Merchant services
Card machines for small business, compared.
Every major UK card machine provider's published fees in one table, and a team that finds your business the lowest rate and looks after you once you are set up.
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Every major UK card machine provider's published fees in one table, and a team that finds your business the lowest rate and looks after you once you are set up.
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 card machine for a small UK business typically costs between 0.8% and 1.75% of each card sale on published pay-as-you-go rates, read 26 October 2026: Revolut from 0.8% + 2p, Dojo 1.2% under £100,000 a year, Flatpay 1.49%, SumUp 1.69% and Square 1.75%. Some providers, including Teya, Worldpay and takepayments, quote only. The right choice depends on your monthly card takings, average sale and whether you want to own or rent the machine.
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.
You pay for a card machine in up to four ways: a fee on every card sale (the transaction rate), a monthly fee or subscription, the machine itself (bought outright or rented each month) and smaller charges such as a minimum monthly charge or a fee to receive your money faster. The headline rate is only part of it.
Take a café with £5,000 of card sales a month. On a 1.69% pay-as-you-go rate it pays £84.50 a month in transaction fees and nothing else once the machine is bought. On 1.2% it pays £60. On 0.99% with a £19 monthly plan it pays £49.50 plus £19, so £68.50. On a quoted rate of 0.7% plus a £20 machine rental and a minimum monthly charge, it can pay less again, or more, depending on the small print. The cheapest option changes with your takings, which is why a comparison on your own numbers matters.
Buying a reader outright (SumUp from £25, Square £19, Revolut £49, Stripe £49, all ex VAT where stated) keeps monthly costs at zero and suits low or seasonal takings. Renting (Dojo from £15 a month, Clover from £15 + VAT, Tyl from £13.99 + VAT, Paymentsense £20 + VAT) spreads the cost and usually includes replacement if the machine fails, but adds up over a 12 to 18 month contract.
Taking payments on your phone with Tap to Pay costs nothing for hardware. SumUp, Square, Dojo (iPhone), Teya, myPOS, Revolut, Stripe, Tyl and Lloyds Accept all publish it. It suits trades and mobile businesses with smaller numbers of sales, though a dedicated machine prints receipts and copes better with a queue.
Contract terms vary widely. SumUp, Square, Zettle, Revolut and Stripe have no contract. Dojo offers 30-day rolling or a 12-month fixed rate. Tyl and takepayments run 12 months, and Worldpay states a minimum of 18 months for online applications. Ask what it costs to leave early before you sign: Barclaycard, for example, charges the remaining monthly fees.
Most providers pay you the next working day. Teya and SumUp include weekends. myPOS pays into its own account instantly, Viva states real-time settlement, and Square and Stripe charge for instant payouts (1.95% and 1% respectively).
Tell us your business type, monthly card takings and how you take payments. We compare the whole market, including providers that only give rates on request, negotiate the rate and machine terms on your behalf, and handle the switch so you are not left without a way to take payments.
You then keep a named account manager at BCC who stays with you after setup: one person to call about fees, faults or renegotiating when your takings grow. There is no charge to you for our service.
Every figure on this page comes from the provider's own published pricing page, read on 26 October 2026, with the source linked. Where a provider does not publish a rate we say so rather than estimate it. Rates change, so we re-read every provider's pricing regularly and update this page.
We compare on total monthly cost at your takings, contract length and exit cost, machine cost, payout speed and support, rather than on the headline rate alone.
On published rates read 26 October 2026, the lowest headline in-person rate is Revolut at 0.8% + 2p for UK consumer Visa and Mastercard, with the reader at £49. For very low takings, SumUp (1.69%, reader from £25, no monthly fee) and Square (1.75%, reader £19) often cost least overall. Above about £10,000 a month, quoted rates usually beat published ones.
It ranges from £0 on pay-as-you-go providers such as SumUp, Square, Zettle and Flatpay, to around £15 to £30 a month plus VAT to rent a machine from Dojo, Clover, Tyl, Paymentsense, Worldpay or Barclaycard, before transaction fees.
No. SumUp, Square, Zettle, Revolut and Stripe have no contract, and Dojo offers 30-day rolling terms. Rental machines from Tyl and takepayments run 12 months, Barclaycard 12 to 18 months, and Worldpay states a minimum of 18 months.
Yes. Tap to Pay turns an iPhone or Android phone into a contactless card reader. SumUp, Square, Teya, myPOS, Revolut, Stripe, Tyl and Lloyds Accept publish it, and Dojo offers it on iPhone. It needs no extra hardware.
Usually the next working day. Teya and SumUp pay the next day including weekends, myPOS pays instantly into its own account, and Square and Stripe offer instant payouts for a fee.
No. We compare the market, negotiate and set you up at no charge to you. We may receive a fee from the provider you choose, which does not change the price you pay.
Tell us what you need and where you operate.