SumUp vs Square
SumUp is a card reader first: a standalone terminal with its own mobile connection, one published rate and merchant accounts in 38 countries against Square's eight, with deliberately minimal software. Square is a fuller system with free POS software and add-ons for payroll, loyalty and online. Mobile traders pick SumUp; businesses that expect to grow pick Square.
Niels AbrahamsenAnalyst, Security & Infrastructure
Sebastiaan Smits
Hannah ReiterVendors can pay for visibility on this site; it never changes what we say about a product. How that works.
Choose SumUp ifyou trade at markets or on the move, want a terminal that works without a phone or Wi-Fi, and need little more than reliable card acceptance at a single published rate.
Choose Square ifyou are opening a shop or cafe and want free POS software from day one, with room to add payroll, loyalty and online selling in the same account.
SumUp and Square side by side
| SumUp | Square | |
|---|---|---|
| Our point of sale rank | #1 of 12 | #6 of 12 |
| Established in | United Kingdom | United States |
| Pricing | Per transaction, published; optional monthly plans | Free plan; Plus $49 and Premium $149 per location per month, published; processing per transaction |
| List price, 30 September 2026 | Pay-as-you-go £0/month with 1.69% per in-person payment; Payments Plus £19/month (UK pricing page) | Square Free £0/mo with 1.75% per in-person UK card payment; Square Plus from £29/mo (UK pricing page) |
| Free tier | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | A mobile or market business that needs a reader that just works | A new business that wants to be selling tomorrow |
| Not for | A multi-store retailer | A high-volume retailer optimising card fees |
Both are reviewed in full in our point of sale ranking: SumUp and Square.
Where they differ
SumUp 3 · Square 1 · open 0- 01
Software beyond taking the payment
Square's free plan includes an item library, inventory tracking, invoicing, bookings and an online site builder, and the account extends into payroll, loyalty and online selling. SumUp keeps reporting and integrations minimal by design, with inventory that suits a coffee stand rather than a shop with a catalogue. For anyone who needs a till and not just a reader, Square offers more.
Edge: Square
- 02
Hardware for mobile trading
SumUp's Solo, 79 pounds before VAT in the UK, works entirely on its own, with a built-in SIM, free mobile data, Wi-Fi and an offline mode. Square Terminal is also an all-in-one device and prints receipts, but it connects through Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and Square Handheld needs Wi-Fi. Both brands sell a cheap reader that pairs with a phone. For a field or a van, SumUp is safer.
Edge: SumUp
- 03
Country coverage
SumUp's developer documentation lists merchant accounts in 38 countries, covering most of Europe plus the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. Square accepts card payments in eight: the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Spain. Outside those eight, SumUp is often the only one of the two on offer; in Japan it is Square.
Edge: SumUp
- 04
Fees and payouts
On the UK price lists the two are close: SumUp charges 1.69% for in-person payments with no monthly fee, Square 1.75% for UK cards. SumUp's optional Payments Plus plan costs 19 pounds a month for lower rates; Square's Plus starts at 29 pounds. SumUp pays into its own business account by 7am the next day, weekends included. The difference is small, but it favours SumUp.
Edge: SumUp
When neither fits
A trader for whom same-day money matters more than the percentage fits myPOS, where funds arrive in the account immediately. A shop with a real catalogue, suppliers and purchase orders has outgrown both and should look at Lightspeed Retail.
SumUp or Square: questions
5 answersIs SumUp or Square better for a market stall?
SumUp is the closer fit: its Solo terminal needs no phone, carries its own mobile data connection and is aimed at market traders and mobile businesses.
Square suits a stall that expects to become a shop, since its free software grows into loyalty, payroll and online selling.
Do SumUp and Square charge monthly fees?
Neither requires one. In the UK, SumUp's pay-as-you-go tariff charges 1.69% per in-person payment and Square charges 1.75% for UK cards.
Optional plans exist on both sides: SumUp Payments Plus at 19 pounds a month for lower rates, and Square Plus from 29 pounds a month for advanced features.
Which has better inventory and reporting, SumUp or Square?
Square. SumUp's reporting and integrations are minimal by design and its inventory features are thin. Square's free plan already includes an item library and inventory tracking, and adds an ecosystem of add-ons. Neither is aimed at a multi-store retailer with complex stock.
Do I need a phone or Wi-Fi to take payments with SumUp or Square?
Not with SumUp's Solo or Terminal, which run on their own; the Solo has a built-in SIM with free data.
SumUp's Solo Lite and Square's Reader pair with a phone. Square Terminal needs Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and both brands offer an offline mode for short interruptions.
In which countries can I use SumUp and Square?
SumUp lists merchant accounts in 38 countries, including most European Union members, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, the United States and several Latin American markets. Square accepts card payments in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Spain.
Sources
Checked 30 September 2026- SumUp pricing page (UK): SumUp UK transaction rate, Payments Plus price and next-day payout.
- SumUp Solo product page (UK): Solo price, standalone use, built-in SIM and offline mode.
- SumUp card reader overview (UK): which SumUp readers need a phone.
- SumUp developer docs: countries and currencies: the 38 countries where SumUp offers merchant accounts.
- Square pricing page (UK): Square UK transaction rate and Plus plan price.
- Square pricing page (US): what Square's free plan includes.
- Square Terminal product page: Square Terminal being all-in-one and needing Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
- Square Handheld product page: Square Handheld needing Wi-Fi.
- Square help: international availability: the eight countries where Square accepts card payments.