Merchant services
Card machine for taxis and private hire.
A taxi driver needs a card machine that works anywhere on mobile data, lasts a full shift and costs little on quiet weeks. Here is what fits, with published prices read 26 October 2026.
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A taxi driver needs a card machine that works anywhere on mobile data, lasts a full shift and costs little on quiet weeks. 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 taxi needs a portable card machine with its own mobile data, or Tap to Pay on the driver's phone. On £4,000 a month of card fares, published fees are £48.00 with Dojo at 1.2%, £59.60 with Flatpay at 1.49% and £67.60 with SumUp at 1.69%. Revolut starts from 0.8% plus 2p on consumer UK cards (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 |
| Flatpay Source | 1.49% all cards (terminal, under £200k a year) | £0 | Payment terminal free to start | Not published | Daily |
| 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 |
| 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% |
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.
Connection is the first need. A taxi is never near the wifi, so the machine needs its own mobile data, usually through a SIM card inside the machine, or it must connect through your phone. Some providers charge for the SIM. Stripe publishes a cellular charge of £7.00 per reader a month, and Lloyds Cardnet publishes an optional £10 SIM with its Clover Flex.
Battery is the second. A machine that dies halfway through a night shift costs fares. Battery life was not stated on the pricing pages we read, so ask each provider how many hours and payments a full charge lasts, and whether it charges from a car socket.
The third is cost on quiet weeks. Taxi takings rise and fall with the season, school runs and events. A plan with no monthly fee and no minimum charge protects you in slow weeks. Average fares of £10 to £30 also mean fixed fees per payment matter. Finally, think about receipts: passengers on business often want one by email or text.
Tap to Pay lets a passenger tap their card or phone on your smartphone, with no separate machine. It uses your phone's own mobile data, so there is no extra SIM to pay for. Several providers publish it.
SumUp offers Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android at £0 set-up, charging 1.69%, or 0.99% on its £19 a month Payments Plus plan. Square offers it on iPhone XS or above and Android, from 1.75% per tap. myPOS offers it on iPhone and Android at the same pricing as its card readers, with no extra fee. Tyl by NatWest offers it on iPhone and Android with transaction fees only and no monthly hire or PCI fees, though not for American Express. Dojo offers Tap to Pay on iPhone at £0, with no contract. Stripe adds 10p per payment for Tap to Pay. Lloyds Accept charges 1.5% plus 20p.
Tap to Pay works well as a main option or as a backup if your machine fails. A physical machine is still easier for chip and PIN payments.
Card fees only, on published rates read on 26 October 2026, for £4,000 a month of card fares at an average of £20 (200 payments). SumUp Payments Plus assumes UK debit and credit cards at 0.99%. Revolut uses its starting rate for consumer UK Visa and Mastercard.
Many drivers want their fares fast. 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. Revolut states funds within 24 hours. Dojo says next day. Flatpay states daily payouts. Square pays in one to two working days free, or instantly for a 1.95% fee with a £15 minimum.
If you drive only part of the year, look for charges on inactivity. myPOS publishes a £15.00 inactivity fee and a £30.00 no-acquiring fee after 10 months without card payments, with notice. SumUp pay-as-you-go, Square's Free plan, Flatpay and Revolut publish no monthly fee.
Before you choose, check whether your licensing authority or operator has any rules on card payments in vehicles, and pick a machine that meets them.
A small, handheld machine that prints or sends receipts is the usual choice. Published options include the Dojo Pocket at £239 upfront or £20 a month, the SumUp Solo at £79 excluding VAT, the Square Reader at £19 plus VAT, which pairs with your phone, the Revolut Reader at £49, and Flatpay's PAX A920 Pro at £0. Stripe's BBPOS WisePad 3 is £49 excluding VAT, with £7 a month for mobile data.
If you drive for an app-based operator, your passengers may pay through the app and you may not need a machine at all for those fares. A machine is still useful for street hails and phone bookings.
Whichever you choose, keep a second way to take cards, such as Tap to Pay on your phone, in case the machine runs flat or loses signal.
Drivers' takings vary month to month, so we look at your quiet months as well as your busy ones before recommending a rate. 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.
A taxi needs a portable machine with its own mobile data, or Tap to Pay on your phone. On published rates, Revolut, Dojo, myPOS, SumUp and Flatpay all cost under £70 a month on £4,000 of fares. Pick one with no monthly fee if your takings vary.
Yes. Tap to Pay lets passengers tap a card or phone on your smartphone. SumUp, Square, myPOS and Tyl by NatWest offer it on iPhone and Android, and Dojo on iPhone. SumUp charges 1.69% and Square from 1.75%, read 26 October 2026.
Flatpay's PAX A920 Pro is £0, the Square Reader is £19 plus VAT, SumUp readers are £25 to £135 excluding VAT, the Revolut Reader is £49 and the Dojo Pocket is £239 or £20 a month. Tap to Pay on your phone needs no machine.
If it is not connected to your phone, yes, it needs its own mobile data. Some providers charge for it: Stripe publishes £7 per reader a month and Lloyds Cardnet an optional £10 SIM. Machines that pair with your phone use your phone's data.
On £4,000 a month of fares at £20 each, published fees are £36.00 with Revolut, £48.00 with Dojo, £58.00 with myPOS, £59.60 with Flatpay, £67.60 with SumUp and £70.00 with Square, read 26 October 2026.
Tell us what you need and where you operate.