What Smartpay Australia does

Smartpay Australia PTY LTD (ABN 79 120 473 823), now trading as Shift4, is an Australian-headquartered EFTPOS and in-store payments provider targeting micro and small-to-medium businesses across Australia and New Zealand. The company offers Android-based EFTPOS terminals and credit card readers that accept contactless cards (Mastercard Tap & Go, Visa payWave), mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Android Pay), wearable payments, and MOTO card-not-present transactions, with optional integration to merchant point-of-sale systems and a cloud-based reporting tool called Shift4 Hub.

The product portfolio is structured around a two-tier pricing model: a 'Low Cost EFTPOS Pass Fees' tier that charges merchants $0 per transaction (with fees passed to cardholders) and a 'Low Cost EFTPOS Pay Fees' tier where the merchant absorbs transaction fees; both tiers are subject to a $100 + GST monthly minimum, include a free 4G multi-network SIM and Wi-Fi, and carry no lock-in contracts. Revenue is therefore generated from transaction-based merchant service fees, monthly minimum top-ups, and hardware (terminals and readers provided free or near-free as part of the service). Payment services are settled through licensed partner Cuscal Limited (AFSL 244116), which means Smartpay itself does not hold the underlying financial-services licence.

The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: SMBs self-serve sign up via the website (shift4-au.com.au) or are converted through inbound phone sales on dedicated 1800 numbers, supported by industry-specific landing pages for Automotive, Hair & Beauty, Hospitality, Food, Retail and Trades, plus a Refer-a-Friend program and case studies. The company serves six primary verticals — hospitality, retail, trades/services, hair & beauty, food services and automotive — and claims 40,000+ served businesses and 20+ years of Australian market presence, with 250+ five-star reviews on its website. Following a 2024 rebrand from Smartpay to Shift4, the business is positioned as the Australian arm of global payments provider Shift4 while retaining its local team and 24/7 locally based support model.

Name

Smartpay Australia

Legal name

Smartpay Australia PTY LTD (ABN 79 120 473 823)

Website

https://smartpay.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Smartpay Australia (trading as Shift4) is an Australian EFTPOS and in-store payments provider serving over 40,000 small-to-medium businesses across hospitality, retail, automotive, hair and beauty, food services and trades in Australia and New Zealand with Android-based terminals and a two-tier Pass Fees / Pay Fees pricing model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Payment Processing Services

NAICS

Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320), Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)

akta.pro primary industry

POS, SoftPOS & In-Person Acceptance Infrastructure (FSAGABAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bank-to-Bank Transfers & Pay-by-Bank (Consumer & Merchant) (FSAMAFAC), A2A Payment Initiation Service Providers (PISPs) (FSAMAFAB), Bill Pay, Invoicing & Payables Platforms (BPAMAFAF)

Keywords

• EFTPOS solutions
• Payment processing
• Merchant services
• Card payment terminals
• Contactless payments

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Merchant Service Fees: Transaction fees charged to merchants for processing card payments. Merchants can choose between 'Pass Fees' (pass fees to customers, zero merchant fees) or 'Pay Fees' (merchant pays transaction fees).
2. Monthly Minimum Fee: A minimum monthly fee of $100 + GST applies. If the amount of merchant service fees paid by the merchant or passed to cardholders for the month is less than this amount, the merchant is billed the difference.
3. Hardware Sales: EFTPOS terminals and card readers provided to merchants, potentially with hardware costs absorbed into the service model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Smartpay Australia (now trading as Shift4) provides electronic funds transfer at point of sale (EFTPOS) and in-store payment solutions to small and medium-sized Australian and New Zealand businesses. The company offers Android-based payment terminals with both 'Pass Fees' and 'Pay Fees' pricing models, integrated POS connectivity, contactless payment acceptance, MOTO capabilities, and a cloud-based transaction reporting platform (Shift4 Hub).

Product overview

Smartpay Australia, trading as Shift4, is an EFTPOS and in-store payments provider offering a unified platform of payment acceptance solutions. The product portfolio centers on Android-based EFTPOS terminals with multiple pricing tiers (Low Cost EFTPOS Pass Fees and Pay Fees) that enable merchants to accept credit cards, debit cards, and contactless payments. Hardware offerings include standard EFTPOS machines, credit card readers, and portable wireless terminals. Add-on modules extend core functionality through Integrated EFTPOS (for POS system connectivity), MOTO Payments (card-not-present), Secure Payments, Contactless Payments, and Shift4 Hub for transaction reporting and automated surcharging. The company serves diverse industries including hospitality, retail, automotive, hair and beauty, food services, and trades.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Low Cost EFTPOS - Pass Fees An EFTPOS solution where merchants pass transaction fees to customers rather than absorbing them. Includes free 4G multi-network SIM, no monthly bill, no lock-in contracts, and 24/7 locally-based support. Designed for SMBs across hospitality, retail, automotive, and other verticals.
• Low Cost EFTPOS - Pay Fees An EFTPOS solution where merchants pay transaction fees themselves at competitive rates. Includes free 4G connectivity and no lock-in contracts, targeting businesses that prefer to absorb card costs to avoid customer surcharges.
• EFTPOS Machine An Android-based EFTPOS terminal that accepts all major payment types including credit cards, debit cards, and contactless payments. Features built-in 4G and WiFi connectivity with plug-and-play setup for SMB merchants.
• Credit Card Reader A credit card reader device that accepts all major credit and debit cards including Mastercard and Visa, with optional American Express support, designed for SMB merchants.
• Portable EFTPOS Machine A wireless, portable EFTPOS terminal with lightweight design, long battery life, and built-in printer for taking payments anywhere in the business. Targeted at mobile businesses like trades and hospitality venues.
• Shift4 Hub (Transaction Reporting) A cloud-based reporting platform providing transaction reporting and analytics for merchants. Includes pre-programmed surcharging calculations for automatic fee management.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served over 40,000 businesses
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cuscal LimitedcoreOthersLicensed partner for payment services settlement. Cuscal Limited (AFSL 244116) provides the underlying payment settlement infrastructure for Shift4/Smartpay Australia's merchant services.

Scale indicators4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Zeller: Australian fintech offering EFTPOS terminals, business accounts and payment processing for SMBs. Competes head-to-head with Smartpay on transparent, low-cost acquiring and POS hardware for the same SMB verticals.
• Tyro Payments: Australian-listed EFTPOS and merchant acquiring provider serving SMEs across hospitality, health and retail. Most direct competitor to Smartpay in the ANZ SMB payments market with overlapping product set (countertop, portable, integrated terminals) and verticalised GTM.
• SumUp: European-headquartered payments fintech with strong presence in Australia, providing low-cost card readers and EFTPOS-style terminals to micro and small merchants. Directly comparable on price-led, no-lock-in SMB acquiring proposition.

Regional players

• Quest Payment Systems: Australian EFTPOS and integrated payments provider serving retail and hospitality. Comparable regional peer focused on integrated POS acquiring, with similar SMB vertical mix though narrower geographic and product scope than Smartpay.

Broad incumbents

• Stripe Terminal: Global payments platform's in-person acceptance product, offering terminals and POS integration. Comparable to Smartpay's integrated EFTPOS and shift toward unified commerce, with overlap on developer-led and platform-driven SMB acquiring.
• Shopify POS: Global commerce platform's in-person POS offering for retail and hospitality SMBs. Comparable to Smartpay's integrated and portable terminal products, with stronger omni-channel software play but lower focus on pure low-cost acquiring.
• Lightspeed Commerce: Global commerce platform with integrated POS and payments, serving retail and hospitality verticals in ANZ. Comparable to Smartpay in vertical POS integration, though at higher price points and with broader software scope.
• Clover (Fiserv): POS hardware and software platform owned by Fiserv, distributed in Australia through bank partners. Comparable to Smartpay's Integrated EFTPOS offering and POS-marketplace approach, but at significantly larger scale and broader merchant base.
• Square (Block): Global SMB payments and POS platform with hardware terminals, software, and banking. Operates in Australia and competes with Smartpay on portable terminals and integrated commerce, but at much larger scale and broader product scope.
• Commonwealth Bank (CommBank Smart Terminal): Australia's largest bank, offering its own merchant acquiring and EFTPOS terminals. A key incumbent competitor that Smartpay explicitly positions against, with captive SMB distribution advantage despite typically higher fees.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SmartpayAustralia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smartpay-au

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smartpay Australia