Best Card Machines for Small Businesses in 2026

After 22.5 hours of hands-on testing, 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.

For simple, fixed pricing, Square Terminal costs £149 with a flat 1.75% rate and no monthly fees. 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 21 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 best suited to small businesses looking for a flexible solution.

Key features of the takepaymentsplus

• 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 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 the top choice 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?

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 PayPal 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 PayPal. 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.

Key features of the Tide Card Reader Plus

• 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 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 the top 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 best suited to countertop use.

How much does the Tide Card Reader Plus cost?

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, making 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 café 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.

Key features of the Barclaycard Portable Card Reader

• 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 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 cafés.

How much does the Barclaycard Portable Card Reader cost?

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. PayPal Reader: Quickest and Easiest Setup for New Businesses

Price: From £29 + VAT

The PayPal Reader is one of the quickest ways for new businesses to start taking card payments. It’s low-cost, at £29 + VAT, has no monthly fees, features a touchscreen interface, and connects directly to your PayPal business account for fast setup and payouts.

Key features of the PayPal Reader

• Mobile card machine
• No fixed-term contract
• Transfers funds within one-to-two working days
• Up to eight-hour battery life
• Bluetooth connectivity

Accepted payment types:  The PayPal Reader accepts Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Amex, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.

Our thoughts on the PayPal Reader

Replacing PayPal’s former model, the Zettle Card Reader 2, the PayPal Reader is built for speed and simplicity. Setup takes minutes through the PayPal app, making it one of the easiest ways to start accepting in-person payments.

Payments are processed through the PayPal POS app, where you are able to enter amounts, manage products, and track sales in real time. The interface is straightforward, allowing staff to take payments with minimal training.

The device is compact and lightweight, with a built-in PIN pad for secure transactions, making it well suited to mobile businesses, pop-ups and new retailers that need a reliable, low-cost way to take payments on the go.

PayPal also supports tap-to-pay on smartphones, so you can accept contactless payments without buying additional hardware.

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

How much does the PayPal Reader cost?

PayPal 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 PayPal Card Reader’s current rates.

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

Reasons to avoid the PayPal Reader

• Relatively steep transaction rates: PayPal’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 PayPal 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.

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.

Key features of the Square Terminal

• 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?

Similar to 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 per 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 PayPal 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 PayPal.

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 and need quick, portable payments anywhere, because of its affordability, long battery life and compact size.

Key features of 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?

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 card machines use a SIM card to take payments and work anywhere with signal. Portable machines work within your premises via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. 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?

To choose the best small business card machine, focus on these key factors:

• Cost structure (buy versus rent)
• Transaction fees (flat versus variable)
• Payout speed
• Ease of use
• Software integrations
• Security (PCI compliance)
• Business type compatibility
• Customer support availability

• Should I buy up-front or in monthly instalments? Buy upfront if you have low sales volume. Rent monthly if you process over £2,000 in card payments, as this can reduce costs and unlock better card processing fees.
• How do transaction fees vary? Flat fees charge the same rate per transaction and suit low-volume businesses. Variable fees change by card type and are usually cheaper for higher sales volumes.
• How fast will I receive funds? Most card machine providers pay out within one-to-three business days. Some offer instant payouts for an extra 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? Simple card readers offer easy setup and basic tracking. More advanced systems provide detailed reporting but may take longer to learn.
• What ready-made software integrations are offered? Choose a card machine that integrates with your existing tools, such as accounting or POS software, to streamline operations and support growth.
• Are PCI compliance and fraud prevention measures included? PCI-compliant features protect customer data and help you avoid fines from card networks. Most reputable providers include built-in fraud protection.
• What type of business do I run? Mobile businesses should choose portable, mobile card machines with long battery life. For outdoor use, pick a device with a built-in SIM for reliable connectivity.
• What customer support is available? Look for providers with support hours that match your business, especially if you trade evenings or weekends. It’s also worth considering going with a provider that has community and support centres, as they’re usually good resources for quick troubleshooting, especially if you can’t get hold of the support team.

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Which Card Machines Work Offline?

Offline payments let you continue taking card transactions when your Wi-Fi or mobile data drops out. Find out how the top card machines compare when it comes to offline modes.

How We Test Card Machines

To build this guide, we researched 21 merchant account and card machine providers available to UK businesses, and assessed them across 78 areas of investigation, 23 subcategories and five core categories.

I also drew on findings from 45 ease-of-use tests, which added up to more than 22.5 hours of hands-on testing, alongside over 270 completed tasks across the wider user testing process.

For small businesses, the priorities were clear: transparent fees, quick setup, portable hardware, flexible payment options, reliable day-to-day performance, seamless integration, and responsive customer support.

How affordable is the card machine for a small business?

Pricing: 30%

I looked at the full cost of each solution, including transaction fees, monthly charges, upfront hardware costs and contract terms. This category carried the highest weighting because small businesses are often trying to keep ongoing costs predictable while avoiding expensive commitments or hidden charges.

I also looked closely at whether providers offered the kind of simple, low-risk pricing that suits smaller merchants, especially those that do not want to pay for features or subscriptions they may not need.

Is the card machine practical to use in day-to-day trading?

Hardware: 25%

I assessed each device’s connectivity, interface, receipt options and charging capabilities, as well as its general portability and suitability for real-world use.

This mattered because many small businesses need card machines that are easy to carry, quick to charge, dependable during busy periods and simple for staff to operate without extensive training.

Does the software offer enough value beyond taking payments?

Software: 25%

I reviewed the software behind each card machine, looking at payment types, payout speed, security, reporting tools, POS integrations and other merchant features. This category shared the second-highest weighting because software can make a major difference to how useful a card machine is over time.

For small businesses, strong software can mean faster admin, better visibility over sales and smoother integration with the wider tools they already use.

Will I get fast, useful help if something goes wrong?

Help and support: 20%

I assessed the availability, variety and quality of support channels, including how easy it was to access help and how useful that help was likely to be for merchants.

This matters because small businesses often do not have in-house technical teams, so when a payment problem interrupts trading, responsive and accurate support becomes especially important.

Is the card machine actually easy for staff to set up and use?

Usability: Assessed separately through hands-on testing

While usability did not feed directly into the weighted merchant account scoring in the same way as pricing, hardware, software, and help and support, it was still an important part of our investigation and directly informed this page.

During hands-on testing, we looked at two main areas: how likely users were to recommend the product, and how successfully they could complete common tasks they would realistically need to carry out. This helped us identify which card machines were genuinely intuitive for small businesses, rather than just feature-rich on paper.

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