Merchant services
Card reader for market stalls.
Market traders need a portable card machine that works outdoors, lasts all day and costs nothing in the weeks they do not trade. Here is what fits, with published prices read 26 October 2026.
WhatsApp and Telegram +44 7563 115980
[email protected]
Market traders need a portable card machine that works outdoors, lasts all day and costs nothing in the weeks they do not trade. Here is what fits, with published prices read 26 October 2026.
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
A market stall needs a portable card reader with mobile data or a phone connection, a long battery and no monthly fee. On £2,500 a month, published card fees are £37.25 with Flatpay at 1.49%, £42.25 with SumUp at 1.69% and £43.75 with Square or Zettle at 1.75%. SumUp readers start at £25 and Square at £19 plus VAT (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 |
| 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 |
| Flatpay Source | 1.49% all cards (terminal, under £200k a year) | £0 | Payment terminal free to start | Not published | Daily |
| Revolut Source | From 0.8% + 2p (UK consumer Visa and Mastercard) | £0 for the reader | Reader £49; Terminal £169 + VAT | None | Within 24 hours |
| myPOS Source | From 1.10% + 7p (under £10k a month) | £0 | Device prices not on fees page | Not published | Instant to myPOS account |
| 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 |
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.
Portability is everything. A portable EFTPOS machine, EFTPOS meaning electronic funds transfer at point of sale, the term many people use for a card machine, should be small, light and work without wifi. Most stall readers connect through your phone's mobile data by Bluetooth. Others have their own SIM card. Check signal at your pitch, because covered markets and rural fairs can be weak spots.
Battery life matters on a long day outdoors. A reader that runs flat at 2pm loses your afternoon. Battery life was not stated on the pricing pages we read, so ask how long a charge lasts and carry a power bank.
Costs need to suit irregular trading. Many traders work weekends only, or seasonally. A plan with no monthly fee, no minimum charge and no contract means you pay only when you sell. Average sales at a stall are often £5 to £20, so fixed fees per payment hit harder than the headline rate suggests. Offline payments, taken without signal and sent later, were not described on the pages we read, so ask about them too.
Low-cost readers with no monthly fee suit most traders. SumUp sells the Solo Lite at £25, the Solo at £79 and the SumUp Terminal at £135, all excluding VAT, at 1.69% with no monthly fee and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Square sells the Square Reader at £19 plus VAT, at 1.75% with no monthly fee. Zettle, now PayPal Point of Sale, offers its PayPal Reader at £29 excluding VAT for one reader per new business user, at 1.75% on all major cards including American Express.
Flatpay publishes 1.49% on all cards with its PAX A920 Pro terminal at £0 and no monthly fees. Revolut publishes from 0.8% plus 2p on consumer UK Visa and Mastercard, with the Revolut Reader at £49 and no subscription. Dojo publishes 1.2% under £100,000 a year, with the Dojo Go Max at £149 upfront on a launch offer or £25 a month.
myPOS publishes from 1.10% plus 7p, with an inactivity fee of £15.00, which matters if you trade only part of the year.
Card fees only, on published rates read on 26 October 2026, before reader costs. Revolut uses its starting rate for consumer UK Visa and Mastercard.
Cash flow matters when you buy stock weekly. Zettle says funds typically reach your PayPal Business account within minutes. myPOS pays instantly into a myPOS business account, with a £1.50 charge to transfer out in GBP. SumUp pays into its SumUp Business Account by 7am the next day, including weekends and public holidays, which suits weekend markets. Revolut states 24 hours. Square pays in one to two working days free, or instantly for a 1.95% fee. Flatpay states daily payouts.
Quiet months are where hidden costs show. SumUp pay-as-you-go, Square's Free plan, Zettle, Flatpay and Revolut publish no monthly fee. myPOS publishes a £15.00 inactivity fee and a £30.00 no-acquiring fee after 10 months without card payments. Viva's lowest plan carries a £3.99 minimum monthly charge.
If you trade seasonally, a reader you own outright with no monthly fee is usually the safest choice, since it costs nothing while it sits in a drawer.
Tap to Pay turns your smartphone into the card reader, so customers tap their card or phone on it. It costs nothing to set up with SumUp, which charges 1.69%, and Square, which charges from 1.75% per tap. myPOS uses its standard pricing with no extra fee. Tyl by NatWest offers it with transaction fees only and no monthly hire, though not for American Express.
For a small or occasional stall, Tap to Pay can replace a reader altogether. For a busy stall, a separate reader is quicker, takes chip and PIN for larger amounts and keeps your phone free for stock and messages.
Many traders use both: a reader as the main machine and Tap to Pay as the backup if the reader runs flat.
Market traders often start on a basic reader and stay on it as takings grow, even when a cheaper option has become available. We compare the whole UK card payment market, including Dojo, SumUp, Teya, Flatpay, Paymentsense, Square, Worldpay and others, against your real card sales, your average sale and the way you trade. Where a provider only gives quotes, we request the quote for you and negotiate the rate, so you compare real numbers rather than list prices.
When you have chosen, we handle the switch: the application, the paperwork and the timing with your current provider, so you keep taking payments throughout. You then get a named account manager who stays with you after setup, checks your statements and deals with the provider when something needs fixing. You pay us nothing. We may receive a fee from the provider you choose.
For most stalls, a reader with no monthly fee is best: SumUp from £25 at 1.69%, Square at £19 plus VAT at 1.75% or Zettle at £29 at 1.75%. Flatpay publishes 1.49% with a free terminal. Choose on your takings and how often you trade.
EFTPOS stands for electronic funds transfer at point of sale. A portable EFTPOS machine is a card machine you can carry, connecting by mobile data or through your phone. In the UK it is more often called a portable card machine or card reader.
Most connect through your phone's mobile data by Bluetooth, or use their own SIM card, so wifi is not needed. You still need a mobile signal. Offline payments were not described on the pricing pages we read, so ask before buying.
On £800 a month, published card fees run from £8.00 with Revolut to £14.40 with myPOS. On £2,500 a month, from £25.00 to £45.00, read 26 October 2026. Readers cost from £0 with Flatpay to £149 for a Dojo Go Max.
Yes. SumUp pay-as-you-go, Square's Free plan, Zettle, Flatpay and Revolut publish no monthly fee. myPOS has no fixed monthly cost but publishes a £15.00 inactivity fee. Viva's lowest plan has a £3.99 minimum monthly charge.
Yes, with Tap to Pay. SumUp, Square, myPOS and Tyl by NatWest offer it on iPhone and Android. SumUp charges 1.69% and Square from 1.75% per tap. You need a mobile signal at your pitch.
Tell us what you need and where you operate.