Card Machine Comparison UK: Fees, Contracts & Providers
Compare Card Machine Providers for Your Business
Start your card machine comparison with the full bill. Check transaction fees, terminal purchase or rental costs, and contract terms. Then compare software charges and how quickly you get paid. Use the same turnover, number of payments and card mix for each quote.
This guide compares published UK pricing and the questions to ask before choosing a provider. Figures were checked against the linked provider pages on 12 October 2026; plans, offers and eligibility can change.
Is your card machine deal still worth keeping? We’ll help you compare what you pay now with suitable alternatives. We’ll look at transaction fees, terminal rental and any exit charges, so you can judge whether switching is worth it.
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Card Machine Provider Comparison Table
Table prices checked on 9 November 2026. These UK examples use published prices for the payment types shown. Check delivery costs and offer conditions, and use the same card mix and transaction count for each quote. The provider details below link to the original pricing pages.
| Provider | Published in-person fee | Example hardware price (excl. VAT) | What else to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp | 1.69% standard pay-as-you-go. Payments Plus is £19/month with 0.99% on eligible in-person payments. | Solo £79 | Check your card mix against the paid-plan rate. |
| Square | 1.75% for UK cards. Non-UK cards incur an additional 1.5%. | Reader £19 or Terminal £149 | Check optional software charges and rates for remote payments. |
| PayPal Point of Sale (formerly Zettle) | 1.75% for card and contactless payments. | First Reader £29 for eligible new businesses, additional Readers £69 | Check offer terms, delivery and rates for manual entry or payment links. |
| Revolut Business | 0.8% + 2p for UK consumer Visa and Mastercard. Rates vary for other cards. | Lite Terminal £129 or Terminal £169 | Include the Revolut Business plan and your actual card mix. |
| Quoted merchant account | Request a written quote for your business. | Ask about purchase or rental | Compare all charges, settlement, minimum term, notice and exit fees. |
Shortlisting these two providers? See our SumUp vs Square comparison for online fees, payouts and point-of-sale features.
Request options matched to your business and payment requirements.
Understanding Card Machine Provider Types
Compare three pricing routes using the same business requirements. A provider may offer more than one route.
Pay-as-you-go
Compare the transaction fee and hardware cost where there is no fixed monthly payment-plan fee. Check separately for paid software, add-ons, international cards and remote payments.
Subscription payment plans
A monthly subscription may reduce eligible transaction rates. Calculate whether the reduction covers the subscription for your actual card mix and volume.
Quoted merchant account packages
Request a written proposal covering transaction pricing, authorisation fees, terminal costs, settlement and the full contract. Do not use a fixed turnover threshold to assume that one route is automatically cheaper.
Detailed Provider Comparisons
SumUp
SumUp publishes a standard pay-as-you-go in-person fee of 1.69% and a Payments Plus plan at £19 per month with a headline 0.99% rate. Confirm which cards qualify for the plan rate and any exceptions. Its support page lists the Solo at £79 excluding VAT, including delivery; hardware offers can vary.
Sources: SumUp UK pricing and Solo hardware details.
Square
Square publishes 1.75% for in-person UK card payments, with an additional 1.5% for non-UK cards. Its online rate is 1.4% + 25p for UK cards and 2.5% + 25p for non-UK cards. The Free plan has no monthly software fee; optional paid plans and add-ons cost extra. Standard listed hardware prices include a Reader at £19 + VAT and Terminal at £149 + VAT; check the checkout price and promotion terms.
Source: Square UK pricing and hardware.
PayPal POS / Zettle
PayPal’s UK POS page lists 1.75% for card and contactless payments. The first reader offer is £29 excluding VAT for an eligible new business; additional readers are £69 excluding VAT. A Terminal without the barcode scanner is £149 excluding VAT. Delivery charges and offer conditions apply. Manual card entry and payment links have separate prices.
Source: PayPal UK POS pricing.
Revolut Business
Revolut publishes an in-person rate of 0.8% + 2p for domestic consumer Visa and Mastercard payments. Domestic commercial and international cards are listed at 2.6% + 2p; domestic consumer American Express is 1.7% + 2p. Tap to Pay on iPhone has an additional charge. Business-plan fees are separate. Listed hardware includes the Lite Terminal at £129 + VAT and Terminal at £169 + VAT. Compare your actual card mix rather than treating the starting rate as a price for every card.
Source: Revolut UK payment acceptance pricing.
Worldpay, Barclaycard and Other Quoted Routes
Ask for a current written proposal for your specific business. Compare each card category, fixed charges, terminal rental or purchase, software, payout terms, contract length, notice and exit costs. Confirm business eligibility and integrations before comparing headline rates.
How to Choose the Right Card Machine Provider
Decision Framework
- List where you take payments: a fixed till, around your premises, on the move or online.
- Use your monthly card sales, transaction count, average sale and UK/international card mix.
- Compare pay-as-you-go, paid plans and written merchant-account quotes on that same profile.
- Add hardware, software, authorisation and other charges to the transaction cost.
- Check settlement, integrations, support, contract terms and business eligibility before deciding.
Key Factors to Compare
1. Transaction Fees vs Monthly Volumes
Compare the complete monthly cost at your expected usage, including fixed fees per transaction and all recurring charges.
Illustrative calculation, not a provider offer: On £10,000 of eligible card sales, a 1.75% rate gives £175 in transaction fees. A hypothetical 1.2% rate plus a £20 monthly charge gives £140 before any other costs. The £35 difference changes if the card mix, fixed transaction fees, hardware or other charges change.
2. Contract Commitment
Read the payment-service agreement and any separate terminal or software agreement. Check minimum terms, notice, renewal, early-exit charges, equipment return and ownership. No fixed monthly payment-plan fee does not mean that no contractual terms apply.
Already have a provider? Use our card-machine switching checklist to compare exit costs, replacement approval, equipment and cutover requirements. For help comparing your current bill with alternatives, request a card-payment cost review.
3. Terminal Costs
Compare the actual checkout price or written rental quote, including VAT, delivery, docks, printers, connectivity, replacement arrangements and software. Check whether the equipment can be reused if you change provider.
4. Settlement Speed
Check when funds become available, where they settle, cut-off times, weekend processing and any charge for faster transfers. Access to a provider balance and settlement into your external bank account can be different stages. Confirm the timetable and conditions in your agreement.
5. Feature Requirements
List the features your business needs: portable or mobile payments, till integration, tipping, reporting, inventory, online payments or accounting connections. Ask the provider to confirm support for the exact hardware, software plan and integration you intend to use.
6. Support Quality
Check the available support channels and opening hours, escalation procedure and how terminal faults are handled. Compare these arrangements against your trading hours and payment requirements.
One Provider for Online and Shop Payments?
If your business sells in-store and online, compare the complete payment setup alongside the card machine. Ask each shortlisted provider to demonstrate these requirements using your actual sales journey:
- Compatibility: confirm the exact terminal model, EPOS version, ecommerce platform and integration method. Get written confirmation of supported hardware, implementation work and who maintains each connection.
- Total cost: price store and online volumes separately using your card mix and average sale. Include gateway, platform, terminal, integration, refund and dispute charges, plus minimum commitments and cancellation costs.
- Reporting and money movement: check whether transaction references, fees and payouts can be reconciled across channels. Ask who can refund an online sale in-store, how it appears in reports, and which settlement timetable applies to each channel.
- Responsibility and rollout: identify the contracting entities and support teams. Test purchases, refunds and reconciliation before migration; confirm access to historical records and how existing recurring payments or tokens will be handled.
- Other payment routes: include telephone/MOTO and Open Banking requirements in the brief. Ask which services need separate approval, contracts or integration.
Market development, 20 October 2026: Checkout.com announced an in-person expansion and Mollie partnership, describing shared online and in-person acquiring infrastructure and an initial UK/EEA rollout. Confirm current availability, business eligibility and supported integrations directly with the provider before including an announced service in a shortlist.
For retail-specific requirements, see our retail merchant-account guide. Send us your sales split, existing providers, equipment, platform and contract end dates to request an online-and-shop payment review. Options depend on provider assessment and technical fit.
Section reviewed 22 October 2026.
Common Comparison Mistakes
1. Comparing Headline Rates Only
A lower transaction percentage can be outweighed by subscriptions, fixed charges per transaction, hardware, software or other account fees. Compare the full monthly and contract cost using your own sales profile.
2. Not Considering Growth
Model expected turnover, card mix and quiet months before choosing a plan. Compare pay-as-you-go, subscriptions and written quotes using the same sales profile, including hardware, software and exit costs. For example, SumUp Payments Plus reduces fees only for eligible cards and adds a subscription. Higher turnover alone does not establish which option costs less.
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
Our Card Machine Comparison Service
We Tranxact is an independent payment consultancy. Tell us your business type, current processing position, monthly card turnover, payment locations and any equipment or integration requirements.
We can help you assess relevant provider routes, compare complete written costs and understand contract and settlement terms. Approval and available terms remain subject to the provider’s assessment. Ask us to confirm any consultancy or onboarding fee that applies to your enquiry.
Request a tailored card machine comparison or explore our card machine service.
Card Machine Comparison – Frequently Asked Questions
Which card machine provider is cheapest?
There is no single cheapest provider for every business. Compare transaction percentages, fixed charges per payment, subscriptions, hardware, software, settlement costs and contract terms using the same turnover and card mix. A published starting rate is not a price for every transaction.
Is SumUp better than Square?
Compare the features you need and the complete cost. SumUp publishes a standard 1.69% in-person pay-as-you-go fee; Square publishes 1.75% for UK in-person cards with an additional charge for non-UK cards. Paid plans, hardware and online rates also affect the comparison.
Do I need a contract for a card machine?
Every service has terms you must accept. A pay-as-you-go plan can avoid a fixed monthly payment-plan fee, while subscriptions and quoted terminal packages may create recurring commitments. Check minimum terms, cancellation, rental and exit provisions for the selected offer.
Can I switch card machine providers easily?
Check your current agreement’s notice period, remaining minimum term, equipment obligations and exit charges. Confirm that a new account is approved and its equipment or integration works before relying on the replacement.
Which provider has the best customer support?
Compare support hours, available phone, chat and email routes, escalation procedures and terminal replacement arrangements. Ask how the provider handles the kinds of issues your business is likely to face.
Do all providers accept the same card types?
Confirm the card brands, wallets and transaction types supported by the specific account and terminal. Also compare pricing for domestic, international, commercial and American Express cards where relevant.
What is the fastest way to start accepting card payments?
Timing depends on account eligibility, underwriting, documentation, hardware availability and integration. Ask the selected provider for an expected timetable for your business; do not assume a universal same-day or next-day setup.
Can I use multiple card machine providers?
Check each provider’s agreement, equipment compatibility and reporting requirements if you want more than one payment setup. Compare how separate accounts would affect reconciliation, settlement and support.
Which provider is best for restaurants?
Compare portable payment hardware, till integration, tipping, table service, reporting, software charges and support. Check that the selected hardware and software package supports your restaurant’s actual workflow.
How do I know if I am paying too much?
Use a recent statement to calculate all processing charges relative to card sales, then compare written alternatives using the same card mix and transaction count. A single turnover or effective-rate threshold cannot establish whether a particular business is overpaying.
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
Compare Card Machine Providers
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