Card Machine Fees Compared: SumUp vs Square vs Zettle vs Dojo (2026)

Card machine fees compared: what each one actually charges

Let's start with the headline numbers, because that's what every provider leads with. These are the rates you'll see plastered across their homepages. Just remember: a percentage on a website is a starting point, not the full bill.

Two of these are pay-as-you-go with no monthly fee. One is quote-based with a contract. That difference matters more than the decimal points, so keep it in mind as you read.

• SumUp: 1.69% per transaction standard, or from 0.99% on the Payments Plus plan (which carries a monthly fee). No monthly fee on the standard plan. Check current terms.
• Square: 1.75% per in-person transaction, no monthly fee. Online and keyed-in rates differ.
• PayPal Zettle: 1.75% per transaction, no monthly fee. Simple and flat.
• Dojo: quote-based, tailored rates depending on your turnover and card mix. Monthly fee from around £15, and you're on a contract. Check current terms.

Why the cheapest headline rate isn't always the cheapest

Here's the bit providers gloss over. A 1.69% rate looks better than 1.75%, but the headline percentage rarely tells you what leaves your account each month. The gap between two providers on rate alone is often pennies. The gap on everything else can be real money.

Things that quietly change the maths: monthly hardware or software fees, PCI compliance charges, chargeback fees, higher rates on premium and commercial cards (business cards and rewards cards usually cost you more), and how fast you get paid. A provider that's 0.1% cheaper but holds your money for three working days can hurt cash flow more than the saving is worth.

Pay-as-you-go providers like SumUp, Square and Zettle keep it simple: you pay per transaction and that's largely it. Quote-based providers like Dojo can undercut them on rate, but you have to weigh the monthly fee and contract against that lower percentage. The honest answer is: it depends on your volume. So let's put numbers on it.

Worked example: £5,000 a month vs £8,000 a month

Let's run two realistic UK small businesses through the flat-rate providers. We'll use the standard headline rates and ignore extras for a moment, just to show how volume changes the picture. These are illustrative - always check current terms and run your own mix.

At £5,000 a month, the difference between providers is small in cash terms. At £8,000 a month it grows, but it's still modest between the flat-rate options. Where it gets interesting is when a quote-based provider like Dojo offers you a rate well under 1.5%. On higher volume, a lower percentage plus a £15 monthly fee can beat a slightly higher pay-as-you-go rate. On lower volume, that monthly fee eats the saving alive.

• £5,000/mo at 1.69% (SumUp standard): about £84.50 in fees.
• £5,000/mo at 1.75% (Square or Zettle): about £87.50 in fees. Difference: £3.
• £8,000/mo at 1.69%: about £135.20. At 1.75%: £140. Difference: £4.80.
• £8,000/mo at a hypothetical Dojo 1.4% + £15 monthly: about £127. That can win at higher volume - but only if the quoted rate is genuinely low. Get the quote in writing.
• Lesson: at low volume, flat-rate wins on simplicity. At higher volume, a good quote-based deal can pull ahead. The crossover point depends entirely on your quoted rate.

The sneaky extra fees that don't make the homepage

This is where businesses get caught out. Two providers can quote near-identical rates and still leave you paying wildly different amounts, because the extras aren't in the headline. We've written a full breakdown on hidden card machine fees, but here are the usual suspects to interrogate before you sign anything.

• Monthly or minimum service fees, common on contract providers.
• PCI compliance charges (some providers bake this in, some bill it separately).
• Chargeback fees when a customer disputes a payment.
• Higher rates on premium, commercial and international cards - these can be noticeably above the headline.
• Payout speed: next-day is normal, but some hold funds longer or charge for instant payout.
• Hardware costs and early-termination fees if you're on a contract.

The verdict by volume

There's no single winner, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. The right choice depends almost entirely on how much you turn over and whether you value simplicity or a sharpened rate.

If you're low-volume, seasonal, a market stall, a pop-up or just starting out, go pay-as-you-go. SumUp, Square or Zettle. No monthly fee means you pay nothing on a quiet month, and the rate difference between them is small enough that hardware, app features and payout speed should decide it for you.

If you're higher-volume and consistent, it's worth getting a quote from Dojo (and other quote-based providers). A tailored rate under 1.5% plus a monthly fee can genuinely beat pay-as-you-go once your turnover is high enough. Just get the rate in writing, read the contract length, and check the exit terms before you commit.

• Low or unpredictable volume: pay-as-you-go (SumUp, Square, Zettle). No monthly fee, no contract.
• Steady high volume: get a quote-based deal (Dojo) and compare it against your current flat rate.
• Not sure where you sit: run your actual numbers rather than guessing off the headline percentages.

Run your own numbers before you decide

Every example above is illustrative. Your card mix, your monthly turnover and the extras you get charged will shift the answer. The only way to know who's genuinely cheapest for your business is to plug in your real figures.

Use our fee calculator to run your actual monthly turnover against each provider's rates and see the real cost, extras included. Then compare all card machines side by side to check features, contracts and payout speeds in one place. Five minutes now can save you a few hundred quid a year.

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