and content of your customers’ receipts to reinforce your brand. So, you want to request feedback with a link customised to the customer? Go for it! Or, do you want to show customers a positive message that makes them smile? You can do that too :)
• Let’s say you’re raising funds for a cause. With Terminal, one way to do it could be to invite customers to round up their payment to the next hundred Naira. So, say a customer has a bill of ₦7,620, they can choose to pay ₦7,700, with ₦80 going to charity!

Here are even more examples of how to combine multiple tactics to deepen customer engagement, and boost sales!

Make Terminal your secret customer success weapon, and incentivise your sales team to put their best foot forward 👇🏿

Get your customers to keep coming back, and increase their basket size with automated discounts on Terminal 👇🏿

Create self-serve food order stations, and upsell them on bigger ticket orders with Terminal 👇🏿

Terminal is infinitely customisable, and we can’t wait to see what you build!

How to build custom experiences with Terminal

The Terminal card reader is ready to use immediately out of the box. For most businesses, it’s truly plug-and-play - you don’t need to be technical to start using it immediately.

But if you’d like to go the extra mile, and customise Terminal for your business, here’s how to go about it.

• You can leverage our well-written API documentation to build custom apps using the Terminal SDK.
• You can use no-code tools like Zapier to connect Terminal to your existing systems, and create automation that drives your business.

In the coming months, we’ll also announce Terminal integrations for POS systems such as Odoo, Retailman POS, Aura, Epos Now, and several others.

If you’d like to build your own Terminal integration, kindly check out our developer documentation for guidance. Then, if you’d like to make it available to other businesses, kindly submit it to be added to the Paystack Integration Directory.

Or if you are a business owner who wants to request an integration between Terminal and your favorite business tool, you can request a new integration here.

How to get a Paystack Terminal device

Paystack Terminal is available to Registered Businesses in Nigeria. Order yours here!

Learn how to make the most of Terminal

We’ve lined up a host of events to help you get the most out of Terminal. Sign up for as many as you’d like to attend, and remember to add them to your calendar ✨

Intro to Terminal Live Q&A: Join this virtual Q&A to learn all about how Terminal can power growth and sales for your business.

Register to attend →

Terminal Twitter Space: Missed the Live Q&A? No worries. Join the Twitter Space for another chance to ask your Terminal-related questions.

Turn on notifications for our Twitter Space →

Terminal Developer Workshop: In this online session, we’ll answer all your technical questions about Terminal, and walk you through how to build your own custom Terminal app.

(Please note: This live, online Q&A is optimised for software developers. Non-technical business owners should register for the Live Q&A or Twitter Space)

Register for the Terminal Developer Workshop →

Paystack Terminal Bootcamp: During this hands-on 2-day, in-person bootcamp, we’ll show you how to build your first Terminal app, and work with you to build an MVP of your idea. There’ll also be prizes, and fun merch for all participants.

Signup to participate in the Terminal Bootcamp →

Pricing

There are currently two types of Terminal devices. The Live P1000 allows you to receive real, live payments for your business, while the Test P1000 allows developers to test transaction flows and prototype custom Terminal apps in a sandbox environment.

Please visit the Pricing page for up-to-date pricing for Terminal devices as well as payment channels.

If you’d prefer to pay in installments, let us know here →

Common Questions

In which countries can I use Terminal?
Terminal is currently only available to Registered merchants in Nigeria, but we intend to bring Terminal to other markets soon.

Which payment channels are supported on Terminal?
Terminal currently supports payments from Nigeria-issued cards (Visa, Mastercard, Verve), Nigeria USSD codes, and bank transfers to and from Nigerian bank accounts.

How long will it take to receive my Terminal device?
You'll receive your Terminal device within 7 business days of your purchase. Learn more about getting your Terminal

What do I get with my Terminal order?
SmartPeak P1000 POS device
Charger
Roll of receipt paper
POS Guide
Tabletop Tent

Do I need a developer to use Terminal?
No. You don’t need a developer to set up or use Terminal. The User Guide provides simple instructions on how to get started.
If you want to build complex automation, however, you may require the services of a developer if you’re non-technical.

Do you offer bulk discounts?
Yes, custom pricing is available for companies with large payment volumes or large hardware orders. Contact the Sales team here.

How do I get extra receipt paper?
Your Terminal order will come with rolls of receipt paper. Subsequently, free rolls of receipt paper will be delivered to your location once a month. And if you run out of receipt paper before the monthly refill, you can purchase some from any large supermarket, or from the Terminal Store.

I have more questions
Kindly send us a message at [email protected] and we'll be glad to help!

Towards Programmable Everything

Our ambition with Terminal is to empower ambitious teams to create in-person experiences that feel almost magical.

If your primary need is a reliable point-of-sale solution that powers growth for your business, Terminal will do that for you and exceed your expectations.

But beyond that? The animating question that inspired us while building Terminal was this: “If the entire world was programmable, what would you build?” This is why we think of Terminal as more than a POS, but also a canvas that allows you to bring the creative power of the internet everywhere, to create memorable experiences for your community.

In April 2022, Paystack was granted a Switching and Processing License by the Central Bank of Nigeria. This is one of the highest-tiered certifications in Nigerian fintech, and one of the reasons we were able to make Terminal real. Stay tuned for more news in 2023 on how we intend to leverage our S&P license.

For now, we’re excited to see how ambitious teams leverage Terminal to power growth, and we also can’t wait for Terminal to get into the hands of innovators who are willing to push the limits of their creativity.

Get your Terminal here! We can’t wait to see what you build ✨