Card reader break-even calculator
No links here are currently paid; some may earn us commission in future. How we make money
See what each option costs per month at different levels of card sales, and the point where a monthly plan starts to pay for itself.
Assumptions
- Assumption: average transaction value £20. This only affects Tide, which adds a fixed fee per transaction (5p PAYG, 3p Essential/Premium). Change it below.
- All sales are in person on UK consumer cards, which is the card type each provider's headline rate applies to. Other cards can cost more (Lopay +1%, SumUp Payments Plus 1.69%).
- Hardware, VAT, refunds, online payments and instant-payout fees (except Lopay's instant plan) aren't included.
- Tide's rates apply until 1 Dec 2026, when Tide says they go up.
Monthly cost at £500, £1k, £3k and £5k of card sales
| Option | Monthly fee | Rate | Commitment | £500 | £1,000 | £3,000 | £5,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp pay-as-you-go | £0 | 1.69% | None | £8.45 | £16.90 | £50.70 | £84.50 |
| SumUp Payments Plus | £19.00 | 0.99% | Monthly, cancel anytime | £23.95 | £28.90 | £48.70 | £68.50 |
| Square | £0 | 1.75% | None | £8.75 | £17.50 | £52.50 | £87.50 |
| PayPal POS | £0 | 1.75% | None | £8.75 | £17.50 | £52.50 | £87.50 |
| Tide PAYG | £0 | 1.5% + 5p | None | £8.75 | £17.50 | £52.50 | £87.50 |
| Tide Essential | £17.99 | 0.89% + 3p | Monthly, cancel anytime | £23.19 | £28.39 | £49.19 | £69.99 |
| Tide Premium | £19.99 | 0.69% + 3p | 12-month contract | £24.19 | £28.39 | £45.19 | £61.99 |
| Lopay Essential (weekly payout) | £0 | 0.79% | None | £3.95 | £7.90 | £23.70 | £39.50 |
| Lopay Standard (next-day) | £0 | 0.99% | None | £4.95 | £9.90 | £29.70 | £49.50 |
| Lopay Instant to bank | £0 | 1.79% | None | £8.95 | £17.90 | £53.70 | £89.50 |
Break-even points
| Comparison | Calculation | Break-even | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp Payments Plus vs pay-as-you-go | £19 ÷ (1.69% − 0.99%) | £2,714/month | No per-transaction fees, so this doesn't depend on average sale. |
| Tide Essential vs Tide PAYG | £17.99 ÷ ((1.5% + 5p/£20) − (0.89% + 3p/£20)) | £2,534/month | Uses the £20 average-sale assumption. |
| Tide Premium vs Tide PAYG | £19.99 ÷ ((1.5% + 5p/£20) − (0.69% + 3p/£20)) | £2,197/month | £20 assumption. Premium has a 12-month contract. |
| Tide Premium vs Tide Essential | £2.00 ÷ (0.89% − 0.69%) | £1,000/month | Fixed fee is 3p on both, so the average sale doesn't matter. |
| Lopay vs others | No monthly fee and a lower % than every pay-as-you-go option here | Not applicable | Lopay Essential (0.79%) and Standard (0.99%) cost less at every level, on UK consumer Visa/Mastercard. |
For comparison, SumUp says Payments Plus is the more cost-effective choice if your monthly sales exceed £3,300 (SumUp, checked 28 Oct 2026). SumUp's figure uses its own assumptions, so it differs from ours.
Try your own numbers
Frequently asked questions
When is a monthly plan worth it?
When the money saved on the percentage fee is more than the monthly fee. With SumUp, that's about £2,714 a month of card sales. With Tide, it depends on your average sale. At £20 it's about £2,197 for Premium and £2,534 for Essential.
Why does the average sale matter?
A fixed fee per transaction, like Tide's 5p or 3p, costs proportionally more on small sales. Lots of £3 coffees cost more in fixed fees than a few £100 sales.
Why is Lopay so low?
Its 0.79% rate comes with free payouts on Thursdays only. Next-day payouts are 0.99%, and instant payouts are 1.79%. These rates apply to UK consumer Visa and Mastercard. Other cards cost 1% more.
Why isn't Dojo in the calculator?
Dojo has a 12-month contract and isn't a no-contract option. Its rate is 1.2% blended, plus 5p per authorisation and 50p per refund (under £100k annual turnover). See our comparison.
Is this financial advice?
No. It's general information based on published rates. Check each provider's current terms.
See also: full card reader comparison.
SumUp offers: SumUp runs time-limited hardware offers. On 26 Oct 2026 we saw sale prices below its usual reader prices. Offers may end without notice, so check SumUp's card reader page for the current price (usual prices Solo Lite £25, Solo £79, Terminal £135 ex VAT, checked 28 Oct 2026).
Last checked: 19 Oct 2026. Prices ex VAT unless stated. Check the official provider page before buying, because promos and fees change. Tide says its fees go up on 1 Dec 2026.
My notes
Log in to keep private notes on this guide. Only you can see them.