Which is better for growing into a full POS system?

Square has a clearer growth path — its Terminal (£149) and Register (£649) hardware, plus Square for Retail software, are built for that. SumUp's equivalent (POS Plus, £29/month) exists but Square's ecosystem is more established for retail and hospitality.

Home / Card Readers / SumUp vs Square

Rates checked 30 July 2026

SumUp vs Square: which should you choose?

Q: Is SumUp or Square cheaper?

SumUp's 1.69% standard rate is slightly cheaper than Square's 1.75% — about £3/month at £5,000/month in sales. Square's entry hardware is cheaper (£19 vs £25), so the better overall deal depends on your volume and whether you need Square's broader POS ecosystem.

Both are no-contract, pay-as-you-go providers with a clear path to a paid tier for growing volume. SumUp is slightly cheaper on transaction fees; Square has cheaper entry hardware and a more established route into a full retail POS system.

Category	SumUp	Square	Winner
Transaction fee	1.69% flat	1.75% (in-person)	SumUp
Entry hardware cost	£25 +VAT (Solo Lite)	£19 +VAT (Reader)	Square
Upgrade hardware	Solo £79, Terminal £135	Terminal £149, Register £649	Square for full retail POS
Monthly fee	£0 (Payments Plus £19/mo optional)	£0 (Retail Plus £49/mo optional)	Tie
Contract	None	None	Tie
Payout speed	By 7am next day	Next business day (instant for a fee)	Tie
Support	Phone/email/chat, hours unconfirmed	Phone Mon–Fri 9am–5pm; 24/7 self-serve	Square
Credit check	Not standard on PAYG	None required	Tie
WMP score	★★★★☆4.1/5	★★★★☆4.5/5	Square

Figures checked directly against sumup.com and squareup.com/gb official pricing pages on 30 July 2026. See methodology. We may earn a commission when you sign up through a link on this page — see our Affiliate Disclosure.

Worked example

Cost difference at £5,000/month

SumUp (1.69%)	£84.50/month
Square (1.75%)	£87.50/month
Difference	£3.00/month (£36/year)

When does the paid tier pay off? SumUp's Payments Plus (£19/mo, 0.99% domestic) beats standard PAYG once you're processing above roughly £2,700/month. Square's Retail Plus (£49/mo, 1.6%) needs a much higher volume — around £32,700/month — before its extra monthly cost is worth it purely on transaction fees. If you're not yet at that volume, Retail Plus is more about the retail features (inventory, reporting) than saving on fees.

Overall verdict

Choose SumUp if: you want the lowest ongoing rate and a straightforward path to a cheaper tier at moderate volume. Choose Square if: you want the cheapest entry hardware, documented support hours, or plan to grow into a full retail/POS setup using the same provider.

Frequently asked questions

Is SumUp or Square cheaper?

SumUp's 1.69% is slightly cheaper than Square's 1.75% — about £3/month at £5,000/month in sales — but Square's hardware is cheaper upfront.

Which is better for growing into a full POS?

Square, with its Terminal and Register hardware plus Square for Retail software — a more established ecosystem than SumUp's POS Plus add-on.

Comparing established providers instead?

See Dojo vs Square for businesses past pay-as-you-go volume.

Dojo vs Square

Methodology: Figures pulled directly from sumup.com and squareup.com/gb official UK pricing pages on 30 July 2026. Break-even volumes calculated by solving for the point where each paid tier's total cost equals the standard tier's total cost. See our Editorial Policy.