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Accepting credit cards is no longer just for larger shops. Here is how to set it up, why some cards cost more than others, and what UK providers charge, 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 receive card payments, open an account with a card payment provider, verify your business and choose a card machine, reader or Tap to Pay. Credit and business cards can cost more than debit cards: Paymentsense charges 1.40% on consumer debit and credit cards and 1.99% on business cards, and Revolut 0.8% + 2p on UK consumer Visa and Mastercard but 2.6% on other 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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% |
| Zettle Source | 1.75% all major cards | £0 | PayPal Reader from £29; Terminal £149 (ex VAT) | None | Within minutes to PayPal balance |
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 pays by card, three parties take a share of the fee. The card issuer, the customer's bank, charges interchange, the fee the card issuer sets on each payment. The card network, such as Visa or Mastercard, charges a scheme fee. Your payment provider adds its own margin and pays you the rest. You see one combined charge on your statement.
Providers package this in two ways. A blended rate is one price for all cards: Dojo charges 1.2% on all card transactions under £100,000 a year, Flatpay 1.49% on all cards and Zettle 1.75% on all major cards. A tiered rate charges different prices by card type: Tyl by NatWest charges 1.39% + 5p on personal cards and 1.99% + 5p on all other cards. Blended rates are easy to predict. Tiered rates can cost less if most customers use UK personal debit cards, and more if many use business or overseas cards.
These are the providers that publish a rate by card type. Business cards, premium cards and cards issued abroad usually sit in the dearer tier, because their interchange is higher.
Take a business receiving £3,500 a month by card at an average of £35, so 100 payments, which is £42,000 a year and under every published threshold. First, every customer pays with a UK personal card. Then 30% of takings, £1,050, come on business cards.
The lesson is simple. A tiered rate can look cheapest on the headline, but the more business and overseas cards you take, the more a single blended rate is worth. Give every provider your real card mix before comparing quotes.
Setting up takes four steps. First, work out your monthly card takings, average sale and the cards your customers use, because every quote depends on them. Second, choose how you will take payments: a counter machine, a portable machine, a reader linked to your phone or Tap to Pay. Third, apply. You will need photo ID, your business details and a UK business bank account, and limited companies need their company number. Fourth, set up the device and run a small test payment.
Read the terms before you sign. Look for the contract length, any minimum monthly service charge (a minimum the provider bills even in quiet months), PCI fees (charges for meeting the card industry's security rules), and the cost of leaving. Paymentsense publishes a minimum monthly service charge of £24.95 and a PCI fee of £4.95 + VAT. Worldpay's quote tool shows a £15.00 minimum monthly service charge as indicative. SumUp states no setup fees, no hardware rentals and no monthly minimums.
You do not always need a machine. Tap to Pay turns an iPhone or Android phone into a contactless card reader. SumUp lists Tap to Pay at £0 with its 1.69% rate, Square charges from 1.75% per tap, and myPOS uses its standard rates with no extra Tap to Pay fee. This suits mobile work and low volumes, though customers cannot insert a card or enter a PIN.
You can also take a card payment over the phone, by keying in the card details, or send an invoice or payment link that the customer pays themselves. These are card-not-present payments, meaning the card is not in front of you, and they cost more because fraud risk is higher. Square charges 2.5% on manually entered payments. Zettle charges 2.5% on Zettle Invoice. If you take many phone orders, see our guide to card payments over the phone.
Card mix changes which provider is cheapest, and most websites only show the headline rate. We compare the whole UK market, including Dojo, SumUp, Teya, Flatpay, Paymentsense, Square, Worldpay and others, using your takings, average sale and the share of credit, business and overseas cards. Then we negotiate the rate with the provider for you. That way the rate in your agreement reflects the cards your customers actually use.
We handle the application and any switch from your current provider, so you keep receiving payments throughout. You get a named account manager who stays with you after setup and checks that your statements match what was agreed. If your card mix changes, for example more business customers, we review the rate with you. You pay us nothing. We may receive a fee from the provider you choose.
Open an account with a card payment provider such as SumUp, Dojo, Square or Flatpay, verify your identity and business, and choose a card machine, a reader linked to your phone or Tap to Pay. Payments are then paid into your account, usually the next day.
Often, yes. Paymentsense charges 1.40% on consumer debit and credit cards but 1.99% on business cards. Revolut charges 0.8% on UK consumer Visa and Mastercard and 2.6% on other cards. Blended providers such as Dojo at 1.2% charge the same on every card.
No provider processes cards for nothing, but you can avoid fixed costs. SumUp, Square, Zettle, Revolut and Flatpay publish plans with no monthly fee, so you only pay per payment. SumUp's Tap to Pay has no hardware cost. Fees start from 0.8% + 2p with Revolut, read 26 October 2026.
Photo ID, your home address, business name and address, your company number if you are a limited company, and a UK business bank account for payouts. Providers also ask for your expected monthly card takings and average sale, which they use to set your rate.
A card reader with no contract, such as SumUp Solo Lite at £25 excluding VAT or Square Reader at £19 + VAT, or Tap to Pay on your phone. You apply online, connect a free app and can take payments once approved.
In person, use a card machine, reader or Tap to Pay. If the customer is not with you, send an invoice or payment link, or key in their card over the phone. Square charges 2.5% on manually entered payments and Zettle 2.5% on invoices.
Tell us what you need and where you operate.