SumUp vs Zettle: which no-contract card reader is best?
SumUp edges it on price: 1.69% per transaction against Zettle's 1.75%, worth about £72 a year at £10,000 a month in card sales, and it works in 30+ countries. Zettle is the better pick if you already run your business on PayPal. Neither charges a monthly fee or ties you to a contract.
Rates and contract terms checked July 2026 · Based on providers' published pricing
SumUp
- Transaction
- 1.69%
- Monthly
- £0
- Reader
- £29-£39
Zettle (by PayPal)
- Transaction
- 1.75%
- Monthly
- £0
- Reader
- £29
Total monthly cost at your card volume
Transaction fees only, worked from each provider's published rate. Neither charges a monthly fee. Check the maths yourself.
| Monthly turnover | SumUp | Zettle | SumUp saves |
|---|---|---|---|
| £5,000 | £84.50/mo | £87.50/mo | £36/year |
| £10,000 | £169/mo | £175/mo | £72/year |
| £15,000 | £253.50/mo | £262.50/mo | £108/year |
| £20,000 | £338/mo | £350/mo | £144/year |
The takeaway:SumUp is cheaper at every volume in the table, though never by more than £144 a year at these volumes. Zettle's £29 reader is up to £10 cheaper upfront, so a business that lives in the PayPal ecosystem loses very little by picking it.
Feature by feature
| Feature | SumUp | Zettle |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 1.69% | 1.75% |
| Hardware | £29-£39 + VAT | £29 + VAT |
| Monthly fee | £0 | £0 |
| Works internationally | 30+ countries | 10+ countries |
| PayPal integration | No | Yes |
Where SumUp wins
- Lower transaction fee - 1.69% vs 1.75%, roughly £216 saved over 3 years at £10k/month
- International use - works in 30+ countries vs Zettle's 10+
- Hardware choice - a range of readers from £29 to £39 + VAT
Where Zettle wins
- PayPal integration - plugs straight into the PayPal ecosystem
- Cheapest reader - a flat £29 + VAT
How we calculated this
We take SumUp's and Zettle's published or typical advertised rates and apply them to example monthly card volumes (£5,000 to £20,000 a month). 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 SumUp and Zettle before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper: SumUp or Zettle?
SumUp is cheaper: 1.69% transaction fee vs Zettle 1.75%. Hardware: SumUp £29-39, Zettle £29. Over 3 years with £10k/month sales, SumUp saves approximately £216. Both have no monthly fees.
The verdict
Choose SumUp if
- You want the lowest transaction fee (1.69%)
- You trade internationally, in 30+ countries
- You want a choice of readers
Choose Zettle if
- You already use PayPal for your business
- You want the cheapest single reader (£29 + VAT)
- The 0.06% fee gap is worth less to you than the PayPal link-up
Want this worked out at your exact numbers?
Tell us your monthly card takings and we'll run SumUp, Zettle and 13 other UK providers at your volume. Free, no obligation.
See also the full UK card machine rates table, all 15 providers in one place.