How to Accept Card Payments On Site as a UK Tradesperson (2026)

Accepting card payment on site used to require a dedicated merchant account and expensive hardware. In 2026, any tradesperson with a smartphone can take card payments within minutes of signing up. The question isn't whether to accept cards — it's which provider gives you the best deal for a trade business.

This guide covers the main options for UK tradespeople: SumUp, Square, Stripe Terminal, and iZettle (now Zettle by PayPal). We'll compare transaction fees, hardware costs, and the practical differences for a business that takes payment on site rather than in a shop.

Why card payments matter for trade businesses

The practical case is straightforward:

• Faster payment: customers who pay by card on the day have no opportunity to forget, delay or dispute the invoice. Cash flow improves when payment happens at job completion rather than 14-30 days later.
• Larger job values: customers are psychologically more comfortable authorising larger amounts by card than handing over cash. Jobs over £500 are almost always paid by card or bank transfer — having both options available is important.
• Professionalism: being able to take card payment on site is increasingly a baseline customer expectation. It signals a proper, organised business.
• Reduced disputes: card payments create a clear receipt and transaction record, which reduces "I already paid cash" disputes.

The main options compared

SumUp

SumUp is one of the most popular choices for UK tradespeople. Key facts:

• Transaction fee: 1.69% per card-present transaction (contactless, chip & PIN)
• Card reader: SumUp Air at around £39 + VAT, SumUp Solo (with built-in screen, no phone needed) at around £79 + VAT
• Payouts: next business day to your UK bank account
• Monthly fee: none — pay as you go
• App: clean iOS and Android app with basic transaction history and receipt sending

SumUp is well-suited to tradespeople who want a simple, low-cost reader with no monthly commitment. The 1.69% fee is competitive for infrequent transactions. If you do significant volume (£10,000+/month in card payments), look at negotiated rates — SumUp offers custom pricing at higher volumes.

Zettle by PayPal (formerly iZettle)

Zettle was one of the first mobile card readers in the UK and remains widely used:

• Transaction fee: 1.75% per transaction (card present)
• Card reader: Zettle Reader 2 at around £29 + VAT (introductory price for new accounts)
• Payouts: 1-2 business days
• Monthly fee: none
• Integration: connects to PayPal, useful if you already have a PayPal business account

Zettle has a slightly higher base rate than SumUp (1.75% vs 1.69%) but the hardware is often cheaper. If you use PayPal for other business payments, the integration is convenient.

Square

Square is the dominant mobile payments provider globally and has a strong UK presence:

• Transaction fee: 1.75% per card-present transaction
• Card reader: Square Reader (contactless + chip) at around £19 + VAT
• Payouts: next business day (or instant for a 1.75% fee)
• Monthly fee: none for the basic plan; £0 for card processing but optional paid plans add point-of-sale features
• Ecosystem: Square has a broader business management ecosystem — invoicing, appointments, payroll — some of which is relevant for trade businesses

Square is a good choice if you want a wider ecosystem around payments. The hardware is cheap and the app is well-designed. Transaction fee is on par with Zettle.

Stripe Terminal

Stripe Terminal is the card-present solution from Stripe (which many tradespeople already use for online invoice payments):

• Transaction fee: 1.7% + 5p per card-present transaction
• Card reader: BBPOS WisePOS E at around £199 + VAT, or BBPOS Chipper 2X BT at around £49 + VAT
• Payouts: 2-3 business days (configurable)
• Monthly fee: none for the card reader itself, but Stripe's wider API use may involve costs
• Integration: seamlessly integrates with Stripe online payments — one dashboard for online and in-person payments

Stripe Terminal is most useful if you're already using Stripe for online invoice payments and want everything in one place. The hardware is more expensive than SumUp or Square, but having in-person and online payments unified is a genuine operational benefit.

Online invoice payment links: the alternative for larger jobs

For many trade businesses — particularly for jobs over £300-500 — sending a payment link with the invoice is more practical than taking card payment on site:

• Customer pays from their phone or laptop when convenient (often within hours)
• No hardware needed
• Full audit trail, receipt generated automatically
• Works for deposit requests before a job starts

Trade2Base sends invoices with a Stripe payment link embedded — your customer clicks "Pay invoice" and pays immediately with any card. The transaction fee is slightly higher than in-person (Stripe online rates are 1.5% + 20p for UK cards) but the convenience for large jobs typically outweighs the fee difference.

Which should you choose?

For most sole traders and small trade businesses: SumUp is the best default. Lowest transaction fee among the mainstream options (1.69%), reasonable hardware price, no monthly commitment, and a simple app. Get the SumUp Air for most situations; the SumUp Solo if you need a standalone reader that doesn't require your phone.

If you're already on Stripe for online payments: Stripe Terminal keeps everything in one dashboard. The higher hardware cost is a one-time expense.

For occasional card payments on large jobs: consider sending payment links from your invoicing software instead of investing in hardware. The slightly higher transaction fee is irrelevant if you're only taking payment by card a few times a month.

VAT and accounting for card payment fees

Card processing fees are a legitimate business expense and are deductible against your trading income. The fee is shown as a separate line item by most providers. Keep your monthly statements or download them from your provider's dashboard for your accountant.

Note: card payment fees are exempt from VAT (financial services exemption), so you cannot reclaim VAT on them — there is none to reclaim.