Independent UK card payment reviews
SumUp vs Zettle / PayPal POS
A better deal depends on the plan and account you use, not just the price of a reader. Here is what to check if your SME wants lower costs without losing useful features.
Free review. No statement or competing quote needed to start. No obligation to switch.
SumUp and Zettle / PayPal POS at a glance
SumUp: Pay-as-you-go, Payments Plus subscription and tailored offers are published. Card-category treatment differs by plan.
Zettle / PayPal POS: The POS page lists channel-specific fees and invites custom-pricing enquiries. Use your applicable account terms.
SumUp: Separate in-person payments from links and other online sales when calculating costs.
Zettle / PayPal POS: Card/contactless, manual entry and payment links have different published fee categories. Feature access can depend on account type.
Sourced from each provider's official pages, last checked 2026-10-09. Terms vary by merchant, so check your individual quote or agreement.
Pricing and contract considerations
Compare a normal month and a quiet month before adding a subscription. Use the same card sales, transaction count and channels for each option.
- Subscription break-even. Divide the additional monthly subscription cost by the expected fee reduction on eligible sales. If the discount applies only to some cards, use those sales, not total turnover. This is a comparison method, not a claim that a paid plan will save your business money.
- Complete setup cost. Include the equipment and software you actually need, any existing commitment and the normal price after promotions. Check renewal and cancellation terms for each paid add-on.
Machines, payment channels, settlement and support
Reader or standalone device?
Test the proposed setup against your workflow: phone availability, connectivity, receipt printing and stock or till features. Count every device and accessory needed on a busy shift, rather than comparing one introductory reader price.
Where does the money arrive?
Ask for the payout destination, usual timing and any hold conditions for your specific account. Next-day access in a SumUp Business Account and access to a PayPal balance are not promises about arrival at an external bank.
Best fit and what to check
SumUp
May be worth considering for
- An SME wanting to compare a flexible payment plan with a paid or tailored alternative.
Check before committing
- Eligible-card rates, subscription cost and the equipment/software combination you need.
Zettle / PayPal POS
May be worth considering for
- An SME assessing a PayPal POS setup or reviewing an existing Zettle arrangement.
Check before committing
- Your account type, available features and the complete cost of keeping or replacing the current setup.
What we would check when reviewing your current deal
Tell us how you currently take payments and what you want to improve.
- Current plan and any paid add-ons
- Card mix, in-person and remote sales
- Device and till requirements
- Normal and seasonal monthly costs
You can start without a statement. If useful, we can later check the detail and compare suitable alternatives from our selected network; listing a provider here is not a promise that we can arrange every product.
SumUp vs Zettle / PayPal POS
Frequently asked questions
No pressure and no jargon. If your question is not here, call us and ask it directly.
PayPal's current UK offer uses PayPal POS branding while its pricing page still refers to Zettle accounts. Check the terms and features of your own account rather than assuming every existing account is identical to the new offer.
No. The discount on eligible transactions must outweigh the subscription and other differences over your trading year. A quiet period can change the result.
No. Start with your provider, approximate card turnover and what is not working for you. A statement can help confirm costs later.
Is there a better deal for your business?
We review your current costs and compare suitable options from our selected provider network where useful. We explain whether staying, renegotiating or switching makes sense. A statement helps us check the details, but neither a statement nor another provider's quote is needed to start.
SumUp sources
Zettle / PayPal POS sources
Information from these sources last checked 2026-10-09. Provider names and trademarks identify the products discussed; their inclusion does not imply endorsement of this page. Card Payment Connect compares suitable options from a selected provider network, not the whole market. If you choose a provider we introduce, that provider may pay us a referral fee.