7 Best Card Machines UK 2026: Fees Compared, From £19
Comparing card machines should take ten minutes. It rarely does. One firm quotes a flat percentage, the next talks about monthly hire, and a third won't give you a number until someone's rung you back twice. So we went to every provider's official UK pricing page in October 2026 and rebuilt this list from scratch.
You'll find the seven names most UK small businesses end up shortlisting: SumUp, Square, Zettle by PayPal (now becoming PayPal Point of Sale), Dojo, Teya, takepayments and Worldpay. Every price here came from the provider's own site in October 2026. If a firm doesn't publish a price, we tell you, and we don't guess.
How we compared card machines
We judged each provider on the things that change what you pay and how smoothly you trade:
- Published transaction fees. We only quote rates that the provider publishes on its UK site. Quote-only providers are marked as such.
- Upfront and monthly costs. Hardware purchase price, hire fees, subscriptions and minimum monthly charges.
- Contract length. Rolling monthly, 12 months or 18 months makes a big difference if your business changes.
- Payout speed. When the money reaches an account you can spend from.
- Hardware. Whether the device works on its own, needs a phone, prints receipts and has 4G.
- Fit. Which type of business each one genuinely suits.
We've not been paid by any provider to rank them, and the order below reflects our view of value for a typical independent UK business.
Best card machines at a glance
| Provider | Card fee (published, checked October 2026) | Hardware | Monthly fee | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp | 1.69% pay as you go; 0.99% on domestic consumer cards with Payments Plus | Solo Lite £25, Solo £79, Terminal £135 (all ex VAT, list prices) | £0, or £19 for Payments Plus | None |
| Square | 1.75% for UK cards in person | Reader £19 ex VAT, Terminal £149 ex VAT | £0 on the Free plan | None |
| Zettle (PayPal POS) | 1.75% for card transactions | PayPal Reader £29 ex VAT for new users, Terminal £149 ex VAT | £0 | None |
| Dojo | 1.2% blended rate under £100,000 annual card turnover | Dojo Pocket £149, Dojo Wired £239 upfront (or monthly payment options) | Essential plan free; Plus plan paid | Varies; 12 month fixed or 30 day rolling for larger accounts |
| Teya | Quote only | Supplied with account | Quote only | Quote only |
| takepayments | Quote only, set with a nominated acquiring bank | Rented terminals, A920 Pro and others | Quote only | 12 months |
| Worldpay | 1.50% on Visa and Mastercard (Simplicity plan) | Rented DX4000 and DX8000 terminals | Terminal hire, £0 promotional offer until 31 December 2026 | 18 months |
Sources: each provider's official UK pricing page, checked October 2026. Hardware prices change often, and several providers run time limited discounts, so treat the table as a starting point and confirm at checkout.
Best overall
SumUp is our best overall pick for most small UK businesses. It has no contract, no monthly fee on pay as you go, a published rate of 1.69% and a choice of readers from £25 ex VAT. If you take more than about £3,000 a month, its Payments Plus plan (£19 a month) cuts the rate on domestic consumer cards to 0.99%, which is one of the lowest published rates in the UK. Money lands in the free SumUp Business Account by 7am the next day, including weekends. Read our full SumUp card reader review.
Best for low volume
If you take card payments only occasionally, the cheapest route is a reader with no monthly fee. SumUp Solo Lite (£25 ex VAT) and the Square Reader (£19 ex VAT list price) are both strong choices. You can also skip hardware completely with Tap to Pay on your phone, which SumUp, Square and Zettle all support. See our guide to Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android and our Square card reader guide.
Best for hospitality
Dojo is built around busy restaurants, pubs and cafes. Its terminals handle bill splitting, tip prompts and pre authorisation for bar tabs, it integrates with many EPOS systems, and its published 1.2% blended rate under £100,000 annual turnover is simple to budget for. Teya is the other name hospitality owners shortlist; it quotes rates individually and offers next day settlement into its business account, including weekends. Read our Dojo card machine review, our Teya card machine guide and our Dojo vs Teya comparison.
Best no contract
SumUp, Square and Zettle all work without a contract. You buy the hardware once and pay only per transaction. Zettle stands out if you already use PayPal, because takings land in your PayPal Business account typically within minutes. Read our Zettle card reader review and our Zettle vs SumUp comparison.
Best mobile
For tradespeople, market stalls and mobile services, you want a standalone device with its own SIM. SumUp Solo and the SumUp Terminal both work without a phone, and the Terminal includes a free SIM plus a built in printer. The Dojo Pocket is a good choice if you also want order taking on the same device. If you need a fully featured countertop alternative instead, a traditional PDQ machine from a merchant acquirer may suit you better.
Detailed reviews
SumUp
SumUp is a Berlin founded payments company with a large UK presence. It sells its hardware outright, so there's no hire fee.
- Fees: 1.69% per in person transaction on pay as you go. Payments Plus costs £19 a month (or £189 a year) and reduces the fee to 0.99% for domestic consumer cards; premium, international, corporate cards and American Express stay at 1.69%. Online payments cost 2.50% on Payments Plus.
- Hardware: Solo Lite £25 ex VAT (pairs with your phone), Solo £79 ex VAT (standalone), Terminal £135 ex VAT (standalone with printer). SumUp was running discounts on some bundles when we checked.
- Payouts: next day by 7am into the SumUp Business Account, 365 days a year.
- Best for: sole traders, small shops, mobile businesses and anyone who wants flexibility.
Square
Square is a full point of sale platform, with free software for retail, restaurants and appointments.
- Fees: 1.75% for in person payments with UK cards, plus 1.5% for non UK cards. Online is 1.4% + 25p for UK cards. Manually keyed and invoice payments are 2.5%.
- Hardware: Square Reader £19 ex VAT list price, Square Terminal £149 ex VAT, and larger Register and Stand setups. Interest free payment plans are available on hardware.
- Payouts: free transfers in one to two working days, or instant transfers for a fee.
- Best for: businesses that want strong free POS software and online selling in one system. Compare it head to head in our SumUp vs Square guide.
Zettle by PayPal (PayPal Point of Sale)
Zettle is PayPal's in person payments service. PayPal says Zettle is becoming PayPal Point of Sale, and the UK site now uses that name in places.
- Fees: 1.75% for card transactions, including American Express. Payment Links and invoices are 2.5%.
- Hardware: the PayPal Reader is £29 ex VAT for new business users (additional readers £69 ex VAT). The PayPal Terminal is £149 ex VAT.
- Payouts: funds typically arrive in your PayPal Business account within minutes, with free transfers to your bank.
- Best for: PayPal users and retailers who want free inventory and POS tools.
Dojo
Dojo is a UK payments company focused on hospitality and retail.
- Fees: 1.2% blended rate on all card transactions if your annual card turnover is below £100,000. Above that, Dojo offers a custom rate on a 12 month fixed plan or a 30 day rolling plan.
- Hardware: Dojo Pocket listed at £149 upfront (down from £229 when we checked) and Dojo Wired at £239 upfront, both with monthly payment options.
- Software plans: Essential is free; Plus was listed at £11.99 a month per location for new customers (normally £25).
- Payouts: next day.
- Best for: restaurants, pubs and busy counters.
Teya
Teya (formerly SaltPay) supplies card machines with a built in business account.
- Fees: Teya doesn't publish a standard price list; it quotes based on volume, sector and average transaction. If you settle to a bank other than Teya, it adds 0.10% to your transaction fees.
- Payouts: next day into the Teya Business Account, including weekends.
- Best for: hospitality and retail owners happy to negotiate a quote.
takepayments
takepayments is a UK provider (part of the DNA Payments group) that rents terminals to independent businesses.
- Fees: quote only. You sign two contracts: one with takepayments for the terminal and services, and one with an acquiring bank that takepayments nominates for processing.
- Contract: 12 months.
- Payouts: next day settlement, subject to the acquirer's terms and cut off time.
- Best for: established businesses with steady turnover who want a dedicated account manager. Full detail in our takepayments review.
Worldpay
Worldpay is one of the largest merchant acquirers in the UK.
- Fees: the Simplicity plan charges a single 1.50% fee on Mastercard and Visa, with no authorisation fee and no minimum monthly service charge. Custom pricing is aimed at businesses taking over £50,000 a year on cards.
- Hardware: terminals are hired, not bought. A £0 terminal hire offer for the first 12 months runs until 31 December 2026 for eligible new customers, but needs an 18 month agreement and minimum turnover.
- Payouts: free next business day settlement.
- Best for: higher volume businesses that want an acquirer relationship. Read our Worldpay card machine review.
Fees compared
The headline rate is only part of what you pay. Here is what three published rates cost on typical monthly card takings, ignoring hardware.
| Monthly card takings | SumUp pay as you go (1.69%) | SumUp Payments Plus (0.99% + £19) | Dojo (1.2%) | Square or Zettle (1.75%) | Worldpay Simplicity (1.50%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £1,000 | £16.90 | £28.90 | £12.00 | £17.50 | £15.00 |
| £3,000 | £50.70 | £48.70 | £36.00 | £52.50 | £45.00 |
| £5,000 | £84.50 | £68.50 | £60.00 | £87.50 | £75.00 |
| £10,000 | £169.00 | £118.00 | £120.00 | £175.00 | £150.00 |
Notes on the table: SumUp Payments Plus assumes all payments are domestic consumer cards; premium cards and Amex stay at 1.69%. Worldpay excludes terminal hire after any promotional period and Amex, Diners and Discover, which are charged separately. Dojo excludes any paid software plan and hardware. Rates checked October 2026.
Two patterns stand out. Below roughly £3,000 a month, a no monthly fee option usually wins. Above that, Payments Plus, Dojo's blended rate or a negotiated quote from takepayments, Teya or Worldpay start to save real money. For a full breakdown of every charge, read our card machine fees UK guide.
Worked monthly cost examples
The table above shows smaller turnovers. Here is what the published options cost at £2,000, £10,000 and £30,000 a month, assuming UK domestic consumer cards and excluding hardware and hire (rates checked October 2026).
| Monthly card takings | Square or Zettle (1.75%) | SumUp PAYG (1.69%) | Worldpay Simplicity (1.50%) | Dojo (1.2%) | SumUp Payments Plus (0.99% + £19) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £2,000 | £35.00 | £33.80 | £30.00 | £24.00 | £38.80 |
| £10,000 | £175.00 | £169.00 | £150.00 | Custom quote (over £100,000 a year) | £118.00 |
| £30,000 | £525.00 | £507.00 | £450.00 | Custom quote | £316.00 |
At £2,000 a month, Dojo's blended rate is cheapest on fees, but its hardware costs more upfront. Over a year, Dojo saves £117.60 in fees against SumUp pay as you go, which roughly covers the price difference between a Dojo Pocket (£149) and a SumUp Solo (£79 ex VAT).
At £10,000 a month, SumUp Payments Plus is the cheapest published option. Dojo, Worldpay custom, Teya and takepayments will all quote at this level, so get at least two quotes.
At £30,000 a month, every provider will negotiate. Use £316 (SumUp Payments Plus) as your benchmark; a good custom quote should beat it once you include all monthly charges.
Which card machine for your type of business?
| Business | What matters most | Our first pick | Also consider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe | Speed, tips, receipts | Dojo or SumUp Terminal | Teya, Square |
| Market stall | No monthly fee, 4G, battery | SumUp Solo | Zettle, Square Reader |
| Hairdresser or barber | Booking, deposits | Square (Appointments) | SumUp Solo |
| Trades | On site payments, invoices | SumUp Solo | Square invoices, Zettle |
| Taxi | Standalone, mobile data | SumUp Solo | PayPal Terminal |
| Pub or restaurant | Tabs, bill splitting, EPOS | Dojo | Teya, Worldpay |
| Retail shop | Stock, steady volume | Zettle or Square | Worldpay Simplicity |
Cafe
A cafe taking £8,000 a month would pay about £96 a month with Dojo, £98.20 on SumUp Payments Plus or £140 on Square or Zettle. Dojo's tipping and split bill tools are designed for this.
Market stall
Seasonal traders should avoid monthly fees. SumUp Solo costs nothing in a quiet month. See our myPOS card machine review for another option with its own account.
Hairdresser
Square Appointments adds online booking and reminders from £0 a month, which saves a separate booking subscription.
Trades
Take deposits by payment link and the balance on site with a standalone reader. Watch business card rates, as commercial cards aren't covered by UK interchange caps.
Taxi
Read our guide to card readers for taxi drivers for detail on battery life and signal.
How to choose
Start with your monthly card turnover
Add up a typical month of card takings. Under £1,000, avoid anything with a monthly fee. Between £1,000 and £3,000, flat rate providers are usually simplest. Over £3,000, compare subscription plans and blended rates. Over £10,000, it's worth getting quotes from acquirers and quote led providers too.
Decide where you take payments
At a counter, a countertop or wired device is fine. Around a venue, you need WiFi and a good battery. Out and about, you need 4G and ideally a built in SIM.
Check the contract before you sign
Rolling and no contract options let you leave whenever you like. Fixed contracts of 12 or 18 months often bring lower rates, but early exit fees can wipe out the savings if your business changes.
Think about payout speed
If cash flow is tight, next day settlement (including weekends) matters. SumUp, Dojo and Teya all pay next day; Zettle pays into PayPal typically within minutes.
Consider your till software
If you already use an EPOS system, check which card machines integrate with it before you choose. Integration saves keying errors and time at busy periods.
Setup and contract tips
- Track a month first. Use your bank statements to work out true monthly card takings and card mix.
- Get quotes in writing. Especially from takepayments, Teya and Worldpay, ask for every fee on one page.
- Check the term. Know your notice period and any early exit fees before you sign.
- Look for switching help. Dojo offers a contract buyout of up to £3,000.
- Don't surcharge. Charging consumers extra for paying by card has been banned in the UK since 13 January 2018 (GOV.UK). Build costs into prices instead.
- Review yearly. As turnover grows, ask your provider for a better rate or move.
Our methodology in detail
We read each provider's official UK pricing and product pages in October 2026, recorded every published rate and price, and noted where a provider gave no figure. We calculated monthly costs from those published rates only. Where a figure depends on a quote, we said so and didn't estimate it. We will update this guide when providers change their pricing.
FAQs
What is the cheapest card machine in the UK?
On upfront cost, the Square Reader (£19 ex VAT list price) and SumUp Solo Lite (£25 ex VAT) are the cheapest dedicated readers we found in October 2026. Tap to Pay on your phone costs nothing upfront. On transaction fees, SumUp Payments Plus (0.99% for domestic consumer cards, £19 a month) and Dojo's 1.2% blended rate are among the lowest published rates.
Which card machine has no monthly fee?
SumUp pay as you go, Square's Free plan and Zettle all have no monthly fee. You pay for the hardware once and then a percentage per transaction.
Do I need a merchant account for a card machine?
Not with SumUp, Square or Zettle, which act as payment facilitators and handle this for you. Traditional providers such as Worldpay, and takepayments through its nominated acquirer, set up a merchant account in your business's name. Our merchant account providers guide explains the difference.
Can I get a card machine with no contract?
Yes. SumUp, Square and Zettle have no contract. Dojo offers a 30 day rolling option for larger accounts. takepayments uses 12 month contracts and Worldpay terminal hire is 18 months.
Which card machine is best for a small shop?
For a small shop with steady sales, SumUp Solo or the Zettle Terminal work well with no contract. If you take more than £5,000 a month on cards, compare SumUp Payments Plus, Dojo and quotes from takepayments or Worldpay.
How quickly do card machine payments arrive?
SumUp pays by 7am the next day into its business account, every day of the year. Dojo and Teya pay next day. Worldpay and takepayments settle the next business day. Square transfers are free in one to two working days. Zettle pays into PayPal typically within minutes.
Which card machine is best for a market stall?
SumUp Solo is our pick: no monthly fee, a built in data connection and next day payouts every day of the week. Zettle and the Square Reader are good alternatives.
Which card machine is best for a hairdresser?
Square, for most salons, because Square Appointments adds booking and reminders. SumUp is cheaper on fees if you already have a booking system.
Can I charge customers a fee for paying by card?
No, not on consumer cards. The UK surcharging ban has applied since 13 January 2018.
Do I need a different card machine for online payments?
Not always. SumUp, Square and Zettle offer payment links alongside their readers, and Worldpay and takepayments offer online gateways and virtual terminals. Square's online rate is 1.4% + 25p for UK cards; Worldpay eCommerce starts at 1.3% + 20p on its Full package (checked October 2026).
What does a card machine cost for a business taking £30,000 a month?
On published rates, between £316 a month (SumUp Payments Plus) and £525 a month (Square or Zettle), before hardware. At that volume, ask Dojo, Teya, takepayments and Worldpay for custom quotes.