Best card machine for small business UK 2026
The best card machine for a small business in the UK in 2026 is SumUp Solo (£99 hardware, 1.69% flat, no contract, free 4G SIM) for sole traders and sub-£10k monthly card volume, 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. Once monthly card volume passes roughly £15k, Dojo Go (blended 1.4% to 1.9%, same-next-day settlement, 12-month contract) becomes the cheaper answer. Picks scored on rate, contract terms, hardware cost and settlement speed for a small UK business.
The ranking
1. SumUp Solo
4.2 / 5Best overall for small business and sole traders
Portable terminal with built-in receipt printer (Solo Lite is no-printer) · 1.69% per transaction · No contract
SumUp Solo is the strongest all-round small-business pick in 2026: £99 to £149 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 any business under roughly £10k monthly card volume. The flat rate stops winning above £15k monthly, which is the point to compare contract products.
2. Square Terminal
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
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 below £20k monthly volume.
3. Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal)
4.2 / 5Best zero-hardware option for mobile trades
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 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
4.4 / 5Best once you pass roughly £15k monthly volume
Portable countertop terminal · 1.4% to 1.9% blended · 12 months minimum
Dojo Go is for the small business that has outgrown flat-rate pricing: blended 1.4% to 1.9%, same-next-day settlement including weekends, 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. Zettle Reader 2
4.0 / 5Cheapest entry point on hardware
Compact card reader (pairs with phone or tablet) · 1.75% per transaction · No contract
Zettle Reader 2 is the lowest hardware cost to start taking cards at £59 to £79, 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.
| Rank | Terminal | Rate | Hardware | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | SumUp Solo | 1.69% per transaction | £99 to £149 hardware | No contract |
| #2 | Square Terminal | 1.75% per transaction (UK) | £149 to £199 | No contract |
| #3 | Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal) | Same as the underlying acquirer | £0 hardware (you already have the iPhone) | Same as the underlying acquirer |
| #4 | Dojo Go | 1.4% to 1.9% blended | £0 with rolling monthly fee | 12 months minimum |
| #5 | Zettle Reader 2 | 1.75% per transaction | £59 to £79 | 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: £99 hardware, 1.69% flat rate, no contract, free 4G SIM, best for sole traders and sub-£10k monthly card volume. 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 £329 (Stripe Reader S700), with most small-business readers between £49 and £149. Per-transaction rates run from 0.74% (Tyl by NatWest, for existing NatWest customers) to 1.95% (SumUp at its lowest plan). Monthly fees are £0 on no-contract products and £25+ on some Dojo and Worldpay plans. A typical small business pays a blended £40 to £150 a month all-in.
Does a small business need a contract for a card machine?
No. SumUp Solo, Square Terminal, Zettle Reader 2 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 monthly card volume passes roughly £15k, where the lower blended rate wins 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 Tide and Revolut card readers are £49 for their respective banking customers. On rate, the lowest published small-business figures are Revolut (from 0.8% on higher Business plans) and Tide (1.5% for Tide Business customers). The cheapest answer for you depends on your monthly volume and which business account you already hold.
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: 2026-06-01.