Best no-contract card machine UK 2026
Compare the UK shortlist below, then get matched quotes from the acquirers most likely to approve you and beat your current pricing.
The best no-contract UK card machine in 2026 is SumUp Solo (£79 + VAT hardware, 1.69% flat, free 4G SIM), Square Terminal (£149 + VAT, 1.75%, built-in receipt printer), Zettle Reader 2 (£29 to £69, 1.75%, Bluetooth-paired) or Tap to Pay on iPhone (zero hardware on iPhone XS or newer). All four take pay-as-you-go pricing with no monthly fee, no contract, no exit fee. The contract trade-off only starts winning above around £15,000 monthly card volume where blended Dojo or Tyl rates beat 1.69%.
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. SumUp Solo
Review score 4.2 / 5Best overall no-contract
Portable standalone touchscreen terminal (no built-in printer; Solo Lite is the cheaper phone-paired version) · 1.69% per transaction · No contract
SumUp Solo is the strongest no-contract UK terminal in 2026. £79 + VAT hardware, 1.69% flat rate, free 4G SIM, no monthly fee, no contract, no exit fee. Same-day payouts on SumUp One plan. Built for the no-commitment merchant.
2. Square Terminal
Review score 4.1 / 5Best all-in-one no-contract
All-in-one countertop terminal with receipt printer · 1.75% per transaction (UK) · No contract
Square Terminal at £149 + VAT with 1.75% per UK card-present transaction. No monthly fee, no contract, no commitment beyond the hardware. Built-in receipt printer, Square POS integration, Square Online integration for omnichannel.
3. Zettle Reader 2
Review score 4.0 / 5Best entry-level no-contract
Compact card reader (pairs with phone or tablet) · 1.75% per transaction · No contract
PayPal Zettle Reader 2 at £29 to £69 with 1.75% per transaction. No monthly fee, no contract. Pairs to phone or tablet via Bluetooth. Lowest hardware entry point for a no-contract reader.
4. Tide Card Reader
Review score 3.8 / 5Best no-contract for Tide customers
Compact Bluetooth-paired reader (similar to Zettle / SumUp) · 1.5% per transaction (UK) · No contract
Tide Card Reader at £49 with 1.5% per transaction, no contract. Settlement same-day to Tide Business banking. Cheapest UK mainstream rate among no-contract products if you bank with Tide.
5. Revolut Card Reader
Review score 3.7 / 5Best no-contract international
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% per transaction (on higher Revolut Business plans). No contract on the hardware, though the Revolut Business plan is monthly. Strong multi-currency and FX integration.
6. Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal)
Review score 4.2 / 5Zero-hardware no-contract
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 removes the hardware cost entirely. iPhone XS or newer running iOS 16.4+ acts as the card machine. Pick your acquirer (SumUp, Square, Zettle, Stripe, Tide, Revolut) and run no-contract pricing from there.
Quick comparison
Headline rate, hardware cost, contract and form factor at a glance.
| Rank | Terminal | Rate | Hardware | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | SumUp Solo | 1.69% per transaction | £79 + VAT list price (SumUp often discounts it) | No contract |
| #2 | Square Terminal | 1.75% per transaction (UK) | £149 + VAT | No contract |
| #3 | Zettle Reader 2 | 1.75% per transaction | £29 first reader, £69 each extra (ex VAT) | No contract |
| #4 | Tide Card Reader | 1.5% per transaction (UK) | £49 hardware | No contract |
| #5 | Revolut Card Reader | 0.8% to 1.0% per transaction (depending on subscription tier) | £49 hardware | Subscription-tier dependent (Revolut Business plan) |
| #6 | 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 |
FAQs
What is the best no-contract UK card machine?
SumUp Solo is the strongest overall no-contract pick for 2026: £79 + VAT hardware, 1.69% flat rate, no monthly fee, no contract, free 4G SIM. Square Terminal at £149 + VAT wins on all-in-one feature set if you want a built-in receipt printer and POS software. Zettle Reader 2 at £29 to £69 is the cheapest entry point.
Do no-contract card machines have exit fees?
No. That is the whole point. Cancel any time, no exit fee, no early-termination charge. You keep or sell the hardware, the acquirer relationship simply ends. Confirm this in writing on the merchant agreement before signing; some no-contract products carry a soft commitment.
When does a contract beat a no-contract rate?
Roughly £15,000 monthly card volume. Below that, no-contract rates (1.5% to 1.75%) beat contract rates plus monthly fees. Above £15k monthly, blended contract rates (Dojo custom above £100,000 a year, Tyl at 1.39% + 5p standard (bespoke for higher volume)) start winning back the contract trade-off. Use /fees-calculator/ to model your specific volume.
Can I switch acquirers freely on a no-contract setup?
Yes. The whole no-contract proposition is that you can leave when something better comes along. Check your rate from time to time against the market (our rate review guide shows how) and move if something better fits.
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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