Quick verdict
SumUp is the default pick for sole traders, market stalls and mobile sellers who just want to take a card without a contract or monthly fee. Simple, cheap to start, and hard to get wrong. You'll outgrow it if you need full restaurant or deep retail features.
Best for
- Market stalls
- Tradespeople
- Mobile sellers
- Low-volume businesses
Not ideal for
- Busy restaurants needing table plans
- Complex multi-site retail
Pricing
- Standard transaction rate is 1.69%, with a Payments Plus plan offering rates from 0.99% for domestic cards.
- No monthly fee and no contract on pay-as-you-go - you only pay when you sell.
- Readers start at £19 + VAT (Air); the standalone Solo with SIM is around £79 + VAT.
- Monthly fee
- £0
- Transaction
- from 0.99% (Payments Plus) / 1.69% standard
- Reader from
- £19 + VAT
- Payouts
- 1–2 working days (next-day option)
Hardware
The SumUp Air is the cheapest way in but needs your phone. The Solo is the better buy for most - it works on its own with mobile data and a little touchscreen, ideal for markets and on-site work.
Features & contract
Contract: No contract (pay-as-you-go). Support: Support is decent for a low-cost provider - help centre, email and chat. Don't expect a dedicated account manager at this price point.
Real-world use cases
- Market stall: Excellent - Solo reader, no monthly fee, works on mobile data.
- Plumber / electrician: Excellent - cheap reader, invoices, pay-by-link and Tap to Pay.
- Busy restaurant: Limited - no proper table/coursing features; look at Square or a hospitality POS.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Cheap, low-commitment hardware
- No monthly fee on pay-as-you-go
- Genuinely simple to set up and use
- Tap to Pay on iPhone/Android, invoices and a free online store
Watch out for
- Standard rate isn't the cheapest at higher volumes
- Light on full-POS features (tables, deep inventory)
- Standard payouts slower than instant-access rivals
SumUp vs alternatives
SquareThe strongest free POS software option. Tidy app, decent ecosystem, no monthly fee to start. Great for small retail, cafés and service businesses that want software without signing their life away.
PayPal ZettlePayPal-friendly card payments with a simple reader and no monthly software fee for basic use. Good for small retailers and mobile sellers already in the PayPal world.
myPOSBest when you want instant access to funds through a built-in business account. Handy for international/European payments. The fee structure is more complex, so watch card-type differences.
Final verdict
The “just let me take payments” option. Cheap to start, portable, dead simple. Brilliant for low-volume and mobile sellers; you may outgrow it for a full restaurant setup.
FAQs
Is SumUp good for small businesses?
Yes - it's one of the most popular options for UK sole traders and micro-businesses thanks to cheap hardware, no monthly fee and no contract.
What are SumUp's fees?
1.69% per transaction on the standard plan, or from 0.99% on Payments Plus for domestic cards. No monthly fee on pay-as-you-go. Always check current terms.
Does SumUp do Tap to Pay?
Yes - SumUp supports Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android, so you can accept contactless on your phone with no separate reader.
How much does a SumUp card reader cost?
SumUp readers start from around £19 plus VAT for the entry model, with no monthly fee and no contract. You pay a transaction fee on each sale rather than a fixed cost, so it suits low or seasonal volumes. Check current terms, as bundle prices vary.
How long do SumUp payouts take?
SumUp typically pays funds into your linked bank account within one to two working days of the transaction. There is no extra charge for standard payouts. Timing can vary slightly around weekends and bank holidays, so check current terms for the latest schedule.
Can you cancel SumUp at any time?
Yes. SumUp works on a pay-as-you-go basis with no contract and no monthly fee, so there is nothing to cancel in terms of a subscription. You simply stop using the reader. You keep the hardware you bought, and only pay fees when you take a payment.
Does SumUp have lower rates for higher volumes?
Yes. The standard rate is 1.69% per transaction, but the Payments Plus plan brings card fees down from 0.99% for busier businesses, typically for a monthly fee. It is worth comparing the two against your monthly takings. Check current terms to confirm the latest pricing.