Card readers compared for UK businesses
Quick Reference
Direct Answer
A card reader is the same device as a card machine or card terminal: it takes in-person payments by tap, chip or phone. The best UK card reader for most small businesses in 2026 is SumUp Solo (£79 + VAT, 1.69%, no contract). Square Terminal is the best all-in-one, Zettle Reader 2 the cheapest on hardware (£29 + VAT for your first reader), and Tide and Revolut readers the lowest rates for their banking customers.
Summary
UK card readers (SumUp, Zettle, Square, Tide, Revolut, Stripe) take in-person card payments. Hardware is £49 to £229, rates 0.8% to 1.95%, mostly no contract. Standalone readers work without a phone; tethered readers pair over Bluetooth. Tap to Pay on iPhone needs no reader.
This Page Covers
What a card reader is, how the main UK readers compare on cost and rate, and which suits which business in 2026.
Not Covered Here
Online checkout gateways, full EPOS till systems (see the EPOS hub), and high-risk merchant accounts.
UK card readers compared
"Card reader" is the term SumUp, Zettle and Square buyers use; it is the same device the industry calls a card terminal. Here are the main UK readers on the figures that decide it: hardware cost, rate and contract.
| Card reader | Hardware | Rate | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp Solo | £79 + VAT list price (SumUp often discounts it) | 1.69% per transaction | No contract |
| Zettle Reader 2 | £29 first reader, £69 each extra (ex VAT) | 1.75% per transaction | No contract |
| Square Terminal | £149 + VAT | 1.75% per transaction (UK) | No contract |
| Tide Card Reader | £49 hardware | 1.5% per transaction (UK) | No contract |
| Revolut Card Reader | £49 hardware | 0.8% to 1.0% per transaction (depending on subscription tier) | Subscription-tier dependent (Revolut Business plan) |
| Stripe Reader S700 | £229 excl. VAT | 1.4% + 10p EEA cards, 2.9% + 10p non-EEA (Stripe standard Terminal pricing) | No contract (Stripe standard pay-as-you-go terms) |
Read the full write-up on any device in the card terminal hub, see the best card machine picks ranked by use case (including small business), check what a card machine costs, or find the cheapest card machine in the UK ranked by real cost. Need till software too? See EPOS systems.
In one sentence
Card reader, card machine, card terminal: same device, different word. The right one depends on your volume and contract appetite.
SumUp Solo for most small businesses, Square Terminal for an all-in-one, Zettle for the cheapest start, Tide or Revolut if you already bank with them. MerchantHQ compares the whole UK market, and our broker partner works to return 2 to 3 matched quotes for your trade.
Get matched in 2 minutesFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between a card reader and a card machine?
There is no difference. "Card reader", "card machine", "card terminal" and "PDQ machine" all describe the same thing: the device a customer uses to pay you in person by tapping, inserting a chip card, or holding their phone against it. Fintech brands (SumUp, Zettle, Square, Tide, Revolut) say "card reader"; older bank-acquirer documentation says "card terminal" or "PDQ". Same device.
What is the best card reader for a small business in the UK?
SumUp Solo is the strongest all-round pick at £79 + VAT hardware, 1.69% flat, no contract and a free 4G SIM. For an all-in-one with a built-in printer, Square Terminal at £149 + VAT is the better fit. The cheapest entry on hardware is Zettle Reader 2 at £29 + VAT for your first reader. If you already bank with Tide or Revolut, their £49 readers carry the lowest rates (1.5% and from 0.8%).
How much does a card reader cost?
Hardware runs from £49 (Tide, Revolut) to £229 (Stripe Reader S700), with most readers between £59 and £149. On top sits the rate per transaction, from 0.8% (Revolut Reader on UK consumer cards, for Revolut Business customers) to about 1.9% (the top of some blended contract pricing; published no-contract rates are 1.69% at SumUp and 1.75% at Square and Zettle), and usually no monthly fee on no-contract readers. Tap to Pay on iPhone needs no reader at all if you have a compatible iPhone.
Do card readers need a phone or do they work on their own?
It depends on the reader. Standalone readers (SumUp Solo, Square Terminal, Stripe Reader S700) have their own screen and connectivity and work without a paired phone. Tethered readers (Zettle Reader 2, Tide, Revolut) pair to your phone or tablet over Bluetooth and use the app, which makes them cheaper but dependent on your phone. For unreliable signal, choose a 4G standalone reader.
Which card reader has the lowest fees?
On headline rate, Revolut Card Reader (from 0.8% on higher Revolut Business plans) and Tide Card Reader (1.5% for Tide Business customers) are lowest, both conditional on holding that business account. Tyl by NatWest publishes a 1.39% + 5p standard rate, with bespoke pricing for higher-volume NatWest customers. Among unconditional no-contract readers, SumUp Solo (1.69%) is competitive for sub-£10k monthly volume.
Which card reader has no monthly fee?
Most no-contract fintech readers have no monthly fee at all: SumUp Solo, Square Terminal, Zettle Reader 2, and the Tide and Revolut readers charge only the per-transaction rate, with no monthly service charge and no minimum. You pay the one-off hardware cost, then only pay when you take a payment. Monthly fees tend to appear on fixed-term acquirer products (some Dojo, Worldpay and Adyen plans), where the fee may be a terminal rental or a minimum service charge.
What is the cheapest way to take card payments?
For most UK small businesses the cheapest way is Tap to Pay on iPhone, which needs no reader if you have a compatible iPhone, or a low-cost no-contract reader such as Zettle Reader 2 at £29 + VAT for your first reader, both with no monthly fee. On rate, account-linked readers from Tyl by NatWest, Revolut and Tide are lowest for their banking customers. The cheapest overall depends on your monthly card volume: a flat-rate reader wins at low volume, a blended-rate contract can win at high volume.
MerchantHQ is owned and operated by Best Business Loans Ltd, directed by Oliver Mackman. Last updated: