Compare UK Card Machines & Payment Providers
Take card payments. Counter, checkout, or on the go. MerchantHQ is a UK card-payment comparison service covering 40+ providers (Dojo, SumUp, Square, Zettle, Stripe, Adyen, Worldpay, Barclaycard, Tide, Tyl, Revolut and every UK specialist acquirer). Complete the 2-minute form and we pass your enquiry to our broker partner, which works to return 2 to 3 matched quotes from providers likely to accept your trade. Free to apply; our broker partner pays us a fee for each introduction.
- 2 to 3 matched quotes
- Free to apply
Independent in-person picks across 40+ UK card-payment providers, matched to your trade, volume and criteria.
*Indicative in-person rates. Your actual rate depends on card mix, volume and provider terms.
Used by hundreds of thousands of UK businesses every day
Choose where you take payments
Counter
Card machine for your shop floor or counter. Tap, chip-and-PIN, Apple Pay, Google Pay.
See card machinesCheckout
Online gateway for standard websites. Subscriptions and marketplaces too.
Compare payment gatewaysOn the go
Mobile reader for trades, stalls, taxis. Or zero hardware via Tap to Pay on iPhone.
See on-the-go optionsNot sure which fits? Read the 2-minute explainer or tell us your trade and we'll route you.
Every major UK card machine, ranked
Countertop, portable 4G, mobile Bluetooth, Tap to Pay on iPhone and integrated POS. Scored on rate, contract length, settlement schedule, hardware and trade fit, cross-checked against published provider documentation.
Dojo Go Max
Dojo Go Max is the strongest UK card terminal for hospitality and retail at £10k+ monthly card volume in 2026. Dojo publishes 1.2% blended below £100,000 a year in card takings (custom rate above) and hardware at £149 upfront on a launch offer (£229 full price) or £25 a month; our record shows a 12-month minimum contract, which Dojo's pricing page does not state. Same-next-day settlement (including weekends) is the cashflow win that justifies the contract for any venue trading Friday to Sunday peaks.
Read reviewSumUp Solo
SumUp Solo is the strongest no-contract UK card terminal for sole traders, mobile businesses and sub-£15k monthly card volume in 2026. £79 + VAT hardware at list price, 1.69% per transaction on pay-as-you-go, no contract, no monthly fee, free 4G SIM. Same-day or next-day settlement. Locked to SumUp as the acquirer; uncompetitive above £15k monthly because the flat rate stops winning vs blended-rate contracts (Dojo, Tyl).
Read reviewTap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal)
Not a hardware terminal, but covered here because it replaces one for many small businesses. Take contactless card and Apple Pay payments directly on a compatible iPhone with no separate reader. Best fit for trades, mobile beauty and pop-up retail.
Read reviewSquare Terminal
Square Terminal is the strongest all-in-one no-contract UK card terminal for independent retail and small hospitality in 2026. £149 + VAT hardware with built-in receipt printer, 1.75% per transaction, no contract, no monthly fee. Tighter integration with the Square stack (online store, invoices, inventory, payroll) than any other UK no-contract terminal. The 1.75% rate is uncompetitive above £20k monthly card volume.
Read reviewTeya Pro
Teya Pro is the strongest UK card terminal for merchants who want weekend settlement without a fixed-term contract in 2026. Machine plans from £14.99 per month on a rolling monthly basis with no lock-in, next-day settlement by 9am every day including weekends and bank holidays, and instant settlement available to the free Teya Business Account.
Transaction rates are bespoke per merchant (blended, tiered or interchange++), so compare the written quote. A £29.99 monthly fee applies when card turnover is under £2,500, which rules it out for very small traders.
Read reviewUK card machine comparisons
Pick a head-to-head. Pricing, hardware, contract length, and trade fit, side by side. 83 pairings covering the UK card-payment market in 2026.
One enquiry, 2 to 3 matched quotes.
We compare the market and pass your enquiry to our card-payments broker partner, which works to return 2 to 3 matched quotes. The provider you choose runs your account and its support from then on.
2 to 3 matched quotes
Our broker partner contacts you and works to return 2 to 3 matched quotes for your trade and card volume. Compare the rate, contract length, exit fees and settlement, then take one or none.
The provider runs your account
Once you are live, the provider you choose supplies the card machine and runs your account and its support line. Your merchant agreement is with that provider, not with MerchantHQ.
Free guides for later
As you grow: how to review your card rate, how to challenge a chargeback and how to switch provider.
No fee to you
Free to apply and no obligation. Our broker partner pays us a fee for each introduction.
Where do your customers pay?
Each route opens a different UK acquirer shortlist.
In-person, at the till
Shops, restaurants, salons, mobile traders, market stalls. Physical card terminal or Tap to Pay on iPhone.
See 19 terminal reviews
Online, on your website
Shopify, WooCommerce, custom checkout, subscription billing, donations. A payment gateway, not a terminal.
Compare payment gateways
Both, counter and online
Click-and-collect, restaurant plus delivery, salon plus online booking. One acquirer, both rails.
Omnichannel quotes
Not sure if your trade counts as high-risk? Check your category against the UK acquirers' high-risk list. Already running one (gambling, crypto, dating, subscription, CBD, vape, adult)? Start at high-risk verticals instead. Already been turned down by a mainstream provider? See why merchant accounts get declined and the specialist route back in.
How do I choose the right card machine for my UK business?
Start with where the customer pays. In-person needs a card terminal (Dojo Go Max for same-day settlement, SumUp Solo for no-contract, Square Terminal for omnichannel). Online needs a payment gateway (Stripe Checkout, Adyen Web, Shopify Payments). Both needs an omnichannel acquirer running both rails. High-risk verticals need a specialist acquirer disclosed upfront.
UK card-payment kit is shaped by where the customer is when they pay, not by your business size. A Vietnamese-owned nail salon needs different kit from a hospitality multi-counter operation. A CBD retailer needs a different acquirer entirely. Match your trading shape to the right kind of provider, get matched offers, sign with the one that fits.
UK card-payment questions, answered
What do I get when I sign up for a card machine through MerchantHQ?
You get 2 to 3 matched quotes through our card-payments broker partner. The provider you choose supplies the card machine and runs your account and its support. For later on, our free guides cover reviewing your rate, challenging a chargeback and switching provider. Free to apply: our broker partner pays us a fee for each introduction.
What is the best UK card machine in 2026?
Dojo Go Max is the strongest UK card machine for £10k+ monthly card volume in 2026: same-day settlement, robust hardware, 1.2% blended below £100,000 a year in card takings (custom rate above). SumUp Solo is the strongest no-contract option for sub-£10k monthly. Square Terminal is the strongest all-in-one for independent retail. Tap to Pay on iPhone is the best zero-hardware option for mobile traders.
How much does a card machine cost per month in the UK?
Card-machine monthly cost is zero (SumUp Solo, Square Terminal, Tide, Revolut, Tap to Pay on iPhone) to £25+ (some Dojo, Worldpay and Adyen plans). Plus per-transaction rate 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).
Hardware: £0 (Tap to Pay) to £229 (Stripe Reader S700) one-off. Total 12-month cost depends on monthly card volume and average transaction size.
Do I need a contract for a UK card machine?
No. Several strong no-contract products exist in 2026: SumUp Solo (1.69%), Square Terminal (1.75%), Zettle Reader 2 (1.75%), Tide Card Reader (1.5%), Revolut Card Reader (0.8% to 1.0%), Tap to Pay on iPhone. Contracts (Dojo, Worldpay, Tyl) start to make sense above £15k monthly volume where the rate model wins back the lock-in.
What is the difference between a card machine and a payment gateway?
A card machine is a physical device for in-person payments where the customer is in front of you. A payment gateway is software for online payments where the customer is on your website typing card details into a checkout. Different pricing, different fraud rules, different settlement schedules. If you sell both in person and online, one acquirer (Stripe, Adyen, Square, Worldpay) can run both rails.
How quickly do I get my money from a card transaction?
Same-day from Dojo, Tide, Revolut, Tyl (all conditional on banking with that provider). Next business day (T+1) standard from SumUp, Square, Zettle. T+2 from Stripe established merchants, 7-day rolling reserve from Stripe new merchants. Most UK acquirer settlement schedules can be negotiated above £50k monthly volume.
How do I switch from Worldpay or Barclaycard to a new card machine?
Check your contract notice period (typically 90 days for Worldpay, 60 to 90 for Barclaycard, 30 to 60 for newer providers). Submit cancellation in writing before the renewal window opens. Confirm exit fees in writing. Sign with the new provider and time the cutover for low-volume trading hours. We cover step-by-step at /switch/.
Question not here? Browse all UK card-payment questions or get a quote in 2 minutes.
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