SumUp alternatives: where to go and how to switch without losing a dollar
Five card readers compared at the same volume, one pick per reason to leave, and a seven-step exit plan.
The short answer: PayPal Zettle if you want the lowest flat rate, Helcim if you process enough for interchange-plus pricing to pay off and you hate contracts, Square if you want the closest swap from SumUp, Shopify POS if your store already runs on Shopify, Stripe Terminal if your checkout runs on your own software. One thing to know first: in the US, SumUp is not expensive. At 2.6% + 10¢ per in-person payment, it beats Square's 2.6% + 15¢. If you're leaving for fees alone, run the numbers below before you buy new hardware. If you're leaving because a reader got locked or support never called back, the exit plan is for you. We compared all five destinations and checked their prices in 2026.
Our ranking is editorial: a sponsored placement is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link ever changes a score.
Why sellers leave SumUp, and why some stay
SumUp still has a solid overall reputation: 4.2 out of 5 across more than 60,000 reviews on the biggest review platform. But 17% of those reviews are one star, and they sound alike. They rarely complain about the rate. They complain about the hardware, the account and the support. Here are the six reasons that come up most.
Readers that lock after sitting in a drawer
This is the complaint that stands out. A SumUp Air left unused for a few months (an off-season, a temporary closure) wakes up showing "Device Blocked". Several merchants say support told them the reader could not be reset and they had to buy a new one. If your business is seasonal, that's a real risk.
A reader tied to one country
The reader stays tied to the country where it was activated. Merchants who moved abroad got an "incompatible country" error and were refused an out-of-warranty swap. If you split your year between the US and Europe, plan on separate hardware.
No repairs, only replacements
A dropped or damaged reader isn't repaired or exchanged out of warranty: public complaints all end the same way, with a new purchase. Cheap hardware gets less cheap when you replace it every couple of years.
Slow support when it matters
Reviews describe slow email replies and phone lines that are hard to get through. One merchant reports a blocked card and unauthorized charges, with no callback a week later. When your reader fails on a Saturday market, slow support costs you a day of sales.
Features split between web and app
Some settings live only on the web dashboard, others only in the app. Merchants note, for example, that the app won't move money from a SumUp account to another bank. Not a deal breaker, but it gets old when you're trying to close out a busy day from your phone.
A closed profile and money on hold
Merchants report profiles closed without explanation, with their balance waiting. This isn't unique to SumUp: any payment processor can review an account and hold funds to cover possible disputes. But when it happens to you, you want out. The plan below shows how to leave without stranding money.
You're leaving because… go to…
The right SumUp alternative depends on what's pushing you out. Usually only one line applies. Each card jumps to the full write-up below.
2.29% + 9¢ per in-person payment, no monthly fee.
Your volume is growingHelcimInterchange-plus pricing, no contract, margin dropping as you grow.
You also sell online on ShopifyShopify POSOne inventory for your web store and your market stall.
You want room to grow into a full POSSquareThe closest swap from SumUp: free plan, small reader.
Your checkout runs on custom softwareStripe TerminalAn SDK to plug the reader into your own app.
Your SumUp reader got locked or brokePayPal ZettleYour first reader costs $29.
SumUp alternatives, reader by reader
For each one: why switch to it, who it's for, its catch, how to move over from SumUp, and what it costs. Prices are the US rates shown in 2026. Scores out of 5 are our Labs scores, the same on every page; SumUp sits at 4.1. Our card reader rankings cover more options.
PayPal Zettle: the lowest flat rate in this list
Lowest flat rateWhy switch to PayPal Zettle. At 2.29% + 9¢ per card payment, it undercuts SumUp's 2.6% + 10¢. At $3,000 a month with a $25 average ticket, you pay $79.50 instead of $90. That's about $126 a year back in your pocket. There's no monthly fee and no setup fee, and if you already sell online with PayPal, both channels land in the same balance.
Who it's for. Makers, market vendors and small shops that want a flat rate and no subscription.
Who it's not for. A seller who needs several readers: each one after the first costs $79.
The catch. Your first reader costs $29, then $79 for each extra one. The Zettle Terminal costs $199, or $239 with a barcode scanner. Money sits in your PayPal balance until you move it to your bank.
How to switch. Connect the reader to your PayPal business account, then rebuild your item library from the CSV you exported from SumUp (step 2 of the plan below). Our switch from PayPal guide covers what pushes other sellers the other way.
- Rate
- 2.29% + 9¢
- Monthly fee
- $0
- Reader
- $29 for the first
- Our score
- 3.4/5
Helcim: interchange-plus pricing without the contract
Volume pricingWhy switch to Helcim. Flat rates like SumUp's bundle the card network's fee and the processor's margin into one number. Helcim splits them: you pay the real interchange cost of each card, plus 0.40% + 8¢ when you process under $50,000 a month. The margin drops in steps as you grow, down to 0.15% + 6¢.
Who it's for. Established shops, cafés and service businesses with steady volume, and anyone burned by long processing contracts.
Who it's not for. A seller who wants to know the exact fee before each sale: interchange varies by card, so your monthly bill varies too.
The catch. The hardware costs more upfront. The Card Reader is $199, the Smart Terminal $349. Tap to Pay on your phone adds 10¢ per payment.
How to switch. There's no monthly fee, no contract and no cancellation fee, so you can open the account and run it next to SumUp for a few weeks. Compare one full month of statements before you commit.
- Rate
- interchange + 0.40% + 8¢
- Monthly fee
- $0
- Reader
- $199
- Our score
- 3.8/5
Square: the closest swap, at a slightly higher rate
Closest swapWhy switch to Square. It's the closest swap from SumUp: no monthly fee on the Free plan, a free POS app, a small reader. One craft-fair seller who used both said SumUp works much like Square, but her Square payouts landed a day sooner.
Who it's for. Shops and food businesses that expect to add staff, inventory or online ordering later.
Who it's not for. Anyone leaving SumUp to pay less. At 2.6% + 15¢ per in-person payment, Square costs $96 at $3,000 a month with a $25 ticket, against $90 at SumUp.
The catch. The fee. The extra 5¢ per transaction adds up on small tickets, so a coffee cart feels it more than a furniture store.
How to switch. Import the item CSV you exported from SumUp, then check every price and tax setting after the import. That's where mistakes slip in. Our POS system rankings compare Square with full POS setups.
- Rate
- 2.6% + 15¢
- Monthly fee
- $0 (Free plan)
- Best for
- growing shops
- Our score
- 4.0/5
Shopify POS: if your store already runs on Shopify
Online + in personWhy switch to Shopify POS. If you already sell online with Shopify, the POS shares the same products, stock and customers as your web store. No CSV round trips between two systems: what sells at the market comes off the same inventory as what sells online.
Who it's for. Brands and makers whose main business is a Shopify store, with pop-ups, markets or a small shop on the side.
Who it's not for. Anyone without a Shopify store. The in-person rate starts at 2.6% + 10¢ on the Basic plan, the same as SumUp, but the plan itself costs $39 a month. At $3,000 a month with a $25 ticket, that's $90 in fees plus $39, or $129.
The catch. The rate drops only with bigger plans: 2.5% + 10¢ on Grow ($105 a month), 2.4% + 10¢ on Advanced ($399 a month). POS Pro, for staff roles and deeper store features, adds $89 a month per location. Hardware prices are on a separate page: check them before you order.
How to switch. Your products already live in Shopify, so skip the item import. Use your SumUp CSV only to catch items you sold in person but never listed online.
- Rate
- from 2.6% + 10¢
- Monthly fee
- $39 (Basic plan)
- POS Pro
- +$89/month per location
- Best for
- Shopify stores
Stripe Terminal: when your checkout is your own software
DevelopersWhy switch to Stripe Terminal. SumUp gives you a ready-made POS app. Stripe gives you an SDK, a developer kit to plug the reader into your own software. Your website, your booking app and your books all see the same payments, in one dashboard.
Who it's for. Businesses with a developer, a custom booking or ordering app, or a big online store that also sells in person.
Who it's not for. A solo seller who needs to take cards tomorrow morning: the integration is a project, not an afternoon.
The catch. The rate is 2.7% + 5¢ per in-person payment, or $87 at $3,000 a month with a $25 ticket. International cards add 1.5%, and Tap to Pay on a phone adds 10¢ per payment.
How to switch. Order hardware (the M2 reader is $59, the S700 and S710 $299) only once your integration works in sandbox mode. Until then, keep SumUp taking payments. Our switch from Stripe guide shows the other side.
- Rate
- 2.7% + 5¢
- Monthly fee
- $0
- Reader
- M2 at $59
- Our score
- 3.5/5
SumUp and 5 alternatives at your volume
Take a shop that processes $3,000 a month in card payments, with a $25 average ticket (120 payments). SumUp costs you $90 in fees. PayPal Zettle costs $79.50, Stripe Terminal $87, Square $96, and Shopify POS $129 once you add the $39 Basic plan. Helcim costs the interchange of each card plus $21.60 in margin, so your total depends on the cards your customers carry. Bottom line: in the US, only Zettle and, for many card mixes, Helcim beat SumUp on price at this volume. Switch for the fee if you're on one of those two; otherwise, switch for what bothers you.
| Rate and monthly fee | Hardware, payouts, cost at $3,000/month | |
|---|---|---|
| SumUpWhere you start | 2.6% + 10¢ in person; 3.5% + 15¢ keyed; $0/month | Next-day payouts; $90 |
| PayPal ZettleLowest flat rate | 2.29% + 9¢; $0/month | Reader $29, Terminal $199; $79.50 |
| HelcimVolume pricing | Interchange + 0.40% + 8¢ under $50K/month; $0/month | Card Reader $199, Smart Terminal $349; interchange + $21.60 |
| SquareClosest swap | 2.6% + 15¢ in person (Free plan); $0/month | $96 |
| Shopify POSShopify stores | From 2.6% + 10¢; Basic plan $39/month | $129 ($90 in fees + $39) |
| Stripe TerminalCustom checkout | 2.7% + 5¢; +1.5% international cards; Tap to Pay +10¢ | M2 reader $59; $87 |
US in-person rates, subject to change. Rerun the math with your own volume and average ticket.
Leaving SumUp in seven steps
Order matters. The classic mistake is closing SumUp the day the new reader shows up. Each step protects something: today's sales, your item library, your balance, your books.
Open the new account before you touch SumUp
Week 1Sign up with your new processor and send every document they ask for right away. A verified account before your first sale means less chance of early payments being held for review.
Got a big weekend coming (a fair, a holiday market)? Tell the new processor beforehand. A sudden spike on a brand-new account draws reviews.
- Time
- a few days
- Risk if rushed
- first payouts held
Export your item library
FirstLog in to your SumUp profile on a computer, open the Items tab, and select "Export" in the top right corner. SumUp prepares a CSV file of your catalog, which you import at your new processor.
Open the file before importing. Check prices, variants and tax: a clean file saves you an evening of manual fixes.
- Format
- CSV
- Where
- web profile, not the app
Download your sales history
From the SumUp web dashboard, export your transaction history to Excel or CSV, filtered by date range. Grab at least this tax year and last year.
Your accountant will need it, and that data doesn't follow you to the new processor. Once the account is closed, you can't go back for it.
- Format
- Excel or CSV
- Risk if rushed
- gaps in your books
Run both readers side by side
1 to 2 weeksKeep the SumUp reader close for one to two weeks. Charge with the new one, and pull out the old one if a card gets declined or the connection drops. It's our simplest tip, and the one that saves a sale.
Use that window to confirm payouts actually reach your bank on the schedule you were promised.
- Time
- one to two weeks
Move your remaining balance
CriticalCheck that your last SumUp payouts have landed in your bank. Do it from the web dashboard: some features live only on the computer, not in the app.
Cancel any paid SumUp add-on, such as a POS Plus plan, once you no longer use it.
- Risk if rushed
- money left behind
Wait for refunds and disputes to clear
A customer can dispute a charge weeks after buying. While your SumUp account is open, you can answer the dispute. Close too early and it gets settled without you.
Keep the account open a few weeks after your last sale. Don't issue any more refunds from SumUp: do them from your new tool instead.
- Time
- a few weeks
Close the account in writing, and keep the reply
We found no published self-serve closing procedure. The safest route: write to customer support, ask for the account to be closed, and keep their answer.
Your reader won't work anywhere else: it stays tied to your SumUp account and its country of activation. Don't toss it before the account is closed; it's still your backup during the side-by-side weeks.
- Channel
- written request to support
- Reader
- not reusable elsewhere
Is your tool missing from this page? Email us: hello@hackceleration.com
What makes a SumUp switch go wrong
The same mistakes show up again and again in merchant complaints. None of them is technical. They're oversights, and each one costs more than the time it would have taken to avoid it.
Switching for a rate without doing the math
Square looks like a step up, but at 2.6% + 15¢ it costs more than SumUp on every sale. Zettle saves about $10 a month at $3,000, so its $29 reader pays for itself in three months. Run your own numbers before you buy anything.
Ignoring the per-transaction fee
A low percentage plus a fixed fee can cost more than a flat rate. On a $5 coffee, 15¢ is three points of margin on its own. Small-ticket businesses should compare the fixed fee first.
Storing the reader for the off-season
SumUp readers left unused for months have locked for good, according to merchant complaints. If your business shuts for winter, ask support how to keep the reader active before you put it away, and budget for a replacement just in case.
Closing with disputes still open
A refund or a chargeback can arrive after your last sale. Keep the account open a few weeks, make sure every payout has landed, and close only once everything is settled.
Thinking holds can't happen elsewhere
Leaving SumUp doesn't remove the risk of a fund hold: any processor can review your account. Lower the odds by sending documents at signup, keeping steady volume and warning them before a spike.
Forgetting the setup around the reader
A phone-based reader dies with your battery. A standalone terminal like Zettle's costs $199 but runs on its own. At markets and fairs, check coverage before the big day. Our rankings for food trucks, the self-employed and contractors go further.
- Monthly volume and average ticket worked out from the last three months
- New account opened and documents sent
- Item library exported as CSV and checked
- Sales history downloaded for your accountant
- Both readers side by side for one to two weeks
- First payout received in your bank
- Last SumUp payouts landed, paid add-ons canceled
- Account kept open a few weeks for disputes
- Closure requested in writing, reply saved
SumUp alternatives: common questions
What is cheaper than SumUp?
On a flat rate, PayPal Zettle: 2.29% + 9¢ against SumUp's 2.6% + 10¢. With steady volume, Helcim's interchange-plus pricing can come out lower, depending on the cards your customers use. Square and Stripe Terminal cost slightly more than SumUp in person. See our card reader rankings for the full picture.
Is Square better than SumUp?
Not on price: Square charges 2.6% + 15¢ in person, SumUp 2.6% + 10¢. Square is the closest like-for-like swap, and one seller who used both saw her Square payouts land a day sooner. Pick it if you want the same setup without SumUp, not to save money.
Can I use my SumUp reader with another processor?
No. The reader is tied to your SumUp account and to the country where it was activated. Keep it as a backup until your SumUp account is closed.
Can I take cards without a reader?
Yes, with Tap to Pay on your phone. Helcim and Stripe both add 10¢ per payment for it. It's a handy backup while you switch.
How do I avoid a fund hold with my new processor?
Send every document at signup, before your first sale. Warn the processor before a big event. Avoid a burst of refunds right after opening. No processor promises zero reviews, but a complete file shortens the wait.
How long does it take to switch from SumUp?
Plan on about a month. Opening and verifying the new account takes a few days. Running both readers side by side takes one to two weeks. Then keep SumUp open a few more weeks so late refunds and disputes can clear before you close.
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One tool to leave, one destination, one exit plan. Nothing else.