Card machine exit fees: what 15 UK providers actually publish
We read the published terms of 15 providers looking for four things: minimum term, early exit fee, notice period, and what happens to the hardware. The headline finding is the gaps: 5 of 15 publish none of their exit terms at all, and even providers that publish the term keep the fee amount off the page.
Everything below comes from the provider's own site or terms documents, checked . Where a term is not published, the table says "Not published" - we do not fill gaps with figures from other comparison sites, and if you see a number quoted elsewhere that is not in a provider's own terms, treat it with suspicion. Your own contract summary is the final word; the table tells you what to look for in it.
Spotted a term that has changed? Corrections go through hello@merchantswitch.com and are logged on our corrections page.
SumUp
Terms publishedMinimum term
None; pay-as-you-go, subscriptions run monthly or yearly
Early exit fee
None stated; unused subscription periods are not refunded
Notice period
None; a subscription ends at the end of its current period
Hardware on leaving
Readers are purchased outright, no rentals
Source: sumup.com/en-gb/pricing/ and sumup.com/en-gb/terms/ (s.13)
How to cancel SumUpSquare
Terms publishedMinimum term
None; terminate from account settings at any time
Early exit fee
None stated
Notice period
None stated
Hardware on leaving
Devices are sold (instalment plans available); no rental to return
Source: squareup.com/gb/en/legal/general/ua (s.11) and /pricing
How to cancel SquareZettle by PayPal
Terms publishedMinimum term
None; "no long-term commitments or rentals"
Early exit fee
Not addressed in the published terms
Notice period
None; close the account at any time
Hardware on leaving
Readers are purchased
Source: zettle.com/gb/pricing and general terms (s.22)
How to cancel ZettlemyPOS
Terms publishedMinimum term
None; agreement runs until terminated
Early exit fee
None: terminate "immediately and without termination charges" with the account in good standing
Notice period
None for the merchant
Hardware on leaving
Devices are sold; no return-on-closure obligation stated
Source: merchant.mypos.com legal agreement (s.13.3, s.13.6)
Teya
Terms publishedMinimum term
None stated; "no long contracts"
Early exit fee
None stated; recurring fees already paid are non-refundable
Notice period
None stated; terminate by closing the account or written notice
Hardware on leaving
Return non-purchased hardware within 7 working days of ending the agreement
Source: teya.com/legal/general-terms (s.4, s.13a)
How to cancel TeyaTide (card reader)
Terms publishedMinimum term
Pay-as-you-go on a purchased reader: none. Subscription plans: 12-month minimum term
Early exit fee
Cancel a subscription early: pay the remaining subscription charges; rented-device tool adds a £50 administration fee
Notice period
Cancellation takes effect from the next billing period; fees already paid are not reimbursed
Hardware on leaving
Purchased readers are yours; rented readers must go back within 5 working days of cancelling
Source: tide.co/terms/ - Payment Acceptance Terms (s.4-5)
Dojo
Partly publishedMinimum term
12 months, then monthly rolling (under £1m annual card turnover; negotiated above)
Early exit fee
An early closure fee applies inside the initial term; the amount is not published ("based on your agreed plan" / remaining costs of the contract). No fee within the first 30 days
Notice period
At least 1 month's written notice
Hardware on leaving
Return card machines within 30 days of ending the agreement; non-return fee up to £400 + VAT per machine
Source: dojo.tech FAQs, General terms v2.0 and Fees schedule v2.1 (published 24 Aug 2026)
How to cancel DojoBarclaycard Payments
Partly publishedMinimum term
Countertop and Portable readers: 18 months. Smartpay Touch: 12 months. Smartpay Anywhere: no contract
Early exit fee
Countertop/Portable: variable, priced per remaining month (Barclaycard's own example: "£7 x two months left in your contract = £14 plus VAT"). Smartpay Touch and Anywhere: £0
Notice period
Not published; depends on the age of the agreement
Hardware on leaving
Not published
Source: barclaycard.co.uk/business card reader and PDQ-closure help pages
How to cancel Barclaycardtakepayments
Partly publishedMinimum term
12 months ("short 12 month contract"), then rolling monthly
Early exit fee
Card machine contract: not published. Online product: 30-day cooling-off with refund; no early-exit amount published
Notice period
Online product: at least 90 days written notice. Card machines: not published
Hardware on leaving
Not published
Source: takepayments.com homepage and online-payments T&Cs (cl.2-3)
How to cancel takepaymentsTyl by NatWest
Partly publishedMinimum term
12-month contract on card machines
Early exit fee
A termination fee "may" apply for ending the contract early; the amount is not published
Notice period
30 days' notice to leave at the end of the contract
Hardware on leaving
Not published
Source: tylbynatwest.com help centre ("How do I end my Tyl contract")
How to cancel TylWorldpay
Not publishedMinimum term
Not published
Early exit fee
Not published
Notice period
Not published
Hardware on leaving
Not published
Source: go.worldpay.com/pricing publishes only a £15 minimum monthly service charge; merchant T&Cs are not on the public site
How to cancel WorldpayLloyds Cardnet
Not publishedMinimum term
Not published
Early exit fee
Not published
Notice period
Not published
Hardware on leaving
Terminals are rented (£23/month Castles Saturn, £21/month Clover Flex, + VAT); return terms not published
Source: lloydsbank.com/business Cardnet pricing page
How to cancel LloydsElavon
Not publishedMinimum term
Not published
Early exit fee
Not published
Notice period
Not published
Hardware on leaving
Not published
Source: elavon.co.uk publishes no merchant terms, pricing or cancellation information; quote-only
How to cancel ElavonHandepay
Not publishedMinimum term
Not published
Early exit fee
Own exit fee not published (Handepay advertises contributing to your OLD provider's exit fees when you switch in)
Notice period
Not published
Hardware on leaving
Terminal hire runs through Merchant Rentals Limited, a separate contract; return terms not published
Source: handepay.co.uk; Handepay is an introducer for Lloyds Cardnet and EVO Payments UK, not an acquirer
How to cancel HandepayClover (UK)
Not publishedMinimum term
Not published
Early exit fee
Not published
Notice period
Not published
Hardware on leaving
Devices advertised at £15-£30/month; rental and return terms not published
Source: uk.clover.com; pricing is quote-based (Fiserv acquiring)
How to cancel CloverWhat the pattern tells you
The providers with no contract publish their terms in full; the providers with contracts mostly don't. That is not an accident. Pay-as-you-go readers (SumUp, Square, Zettle, myPOS, Teya) have nothing to hide: no term, no exit fee, the reader is yours. The contracted acquirers keep exit amounts in the signed agreement, where they only become visible after you are bound by them.
The practical rule: before signing any card machine contract, get the contract summary and read three lines - minimum term, early termination clause, and hardware return terms. Every UK acquirer must give you a summary; if a salesperson can't produce one, that is your answer about the relationship to come.
And if you are already inside a contract you regret: exit fees are sometimes covered by the provider you switch to. £3,000 of buyout is available through our Dojo switching arrangement (Dojo's switcher offer; eligibility confirmed at quote), which changes the sums on leaving mid-term. Our switching guide walks through the whole process, provider by provider.
Stuck in a contract? Send us the statement, not the stress
We read your contract terms and statement, work out the real cost of leaving versus staying, and tell you if the £3,000 buyout covers your exit fee. Free, no obligation.