Best Card Machines for Small Businesses in 2026

The best card machine for UK small businesses is takepaymentsplus. It’s a portable, touchscreen device that doubles as a mini EPOS system, prints receipts, pays out the next day, and comes with bespoke rates tailored to your turnover.

If you’d rather buy once and keep fees simple, Square Terminal costs £149 with a flat 1.75% in-person rate and no monthly charges. And for teams that want rich reporting without a contract, Tide’s Card Reader Plus starts from £79 and shows sales by item, card type, and even employee.

Finding a cheap way to take card payments will speed up queues, cut costs, and keep customers happy in 2026. That’s why we’ve conducted a research project into 20 leading readers and providers, which involved scoring them based on pricing, payout speed, reliability, and how easy they were to use during our hands-on tests.

The Best Card Machines for Small Businesses: Comparison

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the best small business card machines:

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1. takepaymentsplus: Best for Businesses that Need a Flexible Payment Solution

• Price: from £25 per month

takepayments offers customised, quote-based pricing, and its takepaymentsplus card machine doubles as a mini EPOS device, making it a great option for small businesses looking for a flexible solution.

Here’s a summary of what the takepaymentsplus offers:

• Portable card machine
• 12-month contract
• Transfers funds the next day
• 10-hour battery life
• Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity

Accepted payment types:

The takepaymentsplus accepts chip and pin and contactless payments from Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.

Our thoughts on the takepaymentsplus

The takepaymentsplus is very lightweight, despite its size, making it a great option for countertop use, as well as for taking orders at tables or on the shop floor, depending on the type of business you run.

When it comes to its technical features, the takepaymentsplus doubles up as a mini handheld EPOS device. This means you’ll be able to add products with set prices and sort them into categories, speeding up the checkout experience and enabling detailed reporting on sales.

We found the takepaymentsplus very easy to use, especially when it came to taking orders. Its interface is bright and uncluttered, and the device opens directly onto the checkout, enabling quick processing. takepayments offers clear signposting and instructions throughout, too, making it ideal for staff who are new to taking orders and managing sales.

We especially liked that the takepaymentsplus could accommodate a variety of payment preferences, offering customers a great deal of flexibility. For example, we had the option of logging orders as card or cash payments, and to print physical receipts with a built-in printer, or send digital ones via SMS or email.

How much does takepaymentsplus cost?

takepayments operates on a bespoke pricing model, with the takepaymentsplus card machine costing from £25 per month to rent.

Monthly fees and card processing fees are negotiated based on your business’s needs. While it can be annoying not to know exactly how much you’ll be charged, providers like takepayments that offer custom pricing do often give better deals to small businesses than zero-contract providers with fixed fees.

Reasons to avoid the takepaymentsplus

• No smartphone tap-to-pay option – The takepaymentsplus isn’t a good option for merchants looking for a compact or low-hardware solution, like tap and pay on a smartphone, since takepayments doesn’t offer a smartphone app through which this type of feature is enabled. To avoid paying for hardware and accept payments with a smartphone app, we recommend Zettle or SumUp.
• You don’t own the card machine – takepayments also doesn’t sell its takepaymentsplus card machine outright, and you’ll have to pay a recurring monthly fee to keep using it. If you’d rather pay a one-off fee for your card machine and own it forever, we recommend Square, SumUp or Zettle. All of these providers have clear, fixed pricing, are zero-contract, and sell card machines for a one-off fee.

2. Tide Card Reader Plus: Best for Data-Driven Businesses

Price: from £199 + VAT

The Tide Card Reader Plus gives businesses access to a plethora of reporting tools, allowing you to view sales history by item, card type, and even employee. Paired with a Tide business bank account, it’s a great option for data-hungry small businesses.

Here’s a summary of what the Tide Card Reader Plus offers:

• Mobile card machine
• Zero contract
• Transfers funds in one-to-three business days
• All-day battery life
• Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity
• Sales reporting by card type and employee

Accepted payment types:

The Tide Card Reader Plus accepts chip and PIN and contactless payments from Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Our thoughts on the Tide Card Reader Plus

Like the takepaymentsplus, the Tide Card Reader Plus doubles up as a mini EPOS device, making it a great choice for regular sellers who don’t have a full till set-up.

Businesses can input products and prices for quick checkout, and access detailed sales reports either from the card machine or the Tide app. The reader also has a built-in printer, 4G connectivity and a long battery life, meaning it can be used in a variety of sales scenarios, from food trucks to shop floors.

We found processing a payment very easy with the Tide Card Reader Plus, but we had a lot more trouble with the refund process. Refunds can only be issued via the Tide app instead of the card reader, which made for a fiddly process.

In terms of design, the Tide Card Reader Plus was a bit bulkier than the takepaymentsplus, making it more suited to countertop use.

How much does the Tide Card Reader Plus cost?

Businesses will pay a one-time fee of £199 + VAT for their first card machine, plus an extra £199 for any additional card machines.

On a pay-as-you-go contract, you’ll pay zero monthly account fees and a fixed transaction fee of 1.39% + £0.05, which, for a fixed fee, is on the low side. You can get even lower fees of 0.79% + £0.03 with a paid subscription of £12.99 per month, which is a good option for businesses with a high card turnover.

In practice, this means businesses on the pay-as-you-go plan that process £5,000 per month, making 1,000 transactions (averaging at £5 each), would spend a total of £119.50 in fees. This would include £69.50 in percentage fees and £50 in fixed transaction fees. This would drop to £69.50 on the paid plan.

This makes Tide an affordable option for small businesses that want to set up quickly with minimal spending and no contract.

Reasons to avoid the Tide Card Reader Plus

• You need a Tide business bank account – Using the Tide Card Reader Plus requires merchants to have a Tide business bank account. So, if you already have a business bank account and aren’t looking to switch to Tide, we don’t recommend its card reader. A provider such as takepayments allows you to bank with a variety of banks, offering you more flexibility.
• Issuing refunds is complicated – This is because the task can’t be done on the card machine; you need to request permission on the Tide app, so you don’t even get a guarantee it’s been approved for the customer. This might not be an issue if you operate a cafe or takeaway business, where refund requests are quite rare, but if you sell goods, we’d recommend you choose a provider with a simple refund process, like Square.

3. Barclaycard Portable Card Reader: Best for Businesses that Bank with Barclays

Price: £18 per month + VAT 

If you already use Barclays services, you might find it easier to get a card machine straight from them, rather than switching to an entirely new service. A trusted provider, Barclaycard’s POS System card machine comes with 24/7 fraud monitoring, making it an extremely safe solution.

Here’s a summary of what the Barclaycard Portable Card Reader offers:

• Mobile card machine
• 18-month contract
• 6″ touchscreen with high-contrast colours and fonts
• Transfers funds the next business day
• All-day battery life
• Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity

Accepted payment types:

The Barclaycard Portable Card Machine accepts chip and PIN and contactless payments from Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Amex, Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Our thoughts on the Barclaycard Portable Card Reader

The Barclaycard POS System is a handheld EPOS device and card machine that can store a large number of items and be used to manage inventory.

We were impressed by its 24/7 fraud monitoring, which means you’ll be notified immediately if a suspicious transaction occurs. Issuing a refund also requires the input of the transaction ID number or customer card details. While a little time-consuming, this is a common security feature that ensures refunds are processed correctly.

When it comes to using the device, we found it relatively easy. All we needed to do to process a payment was locate the item being purchased in the device’s inventory and select it. However, the Barclaycard POS System wasn’t as responsive as other card machines we tested, which might be an issue for businesses prioritising speed, such as cafes.

How much does the Barclaycard Portable Card Reader cost?

With its newly released countertop and portable card readers, Barclaycard now offers a more flexible in-store setup at a competitive starting price. At £18 per month, its hardware remains among the more affordable options for businesses that need a reliable, fixed or take-anywhere payment terminal.

That’s because Barclaycard offers variable, quote-based transaction fees for businesses with high sales volumes, while those with lower volumes can benefit from a reasonable 1.6% transaction fee, making it suitable for both new and established sellers.

Reasons to avoid the Barclaycard Portable Card Reader

• You need a Barclaycard business bank account – Since a bank account with Barclaycard is a prerequisite for using the service, it’s not a good option for those who don’t want to switch to Barclays. Instead, takepayments should be your go-to for a range of banking options.
• No EPOS integrations – The Barclaycard POS System, while a fully-fledged EPOS system in its own right, also doesn’t integrate with third-party EPOS systems, nor does Barclaycard provide these. If you want access to a wide range of EPOS hardware, not just a handheld device, we’d recommend Square or takepayments.

If you’re looking for more detailed recommendations, be sure to check out our picks for the best EPOS systems for UK businesses.

4. Zettle Card Reader 2: Quickest and Easiest Setup for New Businesses

Price: from £49 + VAT

The Zettle Card Reader 2 is a great option for new businesses. It’s affordable, at £49 + VAT, comes with no monthly fees and is easy to set up, since it’s offered by PayPal and only requires a PayPal business account.

Here’s a summary of what the Zettle Card Reader 2 offers:

• Mobile card machine
• No fixed-term contract
• Transfers funds in one-to-two working days
• Eight-hour battery life (100 transactions)
• Bluetooth connectivity

Accepted payment types:

The Zettle Card Reader 2 accepts Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Amex, JCB, UnionPay, Diners Club, Discover, Visa Electron, V pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.

Our thoughts on the Zettle Card Reader 2

In our experience, Zettle is a fast way to start selling in-person if you’re a new business, since it simply requires a PayPal business account. In fact, you don’t even need to purchase the card reader to start taking payments, since the Zettle app enables tap-to-pay on a smartphone.

We found it especially straightforward to take payments and issue change with the card reader, due to its useful physical buttons and responsive hardware and software.

We also liked how lightweight this card machine was, and the fact that it includes a simple PIN pad, making it a great option for selling on the go. The reader itself is linked to the Zettle app (accessed via smartphone or iPad), which meant we could easily charge people what we wanted directly from there, or we could manually add the price ourselves.

The Zettle Card Reader 2 can be used with Zettle’s free EPOS app, which we found extremely simple to use. We had no trouble entering our inventory onto the app, or charging for different items or adding discounts.

We also liked that the Zettle Card Reader 2 can be paired with a variety of third-party EPOS systems, such as Lightspeed or Goodtill. This gives you the flexibility of expanding your toolkit for taking payments while still benefiting from the Zettle Card Reader 2’s ergonomic design.

Read our Zettle versus SumUp review for a side-by-side comparison of these competitors.

How much does the Zettle Card Reader cost?

The Zettle Card Reader 2 costs just £49 + AT, one of the cheapest card machines out there. The ultimate cheapest option is Square’s £19 Square Reader (not featured on this list), and the next best option is the £25 SumUp Air.

With no monthly fees and fixed-rate transaction fees of 1.75% (in line with the UK average), you’ll know exactly what you’ll be paying every time you process a card payment with the Zettle Card Reader 2. It doesn’t have the cheapest transaction fees on the market, but it’ll work well for small businesses that process less than £2,000 in card payments a month.

If you process higher than this amount, costs can quickly escalate. For instance, if you take £5,000 per month in card payments, your total monthly transaction fees would be £87.50, based on Zettle Card Reader’s current rates.

Find out more about Zettle’s fees in our full guide.

Reasons to avoid the Zettle Card Reader 2

• Relatively steep transaction rates – Zettle’s transaction fees are quite high, at 1.75%, so if you sell at a high volume, you’ll lose out on a lot of profit. High volume sellers will do better to go with a provider that offers variable or negotiable transaction fees, based on your sales volume, like takepayments or Barclaycard.
• Lacks some advanced features – The Zettle Card Reader is also quite a low-touch option, with no extra features like a built-in printer. If you want a card machine with a printer that’s still light, we’d recommend the takepaymentsplus.

For personalised recommendations and prices, tell us about your needs and you’ll be matched with suitable card machine providers. Get started by answering the question below:

5. Square Terminal: Best for Businesses Needing a POS System

Price: £149 + VAT

The Square Terminal is one of the best all-in-one card machines for businesses after a unified platform, combining payment processing, POS software, and receipt printing in a single device with no monthly fees.

Here’s a summary of what the Square Terminal offers:

• Mobile card machine
• No fixed-term contract
• Transfers funds the next business day
• All-day battery life
• Wi-Fi and ethernet connectivity

Accepted payment types:

The Square Terminal accepts Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Amex, Visa Electron, Vpay, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.

Our thoughts on the Square Terminal

With the Square Terminal, you’ll get a mini handheld EPOS device with a built-in receipt printer, which gives you access to Square’s free EPOS app, accessible on smartphone, tablet and desktop. You can also access Square’s full system directly from the Terminal, which we found to be the most intuitive of all the ones we tested, tied with takepayments.

The Square Terminal has a large display, allowing us to operate efficiently and serve customers faster than with smaller devices. We particularly loved how we could easily switch between the product and price input screens, since all major tabs are lined up at the bottom of the screen.

We were also impressed with how easy it was to issue refunds with the platform. Unlike platforms like Barclaycard, Square Terminal lets us swiftly locate transactions by product or ID code and choose an option from a refund reason list. This made the refund process quick and streamlined, which will be especially valuable in busy retail or hospitality environments.

With a Square account, you’ll also be able to build an ecommerce store for free and accept payments online, making Square one of the most well-rounded and affordable providers on the market.

Like Barclaycard, Square gives users access to advanced fraud monitoring. The AI-powered feature automatically identifies unusual payments and fraud patterns, and delivers results to its Dashboard in real-time. This allows you to flag risky payments quickly and take steps to block repeat fraud.

Square also has more advanced paid versions of its ecommerce website builder and EPOS system, so it’s a system that can grow along with your business.

How much does Square Terminal cost?

At £149 + VAT, this card machine may seem expensive, but this is a one-time fee and Square offers interest-free financing for £13 per month + VAT over 12 months to make the purchase more manageable.

The Square Terminal also comes with no monthly fees, minimising monthly overheads, and a fixed rate 1.75% transaction fee, in line with the UK average, making it an affordable option.

Similar to Zettle by PayPal, this would bring its total transaction fee charges to £87.50 per month, for businesses taking £5,000 in card payments monthly. For reference, this is less than you’d expect to pay with the Tide Card Reader’s pay-as-you-go plan, but almost £20/month more than you would pay with its paid tier.

Read our full guide to Square’s pricing for a more detailed review of fees.

Reasons to avoid the Square Terminal

• Bulky design – While Square does sell a compact card machine, called the Square Reader, for £19 + VAT, the Square Terminal is on the chunky side, and is quite wide, so it’s definitely more suited to countertop use. If not, SumUp and Zettle are two other affordable, zero-contract options that also offer compact card machines. For a direct comparison of SumUp and Square, see our review.
• Only integrates with Square’s POS – The Square Terminal also isn’t a viable option if you plan on using a separate EPOS system to Square’s, since it only integrates with the Square EPOS system. If you want more flexibility with who your EPOS provider is, we recommend Zettle.

6. SumUp Solo Lite: Best for On-the-Go Sellers Like Market Traders and Food Trucks

Price: from £25 + VAT

The SumUp Solo Lite is a great choice for small businesses that sell on-the-go that need quick, portable payments anywhere, because of its affordability, long battery life, and compact size.

Here’s a summary of what the SumUp Solo Lite offers:

• Mobile card machine
• No fixed-term contract
• Transfers funds in one-to-three working days
• 12-hour battery life (500 transactions)
• Bluetooth connectivity (pairs with the SumUp app)

Accepted payment types:

The SumUp Solo Lite accepts Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Amex, Discover, Diners Club, Union Pay, Vpay, Google Pay, and Apple Pay.

Our thoughts on the SumUp Solo Lite

The SumUp Solo Lite is designed as a simple, low-cost mobile card reader with a built-in touchscreen, giving it a more modern, standalone feel than older SumUp devices. While it still connects to the SumUp app on your smartphone via Bluetooth to process payments, customers interact directly with the Solo Lite’s own screen, helping to make tipping and PIN entry more intuitive.

Its compact design makes it well-suited to mobile sellers and small businesses, and the touchscreen is generally easier to use than traditional flat keypads. Battery performance is also solid for day-to-day trading, and the device is straightforward to set up, making it particularly appealing for sole traders and first-time sellers.

Beyond hardware, SumUp provides a free EPOS system and online store builder, positioning it as a simple all-in-one solution for small businesses. However, while the software is easy to use, it offers more basic functionality compared with some competitors and is particularly well-suited to hospitality and micro-merchants.

How much does SumUp Solo Lite cost?

Available from £25+ VAT for new SumUp customers, the card machine comes with a 1.69% transaction fee and no monthly fees or contract, making it an affordable and low-commitment option.

Plus, if you sign up for a free SumUp business bank account, you’ll get access to next-day payouts, including on weekends, compared with the up to three business days it takes if you’re on a separate merchant account.

For a monthly fee of £19 per month, businesses can also sign up to SumUp One and get reduced fees of 0.99%, a great option for high-volume sellers.

Read our full guide to SumUp costs for a detailed breakdown of all fees.

Reasons to avoid the SumUp Solo Lite

• Limited offline functionality – SumUp Solo Lite relies on a paired smartphone via Bluetooth for processing payments. If you need a reader that can fully process transactions completely offline, especially in areas with unreliable connectivity like festivals, you may need to consider alternative options.
• Touchscreen size – Although the Solo Lite includes a built-in touchscreen, it’s smaller than some competitors. If you prefer a larger display for customer interaction or easier navigation, other devices like the takepaymentsplus may be a better fit.

What Is the Difference Between Mobile, Portable, and Countertop Card Machines?

Mobile, portable, and countertop card machines differ mainly in connectivity and mobility. Mobile carm machines use a SIM card to take payments and work anywhere with signal, portable machines work within your premises via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and countertop machines stay fixed to a checkout using a broadband or phone line connection.

Read on to learn more about their differences.

Countertop card machines

These are pretty self-explanatory; they’re card machines designed to sit on the countertop. They’re usually connected by a wire to your till or EPOS system, which means you can’t walk around the store or restaurant with them.

They’re slowly being replaced by portable card machines, which we’ll define next, but they’re still popular in businesses such as supermarkets and corner stores, which only serve customers at the counter.

Portable card machines

Portable card machines aren’t connected to a wire but work using wireless Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Like countertop card machines, they still often need to be connected to your till or EPOS system/app to work; they just don’t need a wire to do so.

These types of card machines are becoming popular alternatives to countertop card machines since they offer businesses the flexibility to serve customers both at the counter and on the floor. To facilitate this, a lot of portable card machines come with a stand that’s either built-in or available as an add-on.

Mobile card machines

Like portable card machines, mobile card machines aren’t tethered to the countertop by a wire, so it can sometimes be difficult to differentiate the two. The main difference is that mobile card machines come with a built-in SIM that connects to a 3G or 4G signal. This means they don’t require a Wi-Fi connection, although many can connect to Wi-Fi if it’s available.

They also often operate independently and don’t need to be connected via Bluetooth to an app or EPOS system. This means they can easily be used to take payments on the go, and are a popular option for festival and market vendors, tradespeople and food trucks.

How Much Should a Card Machine Cost?

When evaluating the cost of a card machine, you should consider not just the cost of the hardware (the card machine itself) but also the transaction fees and any additional fees, such as monthly account or service fees.

How Do I Choose a Small Business Card Machine?

Here are a few factors every small business owner should consider when choosing which card machine to go for:

• Should I buy up-front or in monthly installments? Buying a card machine outright usually suits businesses with lower sales volumes, while monthly rental is often more cost-effective if you process over £2,000 in card payments a month. Rental providers may offer negotiable transaction rates, which benefit high-volume businesses needing multiple machines. If you process fewer card payments and only need one or two machines, buying outright is typically the better option.
• How do transaction fees vary? Some card machines come with flat rate transaction fees, which means you pay the same fee every time, while others have variable rates depending on the card type. Variable rates offer better value for money if you process a lot of card payments, while flat rates work better for small businesses with lower sales volumes.
• How fast will I receive funds? Does your business need quick access to profits? If that’s the case, you’ll want to choose a card machine provider that transfers funds in one-to-two business days. Some can even offer instant access to funds, although this typically comes with an added fee. The slowest transfer time we’ve seen is Stripe’s full week, but one-to-three business days is the industry standard.
• Is the device easy to use? The most user-friendly card machines consolidate sales tracking into a single app, though this often comes with limited reporting tools. Platforms with in-depth sales and management features often require a steeper learning curve than simpler apps.
• What ready-made software integrations are offered? If you’re planning on growing your business or already have software that you use — accounting software, for example — make sure the card machine you choose can integrate with it. Some providers, such as Square, allow for nearly countless integrations, while others, such as Stripe, are more limited.
• Are PCI compliance and fraud prevention measures included? Choosing a card machine that’s PCI compliant and has fraud prevention measures will protect both your business and your customers’ sensitive data. It’s not a legal requirement in the UK, but all card networks require it and can fine your bank if you don’t comply. This fine usually gets passed on to you, so it’s best to stay compliant.
• What type of business do I run? The type of business you run will have a big impact on which card machine is best for you. Mobile businesses, such as sole traders and food trucks, will benefit from a mobile card machine with a good battery life, while outdoor businesses such as market stalls and food trucks, will want to choose a card machine with a built-in SIM card for reliable connectivity.
• What customer support is available? Think about when your business operates. If you’re active on the weekends, it’s a good idea to go with a provider whose customer service team is open on those days. It’s also worth considering going with a provider that has community centers, as they’re usually good resources for quick troubleshooting, especially if you can’t get hold of the support team.

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