Best card machine for traders working multiple markets
If you trade at several different markets rather than one fixed pitch, connectivity matters more than almost anything else — you can't rely on venue wifi, and every market has different signal conditions. A fast, all-day-battery reader that doesn't depend on your phone is worth more here than the absolute lowest fee.
Best choice: myPOS — if you value reliability over the lowest fee
myPOS's built-in 3G/4G means it works the same at every market you set up at, regardless of venue wifi or your phone's signal — genuinely useful if you rotate between pitches week to week. Be clear about the trade-off, though: you're paying a premium for that independence. Its 1.10% + 7p works out fractionally cheaper than SumUp's flat 1.69% once your average sale passes roughly £12, but it is never cheaper than Lopay's 0.99% at any ticket size, because the 7p fixed fee can't be offset. Choose it because you can't afford a dropped connection, not because it's cheapest.
Best alternative: Lopay — if your pitches have reliable signal
Lopay's 0.79-0.99% is the cheapest rate here by a wide margin, and on the £1,800/month example below it saves about £11.50 a month against myPOS. The catch is that it pairs to your phone, so it's only the right call if you're confident of signal at the markets you actually trade. SumUp (1.69%) sits between the two — simpler than Lopay to get started with, but with no real cost advantage.
What a market trader's card takings usually look like
Market stalls typically see a high volume of low-value transactions — commonly £5-£25 per sale — with queues where speed at the till matters as much as the fee itself. A slow or unreliable reader doesn't just cost you the transaction fee, it costs you the next three customers who walk off while you fumble with a dropped connection.
| Provider | Best for | Card fee | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|
mymyPOS | Multi-market traders, no wifi dependency | 1.10% + 7p | None |
SuSumUp | Simple, cheap to start | 1.69% | None |
LoLopay | Lowest fee if signal is reliable | 0.79-0.99% | None |
Beyond the headline rate
Connectivity independent of the venue
A reader with its own SIM (myPOS) works the same in a car park pitch, a covered market hall or a farmers' market field — no dependency on wifi that may not exist, or a phone signal that varies stall to stall.
All-day battery
A full trading day can run 8+ hours with no easy way to recharge mid-session — worth checking a reader's stated battery life against your longest market day, not just an average one.
Speed at the till
With low average sale values and queuing customers, a reader that takes contactless in under 2 seconds keeps the line moving — worth testing in person before committing if you can.
Weatherproofing
Outdoor markets mean rain and cold affect equipment. A rugged case or weather-resistant reader avoids costly replacement mid-season.
A market trader taking £1,800/month in card payments
At an average sale value of £12 (150 sales/month):
| Lopay Standard (0.99%) | £17.82/month |
| myPOS (1.10% + 7p × 150) | £29.30/month |
| SumUp (1.69%) | £30.42/month |
At this low average sale value, myPOS's per-transaction fixed fee makes it no cheaper than SumUp — its advantage here is reliability across venues, not price. If you trade one regular market with good signal, Lopay is the cheapest choice outright.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best card machine for a market trader?
myPOS if reliable connectivity across different markets matters more than the fee — you pay a premium for it. Lopay if you want the lowest cost and your pitches have dependable signal.
Do I need a reader with its own SIM?
Not essential, but it removes the risk of losing sales to a dropped wifi or phone connection during a busy stall session.
Trading from a fixed indoor stall instead?
See our dedicated comparison for regular, single-venue market stalls.
Methodology: Pricing pulled directly from mypos.com, sumup.com and lopay.com official UK pricing pages on 30 July 2026. Typical sale values are directional estimates for UK market trading, not an independent survey. See our Editorial Policy.