UK whole-of-market comparison

Best card machine for Bristol taxi UK 2026

Compare the UK shortlist below, then get matched quotes from the acquirers most likely to approve you and beat your current pricing.

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For Bristol City Council licensed Hackney carriage and PHV drivers across Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bath and the wider South West. Bristol Airport transfers via the A38, plus Bath spa-tourist trade and Bristol harbourside event-day surge.

Based on MerchantHQ terminal reviews and our ranking methodology. Last reviewed 2026-05-11.

The ranking

1. Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal)

4.2 / 5

Best Bristol taxi setup

iPhone XS or later running iOS 16.4+, no separate terminal · Matches your chosen acquirer (about 1.69% to 1.75%) · No fixed term

Tap to Pay on iPhone: zero hardware, supports Apple Pay, Google Pay and contactless.

2. SumUp Solo

4.2 / 5

Best dedicated Bristol taxi reader

Portable terminal with built-in receipt printer (Solo Lite is no-printer) · 1.69% per transaction · No contract

SumUp Solo at £99 with 1.69% rate, standalone 4G. Works on Bristol harbourside and Clifton signal blackspots.

3. Square Terminal

4.1 / 5

Best Bristol airport-transfer driver

All-in-one countertop terminal with receipt printer · 1.75% per transaction (UK) · No contract

Square Terminal at £149 with built-in receipt printer for Bristol Airport corporate transfers.

4. Revolut Card Reader

3.7 / 5

Best for Bath spa-tourist multi-currency

Compact Bluetooth-paired reader · 0.8% to 1.0% per transaction (depending on subscription tier) · Subscription-tier dependent (Revolut Business plan)

Revolut Card Reader at £49 with 0.8% to 1.0% rate. Multi-currency settlement for international spa-tourist trade at Bath.

Quick comparison

Headline rate, hardware cost, contract and form factor at a glance.

Rank	Terminal	Rate	Hardware	Contract
#1	Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal)	Matches your chosen acquirer (about 1.69% to 1.75%)	£0 hardware (you already have the iPhone)	No fixed term
#2	SumUp Solo	1.69% per transaction	£99 to £149 hardware	No contract
#3	Square Terminal	1.75% per transaction (UK)	£149 to £199	No contract
#4	Revolut Card Reader	0.8% to 1.0% per transaction (depending on subscription tier)	£49 hardware	Subscription-tier dependent (Revolut Business plan)

FAQs

What is the best card machine for a Bristol taxi driver?

Tap to Pay on iPhone (zero hardware) for general trade. SumUp Solo at £99 is the strongest dedicated reader. Square Terminal at £149 wins for Bristol Airport transfer drivers. Revolut Card Reader wins for Bath spa-tourist drivers serving international visitors.

Does Bristol City Council mandate card acceptance?

No statutory mandate. Bristol City Council licensing covers accessibility, metering and CCTV. Card acceptance is commercial standard.

What about Bath taxi drivers?

Bath and North East Somerset Council has its own licensing regime. Card-machine setup is identical to Bristol. Bath spa-tourist trade is meaningful: Thermae Bath Spa, Royal Crescent, Bath Abbey draw international visitors with non-GBP cards. Revolut Card Reader's multi-currency settlement helps capture this.

How do Bristol Airport drivers handle the A38 motorway-route trade?

Bristol Airport (A38) is a meaningful corporate-transfer route serving the West Country business hubs (Filton, Aztec West, Yate). Square Terminal at £149 with built-in receipt printer wins for the corporate-traveller side. Standalone 4G reliability matters on the A38 rural stretches.

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As your card volume grows your rate should drop. We renegotiate against the 40+ UK acquirer panel every quarter, so you never overpay because you forgot to ask.
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UK chargeback fees vary by acquirer and are set out in your merchant agreement, and many disputes are friendly fraud that can be defended with the right evidence. We draft the response and escalate where the acquirer drags its feet.
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How we work, end to end →

How we rank

Rankings 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 (last-reviewed date shown on this page) and re-checked when published pricing changes. We do not hands-on test every device; specs are taken from provider documentation and cited. No provider pays for inclusion or position. MerchantHQ is an introducer: acquirers, including some brands ranked here, pay us commission on completed introductions. Commission never affects a ranking. See our methodology and how we are funded.

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Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director, Best Business Loans Ltd. Last reviewed: 2026-05-11.