Compare · Taking payments

Best card readers for UK small businesses

Most card readers in the UK are within a hair's breadth on price. What actually differs is contract length, hardware up-front cost, and whether the app feels like a real POS or a glorified Square reader.

Last updated May 2026 · Independent · We don't take affiliate fees

At low volumes (£10k/year) the fee differences are pennies — pick by hardware and ease. Above £100k/year a 0.25% difference in transaction fees becomes real money and you should negotiate.

Quick comparison answer

Our current top pick is SumUp Solo. It is ranked first because it is strongest for mobile traders, market stalls, side hustles and has the clearest overall trade-off against the criteria below.

How we picked

Our criteria

Transaction fee

What you actually pay per £100 taken. We list standard published rates — high-volume merchants can negotiate.

Hardware cost

Up-front price of the reader. Beware 'free reader' offers that lock you into pricier transaction rates.

Settlement speed

How quickly funds land in your bank — same day, next day, or 2–3 business days.

Beyond the reader

Does the app actually run a shop — inventory, staff logins, table service, reporting?

#1Lowest fees

SumUp Solo

The best low-volume reader for service businesses and pop-ups.

Best for: Mobile traders, market stalls, side hustles

Price: £79 reader, 1.69% per tap (UK cards)

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What's great

Lowest fees on the market for UK debit/credit cards
Reader has its own screen and SIM — works without a phone
No monthly fee, no contract, no minimum

Watch-outs

Next-business-day settlement (Square is faster on paid plans)
App is fine but not a full POS — no table management
Higher fees for international cards

#2Best ecosystem

Square

The best when you also need a real POS, online ordering or a website.

Best for: Cafés, restaurants, shops with online + in-store

Price: Free reader, 1.75% in person

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What's great

Free magstripe reader; Terminal device £169 with built-in printer
Full POS — inventory, staff PINs, gift cards, loyalty, online ordering
Same-day deposits available (1.5% fee)

Watch-outs

Higher per-transaction fee than SumUp
Some advanced features (e.g. payroll) are paid extras

Zettle by PayPal

Good if you already use PayPal for invoicing.

Best for: Existing PayPal users

Price: £29 reader, 1.75% per tap

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What's great

Tight PayPal integration for funds and invoicing
Cheap reader hardware
Stock management is solid

Watch-outs

App is less polished than Square
PayPal-side support can be slow for disputes

Tide POS / Stripe Reader S700

The right pick if you already run your finances on Tide or Stripe.

Best for: Tide / Stripe-first businesses, online sellers doing pop-ups

Price: Tide reader £49, fees from 1.5%

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What's great

Funds land in your Tide business account instantly
Stripe reader (S700) integrates with any Stripe-powered website or app
Per-transaction fees can be negotiated at higher volumes

Watch-outs

Stripe reader requires a developer for full POS use
Tide POS app is newer — feature set still growing

Side-by-side

Compare at a glance

Provider	Reader cost	UK fee	Settlement	Contract	POS features
SumUp Solo	£79	1.69%	Next day	None	Basic
Square	Free–£169	1.75%	Next day (or same-day +1.5%)	None	Full POS
Zettle	£29	1.75%	1–2 days	None	Solid
Tide / Stripe	£49 / £349	1.5–1.75%	Instant (Tide) / 2 days (Stripe)	None	Growing

The verdict

Side hustle / market stall: SumUp Solo. Lowest fees, works alone.

Café, shop or restaurant: Square. The POS earns its keep within a month.

Already on Tide: Tide POS — the instant settlement is genuinely useful for cashflow.

For all four, don't bother with a 'free reader, locked-in 18-month contract' deal. The non-contract options above are uniformly cheaper across any realistic time horizon.