Best card machine for UK sole traders in 2026
We compared the five card readers most sole traders actually consider — SumUp, Zettle, Square, Lopay and myPOS — on real published transaction fees, hardware cost, contracts and payout speed. No credit check, no business bank account and no long-term contract required for any of them.
Quick verdict
Lowest fees: Lopay (0.79% Essential / 0.99% Standard) — but weekly-only payout on the cheapest tier. Best all-rounder: SumUp (1.69%, no monthly fee, funds in your account by 7am next day). Best if you already use PayPal: Zettle (1.75% flat, same rate on every card including Amex). Cheapest hardware: Square, reader from £19+VAT.
| Provider | Reader cost | Transaction fee | Monthly fee | Contract | Payout speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SuSumUp |
£25 (Solo Lite)+VAT, sumup.com, 30 Jul 2026 | 1.69%card-present, PAYG tier | £0 | None | By 7am next day, incl. weekends |
ZeZettle |
£29 (1st reader)+VAT, zettle.com, 30 Jul 2026 | 1.75%flat, all card types incl. Amex | £0 | None | Minutes to PayPal balance |
SqSquare |
£19+VAT, squareup.com, 30 Jul 2026 | 1.75%in-person, UK cards | £0 | None | Next business day (instant, fee applies) |
LoLopay |
£35 + £6.95 P&Plopay.com, 30 Jul 2026 | 0.79%–0.99%Essential/Standard tier | £0 | None | Weekly (Essential) or next day (Standard) |
mymyPOS |
£29 (Go 2)ex VAT, mypos.com, 30 Jul 2026 | 1.10% + £0.07domestic consumer cards | £0 | None | Instant to myPOS account* |
*myPOS settles instantly into its own e-money account, but moving money from there to your actual UK bank account costs a flat £1.50 per transfer — factor this in before assuming it's the fastest option overall.
Figures are ex-VAT hardware prices and headline transaction rates pulled directly from each provider's own pricing page on 30 July 2026 — see the methodology below. Rates can change; always confirm current pricing with the provider. We may earn a commission when you sign up through a link on this page — see our Affiliate Disclosure.
What each provider actually costs at £3,000/month
Assume a typical new sole trader taking roughly £3,000 in card sales a month, average sale £40 (75 transactions/month) — a plausible baseline for a tradesperson, consultant or small service business. Monthly cost = transaction fee % × £3,000 (plus any fixed per-transaction fee × 75 transactions):
| Lopay Essential (0.79%) | £23.70/month |
| Lopay Standard (0.99%) | £29.70/month |
| myPOS (1.10% + 7p × 75) | £38.25/month |
| SumUp (1.69%) | £50.70/month |
| Zettle / Square (1.75%) | £52.50/month |
| Gap between cheapest and priciest | £28.80/month (£345.60/year) |
Illustrative calculation based on published headline rates only — excludes optional add-ons (e.g. SumUp Payments Plus, Lopay Instant to Bank), FX surcharges, and any Amex/international card surcharges. Your actual average transaction value and card mix will change the result.
What to check before you choose
Payout speed vs. real access to cash
"Instant" or "minutes" often means money lands in the provider's own e-wallet or PayPal balance, not your bank account. myPOS charges £1.50 to move funds out; check whether your provider's advertised speed is to their app or to your actual bank.
ID and setup requirements
SumUp requires ID verification and a linked bank account, with credit checks possible but not standard. Zettle runs a credit check as part of PayPal onboarding. Lopay requires a personal home address and a live selfie ID check at signup.
Support hours
Zettle: phone support Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm. myPOS: 24/7 phone, chat and email. SumUp's support hours weren't confirmed on an official page at time of writing — check directly if 24/7 support matters to you.
Card type surcharges
Lopay adds +1% on top of its headline rate for Amex, international or corporate cards, plus 8p per Tap to Pay transaction. If you regularly take Amex or overseas cards, factor this into the comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest card machine for a sole trader?
On published rates, Lopay's Essential (0.79%) and Standard (0.99%) tiers are the lowest among mainstream pay-as-you-go providers, ahead of SumUp (1.69%) and Square/Zettle (1.75%). The actual cheapest option for you depends on your average transaction value and volume — see the worked example above.
Do I need a business bank account?
No — SumUp, Zettle, Square, Lopay and myPOS can all pay out to a personal account for sole traders, and none require a traditional merchant account.
Is there a credit check?
SumUp's standard tier has no credit check as standard. Zettle runs one via PayPal onboarding. Lopay and myPOS don't publicly document their policy — ask directly if this affects your decision.
Can I switch providers later without penalty?
Yes — all five providers compared here operate with no minimum contract, so you can switch at any time without an early-termination fee.
Ready to compare deals?
See the full card reader line-up including business-focused options.
Methodology: Pricing, hardware costs, contract terms and payout speeds were pulled directly from each provider's official UK pricing page (sumup.com, zettle.com, squareup.com/gb, lopay.com, mypos.com) on 30 July 2026. Where a figure could not be confirmed on an official page, it is marked accordingly in this article rather than stated as fact. See our Editorial Policy for our full approach to accuracy and updates.