Card Machines for Businesses UK 2026 | Compare Costs & Providers
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- Compare UK card machine providers side-by-side
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Quick answer
Card machines for UK businesses typically cost £0-£30+ per month, plus transaction fees of around 0.99%–2.5%, depending on provider, card type, contract, turnover and whether you choose pay-as-you-go or a monthly plan.
For most small businesses:
| Business type |
Best card machine type |
Typical cost |
| Sole traders and pop-ups |
Mobile card reader |
£0/month + 1.69%-1.75% per transaction |
| Small shops and cafés |
Portable or countertop terminal |
£0-£30/month + transaction fees |
| Restaurants and pubs |
Portable or POS-integrated card machine |
£15-£40+/month + transaction fees |
| Higher-volume businesses |
Contracted terminal or merchant account |
Monthly rental + lower negotiated fees |
| Mobile services and trades |
Mobile reader or Tap to Pay |
£0/month + pay-as-you-go fees |
A business taking £10,000 per month in card payments could pay around £99-£250+ per month in transaction fees, depending on whether it uses a low-rate monthly plan, a negotiated contract or a flat-rate pay-as-you-go provider.
Compare card machine quotes based on your turnover →
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.
Your Estimated Costs
Estimated monthly fees
£0.00
Estimated annual fees
£0.00
Estimated monthly transactions
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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.
Best card machine providers by business type
| Provider |
Best for |
Not ideal for |
|
| SumUp |
Sole traders, pop-ups and low-volume businesses |
Larger businesses wanting advanced POS features |
No monthly fee or lower-fee monthly plan
|
| Square |
Small shops, cafés, salons and simple POS users |
Businesses needing very low high-volume rates |
No monthly fee, flat transaction fee
|
| PayPal POS, formerly Zettle |
Small retailers and businesses already using PayPal |
Businesses wanting the lowest possible fees at scale |
Reader purchase plus transaction fees
|
| Dojo |
Hospitality, restaurants and growing SMEs |
Very low-volume or occasional sellers |
Terminal and transaction pricing based on business profile
|
| Worldpay |
Established SMEs and higher card turnover |
Businesses wanting simple no-contract pricing |
Contracted merchant services
|
| Clover |
Retail, hospitality and POS-led businesses |
Businesses wanting a basic low-cost reader only |
Hardware, software and payment fees
|
| Tyl by NatWest |
SMEs wanting bank-backed payment services |
Very small businesses wanting PAYG simplicity |
Monthly terminal rental and transaction fees
|
| Takepayments |
SMEs wanting guided setup and merchant services |
Businesses wanting fully transparent online pricing |
Quote-based contracted pricing
|
Most Businesses Overpay for Card Payments
Common issues:
- Paying flat fees when volume is high
- Stuck in expensive contracts
- Not comparing providers regularly
👉 Switching can reduce costs by 10-40% instantly
Key takeaways
- Pay-as-you-go machines suit low or irregular turnover
- Contracted machines usually reduce fees for higher volumes
- Mobile, countertop and portable machines suit different use cases
- Most card machines need an internet connection
- Security standards are mandatory, not optional
How do we work?
Transparent, impartial, and data‑driven reviews made by a team of expert humans, never AI generated – here’s exactly how Compare Your Business Costs helps you find the best deals from trusted UK providers: click here
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
How card machine pricing works
Types of card machines (and who they’re for)
Who each option is best for
Security & compliance (what every business must know)
Alternatives to traditional card machines
Typical card machine pricing
| Cost Type |
Typical Price |
| Monthly fee |
£0-£30 |
| Transaction fees |
1.2%-2.5% |
| Card reader |
£19-£99 |
| Setup |
Usually free |
👉 Transaction fees = your biggest cost
Card machine costs by monthly turnover
| Monthly card turnover |
Likely best option |
Why |
| Under £1,000 |
Pay-as-you-go reader |
No monthly fee usually matters more than low percentage fees
|
| £1,000-£5,000 |
SumUp, Square or PayPal POS-style reader |
Simple pricing and low commitment
|
| £5,000-£10,000 |
Compare PAYG vs monthly plan |
A lower transaction rate may start saving money
|
| £10,000-£20,000 |
Monthly plan or contracted terminal |
Lower fees can outweigh monthly rental
|
| £20,000-£50,000 |
Contracted card machine or merchant account |
Negotiated rates may reduce total cost
|
| £50,000+ |
Merchant account or tailored quote |
Small fee differences can save thousands per year
|
why transaction fees matter
| Monthly card sales |
1.75% fee |
1.69% fee |
0.99% fee |
| £2,000 |
£35 |
£33.80 |
£19.80 |
| £5,000 |
£87.50 |
£84.50 |
£49.50 |
| £10,000 |
£175 |
£169 |
£99 |
| £25,000 |
£437.50 |
£422.50 |
£247.50 |
| £50,000 |
£875 |
£845 |
£495 |
Where Card Machine Costs Add Up
Most businesses overpay because of:
- High flat-rate pricing
- Not negotiating fees
- Using the wrong pricing model
- Ignoring contract terms
👉 Even a 0.5% fee difference = £1,000s per year
What’s the Best Card Machine for Your Business?
| Business type |
Recommended setup |
Providers to compare |
Why |
| Sole trader |
Mobile card reader or Tap to Pay |
SumUp, Square, PayPal POS |
Low setup cost and no long contract
|
| Market trader |
Mobile card reader with built-in SIM or phone app |
SumUp, Square |
Works away from a fixed till
|
| Tradesperson |
Mobile reader or phone-based payments |
SumUp, Square, PayPal POS |
Good for taking payments on-site
|
| Small retail shop |
Countertop or POS-integrated machine |
Square, Clover, PayPal POS, Tyl |
Better for regular till use
|
| Café |
Portable or countertop card machine |
Square, Dojo, Clover, SumUp |
Supports queues, tables and takeaway payments
|
| Restaurant or pub |
Portable or EPOS-integrated terminal |
Dojo, Clover, Lightspeed, Worldpay |
Better for table service and faster reconciliation
|
| Hotel |
Integrated payment processing and merchant account |
Worldpay, Elavon, Dojo, Clover |
Better for deposits, pre-authorisation and larger payments
|
| Growing SME |
Contracted terminal or merchant account |
Worldpay, Tyl, Takepayments, Dojo |
Lower rates may save money at scale
|
| High-volume business |
Tailored merchant services quote |
Worldpay, Elavon, Dojo, Tyl |
Negotiated rates matter more than headline monthly cost
|
Cheapest card machine vs best-value card machine
| Option |
Best for |
Main risk |
| Cheapest card reader |
Low-volume sellers and occasional payments |
Higher transaction fees at scale
|
| No monthly fee card machine |
Sole traders and seasonal businesses |
Can become expensive as turnover grows
|
| Monthly plan with lower fees |
Businesses with regular card turnover |
Monthly fee only makes sense if you process enough payments
|
| Contracted terminal |
Growing businesses and higher turnover |
Exit fees, PCI fees and contract terms
|
| EPOS-integrated card machine |
Retail and hospitality |
Higher software and hardware costs
|
| Merchant account |
Established SMEs |
More complex pricing and setup
|
Hidden costs to watch out for
- PCI compliance fees on some contracts
- Early exit fees on long-term agreements
- Higher fees for business or international cards
- Chargeback and refund handling fees
- SIM or connectivity charges on mobile terminals
Types of card machines (and who they’re for)
- Mobile card readers
- Use Wi-Fi or mobile data
- Ideal for sole traders, pop-ups, trades
- Often pay-as-you-go
👉 See: Portable card readers, Swipe machines for small businesses
Countertop card machines
- Fixed location
- Ethernet or phone-line connected
- Best for shops and reception desks
👉 See: Countertop card readers, POS and PDQ explained
Portable card machines
- Work within a venue (Wi-Fi base)
- Popular in hospitality
- Flexible table-side payments
POS-integrated machines
- Connect to EPOS systems
- Suitable for retail and hospitality chains
- Faster reconciliation and reporting
👉 See: Payment terminals, Smart chip machines
Who each option is best for
| Business type |
|
| Sole traders |
|
| Retail shops |
Countertop or POS-integrated
|
| Hospitality |
Portable or POS-integrated
|
| Mobile services |
Mobile reader or phone-based
|
| High volume |
|
Provider snapshot
| Provider type |
Typical pricing model |
Best for |
| Pay-as-you-go |
% per transaction |
Low volume |
| Contracted |
Monthly + lower % |
High volume |
| Bank-linked |
Interchange-plus |
|
| App-based |
No contract |
|
Card Machine vs Merchant Account
| Feature |
Card Machine |
Merchant Account |
| Accept payments |
Yes |
Yes |
| Holds funds |
No |
Yes |
| Fees |
Higher (PAYG) |
Lower at scale |
| Best for |
Small businesses |
Growing businesses |
Security & compliance (what every business must know)
All UK card machines should support secure card payment processing. Businesses should check that their provider supports:
- PCI DSS requirements
- EMV chip and PIN payments
- contactless payments
- encryption and tokenisation
- secure payment data handling
- chargeback processes
- fraud monitoring
- card scheme rules from Visa, Mastercard and American Express
- GDPR-safe customer data handling where customer details are stored
For most small businesses, your payment provider will guide you through PCI compliance. However, some providers may charge PCI compliance or non-compliance fees, especially on traditional merchant service contracts.
Our tip: Do not choose a card machine provider without checking PCI fees, chargeback fees, refund fees and contract terms.
👉 See: Are credit card machines safe?, Business internet security
Alternatives to traditional card machines
In some cases, a full terminal isn’t necessary and you can get by with:
- Tap to Pay on iPhone – accept cards using a smartphone
- Remote card payments – take payments over the phone
- Payment links & invoices – email or SMS payments
👉 See: Accept credit card payments, iPhone as a credit card reader
Card machine decision table
| Your priority |
Best option |
| Lowest upfront cost |
Pay-as-you-go mobile reader
|
| No monthly fee |
SumUp, Square or PayPal POS-style provider
|
| Lowest transaction fees |
Monthly plan or merchant account quote
|
| Best for small shops |
Countertop or POS-integrated machine
|
| Best for restaurants |
Portable or EPOS-integrated terminal
|
| Best for tradespeople |
Mobile card reader or Tap to Pay
|
| Best for high turnover |
Contracted terminal or merchant account
|
| Best for no contract |
|
| Best for EPOS integration |
Clover, Square, Lightspeed or Dojo-style setup
|
| Best for hotels |
Provider supporting deposits and pre-authorisation
|
| Best for remote payments |
Payment links, invoices or virtual terminal
|
| Best overall route |
Compare providers based on monthly turnover
|
Why trust our card machine reviews?
Our card machine guides are written to help UK businesses make practical buying decisions, not just compare headline transaction fees.
We focus on:
- realistic UK 2026 card machine costs
- monthly fees, transaction fees and hidden charges
- pay-as-you-go vs contracted pricing
- business types such as shops, cafés, restaurants, salons, trades and hotels
- card machine types including mobile, portable, countertop and POS-integrated terminals
- merchant account options for growing businesses
- contract length, PCI fees, chargebacks and exit fees
- quote-led guidance to help businesses reduce payment costs
FAQs about Card Machines
1. How much does a card machine cost for a small business?
Most UK businesses pay £0-£30+ per month, plus transaction fees of around 1.2%–2.5%. Low-volume businesses often choose pay-as-you-go, while higher-volume businesses usually benefit from contracts with lower fees.
2. Are there card machines with no monthly fee?
Yes. Pay-as-you-go card machines typically have no monthly rental, but higher transaction fees. They’re best for businesses with low or irregular card turnover.
3. What’s the cheapest way to accept card payments?
For very small businesses, the cheapest option is usually a mobile card reader with no contract. Businesses with steady turnover often save more overall with a contracted terminal and lower per-transaction fees.
4. Do card machines need an internet connection?
Yes. Card machines require Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or mobile data to process payments securely. Some older models can use phone lines, but most modern machines are internet-based.
5. Can I use my phone as a card machine?
In many cases, yes. Some solutions allow you to accept contactless payments directly on a smartphone, though features and limits may differ from traditional terminals.
👉 Not sure which card machine is right for your business? Compare quotes in 30 seconds and save up to 40%
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James Ward is the CEO & Founder of Compare Your Business Costs — a UK-verified comparison platform helping SMEs save money on business broadband, leased lines, phone systems, mobile telecoms, managed services and IT support. With over 10 years of experience in telecoms and technology procurement, James is a trusted UK business expert featured in national media and verified on Companies House.
Co Authors :
Hi, I’m Ally Cox, a senior copywriter and blogger at CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk, the UK’s trusted platform for comparing business services.
With 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.
Before joining CompareYourBusinessCosts, I worked across various industries, gaining hands-on experience in HR, copywriting, and business operations- from clocking-in systems to card machines and office technology.
My goal is simple: to help UK businesses make informed, confident decisions when choosing products and services that improve efficiency and save money.
