In short: The bank's terminal collects the money, the cashier app knows what you sold, and you need both. Prepare your commercial registration, vocational licence, ID and a business account, get written fee offers from two banks, and match the settlement report against the card total in your till every day.
In this guide
- Two different things with the same name
- Where to get a terminal
- What banks usually ask for
- What it costs: the questions that decide the number
- Settlement: when the money is actually yours
- Combined devices: payment and cashier on one machine
- Recording a card payment in Ghalleh
- Common mistakes with card terminals
A customer asks 'Do you take Visa?' and you know it is time. But once you start asking around, things blur. Is the card machine the same as the cashier system? Where do you get one, what does the bank want, and how much does it take from each sale? This guide separates the two devices first, then covers the documents banks usually ask for, the questions that decide your real cost, and how to record card payments so your numbers match at the end of the day.
Two different things with the same name
In Jordan, 'POS' or 'point of sale device' is used for two completely different things, and that is behind most of the confusion.
| Card terminal from the bank | Cashier app | |
|---|---|---|
| Who provides it | A bank, or a payment provider licensed by the Central Bank | The software company, on your phone, PC or a POS device |
| What it does | Collects payment from the customer's card | Records what was sold, issues the invoice, updates stock |
| Where the money goes | To your bank account after settlement, minus the bank's commission | Money does not pass through it. It records the payment method |
| What it knows about the sale | The amount only | Items, quantities, cost, profit and which employee sold |
| E-invoicing | Not its job | An app such as Ghalleh sends the invoice to JoFotara |
You need both: the bank's terminal to collect, and a cashier app to know what you sold and why.
When your customer pays by card on the bank's terminal, their statement usually shows it as 'POS purchase' with your shop's name as the bank registered it. If a customer asks about that line, our guide to what POS purchase means on a bank statement explains it in full.
Where to get a terminal
Most banks in Jordan offer point-of-sale services to merchants, under names like merchant services, POS, or merchant account. Payment providers licensed by the Central Bank of Jordan also offer card acceptance. Your shop does not need a payments licence of its own: it works through a bank or a licensed provider.
The easiest place to start is usually the bank that holds your shop's account, because the terminal is normally tied to a business account there. Some banks in Jordan now offer SoftPOS too, which lets a suitable Android phone accept contactless cards without a separate terminal. Ask your bank whether it is available to you and on what terms.
What banks usually ask for
Details differ between banks, but the requirements Jordanian banks publish tend to include the following, as of our review in October 2026.
- A valid commercial registration. Some banks require it to carry an active QR code under Central Bank instructions.
- A valid vocational licence. Some banks accept a lease contract instead when the commercial registration is new.
- National ID of the owner or authorised signatory, or a passport and investor card or residency for non-Jordanians.
- A business account at the same bank, linked to the establishment's or company's account.
- A shop that is open and actually trading. Some banks visit before installing.
- Some banks also set conditions on the type of business. Ask before you gather the paperwork.
What it costs: the questions that decide the number
There is no single published price that holds across banks. Fees vary by bank, by type of business and by your expected sales volume. So do not just ask 'How much is the machine?' Ask for a written offer that answers these questions, and compare at least two banks.
- What is the commission per transaction, and does it differ between local cards and cards issued outside Jordan?
- Is there a monthly fee, a rental for the device, or a refundable deposit?
- Is there a minimum monthly sales volume, and what happens if I fall short?
- When does the money reach my account after a sale: the same day, or days later?
- Who supplies paper rolls for the terminal, who repairs or replaces it when it fails, and how long does that take?
- How long is the contract, and what are the terms for cancelling and returning the device?
- Does the terminal take contactless cards and tap-to-pay phones, and does it support CliQ QR payments?
- If it is an Android device, can I install the cashier app of my choice on it?
Settlement: when the money is actually yours
When a customer pays by card, the money does not hit your account that instant. At the end of the day the terminal closes the batch of transactions (usually called settlement or end of day) and prints a report with the total. The bank then transfers that total to your account, minus commission, within the period in your contract.
That report is your most important piece of paper at closing time. Keep it and match its total against the card total in your cashier app. If there is a gap, chase it the same day while you still remember what happened, not a week later.
Combined devices: payment and cashier on one machine
Some modern POS devices run Android and include a built-in printer and card reader. In principle the bank's payment app and your cashier app can run on the same device, leaving one less box on the counter.
In practice, many terminals that banks hand out are locked to the bank's own app and will not let you install anything else. If that matters to you, ask directly before signing. If it is not possible, a bank terminal next to your phone or PC is a perfectly normal setup and the one most shops run.
Recording a card payment in Ghalleh
The usual routine in shops: the cashier keys the amount into the bank terminal, the customer taps or inserts their card, and once it shows approved the cashier picks 'Card' as the payment method in Ghalleh and closes the invoice. If the customer pays partly by card and partly in cash, split the invoice across both, and each part is recorded under its own method.
At shift close, Ghalleh compares the cash expected in the drawer with what the employee counted, and card payments stay out of that count. Then you match the card total in Ghalleh against the terminal's settlement report. If a customer returns an item paid by card, refund it through the bank terminal and record the return in Ghalleh against the original invoice.
Ghalleh also runs on Android POS terminals that have Google Play and a built-in printer, such as Sunmi and iMin, and our guide to Android POS terminals covers what to check before buying one. In phone shops, Ghalleh shows the card money you have taken but not yet received in your account, and records the settlement when it lands, with the bank fee you set for your terminal. And every invoice goes to JoFotara, whatever the payment method.
Ghalleh is available now on Google Play, with the Windows version on the download page, and the trial is 14 days free with every feature and no card, so try splitting a sale between card and cash and matching the settlement in your own shop.
Common mistakes with card terminals
- Recording a card sale as cash in a rush, which creates a false shortage in the drawer and throws off the shift.
- Handing over goods before the terminal shows approved. Declined and processing are not payment.
- Running a card a second time after a dropped connection without checking, and charging the customer twice.
- Throwing away the merchant copy of the terminal slip. Keep it with the settlement report until the money is in your account.
- Signing on a verbal offer. Any number that is not written in the contract can change after you sign.
Common questions
How do I get a card machine for my shop in Jordan?
Apply for merchant POS services at your bank or a licensed payment provider. Banks usually ask for a valid commercial registration, a vocational licence, the owner's ID and a business account with them. Details vary from bank to bank.
How much does a card terminal cost in Jordan?
It varies by bank, type of business and sales volume, and there is no single published price across banks. Ask for a written offer stating the commission per transaction, any monthly fee or rental, any minimum volume, and how long settlement takes.
Is the bank's card terminal the same as cashier software?
No. The bank terminal collects payment from the card. Cashier software records items, issues the invoice, updates stock and sends the invoice to JoFotara. Most shops use both side by side.