Best card machine for Glasgow 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.
For Glasgow City Council licensed Hackney carriage and PHV drivers. Scotland-specific licensing under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. Strong Pakistani-heritage Glasgow PHV driver community in Pollokshields, Govanhill, Maryhill and East End. Glasgow Airport transfer routes (M77/M8) are a meaningful slice of trade.
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 / 5Best Glasgow 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, no contract, supports Apple Pay, Google Pay and contactless. Best for the typical Glasgow PHV doing under £15k monthly card volume.
2. SumUp Solo
4.2 / 5Best dedicated Glasgow 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 in Glasgow Subway tunnels and Clydeside signal blackspots.
3. Square Terminal
4.1 / 5Best Glasgow airport-transfer driver
All-in-one countertop terminal with receipt printer · 1.75% per transaction (UK) · No contract
Square Terminal at £149 with 1.75% rate. Built-in receipt printer for Glasgow Airport corporate transfers.
4. Revolut Card Reader
3.7 / 5Best for international airport-transfer Glasgow drivers
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 for international passengers arriving at Glasgow Airport from EU and US.
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 Glasgow taxi driver?
Tap to Pay on iPhone wins overall: zero hardware, TfL-style spec compliance, supports Apple Pay and Google Pay. SumUp Solo at £99 is the strongest dedicated reader. Square Terminal at £149 wins for airport-transfer drivers needing on-the-spot receipts.
Does Glasgow City Council mandate card acceptance on Hackney carriages?
Scotland has no national mandate; licensing is local under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. Glasgow City Council licensing conditions cover accessibility and metering but not specifically card. Commercial reality demands card anyway: 70%+ of UK taxi fares are paid by card in 2026.
How do Glasgow taxi drivers handle settlement on weekends?
Dojo, Tide, Revolut and Tyl by NatWest offer same-day settlement on Saturday and Sunday. SumUp Solo, Square Terminal and Zettle settle next business day (so Saturday-evening takings land Monday morning). For weekend-heavy trade, same-day settlement matters more than rate.
Can Glasgow taxi drivers charge a card fee?
No. UK card surcharging on consumer transactions has been illegal since January 2018. The card-acceptance cost has to be built into the fare, not added at point-of-sale.
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.