Dojo vs Zettle: which saves you more?
Dojo is cheaper above roughly £2,290 a month in card sales. Its Fix plan (for businesses under £100,000 a year in card turnover) is £39.99 a month, covering card turnover up to £3,999 a month, then a 1% flat rate above £4,000: at £5,000 a month that is £49.99 against Zettle's £87.50 at 1.75%. Above £100,000 a year Dojo quotes a custom rate, and we have seen quotes as low as 0.29% for high-turnover businesses. Zettle wins for very small or occasional sellers who want no contract, no monthly fee and a reader from £29 + VAT.
Rates and contract terms checked 27 August 2026· Based on providers' published pricing
Dojo
- Fix plan
- £39.99/mo
- Over £4k/mo
- 1% flat
- Terminal
- From £179
Zettle (by PayPal)
- Transaction
- 1.75%
- Monthly
- £0
- Reader
- From £29
The MerchantSwitch route: Free Dojo terminal (no rental) through MerchantSwitch. Up to £3,000 towards your exit fees when you switch through MerchantSwitch. We have seen Dojo quotes as low as 0.29% for high-turnover businesses. Get the offer.
Rates and fees compared
Dojo prices by turnover: under £100,000 a year the Fix plan is £39.99 a month with a 1% flat rate above £4,000 a month of card turnover, and above that Dojo quotes a custom rate per business. Zettle publishes one flat rate for everyone.
| Feature | Dojo | Zettle (by PayPal) |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Fix plan: £39.99/month covers card turnover up to £3,999/month, then 1% flat above £4,000 (under £100k/year); custom quote above | 1.75% flat (not negotiable) |
| Settlement | Next day | Instant or next day (product / settings) |
| Setup fee | £0 | £0 |
| Monthly fee | £39.99 on the Fix plan (platform fee and Amex included) | £0 |
| Contract | 30-day trial, then a 12-month price-locked plan | None, pay as you go |
| Card reader / terminal | From £179 upfront; free via MerchantSwitch | From £29 + VAT upfront |
| Support | UK-based support | Primarily in-app / email |
| Trustpilot (indicative) | 4.3 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
The takeaway: Dojo's Fix plan undercuts Zettle's fixed 1.75% above roughly £2,290 a month (£39.99 divided by 1.75%): at £5,000 a month it is £49.99 against £87.50, and at £8,000 a month £79.99 against £140. The terminal is bought upfront from £179, or free through MerchantSwitch. The trade is Zettle's £0 monthly fee and no contract, which keep it cheaper for very light or occasional card use: below roughly £2,300 a month, stay put.
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Feature by feature
| Feature | Dojo | Zettle |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Fix plan: £39.99/month covers card turnover up to £3,999/month, then 1% flat above £4,000 (under £100k/year); custom quote above | 1.75% flat (not negotiable) |
| Settlement | Next day | Instant or next day (product / settings) |
| Setup fee | £0 | £0 |
| Monthly fee | £39.99 on the Fix plan (platform fee and Amex included) | £0 |
| Contract | 30-day trial, then a 12-month price-locked plan | None, pay as you go |
| Card reader / terminal | From £179 upfront; free via MerchantSwitch | From £29 + VAT upfront |
| Support | UK-based support | Primarily in-app / email |
| Trustpilot (indicative) | 4.3 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
Where Dojo wins
- Lower fees at scale - the Fix plan works out at 1.0% effective at £5,000 a month, against Zettle's fixed 1.75%
- Hardware - buy the terminal upfront from £179, or get it free through MerchantSwitch
- UK-based support - and a stronger Trustpilot score, 4.3 vs 3.8
- Full merchant service - next-day settlement as standard, not just a reader and an app
Where Zettle wins
- No monthly fee - you only pay when you take a payment
- No contract - pay as you go, walk away any time
- Low upfront cost - reader from £29 + VAT
- Simplicity - app-led setup that suits occasional sellers
How we calculated this
We take Dojo's and Zettle's published or typical advertised rates and apply them to example monthly card volumes. Total cost is worked out as transaction fees plus fixed monthly fees over 12 months. Rates change and individual pricing can often be negotiated, so treat these figures as a like-for-like guide rather than a quote. Always confirm current pricing with Dojo and Zettle before you commit.
The verdict
Choose Dojo if
- You take roughly £2,300 or more a month on cards, where the Fix plan beats 1.75%
- You want the free terminal through MerchantSwitch rather than buying a reader
- You want UK-based support you can actually reach
- You want next-day settlement as standard
- Card payments are core infrastructure for your business
Choose Zettle if
- You are a very small or occasional seller
- You want no contract and no monthly fee
- You are happy to buy a reader from £29 + VAT
- You prioritise flexibility over negotiated rates
- App and email support is enough for your setup
See also the full UK card machine rates table, every published rate in one place, or head back to the Dojo card machines hub.