Square vs SumUp UK 2026: Fees, Features & Which to Choose

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Square and SumUp are two of the most popular card payment providers for small UK businesses in 2026. Square charges 1.75% per in-person transaction on its free plan and gives you free POS software with stock management and staff logins included. SumUp charges 1.69% per in-person transaction on its standard plan, costs nothing per month, and suits sole traders and mobile businesses that want the simplest possible setup. For online payments, Square charges 1.4% plus 25p per UK card transaction versus SumUp's flat 2.5%, making Square the stronger choice for any business selling online. Both Squareup Europe Ltd (FCA reference 900846) and SumUp Payments Limited (FCA reference 900700) are authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority as electronic money institutions. Updated August 2026.

Who Is This Page For?

This comparison is for UK sole traders, small retailers, market traders, and hospitality businesses trying to decide between Square and SumUp in 2026. It is also relevant if you are searching for current SumUp fees, SumUp pricing, or a direct Square vs SumUp fee breakdown. If you already use one provider and are considering switching, the fee tables and scenario comparisons below will give you the numbers you need.

Compare Card Fees is a free, independent advisory service that has helped UK businesses find better card payment deals since 2012. If you want a personalised recommendation after reading this page, use the Compare Card Fees merchant services comparison tool to see how both providers stack up against the wider market for your specific turnover.

Key Facts: Square vs SumUp

Square vs SumUp: Fee Comparison

SumUp Fees Explained

SumUp's standard plan charges 1.69% on every in-person card transaction, with no monthly fee and no contract. On a £50 sale that works out at 84.5p. On £5,000 of monthly card turnover, you pay SumUp £84.50 in transaction fees. There are no separate authorisation fees, no PCI compliance charges, and no minimum monthly service charges on the standard plan.

SumUp introduced SumUp One in 2023: a subscription at £19 plus VAT per month that reduces the in-person rate to 0.99%. At £5,000 monthly card turnover you pay £49.50 in transaction fees plus the £19 subscription, totalling £68.50. That is a saving of £16 a month compared to the standard plan at that volume. SumUp One breaks even at roughly £2,300 a month in card turnover. Above that figure, the subscription saves you money every month.

SumUp's online transaction fee is a flat 2.5% per transaction. Payment link fees also sit at 2.5%. This is noticeably higher than Square's online rate and is the biggest weakness in SumUp's pricing for any business that regularly sells online or invoices customers remotely. SumUp does not charge a separate virtual terminal fee, but the 2.5% rate applies to all keyed and online transactions.

What Percentage Does SumUp Take?

SumUp takes 1.69% of every in-person card payment on the standard plan. For online payments, payment links, and keyed transactions, SumUp takes 2.5%. If you subscribe to SumUp One at £19 plus VAT per month, the in-person rate drops to 0.99%. There are no additional scheme fees or authorisation charges added on top of these rates for standard UK consumer cards.

Square vs SumUp: Pricing at Different Turnover Levels

The right provider depends heavily on how much you take and whether most of your sales are in person or online. The table below shows the total monthly cost at three common UK small business turnover levels, assuming all transactions are in person and on the standard plan for each provider.

At £2,000 a month, SumUp's standard plan saves you just £1.20 compared to Square. At £10,000 a month, SumUp One saves you £57 compared to Square and £51 compared to SumUp's standard rate. The subscription plan becomes the clear winner above around £2,300 per month in card turnover.

What is Square?

Square is a US-founded payment provider, launched in the UK in 2017, that offers card readers, point-of-sale software, and online payment tools under a flat-rate pricing model. Its free plan charges 1.75% per in-person transaction with no monthly fee, and the company backs this up with free stock management, an item library, and staff management tools built into the Square POS app. Squareup Europe Ltd is registered with the FCA as an authorised electronic money institution. For a full breakdown of fees and features, see the Square UK review on Compare Card Fees.

Square has expanded its hardware range to include the Square Terminal (a standalone device with a built-in receipt printer, priced at around £149 plus VAT) and the Square Register (a full counter-top setup at around £549 plus VAT). Paid software plans, such as Square for Restaurants and Square for Retail, start at around £49 per month plus VAT and add features like floor plan management and advanced reporting. The free tier is genuinely capable, and most small businesses will not need to upgrade.

What is SumUp?

SumUp is a Berlin-founded provider that launched in the UK in 2012 and focuses on giving small businesses a fast, low-friction way to accept card payments. Its flagship product is the SumUp Air card reader, a pocket-sized Bluetooth device that pairs with a smartphone app. The standard plan charges 1.69% per in-person transaction with no monthly fee and no contract. SumUp Payments Limited holds FCA authorisation as an electronic money institution. You can read a detailed breakdown on the SumUp UK review on Compare Card Fees.

SumUp One, introduced in 2023, is a subscription plan at £19 per month plus VAT that drops the in-person transaction rate to 0.99%. SumUp also offers the SumUp Solo, a standalone card reader with a built-in SIM and touchscreen, priced at around £99 plus VAT. Hardware is sold outright, so there are no rental fees to worry about. SumUp operates in over 35 countries, primarily across Europe and Latin America, giving it a clear international reach advantage over Square.

Square vs SumUp: Features Compared

Payment Methods Accepted

Both providers accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay, and Google Pay in person. Square supports contactless payments via the Square Reader and all major chip-and-PIN cards. SumUp accepts the same card types on the Air and Solo readers. For online payments, Square supports hosted payment pages, a virtual terminal, and an API at 1.4% plus 25p per UK card transaction. SumUp's online rate is a flat 2.5%, which makes it a weaker choice for businesses processing a meaningful volume of remote orders.

Hardware and Card Readers

Square's entry-level Reader is the cheapest way into either provider at around £19 plus VAT. SumUp's Air reader costs roughly double that at around £39 plus VAT, though it is well-built and reliable for daily mobile use. Square's Terminal (around £149 plus VAT) is a strong mid-range option for counter-based retail because it prints receipts without needing a separate printer. SumUp's Solo (around £99 plus VAT) has a built-in SIM, removing the need for a Wi-Fi connection, which appeals to outdoor and mobile traders. Neither provider locks hardware to a contract, so switching later does not leave you with ongoing payments on equipment.

POS Software and Integrations

Square's free POS app is a clear differentiator. It includes unlimited product listings, basic stock management with low-stock alerts, staff logins with individual permission levels, and sales reports by item or staff member. Square also integrates with WooCommerce, Wix, and BigCommerce out of the box, plus a wide range of third-party apps via its developer API. SumUp's app covers the basics well: item catalogues, tipping, and sales history. Its third-party integrations are more limited, though it does connect with Wix, Shopify, and various accounting packages. If you rely on detailed stock tracking or want a single system across your till and online store, Square has a meaningful advantage here.

International Support

Square operates in a limited set of markets: the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Spain, France, and Ireland. If you plan to expand internationally beyond those countries, Square offers no coverage. SumUp operates in over 35 countries, primarily across Europe and Latin America, and supports multiple currencies. For a UK-based business with European ambitions, SumUp is the more practical choice on international reach alone.

Security and PCI Compliance

Square includes end-to-end encryption on all card readers and manages PCI DSS compliance on your behalf, removing the need to complete an annual self-assessment questionnaire on the free plan. Its risk management system monitors transactions in real time and can flag or hold funds if it detects unusual activity. SumUp also handles PCI compliance centrally and uses tokenisation and TLS encryption across its hardware and app. Both providers apply 3D Secure to online transactions in line with Strong Customer Authentication rules set by the FCA. Neither provider is notably stronger than the other on security fundamentals, though Square's account holds remain a known frustration for some merchants.

Customer Support

Square offers phone support, email, and live chat through its dashboard, though phone support hours are limited to weekdays during business hours. Its online help centre is thorough and covers most common questions in detail. SumUp provides email and phone support, but a recurring criticism from UK users is that wait times can be long and that support quality varies. Neither provider offers 24/7 UK telephone support, which is a genuine gap for hospitality businesses that trade through evenings and weekends.

Pros and Cons

Square Pros and Cons

Pros

• Free POS software with stock management, staff logins, and sales reporting included at no extra cost
• Cheapest entry-level card reader at around £19 plus VAT
• Lower online transaction rate at 1.4% plus 25p per UK card transaction, compared to SumUp's 2.5%
• Wide hardware range from a basic reader up to a full counter-top register
• Integrates with WooCommerce, Wix, BigCommerce, and many third-party apps
• Virtual terminal included, useful for taking payments over the phone

Cons

• In-person transaction rate of 1.75% is slightly higher than SumUp's 1.69%
• Operates in a small number of countries, limiting usefulness for internationally expanding businesses
• Account holds and fund freezes do occur, sometimes with little warning, which can disrupt cash flow
• Advanced POS features for restaurants and retail require a paid plan starting at £49 per month plus VAT

SumUp Pros and Cons

Pros

• Lower in-person transaction rate of 1.69% on the standard plan
• SumUp One subscription at £19 per month plus VAT drops the rate to 0.99%, saving meaningful money above £2,300 monthly turnover
• SumUp Solo has a built-in SIM, making it ideal for outdoor markets, festivals, and mobile traders
• Operates in over 35 countries, well ahead of Square on international reach
• Simple, quick setup with minimal technical knowledge required

Cons

• Online transaction rate of 2.5% is considerably higher than Square's 1.4% plus 25p per UK card transaction
• POS software lacks the depth of Square's free tools, particularly for stock management
• Customer support wait times have been criticised by UK users, with inconsistent response quality
• Entry-level Air reader costs around £39 plus VAT, roughly double the price of Square's Reader

Which is Better For...?

Small Retail Businesses

Square is the stronger choice for small shops. Its free stock management handles unlimited product variants, sends low-stock alerts, and ties in with online sales channels. A boutique processing £8,000 a month in-store pays £140 in transaction fees at Square's 1.75% rate, versus £135.20 at SumUp's 1.69%. That is a difference of under £5 a month. That small saving does not outweigh the advantage of Square's richer software. Square wins here.

Mobile and Market Traders

SumUp has the edge for traders who work outdoors or away from a reliable Wi-Fi connection. The SumUp Solo's built-in SIM means you are not dependent on a venue's internet or your phone's hotspot. SumUp's broader European coverage also helps if you trade at international markets. For a mobile trader keeping things simple, SumUp is the more practical pick. See the Compare Card Fees guide for market traders for more options at this type of business.

Online-Only or Hybrid E-commerce Businesses

Square is clearly better for any business taking a meaningful volume of online orders. At Square's online rate of 1.4% plus 25p, a business processing £10,000 a month online pays around £165 in fees. At SumUp's 2.5% flat rate, the same volume costs £250. That is an £85 monthly difference. Unless you rarely sell online, Square's lower online rate makes it the more cost-effective option. For a deeper look at online payment costs, see the Compare Card Fees guide to payment gateway costs in the UK.

Hospitality and Food Businesses

Square's dedicated Square for Restaurants plan (from £49 per month plus VAT) covers floor plans, course management, and split bills. For a café or small restaurant already on the free Square plan, the core POS tools handle basic table service well enough. SumUp does not have an equivalent hospitality-specific feature set. Square is the better fit for food and drink businesses, though neither competes with the deeper functionality of a full EPOS system from a specialist provider. The Compare Card Fees guide for restaurants covers specialist options if you need them.

Sole Traders and Freelancers

SumUp is the simpler starting point for sole traders who take occasional card payments and do not need complex software. The standard plan's 1.69% rate and zero monthly fee keep costs proportionate to your volume. A mobile hairdresser taking £1,500 a month in card payments pays just £25.35 in transaction fees. Square is also viable for sole traders, particularly if you want a free virtual terminal for phone payments or plan to add online sales later. Both are strong options at low volumes. See the Compare Card Fees sole trader payment guide for a broader comparison.

Is Square or SumUp Better in 2026?

For most UK small businesses in 2026, Square is the more capable all-round provider. Its free POS software, lower online rates at 1.4% plus 25p per UK card transaction, and cheaper entry hardware give it a practical edge for anyone running a shop, café, or hybrid business. The 0.06 percentage point difference in in-person rates is too small to matter at most volumes. Software depth, online pricing, and hardware flexibility are where the decision is really made, and Square leads on all three.

SumUp earns its place for a specific type of business: the sole trader, market seller, or mobile professional who wants the simplest possible setup and processes most sales face to face. The SumUp One subscription at £19 plus VAT per month is genuinely good value above £2,300 monthly card turnover, and the built-in SIM on the Solo is a real practical advantage in locations without reliable Wi-Fi. SumUp's weaker online rates and thinner software make it harder to recommend for any business with serious online sales.

Before committing to either provider, it is worth checking whether a different option suits your volume or sector better. Use the Compare Card Fees merchant services comparison tool to see how Square and SumUp stack up against other providers for your specific turnover and transaction mix.