Cheapest no-contract card reader UK (Oct 2026)
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How we define "cheapest": we rank on the lowest monthly cost for in-person payments on UK consumer cards, at the takings levels below, using each provider's published rates. Hardware is listed separately. Only options with no minimum contract are ranked. Dojo is shown for reference but not ranked, because it has a 12-month contract.
Comparison table
| Provider | Hardware | In-person fee | Contract | Needs another account? | Badges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp | Solo £79 (source). Other models: see SumUp. | 1.69% PAYG; Payments Plus £19/mo gives 0.99% on domestic consumer cards (others 1.69%) (source) | None (Payments Plus: cancel anytime) | No | ✓ No long-term contract✓ No monthly fee✓ Pay only when you take payments | Official page ↗Ad |
| Square | Reader £19; Terminal £149; Handheld £169 (source) | 1.75% with UK cards (source) | None | No | ✓ No long-term contract✓ No monthly fee✓ Pay only when you take payments | Official page ↗Ad |
| PayPal POS (formerly Zettle) | First PayPal Reader £29 for new business users, extra readers £69; Terminal £149 (source) | 1.75% on major cards incl. Amex | None | No | ✓ No long-term contract✓ No monthly fee✓ Pay only when you take payments | Official page ↗Ad |
| Tide | Nano from £11; Card Reader £29–£49; Reader Plus £49–£69, depending on plan (source) | PAYG 1.5% + 5p; Essential £17.99/mo 0.89% + 3p; Premium £19.99/mo 0.69% + 3p (12-month). Domestic consumer debit rates. | None on PAYG / Essential; Premium 12 months | Yes, Tide business account | ✓ No long-term contract✓ No monthly fee✓ Pay only when you take payments✓ Open to new sole traders | Official page ↗Ad |
| Lopay | Card reader £35 + P&P (first reader via the app; £49 online or extra readers) (source) | 0.79% (weekly Thursday payout); 0.99% (next-day); 1.79% (instant). UK consumer Visa/Mastercard; +1% Amex, corporate, international | None | No | ✓ No long-term contract✓ No monthly fee✓ Pay only when you take payments✓ Suits new businesses | Official page ↗Ad |
| Dojo | Dojo Wired £179; Dojo Pocket £239 upfront (source) | 1.2% blended (under £100k annual turnover) + 5p per authorisation; 50p per refund (source) | 12 months, then rolling monthly (under £1m turnover) | No | 12-month contract | Official page ↗Ad |
Lopay's reader price is shown as "£35 + P&P", and its page doesn't say whether that includes VAT. SumUp's and Dojo's hardware pages also don't make clear whether prices include VAT. Check before buying.
Sort and compare side by side
| Compare | Option | Est. monthly cost | Cheapest reader (ex VAT) | Payout | Amex |
|---|
"Best for" labels, and why
Each label follows one stated rule applied to the table above. They're not general recommendations, and they could change when prices do.
| Label | Option | The rule we applied | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low volume (about £500/month) | Lopay Essential | Lowest estimated monthly cost at £500 among no-long-contract options (£3.95) | Payouts weekly (Thursdays); +1% on Amex, corporate and international cards |
| Lowest upfront cost / market stalls | Square Reader | Cheapest reader price among no-monthly-fee options (£19 ex VAT) | Needs your phone's internet connection; offline mode for up to 24 hours doesn't cover contactless (Square) |
| Mobile trades with patchy Wi-Fi | Tide Card Reader (PAYG) | Cheapest reader with its own built-in connection (Tide: 'lifetime free 4G'), £49 on Pay As You Go | Needs a Tide business account; Tide fees rise 1 Dec 2026 |
| Cafés and busier counters (around £5,000/month) | Lopay Standard | Lowest estimated monthly cost at £5,000 among no-long-contract options with next-day payouts (£49.50) | +1% on Amex, corporate and international cards; Lopay's terminal is a separate 12-month rental |
| Customers who often pay by Amex | PayPal POS | The only no-long-contract provider here stating one flat rate 'even' for Amex (1.75%) | Higher headline rate than Lopay or SumUp |
| Fastest access to money | PayPal POS / Lopay Instant | Funds 'typically within minutes' to your PayPal Business account; Lopay instant payouts at 1.79% | PayPal: money lands in your PayPal balance first; Lopay Instant costs more per transaction |
Frequently asked questions
What does 'no contract' mean here?
It means the provider's own page says there's no long-term contract or minimum term for that option (checked 19 Oct 2026). The reader is still a one-off purchase.
Why is Dojo in the table but not ranked?
Dojo says its contracts are 12 months, then rolling monthly, for businesses under £1m card turnover. We only rank options with no long-term contract.
Do these fees include VAT?
The prices and fees shown exclude VAT unless stated. Lopay lists its reader as £35 + P&P without saying whether that includes VAT.
How often do you check the figures?
Every figure shows the date we checked it (checked 19 Oct 2026). We re-check when we update a page. Always confirm on the provider's site before you buy.
Monthly cost examples
Monthly plan fee plus fees on in-person card takings. Hardware isn't included. Tide charges a fixed fee per transaction, so we've assumed an average sale of £20. Change it in the break-even calculator, or take the find my card reader quiz.
| Option | £500/mo | £2,000/mo | £5,000/mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp pay-as-you-go | £8.45 | £33.80 | £84.50 |
| SumUp Payments Plus | £23.95 | £38.80 | £68.50 |
| Square | £8.75 | £35.00 | £87.50 |
| PayPal POS | £8.75 | £35.00 | £87.50 |
| Tide PAYG | £8.75 | £35.00 | £87.50 |
| Tide Essential | £23.19 | £38.79 | £69.99 |
| Tide Premium | £24.19 | £36.79 | £61.99 |
| Lopay Essential (weekly payout) | £3.95 | £15.80 | £39.50 |
| Lopay Standard (next-day) | £4.95 | £19.80 | £49.50 |
| Lopay Instant to bank | £8.95 | £35.80 | £89.50 |
Result, on these criteria
- Lowest cost at every level shown: Lopay Essential at 0.79%, with free payouts only on Thursdays. Its next-day plan (0.99%) comes second at each level. These rates are for UK consumer Visa/Mastercard. Amex, corporate and international cards cost 1% more.
- Among the larger providers: at £500 and £2,000, SumUp pay-as-you-go (1.69%) is slightly cheaper than Square, PayPal POS and Tide PAYG. At £5,000, Tide Premium (12-month contract) and SumUp Payments Plus come out lower than pay-as-you-go.
- Not covered: card mix, refunds, online payments, payout speed beyond what's noted, reliability and support. These can change which option suits you.
Tide says its transaction and subscription fees rise on 1 Dec 2026 (details). This table uses its current rates.
Thinking about whether to take cards at all? Read why card readers are the future for small businesses.
Method
Rates and prices come from each provider's official UK page, checked 19 Oct 2026 (linked in the table). Costs = monthly plan fee + (takings × % rate) + (number of transactions × fixed fee). The number of transactions uses the stated £20 average-sale assumption. Commission never affects the ranking.
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
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