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SumUp vs Zettle by PayPal: card fees compared

SumUp and Zettle by PayPal (now PayPal Point of Sale) both charge one flat rate for card payments, including American Express, with no monthly fee or contract: 1.69% for SumUp and 1.75% for Zettle.

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 Zettle by PayPal side by side

	SumUp	Zettle by PayPal
Plan compared	Pay-as-you-go	Pay as you go
Monthly fee	£0.00	£0.00
In-person rate	1.69%	1.75%
Online / payment links	2.5%	2.5%
Amex / commercial cards	Same as standard rate	Same as standard rate
Reader (buy, ex VAT)	£25.00	£29.00
Contract	None	None
Payouts	1 working day	Same day
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	Zettle by PayPal per month	SumUp first year	Zettle by PayPal first year	Cheaper in year one
Low: £800/month, £15 average sale	£13.52	£14.00	£187.24	£197.00	SumUp
Medium: £3,000/month, £20 average sale	£50.70	£52.50	£633.40	£659.00	SumUp
Higher: £12,000/month, £35 average sale	£202.80	£210.00	£2,458.60	£2,549.00	SumUp

Verdict: SumUp or Zettle by PayPal?

SumUp is cheaper on both counts: a lower rate (about £22 a year less on £3,000 a month) and a cheaper reader (£25 against £29 for a new user's first PayPal Reader), so it wins at every level of takings in our examples. Zettle makes sense if you already run your business through PayPal, since takings land in your PayPal Business account within minutes.

Choose SumUp if

You want the lowest flat rate of the two for in-person cards
You want next-day payouts into a free business account with a Mastercard
You need payment links today: SumUp offers them at 2.5%

Choose Zettle by PayPal if

You already use PayPal and want card takings in the same account
You want funds available within minutes rather than the next morning
You want the PayPal POS app for stock, gift cards and staff reports

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

Check current prices on SumUp's website and Zettle by PayPal's website.

More head-to-head comparisons

Frequently asked questions

Is SumUp cheaper than Zettle?

Yes, on published prices: 1.69% against 1.75% per card payment, and the SumUp Solo Lite is £25 plus VAT against £29 plus VAT for a new user's first PayPal Reader.

Do SumUp and Zettle charge the same for Amex?

Both charge their standard rate for American Express in person: 1.69% for SumUp and 1.75% for Zettle.

Can I send payment links with Zettle?

PayPal lists Payment Links at 2.5%, but says they are temporarily unavailable to new sellers. SumUp also charges 2.5% for payment links.

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
Zettle by PayPal UK pricing — checked 19 October 2026

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