Best Mobile Card Readers for UK Businesses

The £29 Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere ranked as the best mobile card reader in our independent testing, narrowly beating the £19 Square Reader. Compact yet practical, the Smartpay Anywhere includes a built-in PIN pad and competitive transaction fees of 1.6%, alongside robust security tools that help protect every transaction.

The Square Reader takes second place. While it lacks a built-in PIN pad — making it one of the few readers on this list without one — it still stands out in several areas. At £19, it’s the cheapest card reader available and, in our testing, one of the simplest to use. That combination makes it a strong choice for new vendors or small businesses just starting out.

However, price and simplicity aren’t the only factors that matter. Mobile card readers are the preferred card machine for small businesses that operate on the go. We’ve made sure to take into account not just fees and ease of use, but also connectivity and battery life, among other factors, when making this review.

The Best Mobile Card Readers: Side-by-Side

Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of the best mobile card readers for UK businesses:

1. Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere: Best Overall Mobile Card Reader

• Price: £29
• Stand out features: Built-in PIN pad, low transaction fees (1.6%), strong security tools, 24/7 customer support
• Best for: Businesses wanting a reliable all-rounder with strong security and low fees

Edging out the Square Reader by just one and a half percentage points, Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere earned the highest overall score across our five testing categories of hardware, software, support, pricing and usability.

Why do we recommend the Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere card reader?

• Easy to use: During our usability testing, we were appreciative of how simple Barclaycard’s payment processing software was to use. After setting up a float to start the day you are straight into selling your products in the Barclays app — unlike, say, SumUp which requires you to scroll down on its app to find your inventory.
• Customizable: The Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere reader and the app can also be configured to match your business. When we tested it, we had it set for a café/restaurant, so we had separate areas for things such as starters, mains and snacks, all with imagery making navigation easy. However, another setup is possible for retailers or tradespeople.
• Efficient checkout: Taking payment is painless too: each item has a pre-set price setup on it (setup via your POS portal on PC or tablet) which is then added to the basket before you click pay to finalise the bill. You can remove an item or cancel the sale in one click to start over, too, and easily issue a refund using the ID number found on a receipt (although if there was also an option to select a recent transaction, that would be beneficial to businesses working at pace).
• Secure hardware: The hardware itself also impressed us. The Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere device is compact, but still features a button PIN pad, something that’s increasingly becoming a rarity. This makes it easy for customers to enter their PIN safely.

• Affordable rates: Barclaycard also offers quite low transaction fees. On its default pay-as-you-go model, businesses get transaction fees of 1.6%, below the UK average of 1.75%. However, businesses with a high card turnover can also get custom transaction fees. Barclaycard also provides up to £3,000 in switching fees for merchants trying to exit a current contract, which is an appealing signing-on bonus.
• Anti-fraud features: Elsewhere, Barclay’s active fraud security monitoring transactions gave us peace of mind and should be especially valuable to businesses making high-value sales.
• Round-the-clock support: You also get 24/7 customer support to help when you need it. Barclaycard’s support options aren’t as extensive as Square’s, which adds live chat and a forum to Barclaycard’s phone, email and knowledge centre options, but we think having 24/7 availability on limited lines is preferable to the former’s eight-hour weekday coverage. Only Tide matches Barclaycard for its any-hour help.

How could the Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere improve?

• Dated design: There isn’t a whole lot wrong with the Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere. However, it does look more dated and old-fashioned than a lot of its competitors. The varied amount of colours on the app home screen was a bit overwhelming for some testers and gave the interface a busy look — though whether this is an issue will inevitably vary depending on you and your staff’s preferences. I found it functioned well, even if it’s not as aesthetically pleasing as SumUp’s card reader.
• No offline mode: A lack of offline mode with this card reader could pose a problem for businesses without reliable Wi-Fi or 4G connectivity, such as festival vendors.
• No tap to pay on smartphone app: We found Barclaycard’s smartphone app a little more limited in one area, too: you can’t use its smartphone app for tap to pay on either Android or iPhone — unlike PayPal, Square, SumUp and Tide.
• No EPOS features: Barclaycard doesn’t supply a full, native POS system with the respective hardware, from countertop terminals and cash drawers to scanners and printers. It integrates with third-party POS systems, so you should be covered if you need anything beyond its handheld POS devices pictured above. 

Who is Barclaycard’s Smartpay Anywhere card reader for?

• Merchants banking with Barclays, since it is only operational with a Barclays bank account.
• Small businesses, especially those that take payments on the go, due to its zero monthly fees and low transaction fees. That said, its lack of offline payment support means those requiring functionality, even when offline, should look at Square instead.

2. Square Reader: Easiest Mobile Card Reader to Use

• Price: £19
  Stand out features: Cheapest option, extremely easy to use, compact design, offline payment functionality
  Best for: New or small businesses prioritising simplicity and low upfront cost

During our testing sessions, we found Square’s software to be the most user-friendly of all the products we tested by a significant margin, and the £19 Square Reader is no exception. It’s also the cheapest mobile card reader on this list, making it highly accessible for new businesses.

Why do we recommend the Square Reader?

• Compact: The Square Reader itself is highly compact and light, making it great for taking payments on the go since it can fit in a shirt pocket. It also has a sleek design, looking almost like an Apple product.
• Modern app: Like all mobile card readers on this list, it needs to be paired with the Square smartphone app. The app itself looks much more modern than the Barclaycard equivalent.
• Intuitive software: We particularly loved how you can switch between the product and price input screen with ease, as well as make quick sales amendments without needing to cancel an entire order. The layout is nearly identical across all Square hardware, too, so you’ll always be in familiar terrain.

• Offline mode: The card reader is fully functional when offline, too. It goes into offline mode when it loses connection (after initially being enabled first) and automatically processes payments when you get back online.
• One-day payout rates: Besides Worldpay — not listed on this page since it is best suited to business operations dealing with large transaction amounts and turnover — Square also offers the fastest payout rates at just one working day. The next fastest rates are with Barclaycard and PayPal, transferring funds in one to two working days.
• Strong security safeguards: All transactions are monitored in real-time for your peace of mind, with the platform also boasting PCI compliance and holding an ISO 27001 certificate, showing Square’s commitment to data protection.

How could the Square Reader improve?

• No PIN pad: The Square Reader doesn’t feature a PIN pad, unlike most of the other mobile card readers on this list. This means that customers who need to enter a PIN to make a payment must do so on the merchant’s phone. Not all customers or merchants are comfortable with that, so the Square Reader is best if only used for low-value transactions where contactless payments are accepted.
• Relatively high transaction fees: While the Square Reader is the cheapest card reader around, you’ll be paying back to the merchant account provider in the form of some fairly average transaction fee rates of 1.75% for in-person payments. They aren’t bad rates by any means, or we wouldn’t recommend Square at all, but Barclaycard, SumUp and Tide all have lower potential transaction fees.
• Doesn’t support multiple currencies: Square also doesn’t allow you to accept multiple currencies, although you can set up accounts in each of the countries your business is located in to accept the local currency. For an easier bet in this regard, PayPal has this included. You also won’t be able to integrate Square with any other POS systems either, since that isn’t supported.

Who is the Square Reader for?

• Businesses wanting a full POS and ecommerce system, since Square’s card reader works seamlessly with its free EPOS software to create a customised, comprehensive setup.
• Businesses with patchy internet, thanks to Square’s offline payment functionality. That said, if you already have a POS system or require mobile data connectivity for your hardware, you may be better off with a more integrable option, like PayPal.

3. SumUp Solo Lite: Best Mobile Businesses Seeking An Easy Set Up

• Price: £25
• Stand out features: Built-in SIM connectivity, fast setup, quick charging (under 1 hour), simple app interface, competitive transaction fees
• Best for: Mobile businesses needing quick setup and ease of use

The £25 SumUp Solo Lite replaces the older Air model, and is well-suited to small mobile businesses looking to set up quickly and easily. The biggest upgrade is its built-in SIM card with unlimited data, which allows you to accept payments without connecting it to a smartphone.

Why do we recommend the SumUp Solo Lite card reader?

• No phone required: Unlike the SumUp Air, the Solo Lite works independently due to it’s built in SIM card. This allows you to take payments anywhere without Bluetooth or a mobile device.
• Fast charging and portable: Its pocket-sized design allows the reader to charge in under an hour, compared with two hours for the PayPal Reader, making it ready for use quickly.
• Quick setup: Payments can be taken almost immediately after connecting via Bluetooth — just download the app, create an account, sync the reader and start selling.
• Tap-to-pay option: Payments can also be made directly from an Android or iPhone using the ‘tap to pay’ feature, eliminating the need for hardware or upfront costs — ideal for startup businesses.

• Fast payouts: Elsewhere, payouts can be speedy at between one and three business days, matching the top fund transfer rates of other providers tested here. They also offer weekend payouts and the ability to customize your deposit schedule to match your own.
• Competitive transaction fees: Standard rate is 1.69%, which is attractive given the low hardware cost and zero-contract setup. The SumUp One subscription, available for £19 per month, is an appealing alternative to get even cheaper transaction fees of 0.99% if you are selling at high volume or high value.

Read more about SumUp pricing for more details.

How could the SumUp Solo Lite improve?

• Poor customer support: SumUp also scores the second lowest total of our top five picks for customer support, as it lacks a forum and, perhaps more importantly, only has support lines open from 9am to 5pm on weekdays. Still, its range of help and support options is appealing, with live chat, email, phone and a knowledge centre all present and correct. That matches PayPal and Tide, while beating the support offering by Barclaycard.

Who is the SumUp Solo Lite for?

• Mobile sellers who want to take payments with ease without relying on a smartphone. It’s particularly well-suited to sellers who value portability and a quick setup, and who don’t process more than 50 transactions in a day.

4. PayPal Reader: Best For PayPal Business Account Holders

• Price: £29 + VAT
• Stand out features: Integration with PayPal Business, near-instant payouts (with PayPal), built-in touchscreen, modern interface
• Best for: PayPal Business users and businesses after a standalone card reader

For PayPal Business account holders, the PayPal Reader is an obvious choice. Users benefit from near-instantaneous payouts. By syncing your payment processing with your bank account, you can access your business income in just a few minutes. In contrast, you’ll need to wait at least one or two business days with all other options on this page.

Why do we recommend the PayPal Reader?

• Streamlined set-up: We loved how easy it is to get set up and instantly begin selling with the PayPal Reader. This small device costs £29 + VAT, and we could easily link to our PayPal account and sell for free without any contract commitments.
• Standalone touchscreen device: Unlike the older Zettle Reader 2, the PayPal Reader features a built-in touchscreen and does not require a smartphone to operate. This makes it faster to use at checkout and more convenient for busy environments, like food stalls or retail counters.

• Advanced reporting: PayPal includes sales forecasting, inventory management and staff hours, offering the second-highest number of reports in our research, after Tide.
• Flexible connectivity: The device supports both Wi-Fi and a built-in SIM card, allowing you to accept payments on the go without relying on your phone’s connection.

How could the PayPal Reader improve?

• Transaction fees: While feature-rich, PayPal’s transaction fees (1.75% in person) are higher than those of competitors like Barclaycard and SumUp. This has the potential to significantly impact the margins of high-volume businesses.
• Limited offline functionality: The PayPal Reader works best with an active internet connection, which could be restrictive for businesses operating in low-signal environments, like those selling on the go.

Who is the PayPal Reader for?

• PayPal Business users: PayPal’s card reader is ideal for merchants with a PayPal Business account seeking fast payouts.
• Card-focused businesses: The device is also suited to businesses that want to process card transactions while accessing EPOS features, like inventory management.
• Mobile or small operations: The PayPal Reader also may appeal to food trucks and mobile businesses that don’t need a full EPOS system. Businesses seeking more comprehensive EPOS features may prefer Square.

Learn more about how these devices differ in our in-depth Square versus PayPal Zettle card reader comparison.

5. Tide Card Reader: Best For Reporting

• Price: £99
• Stand out features: Advanced reporting dashboards, lowest transaction fees (from 0.79%), built-in 4G connectivity, long battery life
• Best for: Businesses focused on analytics, reporting and low transaction fees

When it comes to reporting tools, Tide has some of the widest array of data visualisation dashboards. You can view all the financial and transaction data from its £99 Tide Card Reader on your account via the connected application or a web browser.

Why do we recommend the Tide Card Reader?

• Advanced reporting: The Tide Card Reader and app offer extensive dashboards with tools to view sales by employees, card types or items. This can be a helpful tool to better understand your business finances live on Tide’s platform.
• Long-lasting battery life: The Card Reader has a battery that lasts all day on one single charge, bettering SumUp’s offering, and its interface is attractive to the eye. Plus, it comes with a built-in 4G SIM, for optimal connectivity, even when paired via Bluetooth to the Tide app.
• Low transaction fees: The Tide Card Reader has the lowest transaction fees of the options listed here, at just 0.79% + £0.03.

How could the Tide Card Reader improve?

• High up-front costs: When it comes to pricing, Tide receives the lowest score of the providers on this page. That’s largely down to the relatively high cost of the Tide Card Reader, which is Tide’s cheapest card machine. At £99 + VAT, it’s more than double the price of most competitors.
• Usability: Compared with the other card readers we’ve tested, Tide’s Card Reader falls some way behind in terms of ease of use. While we found it relatively easy to input a price and charge customers, changing the price required us to cancel the entire payment rather than make a quick edit.
• Refunds: Even more complex and time-consuming is the process of issuing a refund. We had to navigate away from the card reader to the mobile app for starters. Then, we could only request a refund online rather than process one immediately. The refund was only processed around three days later, which is quite a lengthy period compared with the instant refunds of other mobile card readers.

Who is the Tide Card Reader for?

• Merchants who need a long battery life on their hardware will struggle to find a better option than Tide’s mobile card reader.
• Equally, those requiring extensive reporting tools on a free plan (thereby reducing monthly costs) should be happy with what Tide has to offer. If you require efficient offline payments, we’d recommend taking a look at Square’s mobile card readers instead.

How Do Transaction Fees Compare?

While the upfront cost of a card reader is important, transaction fees are where your long-term costs really add up. Even a difference of a few tenths of a percent can make a noticeable impact on future take-home revenue.

Real world price breakdown

At first glance, the differences may seem small — but they quickly become significant. For example, a small cafe taking £50,000 in annual card payments would pay approximately:

• £875 with Square or PayPal’s 1.75% fee 
• £845 with SumUp’s standard 1.69% fee 
• £800 with Barclaycard’s standard 1.6% fee 
• £395–£695 with Tide, depending on plan
• £495 with SumUp’s 0.99% paid plan

As these costs show, the upfront cost of a card reader represents only a small fraction of your total spend.

This means that opting for a cheaper device can make sense for smaller, mobile sellers or startups with low transaction volumes, while businesses that process frequent or high-value payments — such as retailers, hospitality venues or service providers — may benefit more from securing a provider with lower transaction fees.

How Did We Test Card Machines for Small Businesses?