Question
Do Card Machines Need Wi-Fi in South Africa? (2026)
No. Most card machines here carry a SIM and run on mobile data. What each company charges for data, the costs beside it, and the machine I'd get.
Some links here are referral links, and where a provider gives our readers a better price than its own site, that is the price you get by using one. It costs you nothing extra, and every option here is judged on the same test either way.
The answer
No
most card machines carry their own SIM
Most card machines in South Africa carry a SIM and run on mobile data, so they take cards anywhere there's a signal. Wi-Fi is optional, and on some machines it saves you money.
The Yoco Khumo 2 includes its data, so you never pay for a connection, and it's R599 with Yoco's R100 off. The iKhokha iK Flyer Lite charges R75 a month for its SIMs, which you can skip on Wi-Fi. Here's what every company charges for data.
| Card machine | Your price | Mobile data | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Yoco Khumo 2 |
R599 | Included | Get R100 off → |
 iKhokha iK Flyer Lite |
R629 | R75 a month, or Wi-Fi | Get 10% off → |
 WAPPoint SquarePOS RX |
R189a month to rent | One SIM included | See the rental → |
None of these machines needs Wi-Fi, because each one has a SIM built in. The Yoco Khumo 2's data is included, and on the iKhokha iK Flyer Lite, using Wi-Fi saves you the R75 a month its SIMs cost. Yoco's and iKhokha's extra discounts from the links on this page are already taken off the price. WAPPoint's rental is plus VAT.
Prices confirmed 7 November 2026
No. A card machine needs a connection to approve a payment, but that connection can come from a SIM inside the machine. That's why you see card machines at markets, in taxis and at a customer's front door.
What differs is who pays for the data, and what else sits on the bill beside it. So below I've set out what every card machine company charges for data, the costs that are easy to miss, and the machine I'd get.
How a card machine connects without Wi-Fi
A SIM in the machine does the job Wi-Fi would do. The Yoco Khumo 2's single SIM moves between networks to find the best signal. iKhokha's machines carry two, an MTN and a Vodacom SIM, so if one network is weak the other can take over.
Most machines can also join Wi-Fi, including a hotspot from your phone. That's useful in a spot where the machine's own network struggles but your phone has signal.
What each company charges for data
Here's every card machine company you're likely to consider, and how each handles data.
Mobile data on South African card machines
| Mobile data | Networks | Worth knowing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yoco Khumo 2 | Included | One roaming SIM | No monthly fee on Core |
| iKhokha iK Flyer Lite | R75 a month, or Wi-Fi | MTN and Vodacom | R2.50 a payout |
| WAPPoint rentals | One SIM included | Both networks, R50 more | R50 insurance a month |
| Adumo PAX A910S | On quote | Two SIMs | Price agreed per business |
| HelloPay SWIPA | Not listed | 4G or Wi-Fi | No fee per sale listed |
| Capitec card machine | Included | Not stated | Pays only into Capitec |
HelloPay lists the SWIPA at R999. Capitec's terms as last confirmed on 5 November; the rest on 4 and 7 November.← scroll sideways on a narrow screen →
Yoco and Capitec include the data, and Yoco is the one of the two that pays into any bank.
The Yoco Khumo 2 includes its data, so there's nothing to pay to stay connected. It's R699, or R100 less with the Yoco discount on this page, and there's no monthly fee on Yoco CoreYoco's standard plan, and the one almost every small business is on. It costs R0 a month, charges 2.30% excluding VAT per local card sale, and includes unlimited mobile data on the machine's multi-network SIM at no extra cost. Instant Payout costs a flat R17.25 for a payout under R1 000 and 1.5% above that on Core, for up to R10 000, once a day.On a R60 sale at a market stallCore's fee on a R60 card sale is R1.38 plus VAT. There's no monthly charge and no data charge on top, so a quiet month costs you nothing to keep the machine.Core is Yoco's free plan and the one most small businesses start on. There's no monthly fee, the point-of-sale software is included, and the fee is 2.30% excluding VAT on local cards up to R50 000 a month. Plus (R249 a month) and Pro (R499) lower the fee and add tools.See every term in the glossary.
Yoco Khumo 2
A roaming SIM with data included, so it works without Wi-Fi. 2.30% a sale.
My quick review of the Khumo 2, with no Wi-Fi
The Khumo 2 is the easy answer if you have no Wi-Fi, because Yoco pays for its data.
Where it stands out
- Data included on its roaming SIM
- Joins Wi-Fi or a phone hotspot if you want
- Nothing to pay monthly to keep it
Buy it if
- You sell where there's no Wi-Fi
- You'd rather not pay for data
Skip it if
- Customers want airtime or electricity from you
If you skip it, the best alternative
The same R699, and it sells prepaid, with a slightly lower fee, 2.10% against Yoco's 2.30%. But data costs R75 a month and payouts R2.50 a day, where Yoco includes its data and pays out free, so on mobile data it costs a little more to run below about R61 000 a month.
Read our full iKhokha reviewThe plans
You pay for the Khumo 2 once: R699 for the machine, or R599 with the R100 off Yoco gives through the discount links on this page. After that, the plan you choose decides two things, what you pay each month and what Yoco takes from each card sale. Most small businesses stay on Core, which costs nothing a month. The paid plans lower the fee a little and add tools, so pick one for the tools rather than the saving.
Core
R0a month
What you get
- 2.30% on local cards, up to R50 000 a month
- 1.35% on local debit cards above R50 000
- Yoco POS, payment links and invoices
- Payouts to any bank, free in 1 to 2 business days
Terms
- International cards 3.20%
- Instant Payout 1.5%, minimum R17.25
- Fast Payout, by 8am the next day, 0.75%, minimum R7.50
The plan to start on, and the one most people stay on.
Plus
R249a month per shop
What you get
- 2.10% on local debit, 2.20% on credit, up to R50 000
- A loyalty programme at checkout
- Appointment bookings
- More than one shop on one account
Terms
- 30 days free
- International cards 3.10%
On fees alone it saves R100 a month at R50 000 in debit sales, so choose it for loyalty or bookings.
Pro
R499a month per shop
What you get
- 1.95% on local debit, 2.15% on credit, up to R50 000
- Fast Payout by 8am, free for now
- Table-side ordering
- Advanced staff permissions and accounting links
Terms
- 30 days free
- International cards 3.05%
Built for restaurants that take orders at the table.
Prices and plans from yoco.com on 21 Oct 2026. Plan fees are per location and exclude VAT; card fees are on local cards up to R50 000 a month.
iKhokha iK Flyer Lite
MTN and Vodacom SIMs for R75 a month, or Wi-Fi for free. 2.10% a sale.
My quick review of the iK Flyer Lite, with or without Wi-Fi
The iK Flyer Lite gives you two networks to fall back on, and lets you drop the data cost where you have Wi-Fi.
Where it stands out
- An MTN and a Vodacom SIM
- Sells airtime, data and electricity
- A lower fee per sale than Yoco
Buy it if
- Signal is patchy where you sell
- You have Wi-Fi at a fixed counter
Skip it if
- You want data included in the price
If you skip it, the best alternative
The same R699, with data included and free payouts, so it costs a little less to run below about R61 000 a month, even though its fee is slightly higher (2.30% against 2.10%). The iK Flyer Lite sells prepaid airtime and electricity, and its SIMs cost R75 a month.
Read our full Khumo 2 reviewPrices from ikhokha.com on 4 Nov 2026; the struck price is iKhokha's own.
The costs that sit next to the data
Data is only one line on the bill. iKhokha charges R2.50 for each day's payout, so over 26 working days that's about R65 a month on top of its SIMs. WAPPoint's rentals carry a R200 setup fee and an optional R50 a month insurance, though the rental itself stops in a busy enough month.
HelloPay's pricing page lists no fee per card sale, so make sure your agreement states it before you sign. Capitec's machine pays only into a Capitec account, so it suits you only if you already bank there. Yoco's standard payout is free, and it charges only if you ask for your money within minutes.
When Wi-Fi saves you money
Wi-Fi only saves you money if your machine charges for data. On the Yoco Khumo 2 it makes no difference, because the data is already free. On the iK Flyer Lite, using your shop's Wi-Fi instead of the SIMs saves R75 a month, or R900 a year.
There's one catch. Wi-Fi goes off when the router does, so in a power cut a machine on Wi-Fi stops taking cards, while one on its SIM keeps going. Our load shedding guide explains what to keep charged.
What if there's no signal at all?
With no signal and no Wi-Fi, no card machine can approve a payment. So keep a second way to get paid. A payment link works well here: you send it by WhatsApp or SMS, and they pay from their phone, on their data.
If you take cards on the move most of the day, our list of the best mobile card machines matches each machine to the type of business it suits.
So, which card machine should you get without Wi-Fi?
For most businesses without Wi-Fi, get the Yoco Khumo 2. Its data is included, there's no monthly fee, and your standard payout is free, so nothing on the bill grows because you work away from Wi-Fi.
If customers buy prepaid from you, the iKhokha iK Flyer Lite is the better fit, and Wi-Fi at your counter takes its R75 data cost away. If buying isn't possible this month, WAPPoint rents a machine with its SIM included.
Not sure which fits? Answer two questions about where you sell below, and you'll get the machine for it.
Where you sell, your machine
Which card machine fits where you sell?
Answer for how you work today. The recommendation updates as you go.
1Where do you take payments?
2Which of these matters most?
Before you answer
Yoco Khumo 2, for most businesses
Its data is included and there's no monthly fee, so working away from Wi-Fi costs you nothing extra.
The trade-off: it doesn't sell prepaid, which is where iKhokha comes in.
Prices last confirmed on 5 and 7 November 2026.
More questions, answered
Where the deals are
Deals confirmed 24 Sep 2026
- Ranked5 Best Card Machines for a Small Business in SA (2026)The same field, worked through by type of business: what a spaza, a salon, a restaurant, a market stall and a mobile…Verified deal10% offthe iK Flyer and iK Flyer LiteGet the dealSee the rankingVerified dealR100 offany card machineGet the deal
- Ranked11 Best Card Machines in South Africa (2026)11 SA card machines ranked on what each costs you over a year.See the ranking
- Every discount in one placeThe extra discounts we foundTwo live discounts on card machines right now, each confirmed on the date shown.See all the deals