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We compared 18 UK card machine providers on their published rates, hardware, contracts, payout speed and support, read 26 October 2026. The best choice depends on how much you take by card.
Published rates from every major UK card machine provider, plus the quoted rates that only come on request. You see them side by side, on your own takings.
The short answer
The best card machine for a small business depends on your takings. For low or seasonal takings, SumUp pay-as-you-go (1.69%, no monthly fee, reader from £25) is simple and low risk. For steady takings up to £100,000 a year, Dojo's 1.2% blended rate or Flatpay's 1.49% with a £0 terminal usually cost less. Above that, quotes from Dojo, Teya, Worldpay or Barclaycard tend to win. Prices read 26 October 2026.
Published prices read 26 October 2026 from each provider's own pricing page. Quote only means the provider gives rates on request; we obtain those for you.
| Provider | In-person card rate | Monthly fee | Card machine | Contract | Payouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp Source | 1.69% pay as you go, or 0.99% on Payments Plus (domestic cards) | £0, or £19 on Payments Plus | Solo Lite £25, Solo £79, Terminal £135 (ex VAT), bought outright | None, cancel anytime | Next day, 7am, weekends included |
| Dojo Source | 1.2% blended under £100k a year; custom above | £0 Essential; Plus £11.99 new customers (£25 list) | Go Max £149 or £25 a month; Pocket £239 or £20; Wired £179 or £15 | 30-day rolling or 12-month fixed (custom rate) | Next day |
| Square Source | 1.75% UK cards; +1.5% non-UK cards | £0, or Plus £29+ | Reader £19; Terminal £149 (ex VAT) | None, cancel anytime | Next day free; instant for 1.95% |
| Zettle Source | 1.75% all major cards | £0 | PayPal Reader from £29; Terminal £149 (ex VAT) | None | Within minutes to PayPal balance |
| Worldpay Source | Quote only | Terminal £20 a month (indicative) | Rental, quote | Minimum 18 months | Next day |
| takepayments Source | Quote only | Not published | Not published | 12 months | Next day |
| Teya Source | Quote only | Not published | Not published | No lock-ins stated | Next day, weekends included |
| Flatpay Source | 1.49% all cards (terminal, under £200k a year) | £0 | Payment terminal free to start | Not published | Daily |
| Paymentsense Source | 1.40% debit and credit (price tool); bespoke over £150k | Terminal £20 + VAT; minimum service charge £24.95 | Rental, £20 a month + VAT | Not published | 24 working hours |
| Clover Source | Quote only | Rental only | Flex Pocket £15, Mini £20, Station Duo £30 a month + VAT | Not published | Next business day |
| myPOS Source | From 1.10% + 7p (under £10k a month) | £0 | Device prices not on fees page | Not published | Instant to myPOS account |
| Revolut Source | From 0.8% + 2p (UK consumer Visa and Mastercard) | £0 for the reader | Reader £49; Terminal £169 + VAT | None | Within 24 hours |
| Stripe Source | 1.4% + 10p EEA cards; 2.9% + 10p non-EEA | £0 | WisePad 3 £49; S700 or S710 £229 (ex VAT) | Pay as you go | Standard free; instant 1% |
| Barclaycard Source | Quote only (example 0.7% + 3p, representative) | £16 to £29 + VAT service fee | Smartpay Anywhere £29 + VAT | 12 to 18 months, or none for Anywhere | Next day |
| Elavon Source | Quote only | Not published | Not published | Not published | Next day for eligible businesses |
| Viva Source | 1.69% UK consumer cards | £0 to £15.99 plans (min £3.99) | Not published | Change plan monthly | Real time |
| Tyl by NatWest Source | 1.39% + 5p personal cards (under £50k a year) | Machine hire from £13.99 + VAT | PAX A920 Pro £19.99, A50 £14.99, A80 £13.99 a month + VAT | 12 months | Next business day |
| Lloyds Cardnet Source | Cardnet quote only; Lloyds Accept 1.5% + 20p | £10 minimum monthly charge (Cardnet) | Saturn £23 or Clover Flex £21 a month + VAT | Not stated; Lloyds Accept none | Not published |
VAT is excluded where the provider states it. Rates are for in-person UK consumer cards unless stated. Our service is free to you. We may receive a fee from the provider you choose; it never changes the price you pay.
Tell us about your business. We compare the whole market, including the providers that only quote on request, and come back with the lowest total cost for your takings and the right machine. You keep a named account manager who looks after you after setup.
Our service is free to you. We may receive a fee from the provider you choose; it never changes the price you pay.
We looked at what a café owner, hairdresser or shopkeeper actually pays and gets. That means the total monthly cost at real takings, not just the headline rate. We also looked at the price of the machine, whether you are tied into a contract, how quickly your money reaches your bank, and how you reach a person when something goes wrong.
All figures come from each provider's own website, read 26 October 2026. Where a provider does not publish a figure, we say so rather than guess. Several well-known names, including Worldpay, Teya, Elavon, takepayments and Clover, publish no in-person rate and quote each business individually.
If you take under about £2,000 a month by card, a flat rate with no monthly fee keeps things simple. SumUp charges 1.69% on pay-as-you-go with a Solo Lite reader at £25 excluding VAT, and pays into its free business account by 7am the next day, including weekends. Its weakness is support: SumUp says it does not offer customer support by email.
Square charges 1.75% on UK cards, sells its Reader for £19 + VAT and includes free point of sale apps. Non-UK cards cost 1.75% + 1.5%. Zettle, now PayPal Point of Sale, also charges 1.75%, including American Express, with funds typically arriving in your PayPal Business account within minutes. On £1,500 a month, SumUp costs £25.35 and Square or Zettle £26.25.
Dojo publishes a 1.2% blended rate for all cards under £100,000 a year, next-day payouts and UK phone support it says answers in minutes. The trade-off is hardware: Dojo Go Max is £149 upfront or £25 a month, and Dojo Pocket £239 or £20 a month. On £5,000 a month, Dojo's fees are £60.00 against SumUp's £84.50.
Flatpay charges 1.49% on its payment terminal below £200,000 a year, with the terminal at £0 and no monthly fee. On £5,000 a month that is £74.50. Flatpay does not publish contract terms. Paymentsense, the same company as Dojo, publishes 1.40% on debit and credit cards but adds a £20.00 monthly terminal fee, 5p authorisation fees, a £4.95 PCI fee and a £24.95 minimum monthly charge.
Once you take more than roughly £10,000 a month, published flat rates stop being the best deal. SumUp offers bespoke fees from £10,000 a month. Dojo offers custom rates above £100,000 a year with a 12-month fixed plan or 30-day rolling. Paymentsense offers bespoke pricing above £150,000 a year. Flatpay offers a custom rate above £200,000.
Teya, Worldpay, Elavon, Clover and takepayments quote every business. Barclaycard gives a representative example of 0.7% plus a 3p authorisation fee on a personal debit card, but says rates are customised. Lloyds Cardnet's example shows 0.5% on Visa debit with a £10 minimum monthly charge. These examples show how low quoted rates can go, but each depends on your business and card mix. Ask every provider for the full fee list, not just the rate.
Take a café with £6,000 a month in card sales, mostly UK debit cards. On SumUp pay-as-you-go at 1.69% it pays £101.40 a month. On SumUp Payments Plus at 0.99% plus £19 it pays £78.40. Square or Zettle at 1.75% cost £105.00. Flatpay at 1.49% costs £89.40 with a £0 terminal. Dojo at 1.2% costs £72.00 in fees, or £97.00 with the Go Max at £25 a month.
Over a year, Dojo with a Go Max bought for £149 comes to £1,013, against £1,216.80 on SumUp pay-as-you-go and £1,260 on Square, before their readers. If more of the café's customers paid with premium or American Express cards, SumUp Payments Plus would lose some of its advantage, because those cards stay at 1.69%. The cheapest provider changes as takings and card mix change, which is why we run the numbers on your own figures rather than a general ranking.
The best card machine for your business is the one with the lowest total cost at your takings and the support you need. We compare the whole market, including providers that only quote, and negotiate the rate and monthly fees for you. We look at the machine, the contract, payout speed and support as well as price, so the result fits the way you trade.
We then handle the switch, including any exit from your current contract, and give you a named account manager who stays with you after setup and reviews your costs as you grow. When your takings rise enough to qualify for a better rate, we go back to the provider for you. You pay us nothing. We may receive a fee from the provider you choose.
For low takings, SumUp pay-as-you-go at 1.69% with no monthly fee is simple and low risk. For takings up to £100,000 a year, Dojo's 1.2% blended rate usually costs less. Flatpay's 1.49% with a £0 terminal suits businesses that want no upfront cost. Rates read 26 October 2026.
Among published rates, Revolut starts lowest at 0.8% + 2p for UK consumer Visa and Mastercard, with 1.7% for American Express and 2.6% for other cards. myPOS starts from 1.10% + 7p under £10,000 a month. Dojo publishes 1.2% for all cards under £100,000 a year.
SumUp suits very small or seasonal businesses because it has no monthly fee and readers from £25. Dojo is usually cheaper once takings are steady: on £5,000 a month Dojo charges £60.00 against SumUp's £84.50, though Dojo's machine costs £149 upfront or £25 a month.
Buying is usually cheaper over time. Square Terminal is £149 + VAT to buy. Renting at £20.00 a month, as Paymentsense lists, costs £240 a year. Renting can make sense if it comes with a better rate or the provider covers repairs, so compare total cost over the contract.
Zettle says funds typically arrive in your PayPal Business account within minutes. myPOS pays into its business account instantly, and Viva Wallet lists real-time settlement. SumUp pays into its own account by 7am the next day, including weekends. Teya pays next day, every day.
No. SumUp, Square, Zettle and Revolut publish no long-term contract. Others do: Worldpay states a minimum 18-month contract for online applications, Barclaycard portable and countertop machines are 18 months, and Tyl by NatWest and takepayments are 12 months.
Tell us what you need and where you operate.