Why SumUp vs Teya vs Square is the question everyone’s Googling

If you’re a UK small business in 2026 looking at card readers, you’ve almost certainly typed SumUp vs Teya vs Square into Google. All three target the same audience: independents who want a reader without signing four-year contracts with legacy processors. None of them is bad. But they’re genuinely different tools, and picking the wrong one can cost you thousands in flat-rate fees you didn’t need to pay.

This post walks through the honest differences — hardware, fees, contract terms, account features and who each provider actually suits best. It’s written from a North East vantage point (we’re based in Sunderland, covering UK-wide) after matching hundreds of small businesses to the right setup.

At-a-glance comparison

• Entry reader cost: SumUp ~£19 one-off (Air); Teya reader from £29; Square reader ~£19.
• Monthly fee: SumUp £0; Teya £0 (no long contracts); Square £0 on base plan.
• Transaction rate (flat): SumUp 1.69% standard; Teya flat rate set at onboarding, typically competitive at low volume; Square 1.75% card present.
• Payout speed: SumUp next business day; Teya same-to-next day with Teya account; Square next business day (or instant for a fee).
• Contract: all three are rolling / no long contracts — a major reason they’ve taken share from legacy processors.
• POS software: SumUp basic; Teya app + business account; Square full POS with stock, staff, online store.

Rates above are indicative and move; always confirm with the provider or via our live-rate tool before committing.

SumUp — the simplest way to start taking card

SumUp’s appeal is the lack of friction. You buy the reader, download the app, and you’re taking payments within an hour. For mobile trades, market stalls, seasonal pop-ups and tiny retailers, it’s almost impossible to beat for getting started quickly.

Strengths: no monthly fee on entry hardware, flat 1.69% card-present rate, solid reader battery life, widely supported.

Weak spots: the flat rate gets expensive once card sales climb. At £10k a month you’re paying £169 in fees alone — a negotiated processor rate might cut that noticeably. No built-in till; invoicing is basic.

Teya — the one with the built-in business account

Teya (formerly SaltPay) has grown quickly in the UK because the bundled business account is a genuine differentiator. You take a payment, it lands in your Teya account, and you can move it straight to staff or suppliers without waiting on next-day payouts from a separate processor.

Strengths: flat rate, no long contracts, business account included, fast support, terminal ships promptly. Works well for cafés, hairdressers, boutique retail.

Weak spots: if you already have a well-used business bank account (Tide, Starling, Monzo Business) the bundled Teya account adds less value. Rate flexibility above £30k/month is limited compared with traditional processors.

Square — the one with the best POS app

Square sits apart because it’s fundamentally a POS company that happens to sell card readers. If you want a till app on an iPad, stock control, an online store, gift cards, and a reader that all talk to each other without middleware, Square is almost always the answer.

Strengths: free POS app genuinely useful, tidy hardware, unified ecosystem (Square Online, Square for Restaurants), reliable support, no long contracts.

Weak spots: flat 1.75% card-present rate is higher than SumUp’s base; international / commercial card rates climb further. Hardware upgrades (Register, Terminal) add up if you scale.

Which one fits your business?

• You do under £3k/month in card sales and want the simplest setup possible: SumUp.
• You do £3k–£30k/month and want a flat rate with a business account bundled in: Teya.
• You need till software, stock and card reader integrated, and an online store is on the horizon: Square.
• You’re over £30k/month and want every last basis point: neither — get a bespoke quote from Shift4 or Paymentsense and compare. See our Paymentsense vs Worldpay vs Teya post.

Frequently Asked Questions

SumUp vs Teya vs Square — which has the lowest transaction rate?

On headline card-present rates in 2026, SumUp sits at 1.69%, Teya flat rate varies by account but usually competitive, Square at 1.75%. All three charge higher rates on commercial / international cards. At higher volume (£20k+ a month), a negotiated processor rate typically beats all three — but at £0–£10k volume, SumUp and Teya are hard to undercut.

Do SumUp, Teya or Square require long contracts?

No. All three operate on rolling / no long contracts terms — a deliberate positioning against legacy processors like Worldpay and Paymentsense. You can cancel without termination fees in the way you’d face on a traditional 48-month deal.

Which one offers a business account with the card reader?

Teya is the strongest here — the Teya account is core to its proposition and includes UK payments, multi-user access and instant movement of takings. SumUp has a business account option too but it’s less deeply integrated. Square focuses on POS software rather than banking.

Which is best for a café or hairdresser in the UK?

For a typical independent café or hairdresser doing £5k–£20k a month on cards, Teya usually wins on value thanks to the flat rate + account bundle. Square is the pick if stock tracking or a booking-linked till matters. SumUp suits smaller or seasonal operators.

Can I move between them later if I pick the wrong one?

Yes. Since none locks you in long-term, switching between SumUp, Teya and Square is low-friction. The bigger switching headache is leaving a legacy processor mid-contract — see our switching guide if that’s your situation.

Which should you actually pick?

There’s no universal answer — the provider that fits a Sunderland corner shop doesn’t fit a Newcastle wine bar with stock rotation and table service. The smart move is to price all three at your actual volume, then test against a traditional processor quote. At Smart Payment Solutions we do that side by side across Teya, SumUp, Square, Shift4, Paymentsense, Worldpay, Clover and Epos Now — independent, ICO registered, North East based and UK-wide. No long contracts, no pressure.