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

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Zettle by PayPal charges 1.75% per transaction on all UK card payments with no monthly fee and no fixed-term contract. SumUp charges 1.69% per transaction on its standard plan, or 0.99% on the SumUp One subscription at £19 per month. The Zettle Reader 2 costs £29 plus VAT; the SumUp Air costs £39 plus VAT. Zettle suits businesses that need a richer point-of-sale system or already use PayPal online. SumUp suits sole traders, mobile businesses, and market traders who want the lowest-cost setup and fastest settlement. Neither provider is the cheapest option once monthly card turnover consistently exceeds around £10,000, at which point interchange-plus pricing from a traditional merchant account typically costs less.

Updated August 2026.

Who Is This Page For?

This comparison is for UK small business owners deciding between Zettle by PayPal and SumUp as their card payment provider. It is most useful for sole traders, market traders, mobile businesses, and small retail shops or cafés that want a no-contract card reader. It also covers the iZettle vs SumUp question directly, since iZettle was rebranded as Zettle by PayPal in 2021. If you already process more than £10,000 a month in card payments, the final section explains why a traditional merchant account is likely to be cheaper than either provider.

Key Facts: Zettle vs SumUp

Zettle vs SumUp: Full Fee Comparison

How Much Does Zettle Charge Per Transaction?

Zettle charges 1.75% per transaction on all in-person UK card payments, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. There is no lower rate for debit cards and no volume discount on the standard plan. For keyed-entry payments taken over the phone through the app, Zettle charges 2.5% per transaction. At £10,000 monthly card turnover, the standard 1.75% rate costs £175 per month in transaction fees alone. Zettle offers no subscription plan to reduce this rate, unlike SumUp One which brings the rate down to 0.99% for £19 per month.

For a full breakdown of all Zettle charges including hardware costs and add-on fees, see the Zettle by PayPal review on Compare Card Fees.

What is Zettle?

Zettle is a point-of-sale and card payment provider founded in Stockholm in 2010, originally under the name iZettle. PayPal acquired the company in 2018 for approximately $2.2 billion, and the product was rebranded as Zettle by PayPal in 2021. In the UK, Zettle offers a card reader, a tablet-based point-of-sale system, and an app that manages inventory, staff, and sales reporting. The flat transaction rate of 1.75% applies to all UK Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and contactless payments including Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Zettle targets small to medium retail businesses, cafés, and market traders that need more than a bare-bones card reader. Its free point-of-sale app supports product libraries, multiple employee logins, and end-of-day reports. Because it sits within the PayPal ecosystem, businesses that sell online via PayPal can view in-person and online sales in one dashboard. You can read the full Zettle review on Compare Card Fees for a deeper look at its pricing and features.

What is SumUp?

SumUp is a card payment provider founded in London in 2012 and now headquartered in Berlin. It operates in more than 35 countries and serves over four million merchants globally as of 2024. In the UK, SumUp offers several card reader models, a free business account with a Mastercard debit card, invoicing tools, and an online store builder. Its standard transaction rate is 1.69% per in-person card payment. SumUp One, introduced in 2022, costs £19 per month and reduces the per-transaction rate to 0.99%.

SumUp is particularly popular with sole traders, mobile hairdressers, tradespeople, and market stall operators who want a simple, low-cost setup. The SumUp Air reader connects via Bluetooth to a smartphone and starts accepting payments within minutes of setup. The free SumUp Business Account enables next-business-day settlement, which is faster than Zettle's standard one-to-two business day window. See the full SumUp review on Compare Card Fees for a complete breakdown of its plans.

iZettle vs SumUp: What Changed?

iZettle and Zettle are the same product. PayPal rebranded iZettle as Zettle by PayPal in 2021 following its 2018 acquisition. If you used iZettle before that rebrand, the fees, hardware, and app have all been updated since then. The Zettle Reader 2 replaced the original iZettle reader, and the point-of-sale features have expanded considerably. Any comparison of iZettle vs SumUp from before 2021 is out of date. The current comparison is Zettle by PayPal at 1.75% per transaction versus SumUp at 1.69% per transaction on the standard plan.

Zettle vs SumUp: Features Compared

Payment Methods Accepted

Both providers accept chip-and-PIN, contactless, Apple Pay, and Google Pay on their card readers. Zettle also accepts American Express at the same 1.75% rate, which is notably competitive since Amex typically costs more to process. SumUp accepts Amex too, though the rate may vary. Both support keyed-entry payments through their apps for taking payments over the phone, though this incurs a higher fee: Zettle charges 2.5% for keyed transactions and SumUp charges 2.5% as well.

Hardware and Terminals

Zettle's primary reader is the Zettle Reader 2, priced at £29 plus VAT. It connects via Bluetooth, has a battery life of around eight hours of active use, and charges via USB-C. Zettle also sells a dock, receipt printer, and barcode scanner as optional accessories. The Zettle Terminal is a standalone Android device with a built-in printer for businesses that want an all-in-one solution without a separate tablet.

SumUp's entry-level device is the SumUp Air at £39 plus VAT, which also connects via Bluetooth. SumUp additionally sells the SumUp Solo, a standalone 4G reader with a touchscreen that does not need a paired smartphone, priced at around £79 plus VAT. The SumUp Solo is a practical option for mobile businesses operating in areas with unreliable Wi-Fi. Zettle has no direct equivalent to the SumUp Solo in its current UK hardware range.

Point-of-Sale and Integrations

Zettle has a more developed point-of-sale app. It supports product catalogues with variants, staff management with individual logins, and integrations with accounting platforms including QuickBooks and Xero. Zettle also integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce, making it workable for businesses that sell both in-store and online. The PayPal connection means in-person Zettle sales and PayPal online sales can be viewed in a single PayPal business account.

SumUp's app is simpler. It covers basic product catalogues and sales history, and integrates with Xero and a smaller set of third-party tools compared to Zettle. SumUp does offer its own online store builder and invoicing tool at no additional monthly cost, which is useful for very small businesses that do not want to pay for a separate e-commerce platform. Zettle's online selling requires using an existing platform such as Shopify, rather than a native built-in store.

International Support

SumUp operates in more than 35 countries, so if your business trades across Europe, your SumUp account transfers more easily than Zettle's. Zettle is available in a smaller number of markets, primarily across Europe and North America. For UK-only businesses this makes little practical difference. For businesses with cross-border operations, SumUp has the wider footprint.

Fraud Tools and Security

Both providers are PCI DSS compliant and handle PCI compliance on behalf of the merchant, so you do not pay a separate PCI compliance fee. Zettle processes payments through PayPal's fraud detection infrastructure. SumUp uses its own fraud monitoring systems and is directly FCA authorised under firm reference 900700. Neither provider offers advanced chargeback management tools, which is a shared weakness for higher-risk or higher-volume merchants. You can read more about card fraud prevention for UK businesses on the Compare Card Fees insights hub.

Customer Support

Both providers offer email and live chat support. Zettle provides phone support during UK business hours, Monday to Friday. SumUp also offers phone support, though some users report longer wait times during peak periods based on Trustpilot reviews in 2025. Neither offers a dedicated account manager for standard accounts, which can be a frustration if a technical issue affects a busy trading day. Businesses processing high volumes would typically expect a named contact from a traditional merchant services provider.

Pros and Cons

Zettle Pros and Cons

Pros

• Cheaper card reader than SumUp: Zettle Reader 2 costs £29 plus VAT versus SumUp Air at £39 plus VAT
• Accepts American Express at the standard 1.75% rate, with no surcharge
• More developed point-of-sale app with staff logins, inventory management, and QuickBooks or Xero integration
• Direct integration with PayPal, letting businesses view in-person and online sales in one place
• Zettle Terminal provides an all-in-one standalone device with built-in receipt printer for counter-based retail

Cons

• Transaction fee of 1.75% is higher than SumUp's standard rate of 1.69%, costing an extra £6 per £10,000 processed
• No standalone 4G reader equivalent to the SumUp Solo, making Zettle less practical in areas without reliable Wi-Fi or mobile signal
• Settlement takes one to two business days, slower than SumUp's next-business-day settlement via the free SumUp Business Account
• No monthly subscription option to reduce the per-transaction rate for higher-volume businesses, unlike SumUp One at £19 per month

SumUp Pros and Cons

Pros

• Lower standard transaction rate of 1.69% per in-person payment versus Zettle's 1.75%
• SumUp One subscription at £19 per month reduces the rate to 0.99%, saving around £76 per month at £10,000 monthly volume compared to Zettle's flat rate
• SumUp Solo offers a standalone 4G card reader at around £79 plus VAT, useful for mobile businesses without reliable internet
• Free SumUp Business Account with a Mastercard debit card and next-business-day settlement
• Built-in online store and invoicing tools at no extra cost, reducing the need for third-party platforms
• Operates in over 35 countries, giving it broader reach for businesses that trade internationally

Cons

• Entry-level card reader costs £39 plus VAT, £10 more than the Zettle Reader 2
• The app and integrations are simpler than Zettle's, with fewer third-party connections for EPOS, inventory, and accounting
• Phone support wait times can be long during busy periods, according to multiple user reviews on Trustpilot in 2025
• The SumUp One subscription only makes financial sense above roughly £2,300 per month in card turnover. Below that threshold the standard rate is cheaper

Which is Better For...?

Small Retail Businesses and Cafés

Zettle is the stronger choice for small shops and cafés that need a proper point-of-sale setup. Its app supports product libraries, staff accounts, and integrations with Xero and QuickBooks, which makes end-of-year accounting considerably simpler. The Zettle Terminal gives counter-based retailers an all-in-one device. The slightly higher transaction fee of 1.75% versus SumUp's 1.69% is unlikely to be a deciding factor for most retail businesses. The additional features justify the gap. For more tailored advice, see the Compare Card Fees cafés sector page and the independent shops sector page.

Sole Traders, Market Traders, and Mobile Businesses

SumUp wins here. The SumUp Air at £39 plus VAT is quick to set up and requires almost no configuration. The SumUp Solo's built-in 4G means a plumber or market trader can take payments in a warehouse, on a building site, or at an outdoor market without worrying about Wi-Fi. Next-business-day settlement via the free SumUp Business Account also improves cash flow for self-employed traders. Visit the Compare Card Fees tradesmen sector page or the market traders page for more tailored recommendations.

Businesses Already Using PayPal Online

Zettle is the clear recommendation for any business that already takes payments through PayPal online. Because Zettle is owned by PayPal, in-person sales feed directly into your PayPal business account alongside online revenue. This gives a single view of all transactions, simplifies reconciliation, and means you only need one payout schedule. SumUp has no equivalent native PayPal integration.

Higher-Volume Businesses Considering Both

Neither Zettle nor SumUp is the cheapest option once monthly card turnover exceeds around £10,000. At that volume, SumUp One at £19 per month plus 0.99% per transaction costs approximately £118 per month in total. Zettle at 1.75% costs £175 per month. A traditional merchant account with interchange-plus pricing can cost well under £100 per month at the same volume. Businesses processing more than £10,000 a month consistently should read the interchange plus vs blended pricing guide and use the Compare Card Fees merchant services comparison tool before committing to either provider.

Our Verdict: Zettle or SumUp?

Zettle and SumUp are both solid choices for small UK businesses that want a straightforward, no-contract card payment setup. The decision between them comes down to your priorities. If you want cheaper hardware and faster settlement, SumUp's entry-level offering edges ahead. If you want a richer point-of-sale system or a link to your existing PayPal account, Zettle is the better fit.

SumUp's subscription plan, SumUp One, changes the maths significantly for businesses processing above roughly £2,300 a month. At £10,000 per month, SumUp One at 0.99% costs around £99 per month including the subscription fee. Zettle at 1.75% costs £175 per month. That is a saving of £76 per month, or £912 per year, without changing anything else about how you operate.

Both providers share the same core weakness: flat-rate pricing becomes expensive at scale. If your monthly card turnover is consistently above £10,000, you are almost certainly paying more than you need to. 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 to see whether a traditional merchant account could cut your processing costs. You can also read the merchant account vs payment service provider guide to understand the difference before switching.