Lowest Fees Card Machines UK 2026 | Compare Cheapest Transaction Rates Solutions Quick answer
The lowest fee card machines in the UK are usually not the cheapest upfront card readers. They are often card machine or merchant account providers that offer lower transaction rates in return for monthly rental, contract terms or custom pricing.
For very small businesses, providers such as SumUp, Square and PayPal POS are simple because they offer no-monthly-fee or low-commitment card reader options. However, their standard transaction fees are usually higher than the lowest rates available to businesses with regular card turnover.
For growing businesses, cafés, restaurants, salons, shops, pubs and trades businesses, providers such as Dojo, Tyl by NatWest, Worldpay, Barclaycard, Elavon, TakePayments and Lloyds Cardnet may offer lower transaction rates or custom pricing.
The lowest fee provider depends on monthly card turnover, average transaction value, card type, payment method, contract length and hidden fees.
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Authored by: Ally Cox (Business Technology & B2B Services Specialist 10+ Years’ Experience)
Reviewed by: James Ward (Telecoms Specialist, 12+ Years Experience)
Last Updated: July 2026
Contents
Card Machines with the Lowest Fees UK
Card Machine Fees Explained
How to Get the Lowest Fees
Low Fees vs No Contract
Who Should Choose Low-Fee Card Machines?
Lowest fee card machines at a glance
Provider Typical pricing style Best for Why compare it
Dojo
Blended or custom pricing
SMEs, cafés, salons, pubs and restaurants
Published 1.2% blended rate below £100k annual card turnover
Tyl by NatWest
Published small-business rates and custom pricing
SMEs wanting bank-backed payments
1.39% + 5p for UK/European personal cards under £50k annual card payment value
Worldpay
Merchant services and card machine pricing
Established businesses
Custom pricing and card machine packages
Barclaycard
Merchant services pricing
Established SMEs and Barclays customers
Bank-backed acquiring and custom pricing
Elavon
Merchant services pricing
Retail, hospitality and growing SMEs
In-store, mobile and online payment options
TakePayments
Quote-based card machine packages
SMEs wanting guided setup
Tailored rates and terminal options
Lloyds Cardnet
Merchant services pricing
Lloyds customers and established businesses
Merchant account and card payment services
SumUp
Flat-rate or subscription pricing
Sole traders and small sellers
Low-cost setup and lower eligible rate on paid plan
Square
Flat-rate pricing
Small businesses wanting POS tools
Simple 1.75% in-person rate with no standard monthly fee
PayPal POS
Flat-rate pricing
PayPal users and low-volume sellers
Simple setup and PayPal ecosystem
Key Takeaways
The lowest card machine fees usually come from providers offering custom, blended or merchant account-style pricing.
No-contract card readers are often cheaper upfront but can cost more in transaction fees as turnover grows.
Square lists 1.75% for UK in-person card payments.
Tyl by NatWest lists 1.39% + 5p for UK and European personal cards under £50k annual card payment value.
Dojo advertises a 1.2% blended transaction rate for businesses below £100k annual card turnover.
SumUp can be low-cost for small sellers, with standard and paid-plan pricing options.
Very low rates, such as 0.3%–0.8%, are usually linked to custom merchant account pricing, card type, turnover and contract terms.
The lowest headline transaction rate is not always the cheapest total deal.
Terminal rental, authorisation fees, PCI fees, settlement costs and chargebacks can increase your effective rate.
Businesses taking more than £5,000 to £10,000 per month by card should compare low-fee card machine providers.
Comparing providers can help reduce payment costs by up to 40%.
Compare card machine fees based on your turnover, card mix and payment setup.
Card Machine Fees Calculator UK Estimate your monthly and annual card processing costs in seconds. Adjust the fields below to see how much your current setup could be costing you.
Pricing model Flat rate Custom / Merchant account
Your Estimated Costs
Estimated monthly fees
£0.00
Estimated annual fees
£0.00
Estimated monthly transactions
0
Potential monthly saving
£0.00
You could save money by switching to a lower-fee provider.
This calculator is an estimate only. Actual card machine costs vary by provider, pricing structure, card mix, sector and contract terms.
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Card Machines with the Lowest Fees UK
Provider Transaction fees Monthly cost Good for Benefits
Tyl by NatWest 0.35%–1.5%
£0–£19
SMEs
Competitive rates
TakePayments 0.3%–1.5%
£15–£25
Growing businesses
Low fees at scale
Worldpay 0.3%–1.6%
£15+
Established businesses
Enterprise-level pricing
Elavon 0.3%–1.6%
£15+
High-volume businesses
Custom pricing
Dojo 0.4%–1.5%
£20+
Retail & hospitality
Fast payouts
Low fee vs cheap card machine: what is the difference? A cheap card machine usually means low upfront cost or no monthly fee.
A low-fee card machine usually means lower transaction rates.
These are not always the same thing.
Priority Best option
Cheapest upfront cost
Pay-as-you-go card reader
Sole trader or market seller
Lowest monthly commitment
No-monthly-fee provider
Occasional or seasonal seller
Lowest transaction rate
Contract or custom-rate provider
Café, shop or restaurant with regular payments
Lowest total cost
Provider with best effective monthly rate
Growing SME comparing full fees
Best value
Payment setup that fits turnover and features
Business needing EPOS, support and lower rates
Compare Card Machine Deals
No long-term commitment
Free, no-obligation quotes
Portable & mobile card readers
Trusted UK providers
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Card Machine Fees Explained
Fee type Typical c ost
Debit card fees
0.3%-0.8%
Credit card fees
0.7%-1.75%
Monthly fee
£0-£25
Authorisation fee
1p-5p
PCI compliance
£0-£10/month
How to Get the Lowest Fees To reduce your card processing costs:
Compare multiple providers
Switch to interchange++ pricing
Increase transaction volume
Negotiate your rates
Review your contract regularly
👉 Compare quotes to get your lowest rates
Low Fees vs No Contract
Option Pros Cons
Low-fee card machine
Lower transaction costs at higher turnover
Usually involves monthly fees or contract terms
No-contract card reader
Flexible and simple
No monthly fee provider
Good for occasional sellers
Can be expensive once turnover grows
Custom merchant pricing
Potentially lowest rates
More complex and quote-based
Interchange++ pricing
Transparent for larger businesses
Harder to understand and compare
Lowest fees by monthly turnover
Monthly card turnover
Best low-fee option to compare
Under £1,000
No-monthly-fee reader from SumUp, Square or PayPal POS
£1,000-£5,000
SumUp paid plan, Square, Tyl, Dojo and entry-level quotes
£5,000-£10,000
Dojo, Tyl, TakePayments and merchant account quotes
£10,000-£25,000
Dojo, Worldpay, Barclaycard, Elavon, Lloyds Cardnet
£25,000-£50,000
Multiple custom merchant account quotes
£50,000+
Negotiated custom pricing
Seasonal business
Avoid monthly commitments unless savings justify them
Low average transaction value
Watch fixed per-transaction fees
High average transaction value
Lowest fees by business type
Business type Providers to compare first Why
Sole trader
SumUp, Square, PayPal POS
Low commitment matters more than lowest rate
Market trader
SumUp, Square, PayPal POS
Simple mobile payment setup
Tradesperson
SumUp, Square, Dojo, Tyl
Mobile payments and payment links
Café
Dojo, Tyl, Square, Worldpay
Regular card turnover and low-value transactions
Restaurant
Dojo, Worldpay, Clover, TakePayments
Portable terminals and hospitality features
Salon
Square, SumUp, Dojo, Tyl
Appointments, card readers and regular payments
Retail shop
Worldpay, Barclaycard, Tyl, Dojo
Custom rates and countertop terminals
Pub or bar
Dojo, Worldpay, Clover, TakePayments
Speed, tipping and regular card turnover
High-volume SME
Worldpay, Barclaycard, Elavon, Lloyds Cardnet
Negotiated rates
Online seller
Stripe, PayPal, Worldpay, Shopify Payments
Online fees matter more than card machine fees
How to calculate your effective card machine rate The lowest advertised transaction fee is not always the lowest real cost.
To compare properly, calculate your effective rate.
Use this formula:
Total monthly card payment costs ÷ monthly card turnover × 100
Example:
monthly card turnover: £10,000
transaction fees: £120
terminal rental: £25
PCI fee: £5
other fees: £5
total monthly cost: £155
Effective rate:
£155 ÷ £10,000 × 100 = 1.55%
This effective rate is the number to compare against other providers.
A provider with a 1.2% headline rate may not be cheapest if monthly fees are high.
Who Should Choose Low-Fee Card Machines? If you have a …growing businesses
✔ Lower long-term costs
✔ Better scalability
If you work in…. retail & hospitality
✔ Faster transactions
✔ Lower rates
If you have a …. high-volume businesses
✔ Custom pricing
✔ Lowest possible rates
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Hidden fees to check Before choosing a low-fee card machine, check for:
terminal rental
transaction fees
debit card fees
credit card fees
commercial card fees
international card fees
authorisation fees
PCI compliance fees
PCI non-compliance fees
chargeback fees
refund fees
minimum monthly service charge
settlement fees
next-day payout fees
gateway fees
virtual terminal fees
setup fees
statement fees
cancellation fees
early termination fees
replacement terminal fees
EPOS software fees
A low headline rate can become expensive once all fees are included.
How to get lower card machine fees To reduce your card processing costs:
compare multiple providers
use your monthly turnover to negotiate
check your effective rate
compare flat-rate vs custom pricing
review card type fees
avoid manual card entry where possible
check authorisation fees
avoid unnecessary terminal rental
compare settlement fees
switch before your contract renews
ask your current provider to match a better quote
compare merchant account providers if your turnover has grown
Businesses often overpay because they stay on the same pricing after their card turnover increases.
FAQs – Lowest Fees Card Machines What card machine has the lowest fees in the UK?
The lowest fees usually come from providers offering blended or custom pricing, such as Dojo, Tyl by NatWest, Worldpay, Barclaycard, Elavon, TakePayments and Lloyds Cardnet. The best provider depends on your turnover and card mix.
What is the lowest card machine transaction fee?
Very low rates may be available through custom merchant account pricing, but they depend on turnover, card type, sector and contract. Published small-business rates are usually higher than the lowest enterprise rates.
Is 1.75% a low card machine fee?
1.75% is simple and competitive for low-volume businesses, but it is not usually the lowest fee for businesses taking regular or higher card payments.
Is 1.2% a good card machine fee?
Yes, 1.2% can be a strong blended rate for many SMEs, but you should check monthly fees, contract terms and whether your business qualifies.
Is Tyl cheaper than Square?
Tyl may be cheaper for some businesses because it lists 1.39% + 5p for UK and European personal cards under £50k annual card payment value. Square charges 1.75% for UK in-person payments. However, Tyl may include terminal rental and a fixed 5p fee, so compare total cost.
Is Dojo cheaper than Square?
Dojo may be cheaper for businesses with regular card turnover because it advertises a 1.2% blended rate below £100k annual card turnover. Square may be simpler for low-volume sellers.
Is SumUp cheaper than Square?
SumUp’s standard in-person rate is lower than Square’s standard UK in-person rate, but the best option depends on hardware, monthly plan, features and turnover.
Do low-fee card machines require contracts?
Often, yes. The lowest rates are usually linked to contracts, monthly rental or custom pricing. No-contract providers are usually more flexible but may charge higher transaction fees.
Are no-monthly-fee card readers cheaper?
No-monthly-fee card readers can be cheaper for very small or occasional sellers. They can become more expensive as card turnover grows.
How can I get lower card processing fees?
Compare providers, negotiate using your card turnover, review your effective rate, avoid unnecessary add-ons and compare merchant account pricing once your turnover grows.
Are there hidden fees with low-fee card machines?
There can be. Check terminal rental, PCI fees, authorisation fees, chargebacks, refund fees, settlement fees, minimum monthly charges and cancellation fees.
What is the cheapest card machine for small businesses ?
For low-volume small businesses, SumUp, Square and PayPal POS are usually worth comparing. For growing small businesses, Dojo, Tyl, TakePayments and Worldpay may offer better long-term value.
What is the lowest-fee card machine for restaurants?
Restaurants should compare Dojo, Worldpay, Clover, TakePayments, Tyl and Elavon. Tipping, split bills, portable terminals and EPOS integration matter as well as fees.
What is the lowest-fee card machine for shops?
Retailers should compare Worldpay, Barclaycard, Tyl, Dojo, Elavon, Clover and Square. The best option depends on transaction volume, card mix and EPOS needs.
Can I negotiate card machine fees?
Yes. Businesses with regular or higher card turnover can often negotiate better card processing rates, especially with competing quotes.
Is it worth switching to a low-fee provider?
Yes, if the saving on transaction fees is larger than any monthly rental, contract or switching costs. Calculate your effective rate before deciding.
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Hi, I’m Ally Cox , a senior copywriter and blogger at CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk, the UK’s trusted platform for comparing business services.over a decade of experience in the B2B sector, I specialise in simplifying complex topics like leased lines, VoIP, business energy, HR and payroll solutions, accounting software, and EPOS systems .HR, copywriting, and business operations- from clocking-in systems to card machines and office technology .informed, confident decisions when choosing products and services that improve efficiency and save money.
