Teya vs SumUp: which should you choose?
This is fundamentally a question about your volume, not a simple "which is cheaper" answer. SumUp's flat rate is easy to reason about at low volume; Teya's tiered structure rewards you for processing more.
Quick verdict
Neither is a universal winner. SumUp is the simpler, cheaper-feeling option below roughly £2,700/month in card sales, with no tiers to think about. Teya becomes progressively cheaper above that volume, provided you're willing to pick and stick with the right paid tier — get it wrong and you could pay more than SumUp's flat rate for nothing.
Who should choose SumUp
Occasional and first-time sellers, or anyone with unpredictable month-to-month volume who doesn't want to think about which pricing tier they're on. One flat rate, no monthly fee, no decision to get wrong.
Who should choose Teya
Businesses with steady, growing card takings who are willing to actively manage which membership tier they're on as volume changes — the reward for that attention is a materially lower effective rate.
Where the crossover point actually falls
SumUp charges a flat 1.69% with no monthly fee. Teya's Start plan is 0% membership + 1.59% (with a £29.99 minimum charge below £2,500/month turnover) — Boost is £19/month + 0.99%, and Thrive is £39/month + 0.59%.
| At £2,000/month — SumUp (1.69%) | £33.80/month |
| At £2,000/month — Teya Start (1.59%, £29.99 min. applies) | £31.80/month |
| At £5,000/month — SumUp (1.69%) | £84.50/month |
| At £5,000/month — Teya Boost (£19 + 0.99%) | £68.50/month |
| At £10,000/month — SumUp (1.69%) | £169.00/month |
| At £10,000/month — Teya Thrive (£39 + 0.59%) | £98.00/month |
Teya's Boost plan overtakes SumUp on cost above roughly £2,700/month; Thrive pulls further ahead the more you process. Below that, SumUp's simplicity has no real cost penalty.
Terminal cost
SumUp
Solo Lite £25, Solo £79, Terminal £135 (all +VAT). No rental option — one-off purchase.
Teya
Teya Go £69 (launch offer £34.50+VAT), Teya Pro £179 (launch offer £89.50+VAT). A "Pay Once" upfront option covers rental for a fixed period as a single payment, but carries a separate 3-year terminal commitment — read the terms carefully before choosing this route.
Getting your money
SumUp
By 7am the next day, including weekends, to its own free linked business account.
Teya
Next-day settlement including weekends and bank holidays into a bundled Teya Business Account; a 0.10% surcharge applies if you use an external bank account instead.
What you're signing up to
SumUp
No contract at all on the standard PAYG tier.
Teya
Membership plans (Start/Boost/Thrive) are cancel-anytime with a 30-day penalty-free cooling-off period on new sign-ups. The separate "Pay Once" terminal option carries a 3-year commitment — avoid this if contract flexibility matters to you.
Which fits your business?
Sole trader, irregular volume
SumUp — no tier to manage, no risk of over- or under-committing.
Steady small business, £3k-£8k/month
Teya Boost — the £19/month fee pays for itself well before this volume.
Established business, £10k+/month
Teya Thrive — the widest gap in Teya's favour; get a custom quote if volume is higher still.
Final recommendation
There's no universal winner here — this comparison genuinely comes down to your volume and how actively you're willing to manage which tier you're on. If you're not sure what your monthly card takings will look like, start with SumUp's flat rate; you can always switch to Teya later once your volume is predictable enough to pick the right tier confidently.
Frequently asked questions
Is Teya or SumUp cheaper?
Depends on volume — below ~£2,700/month SumUp's flat 1.69% is simplest; above that, Teya's paid tiers pull ahead, more so the higher you go.
Does Teya have a contract?
Membership plans are cancel-anytime. Only the separate "Pay Once" hardware option carries a 3-year commitment.
How does Dojo compare to Teya?
See our Dojo vs Teya head-to-head.
Methodology: Figures pulled directly from sumup.com and teya.com/pricing-store on 30 July 2026 (Teya's Boost/Thrive rates via search citation, not independently re-fetched). See our Editorial Policy.