Best Card Readers for Mobile Businesses in the UK
Food vans, pop-ups, mobile groomers, event traders - if you move around, you need a reader that works on mobile data, lasts the day, and doesn't tie you to a contract.
What mobile businesses actually pay
Start from typical numbers for your trade - then make them yours.
Free · takes about ten seconds · every big UK provider
Our top picks for mobile businesses
SumUp
4.4Cheap to start, nothing to cancel - but you may outgrow it.
Best for
- Monthly fee
- £0
- Transaction fee
- from 0.99% (Payments Plus) / 1.69% standard
- Contract
- No contract (pay-as-you-go)
- Payouts
- 1–2 working days (next-day option)
- Cheap, low-commitment hardware
- Avoid if: You need a full till, staff logins or deep reporting.
Square
4.5The easiest all-rounder for most small businesses.
Best for
- Monthly fee
- £0 (paid POS tiers available)
- Transaction fee
- 1.75% in-person (no monthly/setup fee on standard)
- Contract
- No contract (pay-as-you-go)
- Payouts
- Next working day (instant transfer for a fee)
- Genuinely good free POS app
- Avoid if: You're chasing the absolute lowest rate at high volume.
PayPal Zettle
4.2Tidy and cheap if you already live in the PayPal world.
Best for
- Monthly fee
- £0
- Transaction fee
- 1.75% card & contactless
- Contract
- No contract (pay-as-you-go)
- Payouts
- 1–2 working days (into PayPal/bank)
- No monthly fee for the basic POS app
- Avoid if: You want a deep POS ecosystem or don't use PayPal.
myPOS
4.0Handy if same-day cash flow beats brand familiarity.
Best for
- Monthly fee
- £0 on entry plans
- Transaction fee
- Card-present from 1.10% + 7p (lower-turnover tier)
- Contract
- No fixed contract on standard plans
- Payouts
- Instant settlement to myPOS account
- Instant access to your money via a built-in account
- Avoid if: You want the most familiar UK high-street name.
What matters for mobile businesses
Mobile connectivity
A standalone device with its own SIM beats hunting for WiFi.
Battery life
All-day power for events and markets.
No monthly fee
Pay-as-you-go for irregular trading days.
Tap to Pay backup
Accept contactless on your phone if the reader dies.
Fees to watch
Recommended setup
A SumUp Solo or Square Terminal - standalone, SIM-connected, no monthly fee. myPOS is a strong option if instant access to your takings matters.
Compare these providers
Showing 4 of 4 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 | |
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 |
- 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
- You're chasing the absolute lowest rate 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
- You need a full till, staff logins or deep reporting.
- 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
- You want a deep POS ecosystem or don't use PayPal.
- 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
- You want the most familiar UK high-street name.
Find the right POS for your mobile businesse
Answer a few quick questions and we'll match you to providers that fit how you actually trade.
FAQs
What card reader works without WiFi?
Standalone readers with a built-in SIM - like the SumUp Solo, Zettle Terminal or myPOS Go - work on mobile data, so you don't need WiFi. Ideal for vans, markets and events.
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.
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.