Takepayments vs Dojo: which saves you more?
This one comes down to what you can verify. Takepayments does not publish a rate card - as of August 2026 its pricing is custom-quoted per business, on a 12-month standard contract with next-day settlement. Dojo publishes its pricing: a 1.2% all-in blended rate for all card transactions for businesses under £100,000 a year, with custom quotes above that (we have seen quotes as low as 0.29% for high-turnover businesses), £0 setup, and terminals from £149 upfront or £15/month. Its contract terms are published too: no early closure fee if you end it within the first month, then at least one month’s written notice. On the terms you can check before signing, Dojo edges it; the honest answer on price is to get both quotes and compare effective rates.
Rates and contract terms checked 27 August 2026 · Based on providers' published pricing
Dojo
- Under £100k/yr
- 1.2%
- Over £100k/yr
- Custom
- Setup fee
- £0
Takepayments
- Transaction
- Custom quote
- Monthly
- Quoted per package
- Contract
- 12 months
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.
Contract terms and features compared
Neither provider publishes a full rate card, so this table compares the terms both actually publish. Where Takepayments doesn't publish a figure, we say so rather than guess.
| Feature | Takepayments | Dojo |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Custom-quoted; no published rate card | Published: 1.2% all-in blended rate on all cards (under £100k/year); custom quote above |
| Monthly cost | Quoted per package | £0 on the Essential plan; terminal rental from £15/month if you rent (none through MerchantSwitch) |
| Setup fee | Not published; check your quote | £0 |
| Early exit fee | Not published; check your quote | Early account closure fee possible before your minimum term ends (amount not published); none if you end it in the first month |
| Contract | 12 months (standard) | Minimum term set in your application documents; at least one month’s written notice; no early closure fee in the first month |
| Terminal | takepaymentsplus, A920 Pro | Dojo Go Max, Dojo Pocket, Dojo Wired, Tap to Pay on iPhone |
| Payout speed | Next-day settlement (banking window conditions apply) | Next-day settlement as standard |
| Support | 7 days a week | UK-based, 7 days a week |
The takeaway: the structural difference is what you can verify upfront. Dojo publishes its 1.2% all-in rate (under £100,000 a year), its hardware prices from £149, £0 setup and its contract terms (no early closure fee in the first month, at least one month’s written notice); with Takepayments those terms sit in your quote, so read them before you sign.
Want Takepayments and Dojo priced at your numbers?
Tell us your monthly card takings and we will quote both, honestly, plus other UK providers. Free Dojo terminal with no rental if Dojo wins it, and if you are locked into another contract, Dojo pays up to £3,000 towards your exit fees when you switch through MerchantSwitch (eligibility confirmed at quote). We respond in under 5 minutes.
How to compare quotes from both
Takepayments prices by custom quote, and above £100,000 a year Dojo does too, so a headline rate on its own tells you very little. The effective-rate method puts the two quotes on the same footing in five minutes.
1. Get both quotes against the same month
Give Takepayments and Dojo the same figures: monthly card turnover, average transaction value, and your rough card mix (debit vs credit vs business cards). Different inputs make the quotes incomparable.
2. Add up the total monthly cost of each quote
Transaction fees at your volume, plus terminal rental, plus any minimum monthly service charge, PCI compliance fee, or authorisation fees. Everything, not just the headline rate.
3. Divide by your monthly card turnover
Total monthly cost ÷ monthly card takings = your effective rate. If a quote comes to £220 a month on £15,000 of card sales, that is 1.47% - whatever the headline rate said.
4. Check the exit terms before the rate
Contract length, early exit fee, and whether the contract auto-renews. A slightly cheaper rate on a contract you cannot leave is usually the worse deal.
If you already take cards, your current statement gives you every input for step 1 - our guide to reading a UK merchant statement shows where each figure hides. And yes, card machine rates are negotiable - especially when you hold two comparable quotes.
How we calculated this
We take Takepayments's and Dojo'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 Takepayments and Dojo before you commit.
Where each provider wins
Where Dojo wins
- Published terms - £0 setup fee and the contract terms in writing, before you ask for a quote
- Contract clarity - no early closure fee if you end it in the first month, then at least one month’s written notice
- A published price you can sanity-check - the 1.2% all-in rate under £100,000 a year in card turnover, 1.2% × £5,000 = £60.00 at £5,000 a month, terminal from £149 upfront
- Next-day settlement - payouts the next day as standard
Full profile: Dojo review and pricing
Where Takepayments wins
- Short standard contract - 12 months advertised as standard, not the 18-48 month terms common among legacy acquirers
- Tailored packages - pricing built around your turnover and card mix, which can work in your favour at higher volumes
- All-in-one hardware - the takepaymentsplus terminal doubles as a till, with separate POS systems for hospitality and retail
- 7-day support - customer support available every day of the week
Takepayments vs Dojo: your questions answered
Is Takepayments cheaper than Dojo?
It depends on the quote you are given. Takepayments does not publish a rate card - as of August 2026 its site prices every business individually based on turnover and card mix. Dojo publishes a 1.2% all-in blended transaction rate for all card transactions for businesses under £100,000/year card turnover, with the terminal from £149 upfront or £15/month (or free through MerchantSwitch); above £100,000 it quotes a custom rate. The only reliable way to compare them is to get a written quote from both and work out the effective rate: total monthly cost divided by monthly card turnover. At £5,000/month, Dojo works out at 1.2% x £5,000 = £60.00. Dojo’s fees schedule also lists a secure transaction fee, a refund fee and a minimum monthly payment, each set by your agreed plan; the amounts are not published.
What contract lengths do Takepayments and Dojo offer?
Takepayments advertises a 12-month contract as standard (as of August 2026). Dojo's general terms set any minimum term in your application documents and ask for at least one month’s written notice. There is no early account closure fee if you end the agreement within the first month; after that, leaving before the minimum term ends can mean an early account closure fee, an amount set by your agreed plan and not published. Whatever you are quoted, check the contract length, any minimum monthly service charge, and the cost of leaving early before you sign.
How fast do Takepayments and Dojo pay out?
Both advertise next-day settlement. Takepayments notes conditions apply - the terminal’s banking window must be run before the acquirer’s cut-off. Dojo settles next day as standard.
Can I negotiate the rates either provider quotes me?
Yes, at higher volumes. Takepayments prices every business by custom quote, and Dojo does the same above £100,000/year card turnover (we have seen quotes as low as 0.29% for high-turnover businesses), so the first number you are given is rarely the floor there. Below £100,000 Dojo charges its published 1.2% all-in blended rate. Quotes move most on card turnover, average transaction value and whether you bring a competing quote. Getting both providers to quote the same month of turnover is the strongest negotiating position.
The verdict
Choose Dojo if
- You want the pricing and contract terms in writing before you commit
- You value a published 1.2% all-in rate and a first month you can leave with no early closure fee
- Next-day settlement matters to your cash flow
- You run a UK restaurant, cafe or retail shop
Choose Takepayments if
- Its tailored quote beats Dojo’s at your turnover - check the effective rate, not the headline
- You want a terminal that doubles as a till (takepaymentsplus)
- A 12-month contract suits you and the exit terms in your quote are acceptable
- You have compared both quotes like for like and Takepayments comes out ahead
Leaning Takepayments? We broker both. Send us your takings and we will show you the Takepayments and Dojo maths side by side, and tell you straight if Takepayments wins at your volume.
See also the full UK card machine rates table, every published rate in one place, or head back to the Dojo card machines hub.