Compare Card Machines & Readers
The best UK card machines for small business, compared on price, fees and features. From £19 pocket readers to standalone terminals with their own SIM.
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Showing 9 of 9 providers
Prices last checked:| Provider | Best for | Monthly | Transaction | Reader from | Contract | Payouts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Square4.5 | Cafés | £0 (paid POS tiers available) | 1.75% in-person (no monthly/setup fee on standard) | £19 + VAT | No contract (pay-as-you-go) | Next working day (instant transfer for a fee) | Visit |
 SumUp4.4 | Market stalls | £0 | from 0.99% (Payments Plus) / 1.69% standard | £19 + VAT | No contract (pay-as-you-go) | 1–2 working days (next-day option) | Visit |
| PayPal users | £0 | 1.75% card & contactless | £29 + VAT (first reader often discounted) | No contract (pay-as-you-go) | 1–2 working days (into PayPal/bank) | Visit | |
 Dojo4.1 | Restaurants | From ~£15/mo (quote-based) | Tailored rates (quote-based, often blended) | Hardware/payment-plan pricing (quoted) | Contract terms vary — check carefully | Next-day, as fast as same-day payouts | Visit |
 myPOS4.0 | Instant access to funds | £0 on entry plans | Card-present from 1.10% + 7p (lower-turnover tier) | £19+ (device dependent) | No fixed contract on standard plans | Instant settlement to myPOS account | Visit |
 Shopify POS4.0 | Shopify merchants | From your Shopify plan (POS Pro extra) | Shopify Payments in-person rates (plan dependent) | Reader from ~£49 | Monthly Shopify subscription | Per Shopify Payments schedule | Visit |
| Small & medium UK businesses | From ~£15/mo (plan dependent) | Simple/blended rate plans (quoted) | Terminal from ~£19/mo or purchase | Flexible and fixed terms available | Next working day | Visit | |
 Worldpay3.7 | Established businesses | Quote-based (terminal hire + fees) | Tailored / interchange-plus available (quoted) | Terminal hire (quoted) | Contracts common — check length & exit fees | Typically next working day | Visit |
| Established UK businesses | Quote-based | Tailored rates (quoted) | Terminal options (quoted) | Contracts common — review terms | Typically next working day (faster for Barclays accounts) | Visit |
- Monthly
- £0 (paid POS tiers available)
- Transaction
- 1.75% in-person (no monthly/setup fee on standard)
- Reader from
- £19 + VAT
- Contract
- No contract (pay-as-you-go)
- Payouts
- Next working day (instant transfer for a fee)
- Watch out for
- 1.75% flat rate isn't bespoke-cheap at high volume
- Monthly
- £0
- Transaction
- from 0.99% (Payments Plus) / 1.69% standard
- Reader from
- £19 + VAT
- Contract
- No contract (pay-as-you-go)
- Payouts
- 1–2 working days (next-day option)
- Watch out for
- Standard rate isn't the cheapest at higher volumes
- Monthly
- £0
- Transaction
- 1.75% card & contactless
- Reader from
- £29 + VAT (first reader often discounted)
- Contract
- No contract (pay-as-you-go)
- Payouts
- 1–2 working days (into PayPal/bank)
- Watch out for
- Ecosystem less ambitious than Square
- Monthly
- From ~£15/mo (quote-based)
- Transaction
- Tailored rates (quote-based, often blended)
- Reader from
- Hardware/payment-plan pricing (quoted)
- Contract
- Contract terms vary — check carefully
- Payouts
- Next-day, as fast as same-day payouts
- Watch out for
- Quote-based pricing — less upfront transparency
- Monthly
- £0 on entry plans
- Transaction
- Card-present from 1.10% + 7p (lower-turnover tier)
- Reader from
- £19+ (device dependent)
- Contract
- No fixed contract on standard plans
- Payouts
- Instant settlement to myPOS account
- Watch out for
- Fee structure varies by card type — read the detail
- Monthly
- From your Shopify plan (POS Pro extra)
- Transaction
- Shopify Payments in-person rates (plan dependent)
- Reader from
- Reader from ~£49
- Contract
- Monthly Shopify subscription
- Payouts
- Per Shopify Payments schedule
- Watch out for
- Only makes sense if you're on Shopify
- Monthly
- From ~£15/mo (plan dependent)
- Transaction
- Simple/blended rate plans (quoted)
- Reader from
- Terminal from ~£19/mo or purchase
- Contract
- Flexible and fixed terms available
- Payouts
- Next working day
- Watch out for
- Monthly fee on most plans
- Monthly
- Quote-based (terminal hire + fees)
- Transaction
- Tailored / interchange-plus available (quoted)
- Reader from
- Terminal hire (quoted)
- Contract
- Contracts common — check length & exit fees
- Payouts
- Typically next working day
- Watch out for
- Quote-based, less transparent upfront
- Monthly
- Quote-based
- Transaction
- Tailored rates (quoted)
- Reader from
- Terminal options (quoted)
- Contract
- Contracts common — review terms
- Payouts
- Typically next working day (faster for Barclays accounts)
- Watch out for
- Quote-based pricing
The devices, by provider
Indicative prices — always check current offers, which often discount the first reader.
SumUp
- SumUp AirEntry card reader, pairs with phone app£19 + VAT
- SumUp SoloStandalone reader, no phone needed, SIM connectivity£79 + VAT
Square
- Square ReaderContactless + chip, pairs with phone/tablet£19 + VAT
- Square TerminalAll-in-one handheld with receipt printer£149 + VAT
- Square RegisterFull countertop till system£599 + VAT
PayPal Zettle
- Zettle Reader 2Contactless + chip card reader£29 + VAT
- Zettle TerminalStandalone handheld with built-in app£149 + VAT
Dojo
- Dojo GoPortable card machine with fast payoutsQuoted
- Dojo Pocket / countertopRange to suit counter or table serviceQuoted
myPOS
- myPOS Go 2Pocket card machine with free SIMFrom ~£19
- myPOS ProAndroid smart terminal with receipt printerFrom ~£199
Worldpay
- Worldpay countertop / portableRange of terminals, typically on hireHire (quoted)
Barclaycard Payments
- Barclaycard Smartpay rangeMobile, portable and countertop terminalsQuoted
Tyl by NatWest
- Tyl card readersPortable and countertop optionsFrom ~£19/mo
Lightspeed
- Lightspeed hardware bundlesiPad-based POS, printers, scanners, cash drawersQuoted
Epos Now
- Epos Now Complete bundlesTouchscreen till, printer, cash drawerQuoted
Shopify POS
- Shopify Tap & Chip / WisePadCard reader pairs with Shopify POS appFrom ~£49
- Shopify POS GoAll-in-one handheld scanner + readerQuoted
TouchBistro
- TouchBistro iPad setupiPad POS, printers, KDS optionsQuoted
Card machine FAQs
What is the cheapest card machine in the UK?
SumUp's Air reader (from £19 + VAT) is among the cheapest to buy, with no monthly fee. Square's reader is similarly priced. For the lowest per-transaction rate, SumUp's Payments Plus plan starts from 0.99% on domestic cards.
What is the best card reader for a small business?
For most small businesses, SumUp or Square offer the best balance of cheap hardware, no monthly fee and no contract. If you need a standalone device with mobile data, look at the SumUp Solo or Zettle Terminal.
Do card machines work without WiFi?
Standalone readers with a built-in SIM — like the SumUp Solo, Zettle Terminal and myPOS Go — work on mobile data, so they don't need WiFi. Phone-paired readers rely on your phone's connection.
How we compare
We compare providers using publicly available pricing, contract information, hardware costs, payout details, software features and suitability for different UK business types. Some links may earn us commission, but providers cannot pay to change our editorial verdicts. Read our full methodology.
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