In short: No-contract card machines let you take card payments with no monthly fee or fixed term, paying only a percentage per transaction. UK options include SumUp, Square and Zettle. They suit low-volume, seasonal or new businesses. A contract can work out cheaper if you process high, steady card sales.
Not everyone wants to sign a multi-year deal to take a card. Here are the genuinely no-contract options, and when a contract might actually save you money.
The no-contract, no-monthly-fee options
These let you buy a reader and pay only per transaction:
- SumUp
- Square
- PayPal Zettle
- myPOS (entry plans)
When a contract is worth it
If you're high-volume, a quote-based provider (Dojo, Worldpay, Barclaycard) might offer a low enough rate that even with a monthly fee and contract, you come out ahead. Just make sure the maths works and the exit terms are reasonable.
FAQs
Which UK card machines have no monthly fee?
SumUp, Square and Zettle all offer pay-as-you-go readers with no monthly fee or contract, charging a flat percentage per transaction instead. You buy the reader once, then only pay when you take a payment, which suits low or irregular sales.
When is a card machine contract worth it?
A contract can be worth it if you process high, steady card volumes, as a lower transaction rate may outweigh the monthly cost. It is rarely worth it for low or seasonal trade, where pay-as-you-go with no fixed fees usually costs less overall.
Can I cancel a no-contract card machine anytime?
Yes. With pay-as-you-go providers there is no fixed term, so you can simply stop using the reader with nothing more to pay. You keep the hardware you bought. This flexibility is the main reason new and seasonal businesses choose no-contract options.
Reviewed by Nathan Keeble - Founder, The POS
Independent UK payments research. We research the pricing, read the small print and write it up in plain English.