SumUp Card Readers UK: Pricing, Pros and Cons for 2026

SumUp is a Berlin-based payment technology company founded in 2012 that lets UK businesses accept card payments using a portable card reader paired with a smartphone or tablet. It charges a flat 1.69% per transaction on its standard plan, with no monthly subscription required. There are no lengthy contracts to sign, and the entry-level SumUp Air card reader costs £39 plus VAT as a one-off purchase. Settlement typically arrives in your nominated UK bank account within one to two business days. SumUp is particularly popular with sole traders, market stall holders, mobile tradespeople, and small hospitality businesses that process cards occasionally rather than continuously.

Key Facts: SumUp UK

Updated August 2026

Who Is This Page For?

This page is for UK business owners who want to know exactly what SumUp charges, whether the SumUp Air or SumUp Solo card reader is right for them, and how SumUp compares to Square, Zettle, and Stripe. It is also useful for anyone already using SumUp who suspects they may be overpaying once their card turnover grows.

Who Is SumUp For?

SumUp suits businesses that want to start taking card payments quickly without committing to a long contract or paying a monthly fee. The pay-as-you-go model works well if your card turnover is unpredictable. A mobile beautician taking £2,000 a month in card payments would pay around £33.80 in transaction fees on the standard 1.69% rate, with nothing else to budget for.

The SumUp One subscription at £19 per month drops the transaction rate to 0.99%. That rate becomes cost-neutral versus the standard plan at roughly £2,800 of monthly card turnover. Above that figure, SumUp One saves you money. Below it, the free plan is cheaper.

SumUp is less suited to high-volume retailers processing tens of thousands of pounds each month. At that level, a traditional merchant account with interchange-plus pricing will almost always work out cheaper. It is also not ideal for businesses that need advanced inventory management, detailed staff permissions, or telephone order processing as standard.

SumUp Fees and Pricing: Everything You Pay in 2026

SumUp charges a flat percentage on every card transaction. The standard plan costs 1.69% per in-person transaction on UK and European personal Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards. There is no monthly fee, no minimum monthly charge, and no PCI DSS compliance fee on the standard plan.

SumUp uses blended pricing, meaning you pay the same percentage regardless of whether the customer taps a Visa debit card or a rewards credit card. That makes budgeting straightforward, though it means you may pay slightly more than interchange-plus pricing on low-cost card types. For a detailed explanation of why blended pricing can cost more at volume, see our guide to interchange-plus vs blended pricing.

Non-European consumer cards, such as US-issued Visa cards, and commercial or corporate cards typically attract a higher rate. SumUp does not publish a specific figure for these card types. Check your merchant agreement for the exact rate before accepting them regularly.

There is no early termination fee on the pay-as-you-go plan. If you subscribe to SumUp One and cancel mid-month, you are not charged for the remainder of that month.

Is there VAT on SumUp fees?

SumUp's transaction fees are exempt from VAT. Payment processing is classified as a financial service under UK VAT rules, which means the 1.69% or 0.99% you pay is the full charge with no VAT added on top. The hardware, such as the SumUp Air at £39, is sold plus VAT in the usual way.

What is the SumUp One subscription?

SumUp One is a rolling monthly subscription at £19 per month that reduces the transaction rate from 1.69% to 0.99% on all UK and European personal card payments. New subscribers typically receive one SumUp Air reader free in their first month. The subscription is worth taking if your monthly card turnover exceeds roughly £2,800. At £5,000 per month it saves around £35 compared with the standard plan. At £10,000 per month the saving is around £70.

What are SumUp's Pay by Link fees?

SumUp Pay by Link uses the same transaction rate as in-person payments. On the standard plan that is 1.69% per transaction. On SumUp One it is 0.99% per transaction. There is no additional fee for generating or sending a payment link. The link can be shared by email, SMS, or WhatsApp. For a broader guide to pay-by-link services in the UK, see our pay by link services UK guide.

SumUp Hardware: Air, Solo Lite, and Solo Compared

SumUp sells three card readers in the UK, each suited to different working environments. All accept chip and PIN, contactless, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. The right choice depends on whether you always have a phone nearby and how strong your mobile data or Wi-Fi connection typically is.

The SumUp Air is the best-value starting point for most businesses. The SumUp Solo is the better option for outdoor markets, festivals, delivery drivers, or any location with unreliable connectivity. For a broader look at portable readers, see our mobile card machine guide.

SumUp Features

• Portable card readers: The SumUp Air connects to your phone via Bluetooth and accepts chip and PIN, contactless, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. The SumUp Solo operates independently with its own 4G SIM and a built-in touchscreen, removing the need for a separate device.
• SumUp Point of Sale app: The free iOS and Android app lets you create product catalogues, track sales, apply discounts, and send digital receipts by email or SMS.
• SumUp Business Account: A free UK business current account (sort code and account number included) that gives you same-day settlement from your SumUp transactions, plus a Mastercard debit card for spending.
• Invoicing: You can create and send branded invoices directly from the SumUp app or dashboard, with a payment link attached so customers can pay online by card.
• Pay by Link: Generate a payment link from the app or web dashboard and send it by any messaging channel. Useful for remote or phone orders without a physical terminal present.
• Online store: SumUp provides a basic hosted online shop for businesses that want a simple web presence, integrated with card payment collection at no additional monthly cost.
• Reporting dashboard: The web portal shows daily, weekly, and monthly sales totals, transaction history, and basic product performance. It is functional rather than detailed.
• Multi-employee access: You can add staff members to a single SumUp account, assign them their own PIN codes, and track sales by employee.

How Much Does SumUp Cost at Different Monthly Volumes?

The table below shows your monthly transaction fees at common turnover levels, comparing the standard 1.69% plan against the SumUp One plan at £19 per month plus 0.99%.

At £20,000 per month, even the SumUp One plan at £217 may be beaten by a traditional merchant account with interchange-plus pricing. Providers such as Dojo, takepayments, or Stripe can offer lower effective rates at higher volumes. Our guide to interchange-plus vs blended pricing explains exactly how the maths works.

SumUp Settlement Times: When Do You Get Paid?

SumUp typically settles funds into your nominated UK bank account within one to two business days of the transaction. Payments taken on a Friday typically arrive by Tuesday. Settlement can occasionally take longer during bank holidays or if your account triggers a routine review.

If you hold a free SumUp Business Account, card revenue settles the same day. The SumUp Business Account comes with a UK sort code and account number, and a Mastercard debit card. It functions as a basic business current account, though it is not a full bank account and is not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Your funds are safeguarded under FCA e-money rules instead.

SumUp vs Square UK

Square is SumUp's closest like-for-like competitor in the UK. Square charges 1.75% per in-person transaction on its free plan, versus SumUp's 1.69%. Square's hardware starts at £19 for its basic contactless reader, cheaper than the SumUp Air at £39. However, Square offers a more developed point-of-sale toolkit, including detailed inventory tools and a free online store with more customisation. SumUp has an edge if you want same-day settlement through its Business Account. For a fuller comparison, see our SumUp vs Square comparison page and the Square UK review.

You can also compare SumUp against Zettle in our Zettle vs SumUp guide, or against Teya in our Teya vs SumUp guide.

SumUp Review: Pros and Cons

Pros

• No monthly fee on the standard plan: You only pay when you take a payment. A seasonal or intermittent business pays nothing in quiet months.
• Transparent flat-rate pricing: 1.69% covers virtually all UK consumer card types, making costs easy to predict and explain to your accountant.
• No contract: You can walk away from the standard plan at any time. There is no cancellation notice period and no early exit fee.
• Same-day settlement option: Open a free SumUp Business Account and card revenue lands in your account the same day rather than one to two business days later.
• Quick setup: Most businesses are ready to take their first payment within 15 minutes of downloading the app and registering an account.
• Standalone 4G reader available: The SumUp Solo does not need a phone or Wi-Fi, which suits outdoor markets, festivals, and delivery drivers.

Cons

• Not cost-effective at high volumes: A business processing £20,000 a month pays £338 in fees at 1.69%. A traditional merchant account with interchange-plus pricing could cut that to under £200 for the same volume.
• Limited customer support: Phone support is available during business hours only, and user reviews on Trustpilot and Google frequently cite slow response times when disputes or account freezes occur. SumUp scores around 4 out of 5 on Trustpilot as of August 2026, based on over 24,000 reviews.
• Account holds can happen: Like most payment service providers, SumUp pools merchants into a shared account rather than giving each business its own merchant account. Unusual transaction patterns can trigger account reviews and temporary holds on funds.
• Basic reporting: The dashboard gives you sales totals but lacks the granular reporting that growing businesses typically need. There is no built-in staff commission tracking or margin analysis.
• Higher rate for non-European cards: If your customers regularly pay with US, Canadian, or commercial cards, the standard 1.69% rate will not apply. The actual rate for those card types is not clearly stated upfront.