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A card processing company takes each card payment, checks it with the card's bank and pays you. Here are the 18 UK companies we track and what each publishes, 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
To process credit card payments in person, you need a card processing company, also called a payment provider or acquirer, plus a card machine, reader or app. Of the 18 UK companies we track, 12 publish an in-person rate, from 0.8% + 2p (Revolut) to 1.75% (Square and Zettle). Worldpay, Teya, Elavon, takepayments, Clover and Barclaycard quote only, 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.
When a customer taps or inserts a card, the card machine sends the payment to your processing company. It asks the customer's bank whether the money is there, which is called authorisation, and the answer comes back in a second or two. At the end of the day, the processing company collects the money from the card networks and pays it into your account, which is called settlement.
The processing company is sometimes called the acquirer, meaning the business that acquires card payments on your behalf. Some firms do this themselves. Others sell the card machine and service but pass your payments to a separate acquirer. takepayments, for example, states that businesses enter a separate contract with an acquiring bank it nominates. That matters because the contract terms you sign may come from two companies, not one.
Your fee covers interchange, the fee the card issuer charges, the card network's scheme fee and the processing company's own margin. Most small businesses see this as one percentage, sometimes with a few pence added per payment.
The 18 companies we track fall into three groups by how they publish prices. The group tells you how much work it takes to compare them.
Here is a business processing £6,000 a month by card at an average of £30, so 200 payments, or £72,000 a year. Card fees only at published rates, read 26 October 2026, assuming UK consumer cards. Tyl by NatWest is left out because its published rate applies under £50,000 a year.
The headline rate is only one part of the cost. Ask every company the same questions, in writing, so you can compare like for like.
Monthly charges vary widely. Paymentsense publishes a terminal at £20.00 + VAT a month, a minimum monthly service charge of £24.95 and a reporting fee of £12.95 after three free months. Barclaycard publishes service fees of £16 to £29 + VAT a month on most readers. Lloyds Cardnet publishes a £10 minimum monthly charge. SumUp, Square, Zettle, Flatpay, myPOS and Revolut publish plans with no monthly fee.
Some searchers want an app rather than a company. Most app-based providers combine both: you sign up, download the app and take payments on a reader or on the phone itself. SumUp, Square, Zettle, Revolut, myPOS, Viva and Stripe all offer Tap to Pay or reader apps. SumUp's free app includes basic point of sale features, and Square's point of sale app starts at £0 a month.
Stripe Terminal is different. It is built for businesses that write their own software or use Stripe's no-code option, with readers such as the BBPOS WisePad 3 at £49 and the S700 at £229, both excluding VAT. It suits businesses that already use Stripe or have a developer.
For a counter business, a full card machine from Dojo, Teya, Flatpay, Paymentsense or a bank-backed service such as Tyl by NatWest, Barclaycard or Lloyds Cardnet may suit better, because the machine works on its own without a phone.
With 18 companies and three pricing styles, comparing them yourself takes hours, and seven will not show a price without a sales call. We compare the whole UK market for you, including Dojo, SumUp, Teya, Flatpay, Paymentsense, Square, Worldpay and others, request the quotes and negotiate the rate on your real figures. Every quote is set out on the same basis, so you can see the full monthly cost side by side.
We then handle the application and any switch from your current processor, and give you a named account manager who stays with you after setup. If your takings grow past a pricing level, we check whether a better rate is available. Your account manager also deals with the provider if a payout is late or a charge looks wrong. You pay us nothing. We may receive a fee from the provider you choose.
Open an account with a card processing company, then take the payment on a card machine, reader or Tap to Pay. The customer taps or inserts the card, the payment is authorised in seconds, and the money is paid to you, usually the next day.
The companies we track are Barclaycard, Clover, Dojo, Elavon, Flatpay, Lloyds Cardnet, myPOS, Paymentsense, Revolut, Square, Stripe, SumUp, takepayments, Teya, Tyl by NatWest, Viva Wallet, Worldpay and Zettle, now PayPal Point of Sale.
On published rates read 26 October 2026, Revolut starts lowest at 0.8% + 2p on UK consumer Visa and Mastercard, then SumUp Payments Plus at 0.99% with a £19 monthly plan, and Dojo at 1.2% under £100,000 a year. Your card mix and average sale decide the true cheapest.
The processor, or acquirer, handles the payment and pays you. Some card machine firms are also the processor. Others pass your payments to a separate acquirer: takepayments states that businesses sign a separate contract with an acquiring bank it nominates.
Worldpay, Teya, Elavon, takepayments, Clover and Barclaycard price each business individually, based on takings, sector and card mix. Teya says it has no standard price list. You need a quote to compare them, ideally with a full breakdown by card type and every monthly charge.
It is a phone or tablet app from a payment provider that takes card payments with a small reader or Tap to Pay. SumUp, Square, Zettle, Revolut, myPOS and Viva all offer one. SumUp lists Tap to Pay at £0 hardware cost with a 1.69% rate.
Tell us what you need and where you operate.