Guide
A countertop system is faster at a fixed spot. A handheld is faster everywhere else. Most businesses need a bit of each.
✓ Installed by our team and supported by phone. Rates and equipment are quoted to your business.
Merchant Fund Express explains payments in plain English so owners can make better decisions about equipment and processing.
A countertop system is faster at a fixed spot. A handheld is faster everywhere else. Most businesses need a bit of each.
Countertop POS has the bigger screen, the steadier connection and the always-on power. A handheld has the battery, the cellular connection and the ability to go where the customer is.
The best answer is usually to anchor the busiest spot with a countertop system and add a handheld for the moments the counter cannot reach: tables, lines, curbs and doors.
Peak-hour counters, complex orders, multiple staff using the same screen and always-on power.
Tableside, curbside, delivery, events, route work and any line you want to work before it reaches the register.
Small shops can run on one handheld; large restaurants run both.
A Station Duo at the counter plus a Flex for tables is a common restaurant pairing.
| Need | Countertop (Station or Mini) | Handheld (Flex or Flex Pocket) |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed counter, steady rush | Best | Optional |
| Tables and patios | Not reachable | Best |
| Delivery and field work | No | Best |
| Power and connection | Plugged in, wired option | Battery, Wi-Fi and cellular |
A taqueria runs a Station Duo at the counter for the lunch rush and a Flex for the patio. On slow days the Flex covers everything, and on busy nights both are used at once.
A device or pricing decision looks bigger on paper than it is in practice. Most owners are well served by choosing for their busiest ten minutes, keeping the first setup simple and adding pieces as volume proves the need.
Talk to a person at (305) 384-8391. Describe your counter, your busiest hour and how customers pay, and we will recommend the lightest setup that does the job, with installation and training on site.
As explained by Merchant Fund Express. Updated 2026.
For a small place it can be, but a countertop screen is usually faster at the register and easier on staff during a rush.
They are the same system on different devices, so items and reports are shared.
Both are reliable; a handheld depends on battery and signal, so keep a charger and a backup connection plan.
Start with the device that matches your busiest payment spot and add the other as volume grows.
Call Merchant Fund Express. We install it, train your staff and stay on the line after launch. Ask for a free rate review while you are at it.
