Best card machine for Gatwick taxi UK 2026
For taxi and private-hire drivers running Gatwick Airport transfers from the North and South Terminal ranks, plus PCO drivers booked via hotel concierge, Airport Cars Gatwick, or corporate-account operators. Mix of leisure travellers (lower fare value, more debit-card) and business travellers (higher fare value, AMEX). Strong international tourist card use, especially on Saturdays and Sundays.
The ranking
1. Square Terminal
4.1 / 5Best Gatwick taxi terminal
All-in-one countertop terminal with receipt printer · 1.75% per transaction (UK) · No contract
Square Terminal at £149 with 1.75% rate and built-in thermal printer. Gatwick business travellers and corporate accounts expense their cab and need on-the-spot receipts. AMEX accepted at 2.5%.
2. SumUp Solo
4.2 / 5Best Gatwick rank dedicated reader
Portable terminal with built-in receipt printer (Solo Lite is no-printer) · 1.69% per transaction · No contract
SumUp Solo at £99 with 1.69%. Standalone 4G works at North and South Terminal ranks and on M23 / A23 corridors to Brighton, Crawley and South London.
3. Revolut Card Reader
3.7 / 5Best for tourist-heavy Gatwick driver
Compact Bluetooth-paired reader · 0.8% to 1.0% per transaction (depending on subscription tier) · Subscription-tier dependent (Revolut Business plan)
Revolut Card Reader at £49 with 0.8% UK / 1.3% non-UK rate. Cheapest UK rate. Strong international card handling for the tourist-heavy Gatwick weekend share.
Quick comparison
Headline rate, hardware cost, contract and form factor at a glance.
| Rank | Terminal | Rate | Hardware | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Square Terminal | 1.75% per transaction (UK) | £149 to £199 | No contract |
| #2 | SumUp Solo | 1.69% per transaction | £99 to £149 hardware | No contract |
| #3 | Revolut Card Reader | 0.8% to 1.0% per transaction (depending on subscription tier) | £49 hardware | Subscription-tier dependent (Revolut Business plan) |
FAQs
Do Gatwick rank cabs have to accept card payment?
Gatwick Airport-licensed taxi operators on the official rank are contractually required to accept card under their rank-access agreement with the airport. PHV booked via hotel concierge or corporate account is not contractually required but commercially essential given the customer mix.
What is the Gatwick taxi airport-departure supplement?
Currently £5.40 in 2026 for Gatwick North and South Terminal departures (set by the airport, separate from the metered fare). Driver collects it as part of the total card payment; same no-surcharge-for-card rule applies.
How do Gatwick taxi drivers handle international tourist card declines?
Most declines are the tourist's home bank flagging international use, not the cab's acquirer rejecting. Suggest the tourist try their backup card, use Apple Pay or Google Pay (different fraud rules apply via tokenisation), or visit a Gatwick ATM if all cards fail.
Methodology
Rankings are based on direct hands-on testing, published rates, settlement timing, contract terms, and acquirer reliability. We do not accept payment for ranking position. See our full methodology and editorial policy.
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Open quote form →Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 2026-05-12.