Best card machine for private tutors UK 2026
See the pick and alternatives for private tutors below, then ask our card-payments broker partner for 2 to 3 matched quotes.
The best UK card machine for private tutors in 2026 is Tap to Pay on iPhone, on SumUp. Typical transaction size, cashflow and contactless use for this trade are in the table below, and the alternatives are listed after it.
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Our pick
Tap to Pay on iPhone
Acquirer: SumUp
Mobile, in-home or online delivery with no fixed location. Tap to Pay covers in-person lessons; Stripe or SumUp links cover online lessons. No-contract economics fit term-time-only earnings.
Read full Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal) reviewWhat private tutors card payments look like
- Cashflow shape
- Term-time flow with school-holiday dips. Strong May to August GCSE / A-level surge for exam-prep tutors.
- Typical transaction (our estimate)
- £25 to £80 per lesson; £200 to £600 per block
- Contactless use (our estimate)
- Lower, as most lessons are paid by transfer or booked in blocks card-not-present
- Recommended acquirer
- SumUp
Transaction sizes and contactless use are our working estimates for sizing a quote, not published statistics. Your own card statements give the real figures.
Card machines compared for private tutors
Headline rate, hardware cost and contract at a glance, from our full terminal reviews.
| Rank | Terminal | Rate | Hardware | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Tap to Pay on iPhone (no terminal) Our pick | 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 | 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) |
| #3 | SumUp Solo | 1.69% per transaction | £79 + VAT list price (SumUp often discounts it) | No contract |
Prices and rates checked on the provider's own page: Apple Tap to Pay on iPhone (UK) (2026-10-02); Stripe UK pricing page (2026-10-02); SumUp card readers page (2026-09-25); Square Terminal page (2026-09-25); Zettle card reader page (2026-09-25).
Alternatives for private tutors
- Stripe Reader S700 (tutors with own website / booking system)
- SumUp Solo (tutors who want a physical reader)
Watch outs specific to private tutors
- DBS-check requirement does not affect card acceptance but parents often ask.
- Block-booking refund policy needs to be in writing before payment.
- Online-lesson cancellation chargebacks are the main dispute risk.
FAQs
What is the best card machine for private tutors in the UK?
The best UK card machine for private tutors in 2026 is Tap to Pay on iPhone on SumUp. Mobile, in-home or online delivery with no fixed location. Tap to Pay covers in-person lessons; Stripe or SumUp links cover online lessons. No-contract economics fit term-time-only earnings.
How much does a card machine cost for private tutors?
Hardware runs from nothing (Tap to Pay on iPhone, on a phone you already own) to £229 + VAT (Stripe Reader S700), with SumUp Solo at £79 + VAT and Square Terminal at £149 + VAT. Published pay-as-you-go rates on UK cards are 1.69% at SumUp, 1.75% at Square and 1.75% at Zettle, with no monthly fee; contract providers quote a blended or bespoke rate and usually charge monthly terminal rental instead. Your blended monthly cost depends on card volume and average transaction size, so model it on your own numbers with our fees calculator rather than relying on a flat figure.
What is the average transaction size in this trade?
£25 to £80 per lesson; £200 to £600 per block, on our working estimate. Your own card statements give the real figure, and it matters because percentage fees and fixed per-transaction fees weigh differently on small and large payments.
How much contactless use is typical for private tutors?
Lower, as most lessons are paid by transfer or booked in blocks card-not-present, on our working estimate. Your own card statements show the real split between tap and chip and PIN, which is worth checking before you choose between a phone-paired reader and a standalone terminal.
What should I watch out for when choosing a card machine for private tutors?
DBS-check requirement does not affect card acceptance but parents often ask. Also check the contract length, exit fees, chargeback handling and how quickly money settles into your account.
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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