7 SumUp Business alternatives for accepting card payments in 2026
A market trader runs through the morning rush, the SumUp reader takes a contactless tap, then refuses the next four. The card terminal goes back into the pocket for a reset, the queue gets restless, and three customers walk. SumUp’s appeal is real — a one-tap reader, a clear per-transaction fee, no monthly commitment — but the hardware reliability under heavy use, the deposit timing on the basic account, and the fee tier creep on the higher-volume plans send merchants looking. These SumUp alternatives cover the same accept-cards-anywhere need with different hardware, pricing structures, and integrated business tools.
We picked seven: a global POS leader, the PayPal-owned reader, a Bulgarian challenger with cheap hardware, an Iceland-rooted European acquirer, and three business-banking platforms that bundle card acceptance into the account.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Hardware cost | Per-transaction fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square | Established POS ecosystem | From £19 reader | From 1.75% UK contactless |
| Zettle by PayPal | PayPal merchants | From £29 reader | 1.75% UK contactless |
| myPOS | Instant settlement | From £29 reader | From 1.10% per tap |
| Teya | Predictable monthly pricing | From £19 reader | From 1.69% per tap |
| Tide | Business banking + reader | £49.50 reader | 1.5% per tap |
| Qonto | French/European business accounts | None (Tap to Pay) | 1.4% in-app |
| Revolut Business | Built-in payments + multi-currency | None (Tap to Pay) | 0.8% + £0.02 (Tap to Pay) |
Why people leave SumUp
Reader connectivity drops under pressure. Bluetooth pairing between the SumUp Solo and a phone is fine for the first few transactions, then drops mid-tap during busy stretches. Restarting the reader takes 20-30 seconds — long enough to lose a customer.
Standard deposit is the next working day. SumUp pays out next business day on the basic tier, which means card sales on Friday don’t land until Monday. The Business Account product accelerates this but introduces a separate balance to manage.
The fee structure climbs with add-ons. The headline 1.69 percent rate applies to the basic Solo reader. Invoicing, payment links, online store, and gift cards each layer on subscription fees or higher per-transaction rates that the marketing copy doesn’t lead with.
The app has rough edges on Android. Crash reports on the Play Store and Reddit cluster around tablet-mode use, integrated printer setup, and refund flows. The 3.7 star Android rating reflects this.
There is no real account product. The SumUp Business Account is an e-money account, not a bank account, so deposits aren’t covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. For merchants holding larger balances, that limits trust.
The best SumUp alternatives
1. Square — best for an established POS ecosystem
Square is the global standard-bearer in mobile POS, with a deep app ecosystem covering invoicing, inventory, loyalty, gift cards, payroll, and a separate Square Online storefront. The Square Reader (£19 chip and contactless) pairs cleanly via Bluetooth and the iPad-based stand turns into a fixed-counter terminal. Square vs SumUp: Square’s app is heavier and slower for one-off uses, but the integrations win for any merchant running a real shop.
Where it falls short: the basic per-transaction fee (1.75 percent UK contactless) is slightly higher than SumUp on the headline, and Square’s add-on apps push subscription fees once you go beyond the basics. Customer support is mostly self-service.
Pricing: free Square POS app. Reader from £19. UK contactless 1.75 percent; manually keyed and online 2.5 percent.
Switching from SumUp: Square’s onboarding takes a day or two for KYC checks. Existing customer data doesn’t transfer; reload key contacts manually. Square accepts UK bank-account payouts next business day, similar to SumUp.
Bottom line: the right call for a real shop with inventory and a counter, not just a market stall.
2. Zettle by PayPal — best for existing PayPal merchants
Zettle by PayPal integrates card acceptance with the PayPal business account, which is useful if you already take PayPal online. The reader is straightforward, the app supports inventory and split bills, and funds land in your PayPal balance instantly (with onward bank transfer at no extra fee).
Where it falls short: Zettle’s per-transaction fee for UK contactless is the same as SumUp at 1.75 percent, so the saving is non-existent unless you specifically value PayPal integration. The Android app has been criticised for slower updates than the iOS version.
Pricing: free app. Zettle Reader 2 from £29. UK contactless 1.75 percent; manually keyed 2.5 percent.
Switching from SumUp: if you already use PayPal Business, Zettle activates inside the same account. Otherwise the KYC and bank-link steps mirror SumUp’s onboarding.
Bottom line: worth it only if PayPal Business is already central to your operation.
3. myPOS — best for instant settlement
myPOS settles card payments to its built-in account instantly, which means Friday afternoon sales are spendable on Friday evening via the included Mastercard. The reader is reliable on Bluetooth, the app handles refunds and reports cleanly, and the per-transaction fees skew lower than SumUp on small ticket sizes.
Where it falls short: the myPOS account is an e-money balance, not a UK bank account, so moving funds out to a third-party bank carries a small SEPA or Faster Payments fee. Customer support response times are uneven.
Pricing: free app. myPOS Go 2 reader from £29. Per-transaction fees from 1.10 percent on Visa/Mastercard contactless.
Switching from SumUp: myPOS onboarding is fast — most accounts are verified within 24 hours. Order the reader and start taking card payments the day it arrives.
Bottom line: the right pick when same-day cash-flow access matters more than next-day settlement.
4. Teya — best for predictable monthly pricing
Teya (formerly SaltPay) builds a payments-and-business-banking stack with reliable readers, integrated invoicing, and a more transparent per-transaction fee than most rivals. The Teya Go reader handles tap and chip, and the app surfaces sales analytics that SumUp keeps behind subscription tiers.
Where it falls short: the merchant onboarding is more rigorous than SumUp’s and takes longer. Hardware costs are similar to SumUp’s higher tiers.
Pricing: Teya Go reader £19 with monthly tariff. Per-transaction fees from 1.69 percent on UK contactless.
Switching from SumUp: plan a 3-5 day overlap during onboarding. Teya provides a more polished business-banking layer once approved.
Bottom line: for merchants who already process steady volumes and want pricing they can forecast.
5. Tide — best for business banking plus payments
Tide is a UK business-banking app first, with a card reader and invoicing layered on top. The free Tide current account opens in minutes from the app, the per-transaction fee for the Tide Reader is competitive, and the integrated bookkeeping and tax tools cover most freelancer and small-business needs in one place.
Where it falls short: Tide’s free banking tier limits monthly transactions before fees kick in. The card reader isn’t the cheapest hardware option. Customer support is chat-only and uneven on complex disputes.
Pricing: free Tide account (transaction limits apply on free tier). Tide Reader £49.50. Per-transaction fee 1.5 percent for UK card.
Switching from SumUp: open Tide first, then order the reader. The combined banking-plus-payments setup means card receipts land in the same account that pays your suppliers.
Bottom line: the right call when business banking and card acceptance should live in the same app.
6. Qonto — best for European business banking with Tap to Pay
Qonto is a France-headquartered business banking app serving freelancers and small companies across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands. Tap to Pay on Android (and iPhone) lets you accept contactless card payments directly on the phone, no extra reader needed. The accompanying SEPA-native account handles invoicing, expense management, and accounting integrations.
Where it falls short: Qonto is not available in the UK as of 2026. Tap to Pay is limited to supported devices. The free tier has a transaction cap.
Pricing: Qonto Basic from €9/month. Tap to Pay fee 1.4 percent per in-app transaction.
Switching from SumUp: Qonto fits when you’re a European (non-UK) freelancer who wants banking and card acceptance in one stack. UK merchants should pair Tide or Revolut Business instead.
Bottom line: for French or Eurozone-based freelancers who want banking, invoicing, and card payments in one app.
7. Revolut Business — best for built-in payments and multi-currency
Revolut Business bundles a multi-currency account, expense cards, and card acceptance (via Tap to Pay on Android or the Revolut Reader). Per-transaction fees on Tap to Pay are among the lowest on the market, and the app handles multi-currency invoicing without extra setup.
Where it falls short: the Tap to Pay rate undercuts SumUp, but the free Business tier limits monthly payment volume before fees apply. Account freezes are documented for consumer Revolut and apply to business accounts too.
Pricing: Revolut Business free tier (limits apply). Higher tiers from £19/month. Tap to Pay from 0.8 percent + £0.02 per transaction.
Switching from SumUp: Revolut Business onboarding takes a few days for KYC. Once approved, Tap to Pay is enabled directly from the app — no extra hardware required.
Bottom line: the right call when multi-currency banking and the lowest Tap to Pay fee both matter.
How to choose
Pick Square if you run an established shop with inventory and need POS depth beyond accepting a card. Pick Zettle only if PayPal Business is already central to your sales mix. Pick myPOS when same-day settlement is more valuable than the lowest headline fee.
Pick Teya for steady processing volumes that justify a more rigorous onboarding in exchange for cleaner pricing. Pick Tide when you want UK business banking and card acceptance in one app. Pick Qonto if you’re based in France or the wider eurozone and want bank-grade compliance.
Pick Revolut Business when multi-currency accounts and the lowest Tap to Pay rate both matter, and you can live with the documented account-freeze risk.
Stay on SumUp for low-volume casual selling, market stalls, mobile services, and any case where the lowest entry-cost reader and pay-as-you-go fees matter more than ecosystem depth.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, SumUp or Square? SumUp’s headline rate (1.69 percent UK contactless on the Solo) is slightly below Square’s (1.75 percent). The gap closes once you account for Square’s bigger app ecosystem and inventory features. For pure rate, SumUp wins; for shop-level POS, Square offers more for the same fee.
Can I use SumUp on multiple phones? Yes. The SumUp account works across multiple paired phones and readers, which is useful for staff handing off a single Solo reader during shift changes. Square and Zettle have the same multi-device support.
What’s the fastest payout option among SumUp alternatives? myPOS settles to its built-in account instantly. Revolut Business and Tide settle into their respective accounts on the same day. Square, Zettle, and SumUp’s basic plans pay out next business day, with same-day options on paid tiers.
Is there a SumUp alternative without monthly fees? SumUp, Square, Zettle, and myPOS all run on pay-as-you-sell models with no monthly subscription. Tide, Teya, and Revolut Business layer card acceptance onto business banking that has its own free or paid tiers.
Can I accept cards without buying a reader? Yes. Revolut Business and Qonto support Tap to Pay on Android directly on the phone for contactless payments, no extra hardware needed. SumUp also supports Tap to Pay on Android within its app on supported devices.
