Comparing Card Machine Providers UK

Understanding Card Machine Provider Types

UK card machine providers fall into two main categories, each suited to different business needs:

Pay-As-You-Go Providers (No Monthly Fees)

Examples: SumUp, Square, Zettle (PayPal), Revolut Business

Best for:

• Low-volume businesses (under £5,000 monthly)
• Seasonal businesses with irregular trading
• New businesses testing card payment acceptance
• Mobile traders and market stalls
• Businesses wanting no commitment

Characteristics:

• No monthly fees or contracts
• Slightly higher transaction percentages
• Buy the terminal outright (£29-£99)
• Simple setup via app
• Month-to-month flexibility

Traditional Merchant Account Providers

Examples: Worldpay, Barclaycard, Lloyds Cardnet, Handepay, Takepayments

Best for:

• High-volume businesses (£5,000+ monthly)
• Established businesses with consistent processing
• Businesses wanting competitive transaction rates
• Multi-location businesses
• Businesses needing advanced features and integrations

Characteristics:

• Lower transaction percentages
• Monthly fees (or no fee with slightly higher rates)
• Terminal rental or purchase options
• Full merchant account setup
• Advanced reporting and integrations

Detailed Provider Comparisons

SumUp

Overview: Popular pay-as-you-go provider with no monthly fees and simple setup.

Transaction Fees:

• 1.69% per transaction (all card types)
• No additional fees for contactless, chip and PIN
• No monthly fees

Terminal Options:

• SumUp Air (Bluetooth, £29 + VAT)
• SumUp 3G + WiFi (Portable, £99 + VAT)
• SumUp Solo (Countertop, £149 + VAT)

Best for: Market traders, mobile businesses, low-volume traders, businesses wanting no commitment

Pros:

• Simple flat-rate pricing
• No monthly fees or contracts
• Quick setup via app
• Affordable terminal prices
• Next-day settlement

Cons:

• Higher transaction fees than traditional providers at scale
• Limited advanced features
• Basic reporting
• Not ideal for high-volume businesses

Square

Overview: Comprehensive payment solution with EPOS integration and no monthly fees.

Transaction Fees:

• 1.75% per transaction (card present)
• 2.5% + 25p (online payments)
• No monthly fees

Terminal Options:

• Square Reader (Bluetooth, £39 + VAT)
• Square Terminal (Portable, £299 + VAT)
• Square Stand (iPad-based EPOS)
• Square Register (Full EPOS system)

Best for: Restaurants, cafés, retail shops wanting integrated EPOS, businesses needing inventory management

Pros:

• Integrated EPOS system included free
• Inventory management
• Employee management
• Customer directory and loyalty
• Online store integration
• Excellent reporting

Cons:

• Higher transaction fees for online payments
• Terminal more expensive than competitors
• Funds held for 2-4 working days initially
• Limited support for high-risk businesses

Zettle by PayPal

Overview: PayPal’s card machine solution with seamless PayPal integration.

Transaction Fees:

• 1.75% per transaction
• No monthly fees
• PayPal payments included at same rate

Terminal Options:

• Zettle Reader 2 (Bluetooth, £29 + VAT)
• Zettle Terminal (Portable, £99 + VAT)

Best for: Businesses already using PayPal, mobile businesses, market traders, small retail

Pros:

• Integrates with existing PayPal account
• Accept PayPal and card payments together
• Simple flat-rate pricing
• No monthly fees
• Quick setup

Cons:

• Requires PayPal business account
• Limited to PayPal’s acceptable use policy
• Basic reporting compared to Square
• Settlement to PayPal account (not direct to bank)

Worldpay

Overview: Major traditional provider with comprehensive business solutions.

Transaction Fees:

• Custom rates based on business type and volume
• Generally competitive for high-volume businesses
• Monthly fees may apply depending on package

Terminal Options:

• Countertop terminals
• Portable Wi-Fi terminals
• Mobile GPRS terminals
• Purchase or rental options

Best for: Established businesses, high-volume processing, multi-location businesses, businesses needing advanced features

Pros:

• Competitive rates for high volumes
• Comprehensive payment solutions
• Advanced reporting and analytics
• Multiple integration options
• UK-based support
• Handles high-risk businesses

Cons:

• Contract terms (typically 1-3 years)
• Setup process more complex than pay-as-you-go
• May have monthly fees
• Early termination fees if leaving contract early

Barclaycard

Overview: Established UK provider with strong brand recognition.

Transaction Fees:

• Custom rates based on business type and volume
• Competitive pricing for Barclays business account holders
• Monthly fees may apply

Terminal Options:

• Countertop, portable, and mobile terminals
• Rental or purchase available
• Latest contactless-enabled terminals

Best for: Barclays business account holders, established businesses, businesses wanting traditional provider reliability

Pros:

• Integration with Barclays business banking
• Reliable established provider
• Competitive rates for existing customers
• Good support infrastructure
• Next-day settlement available

Cons:

• Contract commitment required
• Setup process takes longer
• May be more expensive for low-volume businesses
• Less flexible than pay-as-you-go options

Revolut Business

Overview: Modern fintech solution combining business account and card payments.

Transaction Fees:

• 1% per transaction (with Revolut Business account)
• No monthly fees for card reader
• Business account may have monthly fees depending on plan

Terminal Options:

• Revolut Reader (Bluetooth, £39 + VAT)
• Revolut Terminal (Portable, coming soon)

Best for: Businesses using Revolut Business account, mobile businesses, tech-savvy startups

Pros:

• Lowest transaction fees (1%)
• Integration with Revolut Business features
• Multi-currency support
• Modern app-based interface
• Instant notifications

Cons:

• Requires Revolut Business account
• Limited terminal options currently
• Newer provider (less established than competitors)
• Support can be app-only

Card Machine Provider Comparison Table

Provider	Transaction Fee	Monthly Fee	Contract	Best For
SumUp	1.69%	£0	None	Low volume, mobile traders
Square	1.75%	£0	None	Restaurants, retail with EPOS
Zettle	1.75%	£0	None	PayPal users, small retail
Revolut	1.0%	£0 (reader)	None	Revolut Business users
Worldpay	Custom	Varies	1-3 years	High volume, established
Barclaycard	Custom	Varies	1-3 years	Barclays customers, high volume

How to Choose the Right Card Machine Provider

Key Factors to Compare

1. Transaction Fees vs Monthly Volumes

Calculate your break-even point. Example:

• Pay-as-you-go at 1.75%: £10,000 monthly = £175 in fees
• Traditional at 1.2% + £20 monthly: £10,000 monthly = £120 + £20 = £140 in fees
• Savings with traditional: £35/month (£420/year)

As volume increases, traditional providers become increasingly cost-effective.

2. Contract Commitment

No contract (pay-as-you-go):

• Cancel anytime
• No early termination fees
• Flexibility to switch providers

Fixed-term contract (traditional):

• Typically 1-3 years
• Early termination fees (£200-£1,000+)
• May include rate guarantees

3. Terminal Costs

Pay-as-you-go: Buy terminal outright (£29-£299)

Traditional: Rental (£10-£30/month) or purchase (£100-£500)

Calculate 2-year total cost to compare fairly.

4. Settlement Speed

• Next-day: SumUp, Zettle, most traditional providers
• 2-4 days: Square (initially), Revolut
• Same-day available: Some traditional providers for established businesses

5. Feature Requirements

Basic needs (card acceptance only): Any provider works

EPOS integration: Square, traditional providers with integrations

Inventory management: Square excels here

Multi-currency: Revolut Business best option

Online payments: Most providers offer this, compare rates

6. Support Quality

Pay-as-you-go: App-based support, email, limited phone support

Traditional: UK-based phone support, dedicated account managers for larger businesses

Common Comparison Mistakes

1. Comparing Headline Rates Only

1.75% with no monthly fees might cost more overall than 1.2% with £20 monthly fees if you process £5,000+ monthly. Calculate total costs based on your volumes.

2. Not Considering Growth

If you expect to grow significantly, choose a provider that scales well. Pay-as-you-go works initially but becomes expensive at higher volumes.

3. Ignoring Integration Needs

If you need EPOS integration, ensure the provider supports your chosen EPOS system. Square’s built-in EPOS is excellent for restaurants and retail.

4. Overlooking Contract Terms

3-year contracts with traditional providers can be restrictive. If you value flexibility, pay-as-you-go may be worth slightly higher transaction fees.

5. Focusing Only on Cost

Cheapest isn’t always best. Consider support quality, reliability, settlement speed, and feature set alongside costs.

How We Tranxact Helps You Compare Providers

Card Machine Comparison – Frequently Asked Questions

Which card machine provider is cheapest?

Revolut Business has the lowest transaction fees at 1%, but requires a Revolut Business account. For pay-as-you-go without account requirements, SumUp at 1.69% is most competitive. For high-volume businesses, traditional providers with custom rates often work out cheaper overall despite monthly fees.

Is SumUp better than Square?

SumUp is better for basic card acceptance with slightly lower fees (1.69% vs 1.75%). Square is better if you need integrated EPOS, inventory management, or advanced business features. SumUp is simpler and cheaper, Square is more feature-rich.

Do I need a contract for a card machine?

Pay-as-you-go providers (SumUp, Square, Zettle) require no contracts. Traditional providers (Worldpay, Barclaycard) typically require 1-3 year contracts. No-contract options offer flexibility but may cost more at high volumes.

Can I switch card machine providers easily?

With pay-as-you-go providers, yes – simply stop using the service. With traditional providers on contracts, you may face early termination fees. Always check exit clauses before signing. After contracts end, switching is straightforward.

Which provider has the best customer support?

Traditional providers (Worldpay, Barclaycard) typically offer better UK-based phone support. Pay-as-you-go providers rely more on app-based support and email. For businesses needing reliable phone support, traditional providers are better.

Do all providers accept the same card types?

Yes, all major UK providers accept Visa, Mastercard, and contactless payments. Most also accept American Express, though some charge higher fees for Amex transactions. Digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) are universally supported.

What is the fastest way to start accepting card payments?

Pay-as-you-go providers offer same-day or next-day setup. SumUp, Square, and Zettle can have you accepting payments within 24 hours. Traditional providers take 5-7 days due to more comprehensive underwriting and terminal delivery.

Can I use multiple card machine providers?

Yes, there is no restriction on using multiple providers. Some businesses use pay-as-you-go for mobile work and traditional providers for fixed locations. However, managing multiple providers adds administrative complexity.

Which provider is best for restaurants?

Square excels for restaurants due to integrated table management, order tracking, and kitchen display systems. Traditional providers with portable terminals work well for established restaurants. SumUp suits small cafés wanting simple table-side payment.

How do I know if I am paying too much?

Compare your effective rate (total monthly fees ÷ monthly processing volume) against provider offerings at your volume level. If paying over 2% effective rate on volumes above £10,000 monthly, you are likely paying too much and should review alternatives.

Related Card Machine Guides

• Best Card Machines for Small Business UK
• How Much Does a Card Machine Cost UK
• Standard Merchant Account Guide UK
• Card Machines for Restaurants
• Card Machines for Retail Shops

UK Payment Industry Resources

• UK Finance – Payment Standards
• Financial Conduct Authority – Payment Services
• Visa UK
• Mastercard UK

Compare Card Machine Providers

Stop guessing which card machine provider suits your business. We help UK businesses compare actual costs, features, and contract terms across multiple providers to find the best match for their specific needs.