Best card machine for London PCO driver 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 PCO-licensed (Private Hire Vehicle, PHV) drivers operating in London. Distinct from green-badge / yellow-badge Hackney carriage Knowledge drivers. PCO drivers cannot ply for hire on the street and must be pre-booked via Uber, Bolt, FreeNow, Wheely, Addison Lee, Veezu or a local operator. TfL does not mandate card acceptance on PHV the way it does on black cab, but off-platform corporate, hotel-concierge and direct-account fares need a card-reader.
Based on MerchantHQ terminal reviews and our ranking methodology. Last reviewed 2026-05-12.
The ranking
1. Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal)
4.2 / 5Best London PCO 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 is the cheapest PCO setup: zero hardware, no monthly fees, contactless to £100, Apple Pay, Google Pay, chip-and-PIN fallback. Best for drivers whose platform-fare share (Uber, Bolt, FreeNow) handles 95% of trips and who only need card-reader for the off-platform 5%.
2. SumUp Solo
4.2 / 5Best dedicated PCO 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. Worth the £99 hardware spend if more than 20% of fares are off-platform (corporate accounts, hotel concierge, repeat private bookings). Standalone 4G means no phone tether.
3. Square Terminal
4.1 / 5Best for executive PCO with airport runs
All-in-one countertop terminal with receipt printer · 1.75% per transaction (UK) · No contract
Square Terminal at £149 with 1.75% rate and built-in printer. Worth it for PCO drivers doing Heathrow, City Airport or Gatwick corporate transfers where business-traveller customers need on-the-spot receipts.
4. Stripe Reader S700
4.0 / 5Best for PCO operator with online booking
Touchscreen handheld smart terminal (no built-in printer; external receipt printer via the optional dock or USB) · Custom (Stripe pricing) · Stripe terms
Stripe Reader S700 at £229 plus Stripe Checkout for online booking. Best for PCO sole-traders running their own booking site (corporate accounts paying by Stripe invoice plus in-car card payment for ad-hoc).
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 | Stripe Reader S700 | Custom (Stripe pricing) | £229 | Stripe terms |
FAQs
Do London PCO drivers need a card machine?
Not by TfL mandate, but commercially yes for any meaningful off-platform business. Platform fares (Uber, Bolt, FreeNow, Wheely) settle in-app. Off-platform fares (corporate accounts, hotel concierge, direct bookings, repeat private clients) need a card-reader.
What is the difference between PCO and Knowledge for card-machine choice?
Knowledge (Hackney carriage, green or yellow badge) must accept card on every metered fare by TfL mandate, so card-machine is non-optional and per-transaction rate matters on every fare. PCO (Private Hire) is platform-mediated for most trips so card-machine only handles the off-platform slice; hardware payback period is longer.
Can PCO drivers charge a card surcharge?
No. UK card surcharging on consumer transactions has been illegal since January 2018. Applies equally to PCO direct fares and Hackney carriage metered fares. Card-acceptance cost must be priced into the agreed fare, not added at point-of-sale.
How do Wheely chauffeur PCO drivers handle card payment?
Wheely fares settle in-app to the customer's saved card; driver receives weekly net payout from Wheely. No card-reader needed for the platform side. Some Wheely drivers also accept direct corporate accounts where a Square Terminal or Stripe Reader S700 with emailed receipt is the standard setup.
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: 2026-05-12.