Best card machine for Glasgow taxi UK 2026
For Glasgow City Council licensed Hackney carriage and PHV drivers. Scotland-specific licensing under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. Strong Pakistani-heritage Glasgow PHV driver community in Pollokshields, Govanhill, Maryhill and East End. Glasgow Airport transfer routes (M77/M8) are a meaningful slice of trade.
The ranking
1. Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal)
4.2 / 5Best Glasgow taxi setup
iPhone XS or later running iOS 16.4+, no separate terminal · Same as the underlying acquirer · Same as the underlying acquirer
Tap to Pay on iPhone: zero hardware, no contract, supports Apple Pay, Google Pay and contactless. Best for the typical Glasgow PHV doing under £15k monthly card volume.
2. SumUp Solo
4.2 / 5Best dedicated Glasgow taxi 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% rate, standalone 4G. Works in Glasgow Subway tunnels and Clydeside signal blackspots.
3. Square Terminal
4.1 / 5Best Glasgow airport-transfer driver
All-in-one countertop terminal with receipt printer · 1.75% per transaction (UK) · No contract
Square Terminal at £149 with 1.75% rate. Built-in receipt printer for Glasgow Airport corporate transfers.
4. Revolut Card Reader
3.7 / 5Best for international airport-transfer Glasgow drivers
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% to 1.0% rate. Multi-currency for international passengers arriving at Glasgow Airport from EU and US.
Quick comparison
Headline rate, hardware cost, contract and form factor at a glance.
| Rank | Terminal | Rate | Hardware | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal) | Same as the underlying acquirer | £0 hardware (you already have the iPhone) | Same as the underlying acquirer |
| #2 | SumUp Solo | 1.69% per transaction | £99 to £149 hardware | No contract |
| #3 | Square Terminal | 1.75% per transaction (UK) | £149 to £199 | No contract |
| #4 | Revolut Card Reader | 0.8% to 1.0% per transaction (depending on subscription tier) | £49 hardware | Subscription-tier dependent (Revolut Business plan) |
FAQs
What is the best card machine for a Glasgow taxi driver?
Tap to Pay on iPhone wins overall: zero hardware, TfL-style spec compliance, supports Apple Pay and Google Pay. SumUp Solo at £99 is the strongest dedicated reader. Square Terminal at £149 wins for airport-transfer drivers needing on-the-spot receipts.
Does Glasgow City Council mandate card acceptance on Hackney carriages?
Scotland has no national mandate; licensing is local under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. Glasgow City Council licensing conditions cover accessibility and metering but not specifically card. Commercial reality demands card anyway: 70%+ of UK taxi fares are paid by card in 2026.
How do Glasgow taxi drivers handle settlement on weekends?
Dojo, Tide, Revolut and Tyl by NatWest offer same-day settlement on Saturday and Sunday. SumUp Solo, Square Terminal and Zettle settle next business day (so Saturday-evening takings land Monday morning). For weekend-heavy trade, same-day settlement matters more than rate.
Can Glasgow taxi drivers charge a card fee?
No. UK card surcharging on consumer transactions has been illegal since January 2018. The card-acceptance cost has to be built into the fare, not added at point-of-sale.
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: 2026-05-11.