Best card reader for gas engineers
Gas Safe engineers see one of the widest job-value spreads of any trade — a landlord gas safety certificate might be £70, while a full boiler replacement can run into the thousands. That spread makes the percentage rate on your card reader worth checking carefully, since it applies to every job regardless of size.
Best choice: Lopay
Lopay's 0.79-0.99% flat rate beats SumUp's 1.69% on every job size, from a £70 safety certificate to a £3,000 boiler install, and its Xero invoicing add-on makes it easy to bill once parts and paperwork are finalised.
Best alternative: myPOS
myPOS costs a little more than Lopay, but its built-in 3G/4G connectivity is worth it specifically if you regularly work in boiler cupboards, lofts or plant rooms where a phone-paired reader can lose Bluetooth or signal mid-payment.
What a gas engineer's card takings usually look like
Job values for gas engineers vary more than almost any other trade: a landlord gas safety certificate (CP12) typically runs £60-90, a boiler service £80-120, a breakdown repair £150-350 depending on parts, and a full boiler replacement £2,000-3,500+. Because the percentage rate applies to the whole invoice, a reader that looks cheap on a service call can cost meaningfully more on an install — worth checking your own job mix against the table below.
| Provider | Best for | Card fee | Contract | WMP score | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lopay | Cheapest across all job sizes, Xero invoicing | 0.79-0.99% | None | See Lopay pricing (opens in a new tab) | |
myPOS | Built-in 3G/4G for signal-dead sites | 1.10% + 7p | None | See myPOS pricing (opens in a new tab) | |
SumUp | Simplest, most established | 1.69% | None | See SumUp pricing (opens in a new tab) |
Beyond the headline rate
Certificates and paperwork
A CP12 landlord certificate or gas safety record is often issued at the same time payment is taken. Lopay's Xero integration (0.29%+10p/invoice) lets you turn that into a proper invoice without extra admin later.
Working in boiler cupboards and lofts
Boiler locations are exactly where phone signal and Bluetooth pairing tend to be weakest. myPOS's built-in SIM keeps the reader working independently of your phone's connection.
Deposits on large installs
For a £2,000+ boiler replacement, many engineers take a deposit before ordering the unit. Lopay and myPOS both support remote payment links for this, rather than requiring the customer's card in person.
Fast payout between jobs
SumUp and Lopay both pay out by the next business day, which matters when a boiler or parts purchase needs paying for before the next job starts.
A gas engineer invoicing £4,500/month in card payments
At an average job value of £250 across 18 jobs/month — a typical mix of services, safety certificates and the odd repair:
| Lopay Standard (0.99%) | £44.55/month |
| myPOS (1.10% + 7p × 18) | £50.76/month |
| SumUp (1.69%) | £76.05/month |
Lopay stays cheapest at every job size here — myPOS's extra cost only makes sense if its built-in connectivity actually solves a real signal problem for you, not as a way to save money. Run your own average job value and monthly volume through the same formulas before choosing.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best card reader for a gas engineer?
Lopay for the cheapest flat rate across servicing, certificates and installs; myPOS if you specifically need reliable connectivity in boiler cupboards and lofts; SumUp for the simplest, most established option.
How should I charge for a landlord gas safety certificate?
Most engineers take card payment on the day alongside issuing the CP12. At this lower job value (£60-90), the percentage rate matters far less than on a large install — any of the three above work fine for this job type.
See the full tradespeople breakdown
More detail on on-site reliability and invoicing tools across all trades.
Methodology: Pricing pulled directly from lopay.com, mypos.com and sumup.com official UK pricing pages on 30 July 2026. Typical gas engineer job values are directional estimates based on common UK job types, not an independent survey. See our Editorial Policy.