Best card machine for mobile cleaners 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 UK domestic cleaners, mobile cleaning teams, carpet cleaners, window cleaners, oven cleaners, end-of-tenancy specialists. Mostly sole traders or 2 to 5-person teams. Card-payment needs: weekly or monthly recurring fee for regular clients, one-off pre-payment for deep cleans, occasional emergency callouts.
Based on MerchantHQ terminal reviews and our ranking methodology.
The ranking
Ranked on fit for this use case. The score beside each pick is that terminal's overall review score across all uses, so a lower-scored terminal can rank higher here when it suits this job better. The rate, hardware and contract lines come from the same terminal data as the comparison table below.
1. Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal)
Review score 4.2 / 5Best for one-off cleans
Software on an iPhone Xs or later, no separate terminal · Set by the provider you use it with; see that provider's own pricing page · No fixed term for the feature itself; any contract is with your provider
Tap to Pay on iPhone for one-off deep cleans, end-of-tenancy, emergency callouts. Zero hardware, no monthly fee, no contract. Take card payment at the customer's door at job completion.
2. SumUp Solo
Review score 4.2 / 5Best dedicated mobile reader for cleaners
Portable standalone touchscreen terminal (no built-in printer; Solo Lite is the cheaper phone-paired version) · 1.69% per transaction · No contract
SumUp Solo at £79 + VAT with 1.69% rate, free 4G SIM, full-day battery. Works standalone so your phone stays free for customer calls. Best dedicated UK reader for cleaning teams below £15k monthly card volume.
3. Stripe Reader S700
Review score 4.0 / 5Best for online-bookable cleaning businesses
Touchscreen handheld smart terminal, 5.5in display, Android 10 (no built-in printer; external receipt printer via the optional dock or hub) · 1.4% + 10p EEA cards, 2.9% + 10p non-EEA (Stripe standard Terminal pricing) · No contract (Stripe standard pay-as-you-go terms)
Stripe Reader S700 plus Stripe Checkout for online booking and deposit collection on a website. Best for cleaning businesses running a website with quote-and-book flow. Stripe Billing handles weekly or fortnightly recurring billing if you prefer card over Bacs.
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) | Set by the provider you use it with; see that provider's own pricing page | £0 hardware (you already have the iPhone) | No fixed term for the feature itself; any contract is with your provider |
| #2 | SumUp Solo | 1.69% per transaction | £79 + VAT list price (SumUp often discounts it) | No contract |
| #3 | Stripe Reader S700 | 1.4% + 10p EEA cards, 2.9% + 10p non-EEA (Stripe standard Terminal pricing) | £229 excl. VAT | No contract (Stripe standard pay-as-you-go terms) |
FAQs
What is the best card machine for a UK mobile cleaner?
GoCardless Bacs Direct Debit (1% + 20p, capped £2) is the strongest for recurring weekly or monthly clients because Bacs is cheaper than card on recurring. Tap to Pay on iPhone is the strongest for one-off deep cleans and end-of-tenancy callouts because zero hardware. Most cleaning businesses run both.
Should a cleaning business use GoCardless instead of card for monthly clients?
For regular weekly or monthly cleaning, yes. GoCardless at 1% + 20p capped £2 typically saves 30% to 50% on transaction fees vs card on recurring above £30/payment. Customer authorises the Bacs mandate once at sign-up and never has to enter card details again. Lower customer-churn from forgotten card-renewal too.
How do UK cleaning teams settle card payments across multiple cleaners?
Two models. Operator-receives: card payment lands in the cleaning company merchant account, company pays each cleaner via PAYE. Cleaner-receives: each cleaner has their own SumUp or Tap to Pay setup, customer pays the cleaner directly, cleaner reports back to the operator. Operator-receives is more common above 3 cleaners; cleaner-receives common for partner-team setups.
What about end-of-tenancy cleaning deposits?
End-of-tenancy cleans are usually paid upfront (£150 to £400 typical) once the job is booked. Stripe Checkout for online booking, Tap to Pay on iPhone at the door for the customer paying on arrival. Chargeback risk is low on this type because the customer is the tenant who has just instructed the work, not someone disputing satisfaction post-job.
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. Quote enquiries go to one card-payments broker, Merchant Advice Service, which pays us a fee for each introduction; acquirers do not pay us commission on quote enquiries. That fee never affects a ranking. See our methodology and how we are funded.
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