SumUp and Square are the UK’s two most popular no-contract card machine providers. Both charge no monthly fee on their entry plans, offer next-day settlement, and sell hardware for under £25. The real differences are in the detail.
SumUp wins on in-person rates (1.69% vs 1.75%) and offers a subscription that drops to 0.99%. Square wins online (1.4% + 25p vs 2.5%), includes offline mode on every device, and provides a stronger free EPOS system with table management and bookings.
FREE QUOTE COMPARISON
Compare Merchant Account Quotes from Trusted Suppliers
✓ Save up to 40% on card processing fees
100% free • No obligation • Takes under 2 minutes
We verified all pricing directly from SumUp and Square’s UK websites in February 2026. This comparison covers transaction fees, hardware, POS features, settlement, and the specific business types each provider suits best.
- Square wins on ecosystem with a free POS app, invoicing, and 300+ integrations - the more complete business platform beyond just card payments, especially for retail and service businesses
- SumUp is 0.06% cheaper at 1.69% versus Square’s 1.75% per transaction - saves just £6/month on £10,000 turnover, so the rate difference alone should not drive your decision
- Square Reader costs £19 versus SumUp Air at £29 for the entry-level card reader - Square offers the cheapest starting point for new businesses wanting to test card payments
- SumUp handles offline payments better with superior battery life and standalone operation - better for market traders, mobile services, and outdoor events where Wi-Fi is unreliable
- Most UK small businesses should choose Square for the software ecosystem, SumUp for simplicity - Square if you need invoicing, online store, or appointment booking; SumUp if you just need to take card payments
Quick Comparison
SumUp charges 1.69% in-person (0.99% with Plus), Square charges 1.75%. Square is cheaper online at 1.4% + 25p vs SumUp’s 2.5%. Neither has contracts or monthly fees on entry plans.
| SumUp | Square | |
|---|---|---|
| In-person rate | 1.69% | 1.75% |
| Online rate | 2.50% | 1.4% + 25p |
| Monthly fee (entry) | £0 | £0 |
| Cheapest hardware | Solo Lite: £25 + VAT | Reader: £19 + VAT |
| Subscription plan | £19/mo → 0.99% | £29/mo (no rate cut) |
| Offline mode | No | Yes (all devices) |
| 4G connectivity | Yes (Solo, Terminal) | No (WiFi/Bluetooth only) |
| Free EPOS | Basic | Strong (tables, inventory, staff) |
| Chargeback fee | £10 | £0 |
| Business banking | Yes (free Mastercard) | No |
| Contract | None | None |
Transaction Fees
The headline in-person gap is small – 1.69% vs 1.75% saves about £36/year on £5,000/month. The real divergence is online: Square’s 1.4% + 25p vs SumUp’s 2.50% saves £85/month on £10,000 of online sales.
| Transaction type | SumUp | Square |
|---|---|---|
| In-person (PAYG) | 1.69% | 1.75% |
| In-person (subscription) | 0.99% (£19/mo) | 1.75% (unchanged) |
| Online payments | 2.50% | 1.4% + 25p |
| Virtual terminal | 2.95% + 25p | 2.50% |
| Invoicing | 2.50% (0.99% with Plus) | 2.50% |
| QR code payments | 0% | Not available |
| Chargebacks | £10 per dispute | £0 |
The chargeback difference is easy to overlook. UK dispute rates typically run 0.1-0.5% of transactions. At 0.2% on £10,000/month, that’s roughly 2-3 chargebacks – costing SumUp users £20-30/month in fees alone. Square absorbs this cost entirely.
SumUp’s QR code payments at 0% deserve attention for the right business. Coffee shops and market stalls with repeat customers can display a QR code and avoid card fees entirely on those transactions – a feature Square doesn’t offer.
Monthly Plans
SumUp Payments Plus (£19/month) cuts rates to 0.99% across all channels. It breaks even against Square’s 1.75% at roughly £2,735/month in card sales. Square Plus (£29/month) adds software features but doesn’t reduce the transaction rate.
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Transaction Rate | What You Get |
|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp PAYG | £0 | 1.69% in-person / 2.50% online | Card reader, basic POS, invoicing, payment links |
| SumUp Payments Plus | £19/mo | 0.99% all channels | Everything PAYG + reduced rate on all transactions |
| Square Free | £0 | 1.75% in-person / 1.4% + 25p online | Card reader, full EPOS, online store, invoicing |
| Square Plus | From £29/mo | 1.75% (unchanged) | Industry-specific POS (Retail, Restaurants, Appointments) |
The break-even maths: at £2,735/month in card sales, Square charges £47.86 (1.75%). SumUp Plus charges £19 subscription + £27.08 (0.99%) = £46.08. Above this threshold, SumUp Plus saves money. Below it, Square’s free plan is simpler and cheaper.
At £5,000/month, SumUp Plus saves £19/month over Square. At £10,000/month, the saving grows to £57/month. The SumUp Plus rate also applies to online and invoice payments – so businesses with mixed channels benefit even more.
Hardware
Square’s Reader (£19) is cheaper than SumUp’s Solo Lite (£25). SumUp’s Solo and Terminal have built-in 4G for mobile use. Square’s devices all include offline mode. Both updated their ranges in 2025.
| Device | Price (+ VAT) | Connectivity | Printer | Offline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp Solo Lite | £25 | Bluetooth to phone | No | No |
| Square Reader | £19 | Bluetooth to phone | No | Yes |
| SumUp Solo | £79 | Built-in 4G SIM | No | No |
| SumUp Terminal | £135 | WiFi + 4G | Yes | No |
| Square Terminal | £149 | WiFi + Ethernet | Yes | Yes |
| SumUp Terminal Handheld | £169 | WiFi + 4G | Yes | No |
| Square Handheld | £169 | WiFi only | No | Yes |
The core trade-off is 4G vs offline mode. Market traders, mobile beauticians, and event vendors need SumUp’s built-in 4G – they can’t rely on a venue’s WiFi. Fixed-site businesses (cafes, retail shops) are better served by Square’s offline mode, which buffers transactions through outages without a 4G data cost.
Square’s Register (£699) is the only dual-screen countertop POS either provider offers. If you need a permanent checkout station with a customer-facing display, Square is the only option in this comparison.
POS and Software
Square’s free EPOS includes table management, inventory, staff accounts, bookings, and a customer directory. SumUp’s free POS covers basics – hospitality features require the £19/month POS Plus plan.
| Feature | SumUp | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Free POS | Basic (sales, refunds, reports) | Table mgmt, inventory, staff, customer directory |
| Restaurant features | POS Plus (£19/mo) | Free tier has table management |
| Bookings | Not available | Square for Appointments (free + paid) |
| Multi-location | Limited | Native support |
| Online store | Basic templates | Free tier + Plus (£20/mo) + Premium (£64/mo) |
| Accounting | Limited | Xero, QuickBooks, and more |
| Business banking | Free Mastercard, weekend payouts | Not available |
| MTD ready | Yes (Sage partnership, April 2026) | Via third-party integrations |
| Tap to Pay | Android only | iOS and Android |
Square’s free tier is meaningfully stronger. A restaurant owner gets table management, inventory tracking, and a customer directory without paying a penny in software fees. With SumUp, those features require the £19/month POS Plus plan on top of any payment costs.
SumUp counters with two features Square lacks: a free business bank account (Mastercard debit card, next-day payouts including weekends) and QR code payments at 0%. For sole traders who don’t yet have a business bank account, SumUp’s integrated banking removes a setup step.
Online Payments
Square is the clear winner for online sales. At 1.4% + 25p vs SumUp’s 2.50%, Square saves roughly £85/month on £10,000 of online transactions. Square’s ecommerce builder is also more capable.
On a £100 online sale, Square charges £1.65. SumUp charges £2.50. That 85p gap compounds fast – at £10,000/month in online sales, you’re paying £250 with SumUp versus £165 with Square. Over a year, Square saves more than £1,000.
Square’s free online store includes product catalogues, discount codes, and inventory sync across in-person and online channels. SumUp’s online store covers basics but has limited customisation. For any business where online sales represent more than a small sideline, Square is the stronger platform.
The exception: if you already use SumUp Payments Plus (0.99%), the online rate drops to 0.99% as well – making SumUp cheaper than Square online at high volumes. But you need to be processing enough in total to justify the £19/month subscription.
Settlement and Banking
Both offer next-day settlement. SumUp pays out by 7am including weekends via its business account. Square settles next working day only, but offers instant transfers at 1.5% fee.
Square deposits funds to your linked bank account on the next working day, for free. If you need money faster, instant transfers cost 1.5%. Payouts don’t happen on weekends or bank holidays.
SumUp offers two paths. With the free SumUp Business Account (Mastercard debit card), payouts land by 7am the next day – including Saturdays, Sundays, and bank holidays. To an external bank account, it takes 1-2 business days.
For weekend traders – market sellers, food trucks, event vendors – SumUp’s weekend payout is a genuine advantage. Getting Saturday’s takings on Sunday morning rather than Tuesday changes your cash flow position meaningfully.
SumUp vs Square: Strengths Compared
SumUp suits in-person, mobile, and high-volume sellers. Square suits online, multi-channel, restaurants, and service businesses. Below £2,735/month, start with Square’s free plan.
Our Verdict
For most UK small businesses starting out, Square’s free plan is the simpler entry point. Switch to SumUp Payments Plus when card sales exceed £2,735/month and in-person is your primary channel.
If the majority of your card sales happen in person – at a market stall, mobile service van, or retail counter – SumUp is the better fit. The 1.69% rate, 4G hardware, and weekend payouts serve mobile and in-person sellers well. Add Payments Plus when you cross £2,735/month and the savings compound.
If you take online payments, run a restaurant, have multiple locations, or want strong software without monthly fees, Square is the smarter choice. The 1.4% + 25p online rate, offline mode, free table management, and £0 chargeback policy add real value.
For most small businesses starting out: get the Square Reader at £19 and use the free plan. Once you know your sales mix and volume, decide whether SumUp’s subscription or Square’s paid tiers make more sense. Both are FCA-regulated, contract-free, and you can switch at any time.
Looking at other options? Tide’s card reader offers 1.5% PAYG, while Revolut starts at 0.8%. See our full card machines comparison or cheapest card machines guide for more options.
