How Much Does a Card Machine Cost in the UK in 2026?
A practical UK 2026 price guide. Real numbers for the terminal, the monthly fee, the transaction percentage, and the hidden line items that push your true cost per transaction 30 to 60 percent above the headline rate.
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The short answer
Most UK card machines cost between £0 and £79 upfront in 2026. The ongoing cost is what matters and that varies between roughly 1.3 and 2.5 percent of card turnover all-in depending on provider, volume, and card mix.
A contracted Dojo, Paymentsense or Takepayments terminal usually works out cheapest above £5,000 a month in card sales, especially once you cross £150,000 annual turnover and unlock bespoke rates. A pay-as-you-go SumUp, Zettle, or Square reader is cheapest below that. A long Worldpay or Barclaycard contract is rarely the cheapest, but it is sometimes the easiest at £100,000 a month plus.
Card machine costs at a glance
Here are the headline numbers for the most common UK providers in 2026. "Effective rate" is the all-in cost as a percentage of card turnover for a business processing £15,000 a month on a typical SME card mix (70 percent consumer debit, 25 percent consumer credit, 5 percent commercial).
| Provider | Terminal cost | Monthly fee | Transaction fee | Effective rate* | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dojo | £0 | £15 to £20 | 1.3% + 3p (under £150k turnover), bespoke above | ~1.5% to 1.7% | 6 months under £150k, rolling above |
| Paymentsense | £0 | £15 to £25 | From 0.79% | ~1.2% to 1.6% | 18 to 48 months |
| Takepayments | £0 | £15 to £25 | From 0.85% | ~1.3% to 1.7% | 18 to 48 months |
| Tyl by NatWest | £0 | £12 to £20 | From 1.5% | ~1.7% to 2.0% | 12 to 24 months |
| Worldpay | £0 (rented) | £15 to £35 | 1.29% to 1.95% | ~1.6% to 2.2% | 36 to 60 months |
| Barclaycard | £0 (rented) | £15 to £35 | 0.85% to 1.95% | ~1.7% to 2.3% | 36 to 60 months |
| SumUp | £19 to £79 | £0 (or £19 for Payments Plus) | 1.69% flat (0.99% on Payments Plus) | 1.69% all-in | None |
| Zettle by PayPal | £29 first, £69 each after | £0 | 1.75% flat (in-person) | 1.75% all-in | None |
| Square | £19 + VAT (Reader) to £149+ (Terminal) | £0 | 1.75% flat (in-person) | 1.75% all-in | None |
*Effective rate is an estimate at £15,000 a month in card turnover with a typical UK SME card mix. Your real number depends on your card mix, transaction size and any negotiated rates.
The five line items that make up your card machine bill
Almost every UK card machine bill is made up of the same building blocks, even when providers label them differently. If you know the five line items, you can compare any two quotes in 30 seconds.
1. Per-transaction fee
The percentage applied to every card sale. Sometimes a single "blended" rate, sometimes split between debit, credit, premium, and commercial cards. UK 2026 ranges:
- Headline contracted rates: Dojo 1.3 percent + 3p, Paymentsense from 0.79 percent, Takepayments from 0.85 percent
- Bespoke pricing on volume (£150k+ annual): can drop to 0.3 to 0.6 percent at Dojo and the high-street acquirers
- Pay-as-you-go flat rates: SumUp 1.69 percent, Zettle and Square 1.75 percent
- Premium / commercial cards: 2.0 to 3.5 percent at most acquirers
2. Monthly terminal rental / service charge
A flat monthly fee that covers your account, the terminal, support, and platform access. UK 2026:
- Dojo: £15 to £20 rental, with a £24.95 minimum monthly service charge
- Paymentsense, Takepayments: £15 to £25
- Tyl by NatWest: £12 to £20
- Worldpay, Barclaycard, Lloyds Cardnet: £15 to £35
- SumUp, Zettle, Square: £0
3. PCI compliance fee
A small monthly charge of £4 to £20 for PCI DSS compliance support. Dojo and the no-contract providers usually do not charge this. Worldpay, Barclaycard, Elavon, and Global Payments commonly do, plus a £25 to £50 a month non-compliance fee if you forget to submit the annual questionnaire.
4. Terminal cost or rental
Either upfront hardware (£29 to £149 for SumUp, Zettle, Square) or rental (£0 to £20 a month rolled into the monthly fee on contracted providers). Long-term acquirers technically rent the terminal so you have to return it on cancellation or you get charged £150 to £300.
5. Authorisation and settlement fees
A few pence per transaction (typically 1p to 4p) on top of the percentage. Easy to miss. Worldpay, Elavon, and Global Payments tend to charge these; Dojo, SumUp, Zettle, and Square typically do not.
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Worked example: card machine cost on £15,000 a month
A typical UK SME processing £15,000 a month with an average transaction of £25 (so 600 transactions) on a 70 percent debit, 25 percent credit, 5 percent commercial card mix:
| Provider | Transaction fees | Monthly fee | PCI fee | Total monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dojo | £213 (£15k × 1.3% + 600 × 3p) | £15 to £20 | £0 | £228 to £233 |
| Paymentsense | £180 (1.2% effective) | £19 | £4 | £203 |
| Takepayments | £195 (1.3% effective) | £19 | £4 | £218 |
| Worldpay | £240 (1.6% effective) | £20 | £10 | £270 |
| Barclaycard | £255 (1.7% effective) | £25 | £12 | £292 |
| SumUp | £253 (1.69% flat) | £0 | £0 | £253 |
| Zettle by PayPal | £262 (1.75% flat) | £0 | £0 | £262 |
On this profile and the published rate card, Dojo costs around £230 a month, comparable to a SumUp pay-as-you-go reader (£253) but with the upside that volumes above £150,000 annual turnover unlock bespoke pricing well below the 1.3 percent + 3p shown here. Most businesses in this range save more by negotiating their effective rate down with a contracted provider than by sticking with a flat 1.69 to 1.75 percent reader.
Mobile card reader vs countertop card machine
Two different cost shapes for two different businesses:
Mobile card readers (SumUp, Zettle, Square)
- £19 to £79 upfront for the reader
- £0 monthly fee on the standard plan
- 1.69 to 1.75 percent flat per transaction
- No contract, no exit fee
- Best for: market traders, tradespeople, taxi drivers, occasional sellers, businesses processing under £5,000 a month
Countertop / contracted terminals (Dojo, Paymentsense, Worldpay)
- £0 upfront (terminal is rented)
- £12 to £35 monthly rental, with minimum-spend rules at some providers
- Published rates from 0.79 to 1.95 percent, bespoke pricing typically unlocked at £150,000+ annual turnover
- 6 to 60 month minimum term depending on provider and volume
- Best for: shops, restaurants, salons, pubs, hotels, any business processing over £5,000 a month
Costs people forget about
- SIM data on 4G terminals: usually included on Dojo, sometimes £5 to £10 a month elsewhere.
- Receipt rolls: minor but adds up, around £30 to £80 a year.
- Chargeback fees: £15 to £25 per disputed transaction at most acquirers.
- Refund fees: some providers charge per refund (Worldpay, Global Payments).
- Premium card surcharges: Amex and World Elite Mastercard can be 1.5 percent more than the headline rate.
- Annual fees: £25 to £50 a year on some older Barclaycard / Lloyds contracts.
How to calculate your true cost per transaction
- Pull your last 12 months of merchant statements.
- Add up every line of card processing cost: transaction fees, monthly fees, PCI fees, terminal rental, chargeback fees, annual fees.
- Divide by your total card turnover for the year.
- The result is your real effective rate.
If your effective rate is above 1.5 percent and you process over £10,000 a month, you are paying more than you should. We will tell you exactly how much over by running the same calculation across competing quotes.
How to cut your card machine cost
- Benchmark. Get two independent quotes against your last three monthly statements.
- Negotiate on volume. If you process over £15,000 a month, ask for a rate cut at your existing acquirer first. Most will drop the rate or waive PCI fees rather than lose the account.
- Switch providers if the saving is over £100 a month. The admin and notice period (usually 90 days) is worth it.
- Match the contract to your business. No-contract readers for low volume, free terminals on short contracts for SMEs, custom interchange-plus for high volume.
Three card machines worth getting a real quote on
Best for typical UK SME volumes in 2026. Click through for a same-day quote on each.
Dojo
From 1.3% + 3p
- Free terminal, £15 to £20 rental
- Bespoke pricing over £150k turnover
- Built-in WiFi and 4G
- UK-based support
Paymentsense
From 0.79%
- Free terminal
- Next-day funding
- UK-based support
- Tailored business rates
SumUp
1.69%
- £19 to £25 reader (one-off)
- No monthly fees on standard plan
- No contract
- Next-day payouts
Frequently asked questions
How much does a card machine cost in the UK in 2026?
A countertop card machine from a contracted provider like Dojo, Paymentsense or Worldpay costs £0 upfront on most deals, with monthly rental from £12 to £35 and transaction fees from around 0.79 to 1.95 percent on the published rate cards. A pay-as-you-go reader like SumUp, Zettle, or Square costs £19 to £79 upfront with no monthly fee and a flat 1.69 to 1.75 percent per transaction.
What is a typical monthly card machine bill for a UK small business?
A UK business processing £15,000 a month typically pays £180 to £350 a month all-in on a contracted provider, depending on the rate band, monthly rental and PCI charges. The same business on SumUp would pay around £254 in transaction fees only, with no other monthly costs.
What fees does a card machine actually charge?
A typical UK card machine bill includes: per-transaction fees (a percentage of each sale, sometimes with a small per-transaction authorisation fee on top), monthly terminal rental, a PCI compliance fee, optional refund or chargeback fees, and sometimes annual or non-compliance fees. Always ask for the full schedule before signing.
How much is a Dojo card machine?
Dojo gives the terminal free of charge with a £15 to £20 monthly rental and a £24.95 minimum monthly service charge. The published headline transaction rate is 1.3 percent + 3p for standard consumer cards under £150,000 annual turnover, with bespoke pricing on volumes above that. The minimum term is 6 months under £150k turnover, or rolling monthly above.
How much does a SumUp card reader cost?
A SumUp Air reader is £19 on the current 2026 promo (regular £25), the Solo Lite is £39, the Solo with built-in printer is £79. Transaction fees are 1.69 percent with no monthly fee and no contract. A Payments Plus subscription (£19 a month) lowers the rate to 0.99 percent on standard cards.
Are mobile card readers cheaper than countertop card machines?
For low-volume businesses, yes. A SumUp or Zettle reader costs less than £40 upfront with no monthly fees and works out cheapest below about £2,000 a month in card sales. Above £5,000 a month, a free countertop terminal from Dojo or Paymentsense on a blended rate from 0.3 to 0.79 percent is usually cheaper overall.
How do I calculate my true card machine cost per transaction?
Add up your last 12 months of card processing fees including transaction fees, monthly service charges, PCI fees, terminal rental and any one-off charges. Divide by total card turnover. The result is your true effective rate. Most UK SMEs are surprised to find it 30 to 60 percent higher than the headline rate they were quoted.
Related guides
- Free card machine UK 2026: who actually gives one free?
- How card machine fees work, line by line
- Understanding card scheme fees (Visa, Mastercard, Amex)
- Card machine rental vs purchase, which is cheaper?
- Card machine savings calculator
- Compare UK card machine providers side by side
Get a real card machine cost quote
Tell us your monthly card volume and current provider. We will come back inside 24 hours with the all-in cost of three competing free-terminal offers and a no-contract pay-as-you-go option, so you can see exactly where the cheapest option is for your business.
Call 0333 041 3933 or request a free quote online.