Square vs SumUp vs Shift4: Best Card Machine for Small Businesses UK
5 Jan 2026 · 10 min read
An honest side-by-side of the three biggest names UK small businesses consider, rates, hardware, payouts and hidden gotchas.
Three names dominate small-business card machine searches in the UK: Square, SumUp and Shift4. This guide breaks down where each one wins, and where they cost you.
Pricing at a glance
Square charges 1.75% per tap with hardware from £19. SumUp sits at 1.69% with a £39 reader. Shift4 (via our partner programme) offers 1.25% with a free machine and zero monthly rental.
Payouts
Square and SumUp typically pay out in 1–3 working days. Shift4 pays out next day, which makes a real difference if you're managing wages and suppliers.
Hardware
Square's Terminal is sleek but pricey. SumUp's Solo Lite is cheap but limited. The Shift4 One is enterprise-grade hardware, free to you, with a lifetime warranty.
Verdict
If you take less than £500/month in card payments and never plan to grow, SumUp will do. For everyone else, Shift4 is the obvious switch.
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