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SumUp vs Square: card fees compared

SumUp charges 1.69% on in-person card payments and Square charges 1.75% with UK cards, and neither has a monthly fee or contract on its standard plan. The bigger differences are online fees, reader prices and where your money lands.

Figures come from each provider's own UK pricing pages, with the date we checked them. For your own takings, use the card machine fees calculator or see every provider on the comparison table.

SumUp and Square side by side

	SumUp	Square
Plan compared	Pay-as-you-go	Free
Monthly fee	£0.00	£0.00
In-person rate	1.69%	1.75%
Online / payment links	2.5%	1.4% + 25p
Amex / commercial cards	Same as standard rate	Same as standard rate
Reader (buy, ex VAT)	£25.00	£19.00
Contract	None	None
Payouts	1 working day	2 working days
Prices checked	19 October 2026	19 October 2026

What each would cost: worked examples

Estimated cost for three example businesses taking all payments in person, using the published rates above. The first-year figure includes the reader.

Example business	SumUp per month	Square per month	SumUp first year	Square first year	Cheaper in year one
Low: £800/month, £15 average sale	£13.52	£14.00	£187.24	£187.00	Square
Medium: £3,000/month, £20 average sale	£50.70	£52.50	£633.40	£649.00	SumUp
Higher: £12,000/month, £35 average sale	£202.80	£210.00	£2,458.60	£2,539.00	SumUp

Verdict: SumUp or Square?

For mostly in-person sales, SumUp is a little cheaper: 0.06% less per payment, about £22 a year on £3,000 a month. Square's reader is cheaper (£19 against £25), so below about £833 a month Square works out cheaper in the first year. If you sell online, Square's 1.4% + 25p beats SumUp's 2.5% on any sale over about £22.73.

Choose SumUp if

You take most payments in person and want the lower card rate
You want takings in a business account by 7am the next day, weekends included
You take £3,000+ a month and might move to Payments Plus (£19 a month, 0.99% on domestic consumer cards)

Choose Square if

You also sell online: 1.4% + 25p with UK cards is cheaper than 2.5% on bigger orders
You want Square's free point-of-sale apps, including versions for restaurants and appointments
Your takings are small and you want the cheapest reader to start with

For the full breakdown of each provider, including what to check before signing, see SumUp card machine fees and Square card machine fees.

Check current prices on SumUp's website and Square's website.

More head-to-head comparisons

Frequently asked questions

Is SumUp cheaper than Square?

For in-person payments, slightly: 1.69% against 1.75% with UK cards. Square's reader is £19 plus VAT against £25 for SumUp's Solo Lite, so at very low takings Square can come out cheaper in the first year.

Which is better for online payments, SumUp or Square?

Square charges 1.4% + 25p online with UK cards and SumUp charges 2.5%. Square is cheaper on sales over about £22.73; SumUp is cheaper on smaller ones.

Do SumUp or Square charge monthly fees?

Neither does on its standard plan. SumUp's optional Payments Plus costs £19 a month; Square's Plus plans start from £29 a month.

Sources and last checked

SumUp UK pricing — checked 19 October 2026
SumUp: card readers — checked 19 October 2026
SumUp: pricing fees — checked 19 October 2026
Square UK pricing — checked 19 October 2026
Square: reader — checked 19 October 2026

Last reviewed 19 October 2026 by Oliver Burton. Editorial policy.