Best card machine for small business UK 2026
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The best card machine for a small business in the UK in 2026 is SumUp Solo (£79 + VAT hardware, 1.69% flat, no contract, free 4G SIM) for sole traders and lower card volumes, Square Terminal (all-in-one with built-in printer, 1.75%, no contract) for an independent shop or café, and Tap to Pay on iPhone (zero hardware, choose any supported acquirer) for mobile trades. Dojo Go Max (next-working-day settlement, 12-month contract) is the contract alternative: Dojo publishes 1.2% blended below £100,000 a year in card takings, which pays back its £25 a month machine payment against SumUp's flat 1.69% from about £5,100 a month; above £100,000 a year the rate is quoted per merchant. Picks scored on rate, contract terms, hardware cost and settlement speed for a small UK business.
Based on MerchantHQ terminal reviews and our comparison methodology.
Compared on fit for this use case
The score beside each pick is that terminal's overall review score across all uses, so a lower-scored terminal can sit higher here when it suits this job better. The rate, hardware and contract lines come from the same terminal data as the comparison table below.
1. SumUp Solo
Review score 4.2 / 5Best overall for small business and sole traders
Portable standalone touchscreen terminal (no built-in printer; Solo Lite is the cheaper phone-paired version) · 1.69% per transaction · No contract · Source: SumUp card readers page
SumUp Solo is the strongest all-round small-business pick in 2026: £79 + VAT hardware, a single transparent 1.69% rate, no contract, no monthly fee, and a free 4G SIM so it works without WiFi. Best fit for sole traders, market stalls and lower card volumes. As your card takings grow, compare a contract product: the point where a lower rate beats the flat rate depends on your own takings and the monthly fee.
2. Square Terminal
Review score 4.1 / 5Best all-in-one for an independent shop or café
All-in-one countertop terminal with receipt printer · 1.75% per transaction (UK) · No contract · Source: Square Terminal page
Square Terminal is the strongest plug-and-play all-in-one for a small retail or hospitality business: built-in receipt printer, no contract, 1.75% per transaction, and tight integration with the free Square POS, online store and invoicing. The right answer for an independent shop that wants till, receipts and reporting in one device at lower monthly volumes.
3. Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal)
Review score 4.2 / 5Best zero-hardware option for mobile trades
Software on an iPhone Xs or later, no separate terminal · Set by the provider you use it with; see that provider's own pricing page · No fixed term for the feature itself; any contract is with your provider · Source: Apple Tap to Pay on iPhone (UK)
Tap to Pay on iPhone turns an iPhone XS or newer (iOS 16.4+) into the card machine, with zero hardware to buy and no contract. Choose the acquirer (SumUp, Square, Zettle, Stripe, Tide or Revolut). Best fit for plumbers, electricians, mobile beauticians, dog groomers and any small business that takes payment at the customer rather than a fixed till.
4. Dojo Go Max
Review score 4.4 / 5Best once your takings outgrow a flat rate
Portable countertop terminal · 1.2% blended below £100,000 a year in card takings (custom rate above) · 12 months, then month to month (under £1m a year in card takings; Dojo FAQ, read 19 Oct 2026) · Source: Dojo pricing page
Dojo Go Max is for the small business that has outgrown flat-rate pricing: 1.2% blended below £100,000 a year in card takings (custom rate above), next-working-day settlement, with weekend transfers as a paid upgrade, and robust hardware built for hospitality and busy retail. The 12-month minimum contract is the trade-off, justified once monthly card volume is high enough that the lower blended rate wins back the commitment.
5. PayPal Reader
Review score 4.0 / 5Cheapest entry point on hardware
Compact card reader with colour touchscreen (pairs with phone or tablet) · 1.75% per transaction · No contract · Source: PayPal Reader page (zettle.com)
PayPal Reader is the lowest hardware cost to start taking cards at £29 to £69, 1.75% per transaction, no contract. It pairs with a phone or tablet over Bluetooth rather than running standalone, so it suits a small business that only takes occasional card payments or already uses PayPal.
Quick comparison
Headline rate, hardware cost, contract and form factor at a glance.
| # | Terminal | Rate | Hardware | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | SumUp Solo | 1.69% per transaction | £79 + VAT list price (SumUp often discounts it) | No contract |
| #2 | Square Terminal | 1.75% per transaction (UK) | £149 + VAT | No contract |
| #3 | Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal) | Set by the provider you use it with; see that provider's own pricing page | £0 hardware (you already have the iPhone) | No fixed term for the feature itself; any contract is with your provider |
| #4 | Dojo Go Max | 1.2% blended below £100,000 a year in card takings (custom rate above) | £149 upfront on a launch offer (£229 full price) or £25 a month | 12 months, then month to month (under £1m a year in card takings; Dojo FAQ, read 19 Oct 2026) |
| #5 | PayPal Reader | 1.75% per transaction | £29 first reader, £69 each extra (ex VAT) | No contract |
FAQs
What is the best card machine for a small business in the UK?
SumUp Solo is the strongest all-round pick for a small UK business in 2026: £79 + VAT hardware, 1.69% flat rate, no contract, free 4G SIM, best for sole traders and lower card volumes. For an independent shop or café that wants an all-in-one with a receipt printer, Square Terminal is the better fit. For mobile trades, Tap to Pay on iPhone removes the hardware cost entirely.
How much does a card machine cost for a small business?
Hardware ranges from £0 (Tap to Pay on iPhone) to £229 (Stripe Reader S700), with most small-business readers between £49 and £149. Per-transaction rates run from 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).
Monthly fees are £0 on no-contract products. Dojo's Essential plan is free; its Plus plan is £25 a month per location (£11.99 for new customers from 24 August 2026), plus £25 a month for the Go Max machine if you pay monthly instead of buying it (Dojo pricing page, read 22 October 2026). Some Worldpay plans also charge a monthly fee.
Does a small business need a contract for a card machine?
No. SumUp Solo, Square Terminal, PayPal Reader and Tap to Pay on iPhone are all no-contract, which is the right starting point for most small businesses and seasonal traders. Contract products (Dojo, Tyl, Worldpay) make sense once your card takings are high enough for the lower blended rate to win back the 12-month commitment.
What is the cheapest card machine for a small business?
On hardware, Tap to Pay on iPhone is free if you already have a compatible iPhone, and the Tide and Revolut card readers are £49 + VAT and £49 (Revolut does not say if VAT is included), each for its own banking customers. On rate, the lowest published small-business figures are Revolut (0.8% + 2p on any Business plan) and Tide (1.5% + 5p for Tide Business customers). The cheapest answer for you depends on your monthly volume and which business account you already hold.
How we compare
Comparisons are built by desk research from each provider's published rates, upfront costs, contract lengths and settlement terms, held in a dated record per terminal. We do not test devices ourselves; specs are taken from provider documentation and cited. MerchantHQ is an introducer. No provider pays for inclusion or position, and fees never affect how we compare. See our methodology and how we are funded.
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MerchantHQ is owned and operated by Best Business Loans Ltd, directed by Oliver Mackman.
Founder & Managing Director, Muswell Rose, founder and PSC of Best Business Loans Ltd
Adam is the founder and managing director of Muswell Rose and a founder of Best Business Loans Ltd, the company behind MerchantHQ. His career runs through insurance, mortgages, commercial finance and fintech lending, including payments and merchant services. He writes the MerchantHQ library.
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Related reading
Just starting out? See the best card machine for new UK businesses. Selling online as well? See the best card payment setup for UK online businesses. If your business has changed since you signed up, read my business has changed: is my acquirer still right?
An earlier version of this page was reviewed by Derren Powell on 22 October 2026.