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

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Teya and SumUp are two of the most talked-about card payment providers for small UK businesses in 2026, but they suit very different types of merchant. SumUp charges a flat 1.69% per transaction with no monthly fee and a £39 card reader, making it the simpler and cheaper starting point for lower-volume sellers. Teya offers custom transaction rates that can fall below 1.69% for businesses processing more than roughly £5,000 a month, plus built-in tipping tools, staff reporting, and seven-day phone support. Both are authorised payment institutions regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority: Teya holds FCA reference 978181, SumUp holds FCA reference 900700. Neither requires a long-term contract. This page compares their fees, hardware, features, and support so you can decide which fits your business. Updated August 2026.

Who Is This Page For?

This comparison is written for UK small business owners deciding between Teya and SumUp as their card payment provider. It is most useful if you are a sole trader or micro-business considering SumUp for the first time, a café, pub, or restaurant owner weighing up Teya's hospitality features against SumUp's simplicity, or an existing SumUp user wondering whether switching to Teya would save money or improve support. If you process more than £10,000 a month by card, you may also want to compare both providers against larger acquirers through Compare Card Fees' free merchant services comparison.

Key Facts: Teya vs SumUp

Teya vs SumUp: Fee Comparison

What is Teya?

Teya is a London-based payment provider founded in 2019, originally trading as Tyl by NatWest before rebranding and relaunching as an independent company. It targets small and medium-sized UK businesses with in-person card terminals, a built-in point-of-sale app, tipping functionality, and reporting tools. Teya's pricing is not publicly listed in full. Merchants receive a custom quote based on card turnover, business type, and product mix, which means the advertised rate can vary. For a detailed breakdown of Teya's fees and features, see the Teya provider review on Compare Card Fees.

Teya positions itself as more than a card reader. The platform includes a merchant portal for tracking sales by staff member, automated end-of-day reports, and integrations with select point-of-sale systems. Customer support is available seven days a week by phone and email, which is a genuine differentiator in a market where many providers offer only chat or email. That said, Teya's lack of published pricing makes it harder to compare upfront without requesting a quote.

Teya Fees and Rates Explained

Teya does not publish a single standard transaction rate. In-person rates typically fall between 1.29% and 1.69% per transaction depending on your monthly card turnover, business sector, and the terminal package you agree. A café processing £10,000 a month could expect a rate closer to 1.29%, saving around £40 a month compared to SumUp's flat 1.69%. You will need to request a quote directly or through a comparison service to see the rate applicable to your business. There are no published setup fees or monthly platform fees on the standard agreement, though hardware is costed separately.

What is SumUp?

SumUp is a Berlin-headquartered fintech founded in 2012 with a very large UK presence. It is best known for the SumUp Air card reader, which costs £39 plus VAT and pairs with a free smartphone app to accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and contactless payments at a flat 1.69% per transaction with no monthly fee. There are no setup costs and no minimum monthly turnover requirements, which makes it particularly popular with market traders, pop-up sellers, and sole traders. For a full breakdown of SumUp's product range and pricing, read the SumUp provider review on Compare Card Fees.

SumUp has expanded beyond the basic reader. The SumUp One subscription at £19 per month reduces the transaction fee to 0.99% for in-person payments, adds a free card reader, and includes a SumUp business account with a Mastercard debit card. SumUp also offers a countertop terminal (the SumUp Solo at £79 plus VAT), an online store builder, and pay-by-link. The product range has grown quickly but the core customer base remains the very small, lower-volume merchant.

Teya vs SumUp: Features Compared

Payment Methods

Both providers accept Visa, Mastercard, and contactless payments including Apple Pay and Google Pay. SumUp also accepts American Express at the standard 1.69% rate, which is notable because many rivals charge a premium for Amex. Teya's Amex acceptance depends on your specific agreement. Online payment options differ more sharply: SumUp offers pay-by-link and a basic online store as part of its product range, while Teya's online payments capability is more limited and typically focused on in-person transactions. For businesses that need a full online payment gateway, see the best payment gateways for UK businesses.

Hardware and Terminals

SumUp has a clearly published hardware range. The SumUp Air Bluetooth reader costs £39 plus VAT. The SumUp Solo is a standalone 4G terminal at £79 plus VAT and does not need a paired smartphone. The SumUp Point of Sale Lite kit bundles a tablet stand with the reader. Teya's terminals are provided directly to merchants and pricing is agreed at the point of sale. Teya's hardware is generally Android-based and designed to sit on a counter, with a screen suitable for customer-facing tipping prompts. SumUp's hardware wins on price transparency. Teya's wins on screen functionality for hospitality environments.

Integrations

SumUp integrates with WooCommerce, Wix, and a limited set of third-party point-of-sale systems. Its API is available to developers who want to build custom integrations. Teya integrates with a select number of EPOS systems popular in hospitality and retail, but the integration list is narrower than providers like Square or Stripe. Neither Teya nor SumUp competes with enterprise-grade integration depth. Businesses running complex inventory management or multi-location retail will likely find both providers limiting. See our guide to payment gateway integrations if this is a priority for your business.

International Support

SumUp operates in more than 35 countries, which means UK merchants who also trade abroad may benefit from familiarity with the same platform. Teya is focused on the UK market. Neither provider is primarily aimed at cross-border e-commerce. Dynamic currency conversion is not a standard feature for either provider at the small business level.

Fraud Tools and Security

Both providers are PCI DSS compliant, meaning cardholder data is handled to industry security standards. SumUp handles PCI compliance on behalf of the merchant at no additional charge. Teya similarly manages PCI compliance within its service. Neither provider charges the separate PCI non-compliance fees that some larger acquirers apply, which is a practical advantage for smaller merchants unfamiliar with PCI requirements. Strong Customer Authentication under FCA regulations is supported by both platforms for online payments. For more detail on what PCI compliance means for your business, read the guide to PCI compliance fees in the UK.

Customer Support: Is Teya Worth Switching to from SumUp?

Teya offers phone support seven days a week, which is above average for a small business payment provider. SumUp offers email and live chat but phone support is limited and is generally reserved for SumUp One subscribers at £19 per month. For a business that needs a human on the phone when the terminal goes down on a Saturday afternoon, Teya has a clear edge. SumUp's self-service help centre is extensive, but that is cold comfort during a live transaction failure.

If you have been using SumUp and find the support frustrating, Teya's seven-day phone access is the single most compelling reason to consider switching. Teya also includes tipping prompts, staff-level sales data, and end-of-day reporting without an extra monthly fee. These features matter day-to-day in hospitality and busy retail environments. The trade-off is that Teya requires a quote conversation before you know your rate, whereas SumUp's pricing is published and immediate. Read our guide on when to switch payment provider if you are weighing up the move.

Cash Advance Options: SumUp vs Teya

SumUp offers a merchant cash advance product called SumUp Capital, which provides funding based on your card sales history through SumUp. Repayments are taken as a percentage of future card transactions, so there is no fixed monthly payment. Teya does not currently advertise a merchant cash advance product as part of its standard offering, though eligibility for third-party finance options may be available through partners. If access to a merchant cash advance is important to your business, SumUp currently has the clearer and more accessible product in this area.

Pros and Cons

Teya Pros and Cons

Pros

• Custom pricing can deliver lower transaction rates than SumUp's flat 1.69% for merchants processing more than £5,000 per month
• Seven-day phone support is genuinely useful for hospitality and retail businesses trading at weekends
• Built-in tipping functionality and staff sales reporting are included without an extra monthly fee
• No long-term contract, so you are not locked in if the service does not suit your business

Cons

• Pricing is not published online, which makes it impossible to compare Teya without going through a sales conversation
• Online payment features are limited compared to rivals like Stripe or SumUp's own pay-by-link product
• Teya is a younger brand with a shorter track record than SumUp, and third-party reviews are fewer in number
• No published merchant cash advance product, unlike SumUp Capital

SumUp Pros and Cons

Pros

• Fully transparent flat fee of 1.69% per transaction with no monthly fee on the standard plan
• SumUp Air reader at £39 plus VAT is one of the lowest upfront hardware costs in the UK market
• American Express accepted at the same rate as Visa and Mastercard, with no surcharge
• SumUp One at £19 per month reduces the in-person rate to 0.99%, saving around £70 per month at £10,000 monthly card volume compared to the standard 1.69% rate
• SumUp Capital merchant cash advance available to eligible merchants based on card processing history
• Available in 35+ countries, useful for UK sellers who also trade in Europe

Cons

• Phone support is restricted to SumUp One subscribers, leaving standard-plan users reliant on chat and email
• The flat 1.69% rate becomes expensive at higher volumes: at £20,000 per month you pay £338 in fees versus a potentially lower negotiated rate with Teya or another acquirer
• Integration options are narrower than Stripe or Square, which limits SumUp's usefulness for businesses with complex EPOS requirements
• Instant payout costs an additional 1% fee per transaction, adding up quickly if you rely on fast settlement

Which is Better For...?

Sole Traders and Micro-Businesses

SumUp is the stronger choice here. The £39 Air reader, zero monthly fees, and a published 1.69% rate mean you know exactly what you are paying from day one. A market trader taking £1,500 a month pays around £25.35 in transaction fees with SumUp and nothing else. Teya's value proposition depends on volume that most micro-businesses simply do not reach. See our dedicated guide to card payments for sole traders for more options.

Hospitality and Retail Businesses

Teya edges ahead for cafés, restaurants, pubs, and independent retailers processing more than £5,000 a month. The tipping tool, staff-level sales reports, and seven-day phone support are genuinely useful in those environments. A café turning over £15,000 a month could save around £60 a month on transaction fees with a Teya custom rate of 1.29% compared to SumUp's standard 1.69%. For sector-specific guidance, read the card payment guide for cafés or the restaurant card payments guide.

Online-Only or Hybrid Businesses

Neither Teya nor SumUp is the ideal choice for a primarily online business. SumUp's pay-by-link and basic online store cover simple use cases, but a merchant selling through WooCommerce or a custom site at scale would be better served by Stripe, Opayo, or a dedicated payment gateway. If you take payments both online and in person and want a single provider, SumUp offers slightly more online functionality than Teya today. Our guide to e-commerce payment gateways covers the alternatives in more detail.

Growing SMEs Wanting to Scale

Teya is better positioned for a business that is growing and wants a provider to grow with it. Custom rates, a dedicated account manager, and built-in operational tools give Teya more headroom than SumUp's flat-rate model. SumUp One can close some of the gap at £19 per month, but SumUp's product depth for multi-terminal or multi-location businesses remains limited compared to larger acquirers. For guidance on negotiating rates as your volume grows, see our article on how to negotiate card processing fees.

Businesses That Need a Merchant Cash Advance

SumUp is the clearer choice if access to funding matters. SumUp Capital offers merchant cash advances to eligible UK businesses based on their card sales processed through SumUp. Repayments come out of future card takings as a percentage, which means no fixed monthly bill. Teya does not currently offer a comparable in-house product. If you are weighing up providers partly on their funding options, SumUp has a meaningful advantage here.

Our Verdict

SumUp wins on simplicity and price transparency. If you are a sole trader, a market stall holder, or a business taking less than £3,000 a month by card, SumUp's £39 reader and flat 1.69% rate are hard to beat. You know exactly what you will pay, there is no monthly fee to cover, and setup takes minutes. The SumUp One subscription at £19 per month makes sense the moment your monthly card volume exceeds roughly £2,700, cutting your effective rate from 1.69% to 0.99%.

Teya is the better fit for hospitality and retail businesses processing higher volumes who want lower negotiated rates, built-in tipping, and phone support at weekends. The absence of published pricing is a genuine frustration, and you will need to request a quote to make a proper comparison. That is an extra step, but for the right business it can result in a meaningfully lower cost per transaction.

The honest answer is that neither provider is right for everyone. Compare Card Fees is a free, independent advisory service that has helped UK businesses find better card payment deals since 2012. Use the free comparison tool below to get quotes from Teya, SumUp, and other UK providers side by side.