UK card terminals · Independent comparison
Compare UK Card Machines & Payment Providers
Take card payments. Counter, checkout, or on the go.
How do you take payments?
Card costs at £5,000 a month
At £5,000 a month in card takings, £25 average sale
- Dojo Go Max £85.00 1.2%, £25 a month. Dojo pricing page, 22 October 2026
- Tide Card Reader £89.08 1.5% + 5p, £49 + VAT hardware over 12 months. Tide card reader page, 22 October 2026
- PayPal Reader £89.92 1.75%, £29 + VAT hardware over 12 months. PayPal Reader page (zettle.com), 21 October 2026
- SumUp Solo £91.08 1.69%, £79 + VAT hardware over 12 months. SumUp card readers page, 25 September 2026
- Square Terminal £99.92 1.75%, £149 + VAT hardware over 12 months. Square Terminal page, 25 September 2026
- Stripe Reader S700 £109.08 1.4% + 10p, £229 + VAT hardware over 12 months. Stripe UK Terminal page, 22 October 2026
Published prices, read on each provider's own page on the date shown. Hardware prices exclude VAT. Not a quote: your trade, card mix and volume change the real price.
Accepts 
The providers we compare are used by businesses across the UK every day
MerchantHQ is a UK card-payment comparison service covering 40+ providers (Dojo, SumUp, Square, Zettle, Stripe, Adyen, Worldpay, Barclaycard, Tide, Tyl, Revolut and every UK specialist acquirer). Complete the 2-minute form for 2 to 3 tailored quotes from providers likely to accept your trade. Free to apply, no obligation.
Choose where you take payments
Counter
Card machine for your shop floor or counter. Tap, chip-and-PIN, Apple Pay, Google Pay.
See card machinesCheckout
Online gateway for standard websites. Subscriptions and marketplaces too.
Compare payment gatewaysOn the go
Mobile reader for trades, stalls, taxis. Or zero hardware via Tap to Pay on iPhone.
See on-the-go optionsNot sure which fits? Read the 2-minute explainer or tell us your trade and we'll route you.
Every major UK card machine, compared
Countertop, portable 4G, mobile Bluetooth, Tap to Pay on iPhone and integrated POS. Scored on rate, contract length, settlement schedule, hardware and trade fit, cross-checked against published provider documentation.
- Best for: Hospitality (restaurants, pubs, cafés) Dojo Go Max 1.2% blended below £100,000 a year in card takings (custom rate above) Read review →
- Best for: Sole traders, mobile traders, market stalls SumUp Solo 1.69% per transaction Read review →
- Best for: Mobile traders, dog groomers, mobile beauticians Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal) Set by your provider Read review →
- Best for: Independent retail Square Terminal 1.75% per transaction (UK) Read review →
- Best for: Hospitality and retail wanting weekend settlement without a 12-month contract Teya Pro 1.59% personal Visa and Mastercard cards, 1.90% business, international and Amex cards, up to £7,500 a month; custom quote above Read review →
What card payments cost at your takings
The cheapest provider at £2,000 a month is not always the cheapest at £15,000. Move the slider to your takings.
Published prices from each provider's own UK page (rates read 8 October 2026; price pages checked between 25 September 2026 and 22 October 2026), £25 average sale, hardware (excluding VAT) spread over 12 months. An estimate, not a quote.
UK card machine comparisons
Pick a head-to-head. Pricing, hardware, contract length, and trade fit, side by side. 32 pairings covering the UK card-payment market in 2026.
What happens after you enquire
One enquiry, 2 to 3 tailored quotes.
We compare the market and pass your enquiry on for 2 to 3 tailored quotes. The provider you choose runs your account and its support from then on.
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2 to 3 tailored quotes
The company preparing your quotes contacts you and works to return 2 to 3 tailored quotes for your trade and card volume. Compare the rate, contract length, exit fees and settlement, then take one or none.
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The provider runs your account
Once you are live, the provider you choose supplies the card machine and runs your account and its support line. Your merchant agreement is with that provider, not with MerchantHQ.
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Free guides for later
As you grow: how to review your card rate, how to challenge a chargeback and how to switch provider.
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No fee to you
Free to apply and no obligation.
Free to apply, no obligation · Directed by Oliver Mackman, Director, Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937), which owns and operates MerchantHQ
Pick your route
Where do your customers pay?
Each route opens a different UK acquirer shortlist.
In-person, at the till
Shops, restaurants, salons, mobile traders, market stalls. Physical card terminal or Tap to Pay on iPhone.
See 19 terminal reviews →Online, on your website
Shopify, WooCommerce, custom checkout, subscription billing, donations. A payment gateway, not a terminal.
Compare payment gateways →Both, counter and online
Click-and-collect, restaurant plus delivery, salon plus online booking. One acquirer, both rails.
Omnichannel quotes →Not sure if your trade counts as high-risk? Check your category against the UK acquirers' high-risk list. Already running one (gambling, crypto, dating, subscription, CBD, vape, adult)? Start at high-risk verticals instead. Already been turned down by a mainstream provider? See why merchant accounts get declined and the specialist route back in.
How do I choose the right card machine for my UK business?
Start with where the customer pays. In-person needs a card terminal (Dojo Go Max for next-working-day settlement, SumUp Solo for no-contract, Square Terminal for omnichannel). Online needs a payment gateway (Stripe Checkout, Adyen Web, Shopify Payments). Both needs an omnichannel acquirer running both rails. High-risk verticals need a specialist acquirer disclosed upfront.
UK card-payment kit is shaped by where the customer is when they pay, not by your business size. A Vietnamese-owned nail salon needs different kit from a hospitality multi-counter operation. A CBD retailer needs a different acquirer entirely. Know your trading shape, get tailored quotes, sign with the one that fits.
UK card-payment questions, answered
What do I get when I sign up for a card machine through MerchantHQ?
You get 2 to 3 tailored quotes. The provider you choose supplies the card machine and runs your account and its support. For later on, our free guides cover reviewing your rate, challenging a chargeback and switching provider. Free to apply, no obligation.
What is the best UK card machine in 2026?
Dojo Go Max is the strongest UK card machine for busier businesses in 2026: next-working-day settlement, robust hardware, 1.2% blended below £100,000 a year in card takings (custom rate above). SumUp Solo is the strongest no-contract option for lower volumes. Square Terminal is the strongest all-in-one for independent retail. Tap to Pay on iPhone is the best zero-hardware option for mobile traders.
How much does a card machine cost per month in the UK?
Card-machine monthly cost is zero (SumUp Solo, Square Terminal, Tide, Revolut, Tap to Pay on iPhone) to £25 or more (for example Dojo: Essential plan free, Plus plan £25 a month per location or £11.99 for new customers from 24 August 2026, and £25 a month for the Go Max machine if you pay monthly; Dojo pricing page, read 22 October 2026; some Worldpay and Adyen plans also charge a monthly fee).
Plus per-transaction rate 0.8% (Revolut Reader on UK consumer cards, for Revolut Business customers) to about 1.9% (the top of some blended contract pricing; published no-contract rates are 1.69% at SumUp and 1.75% at Square and Zettle). Hardware: £0 (Tap to Pay) to £229 (Stripe Reader S700) one-off. Total 12-month cost depends on monthly card volume and average transaction size.
Do I need a contract for a UK card machine?
No. Several strong no-contract products exist in 2026: SumUp Solo (1.69%), Square Terminal (1.75%), PayPal Reader (1.75%), Tide Card Reader (1.5% + 5p), Revolut Card Reader (0.8% + 2p), Tap to Pay on iPhone. Contracts (Dojo, Worldpay, Tyl) start to make sense once your card takings are high enough for a lower rate to win back the lock-in.
What is the difference between a card machine and a payment gateway?
A card machine is a physical device for in-person payments where the customer is in front of you. A payment gateway is software for online payments where the customer is on your website typing card details into a checkout. Different pricing, different fraud rules, different settlement schedules. If you sell both in person and online, one acquirer (Stripe, Adyen, Square, Worldpay) can run both rails.
How quickly do I get my money from a card transaction?
Next working day from Dojo (10am, with weekend transfers as a paid upgrade) and Tyl (by the end of the next business day). Square pays the next day including weekends, SumUp gives next-day access in a SumUp Business Account by 7am, and Zettle pays into a PayPal Business account, typically within minutes. T+2 from Stripe established merchants, 7-day rolling reserve from Stripe new merchants. Most UK acquirer settlement schedules can be negotiated above £50k monthly volume.
How do I switch from Worldpay or Barclaycard to a new card machine?
Check the notice period in your agreement (Worldpay's standard terms, April 2026, ask for one month's written notice; other providers set their own). Submit cancellation in writing before the renewal window opens. Confirm exit fees in writing. Sign with the new provider and time the cutover for low-volume trading hours. We cover step-by-step at /switch/.
Question not here? Browse all UK card-payment questions or get a quote in 2 minutes.
Ready to compare UK card-payment quotes?
Tell us your trade and trading shape. Get 2 to 3 tailored card-payment quotes. Free to apply.
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- Free to apply, no obligation. How we are funded
- Directed by Oliver Mackman, Best Business Loans Ltd
- Companies House 16833937
How do you take payments?