UK whole-of-market comparison

Best card machine for London Uber 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.

Get my quotes See the shortlist

For PCO-licensed London Uber drivers. Uber fares settle in-app on the customer's saved card so the driver does not handle the card on platform trips. This guide is for the off-platform side: corporate accounts, hotel concierge handoffs, repeat private customers booking direct, and family-and-friends fares where the driver wants a quick card-reader to avoid cash.

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 / 5

Best London Uber driver 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 via SumUp, Square, Stripe or Zettle. Zero hardware, no monthly fees. Ideal for the 90%+ Uber driver whose platform-fare share handles almost all earnings and who only takes card occasionally on direct fares.

2. SumUp Solo

4.2 / 5

Best for Uber Black / Lux off-platform

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 hardware spend for Uber Black and Uber Lux drivers carrying executive clients who also book direct off-platform for repeat journeys.

3. Revolut Card Reader

3.7 / 5

Best for Uber driver banking with Revolut

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% UK / 1.3% non-UK rate, settles same-day to Revolut Business account. Cheapest UK rate if you already bank with Revolut for the Uber-driver Ltd or sole-trader.

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	Revolut Card Reader	0.8% to 1.0% per transaction (depending on subscription tier)	£49 hardware	Subscription-tier dependent (Revolut Business plan)

FAQs

Do London Uber drivers need a card machine?

Not for Uber platform fares (those settle in-app). Card-reader is only needed if the driver also accepts off-platform direct bookings, corporate accounts or repeat private customers paying in person. Roughly 20% of London Uber drivers maintain a card-reader for off-platform earnings.

Can a London Uber driver take a private fare off-platform?

Yes, but only while PCO-licensed and only on pre-booked basis (PHV cannot ply for hire). Most Uber drivers maintain a small off-platform book of repeat customers (school runs, airport runs for family, regular corporate clients) to escape Uber's commission on those journeys.

What is the cheapest card machine for an occasional Uber driver?

Tap to Pay on iPhone is the cheapest setup at £0 hardware. The acquirer (SumUp, Square, Stripe, Zettle) charges 1.69% to 1.75% per transaction. If you bank with Revolut, the £49 Revolut Card Reader at 0.8% UK rate undercuts everyone.

Sign through us, get all of this

Take any of these. We handle support, rate reviews and disputes.

Named UK account team for the life of the agreement. Acquirer pays our commission on completed introductions, so it costs you nothing on top.

24/7 dedicated support
Direct line to a named UK account manager, not a generic acquirer helpline. When your terminal goes down on a Saturday night you call us.
Quarterly rate reviews
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.
Chargeback and dispute help
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.
Switching support when you outgrow
If a better acquirer fit emerges as you grow we manage the cutover. No exit-fee surprises, no dual-running gap. Same account team across acquirers.

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.

Get a quote

Open quote form →

See all the best card machine picks, browse every card terminal, check what a card machine costs, or find the cheapest card machine in the UK.

Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director, Best Business Loans Ltd. Last reviewed: 2026-05-12.