Best card machine for mobile cleaners UK 2026
For UK domestic cleaners, mobile cleaning teams, carpet cleaners, window cleaners, oven cleaners, end-of-tenancy specialists. Mostly sole traders or 2 to 5-person teams. Card-payment needs: weekly or monthly recurring fee for regular clients, one-off pre-payment for deep cleans, occasional emergency callouts.
The ranking
2. Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal)
4.2 / 5Best for one-off cleans
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 for one-off deep cleans, end-of-tenancy, emergency callouts. Zero hardware, no monthly fee, no contract. Take card payment at the customer's door at job completion.
3. SumUp Solo
4.2 / 5Best dedicated mobile reader for cleaners
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, free 4G SIM, full-day battery. Works standalone so your phone stays free for customer calls. Best dedicated UK reader for cleaning teams below £15k monthly card volume.
4. Stripe Reader S700
4.0 / 5Best for online-bookable cleaning businesses
Touchscreen handheld terminal with built-in receipt printer · Custom (Stripe pricing) · Stripe terms
Stripe Reader S700 plus Stripe Checkout for online booking and deposit collection on a website. Best for cleaning businesses running a website with quote-and-book flow. Stripe Billing handles weekly or fortnightly recurring billing if you prefer card over Bacs.
Quick comparison
Headline rate, hardware cost, contract and form factor at a glance.
| Rank | Terminal | Rate | Hardware | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 | Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal) | Same as the underlying acquirer | £0 hardware (you already have the iPhone) | Same as the underlying acquirer |
| #3 | SumUp Solo | 1.69% per transaction | £99 to £149 hardware | No contract |
| #4 | Stripe Reader S700 | Custom (Stripe pricing) | £329 | Stripe terms |
FAQs
What is the best card machine for a UK mobile cleaner?
GoCardless Bacs Direct Debit (1% + 20p, capped £2) is the strongest for recurring weekly or monthly clients because Bacs is cheaper than card on recurring. Tap to Pay on iPhone is the strongest for one-off deep cleans and end-of-tenancy callouts because zero hardware. Most cleaning businesses run both.
Should a cleaning business use GoCardless instead of card for monthly clients?
For regular weekly or monthly cleaning, yes. GoCardless at 1% + 20p capped £2 typically saves 30% to 50% on transaction fees vs card on recurring above £30/payment. Customer authorises the Bacs mandate once at sign-up and never has to enter card details again. Lower customer-churn from forgotten card-renewal too.
How do UK cleaning teams settle card payments across multiple cleaners?
Two models. Operator-receives: card payment lands in the cleaning company merchant account, company pays each cleaner via PAYE. Cleaner-receives: each cleaner has their own SumUp or Tap to Pay setup, customer pays the cleaner directly, cleaner reports back to the operator. Operator-receives is more common above 3 cleaners; cleaner-receives common for partner-team setups.
What about end-of-tenancy cleaning deposits?
End-of-tenancy cleans are usually paid upfront (£150 to £400 typical) once the job is booked. Stripe Checkout for online booking, Tap to Pay on iPhone at the door for the customer paying on arrival. Chargeback risk is low on this type because the customer is the tenant who has just instructed the work, not someone disputing satisfaction post-job.
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.