One of the first decisions a new EWT Partners agent faces is: which terminal do I recommend to this merchant? Walk into any small business conversation leading with the wrong product and you create unnecessary friction. Walk in with the right recommendation and the deal closes itself.
This guide breaks down the credit card terminals for business in the EWT Partners lineup, compares PAX and Dejavoo head to head, and gives you a simple framework for matching the right hardware to the right merchant. That match directly impacts your residual income because a merchant with better hardware processes more and stays longer.
Why the Terminal Choice Matters for Your Residuals
It is tempting to always recommend the cheapest terminal to make the deal easier to close. That logic often backfires. A merchant using inferior hardware encounters more transaction failures, more downtime, and more frustration. Frustrated merchants switch providers. Every merchant who leaves takes their monthly residual with them.
Recommending the right terminal for a merchant’s specific business type means they get a smooth experience, they stay, and your residual from that account compounds for years instead of months. Matching hardware to use case is one of the highest-leverage things a new agent can do.
The EWT Partners Terminal Lineup at a Glance
EWT Partners offers credit card terminals across three categories: standard countertop, wireless/portable, and full SmartPOS. The primary options you will work with most often are:
- PAX A920 Pro | Android SmartPOS, built-in printer, 4G/WiFi/Bluetooth, infrared barcode scanner, touchscreen
- PAX A920 | Original SmartPOS, NFC contactless, QR code, chip, swipe, integrated camera and printer
- PAX A80 | Advanced countertop terminal, inbuilt contactless, ARM11 processor
- Dejavoo QD2 | Android wireless terminal, touchscreen, long battery, full contactless support
- Dejavoo Z9 v4 | Wireless with 4G/3G GPRS, enhanced battery, MPOS capable, Ethernet/WiFi/USB
- Dejavoo Z11 v4 | Cost-efficient wireless, full-color touchscreen, built-in thermal printer, EMV/NFC certified
- Dejavoo Z8 v4 | Compact countertop, accepts EMV chip, magstripe, PIN debit, contactless, EBT
PAX A920 Pro: The Agent’s Best All-Rounder
The PAX A920 Pro is the flagship recommendation for most merchant situations. It is the upgraded version of the A920 — faster processing, a larger higher-resolution touchscreen, and a professional-grade infrared barcode scanner packed into the same elegant design. At $709, it positions you as a premium provider rather than a budget option.
Key selling points for merchants:
- All-in-one design — no separate printer or PIN pad needed
- Accepts contactless, chip, swipe, QR codes, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and digital wallets
- 4G connectivity means it works even if the merchant’s WiFi is unreliable
- Android platform supports additional business apps beyond payments
- Built-in thermal printer means receipts print immediately without an external device
Best suited for: restaurants, cafes, retail boutiques, salons, service businesses, and any merchant who values a professional single-device solution.
Dejavoo QD2: The Next-Generation Wireless Option
The Dejavoo QD2 is EWT Partners’ next-generation Android wireless terminal. At $750, it sits at the top of the Dejavoo range and competes directly with the PAX A920 Pro. The QD2’s standout feature is its exceptional battery performance paired with multiple connectivity options — Bluetooth, USB, IP and WiFi.
Key selling points for merchants:
- Large touchscreen display for easy customer interaction
- PIN-enabled for full debit card acceptance
- Mounting plate included — can be desk-mounted or portable as needed
- Android-based platform for app flexibility
- Strong brand recognition in the payments industry
Best suited for: merchants who need both countertop stability and the ability to take payments tableside or floor-side, such as restaurants, events businesses, and larger retail environments.
PAX vs Dejavoo: Head to Head
Both brands are EMVCo certified and PCI PTS compliant, meaning they meet the industry’s highest security and transaction standards. The choice between them often comes down to merchant preference and use case rather than a clear winner.
Choose PAX A920 Pro when:
- The merchant needs a single all-in-one device to replace multiple pieces of hardware
- 4G standalone connectivity is important in unreliable WiFi environments
- The merchant sells items that need barcode scanning alongside payment acceptance
- You want to lead with the most visually impressive product in your lineup
Choose Dejavoo QD2 when:
- The merchant prioritizes battery longevity for long trading days
- The business uses multiple transaction points and needs a portable device
- The merchant has a preference for Dejavoo from a previous positive experience
- A mounting solution for the counter is important for their workflow
Budget-Friendly Alternatives That Still Win Deals
Not every merchant will approve a $700 terminal spend, especially on a first conversation. The EWT Partners lineup includes strong mid-range options that let you close more price-sensitive merchants without sacrificing quality:
- Dejavoo Z11 v4 ($375): EMV/NFC certified, built-in thermal printer, touchscreen, WiFi and Ethernet. This is the cost-efficient wireless terminal that closes deals when price is the objection.
- Dejavoo Z8 v4 ($350): A compact, no-nonsense countertop terminal that accepts every major payment type including EBT. Ideal for convenience stores and small retailers who need a simple, durable device.
- PAX A80 ($500): A mid-range countertop terminal with inbuilt contactless and a powerful processor. A solid recommendation for merchants who want PAX brand reliability at a lower price point than the A920 Pro.
The Wireless Terminal Opportunity: Portable Payment Terminal Sales
One of the fastest-growing segments in the credit card terminal market is portable payment terminals. Food trucks, market stalls, mobile service providers, contractors, and catering companies need to take payments away from a fixed counter.
The Dejavoo Z9 v4 ($489) is a strong wireless recommendation for these merchants. Its 4G/3G GPRS connectivity means it works anywhere with a cellular signal, and its MPOS capability makes it genuinely portable.
Portable terminal merchants often have high transaction frequency during events and peak periods, meaning solid residuals from accounts that are easy to maintain once set up.
How to Present Terminals Without Sounding Like a Salesperson
Agents who consistently close merchants on credit card terminals do not lead with specs. They lead with the merchant’s current pain:
“What terminal are you using right now? How long does it take to process a transaction? What happens when it goes down — who do you call and how long does it take to get help?”
Those three questions surface almost every objection and opportunity in the first five minutes. A slow terminal that ties up lines is costing the merchant customers. A provider with poor support is costing them downtime. You are not selling a terminal, you are solving a problem they live with every day.
The product demonstration closes the deal. EWT Partners provides loaner terminal access so you can show merchants exactly how fast and smooth a PAX or Dejavoo terminal processes, in their store, with a real transaction.
Build Your Portfolio on Hardware That Holds Merchants
Choosing the right credit card terminal for a business is one of the most important decisions you make as an agent. Merchants who love their hardware do not switch processors. Merchants frustrated by unreliable equipment shop around.
EWT Partners’ PAX and Dejavoo lineup gives you strong options for every merchant type, every price point, and every use case. Your job is to match the right device to the right business and let the product do the selling.
Want to see the full product lineup and get trained on how to pitch each terminal? Join EWT Partners and start building a merchant portfolio that pays you month after month.
