You’ve probably gotten used to seeing sleek white card readers and tablets gracing the checkout line of your favorite coffee shops and retail boutiques. These modern point-of-sale (POS) systems are replacing clunkier computer towers and credit card machines inside small businesses.
As you build a business of your own, this Square vs. SumUp comparison can help you decide which credit card processing system is best for you and your customers.
SumUp vs. Square: At a Glance
SumUp and Square are credit card processors that offer a variety of credit card readers and payment processing systems for small businesses. The hardware and software from these companies let small businesses accept credit cards easily and process transactions as simple as opening an app on your phone.
The modern design of their devices makes SumUp and Square both useful tools for mobile businesses, such as folks selling food or crafts at a farmers market. Square offers a more complex POS system that can support brick-and-mortar businesses, such as retail and restaurants, as well.
Square
Hardware
Mobile, handheld or countertop systems
Software
Standard, restaurant and retail POS
Cost
Free to $799 for hardware;
2.6% plus 10 cents per transaction
Mobile, handheld or countertop systems
Standard, restaurant and retail POS
Free to $799 for hardware;
2.6% plus 10 cents per transaction
Square offers POS and virtual terminal software and hardware for small businesses, restaurants, retailers, independent vendors and more. It offers a variety of handheld, countertop and mobile terminals with modern, streamlined designs that let your customers intuitively pay with credit and debit cards or cash.
You can set up operations using Square with only its free card reader plugged into your smartphone and the free Square POS app. This free solution is simple. You have to enter the price of every transaction, and there’s no way to connect it with inventory.
For more complex business needs, you can upgrade to a handheld device, which is best for restaurants, tablet or register. Square’s software offers a standard POS, plus restaurant and retail versions tailored to those industries.
Learn more: Read our full Square POS review.
- You can get started totally free
- Serves small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and can grow with you
- Add-ons available for customer loyalty programs, marketing, payroll, invoicing and team management
- Mobile card reader requires a smartphone
- Account can be frozen due to irregular activity
SumUp
Hardware
Mobile or handheld card reader
Software
Virtual card reader
Cost
$39 to $129 for hardware;
2.75% per transaction
Mobile or handheld card reader
Virtual card reader
$39 to $129 for hardware;
2.75% per transaction
SumUp offers three mobile card readers and a countertop POS that let you process debit and credit card transactions in store or on the go. All offer contactless, chip or swipe capabilities for major credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
SumUp’s basic mobile reader, SumUp Plus, requires a Bluetooth connection to your smartphone. The other two, SumUp Pro and the touchscreen SumUp Solo, are stand-alone devices that can connect to Wi-Fi or data services with their own SIM cards.
SumUp Point of Sale + Loyalty is a countertop system that lets you process transactions and encourage customers to check in or sign up for a loyalty program before they pay. It includes integrations for menu management for restaurants and offers automated marketing campaigns to engage customers. Hardware includes a countertop tablet and card reader.
Learn more: Read our full SumUp review.
- Accept mobile payments without a smartphone
- Serves solopreneurs, micro-businesses and freelancers
- No free version
- Limited support for medium-sized businesses
How Square and SumUp Stack Up
| Square | SumUp | |
|---|---|---|
|
POS Hardware
|
Mobile phone attachment, contactless reader, tablet stand or register
|
Mobile phone attachment, handheld or touchscreen card reader
|
|
Software Features
|
Standard POS, restaurant or retail
|
Virtual card reader and item catalog
|
|
Pricing
|
Free (magstripe reader) to $799 (register)
|
$39 (mobile reader) to $129 (touchscreen card reader) Contact sales for POS pricing
|
|
Transaction Fees
|
2.6% plus 10 cents for card-present transactions
|
2.75% for card-present transactions
|
POS Hardware
Square offers a wider variety of hardware for small to medium-sized businesses. You can use Square POS with everything from a free device connected to your smartphone to a robust in-store register.
SumUp’s countertop POS offers fewer hardware options than Square, but its stand-alone mobile devices may be more convenient than Square readers for businesses that travel a lot. Your vendors don’t have to connect to their smartphones. They connect to the internet and process transactions with stand-alone devices.
Software Features
SumUp offers a basic checkout experience, including a virtual card terminal and a simple item catalog. Square’s POS software offers a more robust point-of-sale experience, with software options tailored to restaurants or retail businesses.
Pricing
The Square contactless reader costs $49, compared with similar SumUp devices for $35, $49 or $99. But Square offers a free option that SumUp doesn’t; you can get a free magstripe reader to plug into your phone’s Lightning connector or headphone jack.
One-time pricing for Square countertop POS systems includes:
- Square Stand (requires an iPad): $149
- Square Terminal: $299
- Square Register: $799
SumUp POS + Loyalty pricing starts at $0 per month, but you have to speak with a salesperson to get the cost of hardware and exact pricing for your business.
Transaction fees
Square charges a fee of 2.6% plus 10 cents per transaction for most transactions. If you have a Plus or Premium plan, the fee is 2.5% plus 10 cents or less. You can also accept buy-now, pay-later transactions with Afterpay for 6% plus 30 cents per transaction.
SumUp, in contrast, offers just one card-present rate of 2.75%. Manually keyed transactions run 3.25% plus 15 cents, and if you utilize the free invoicing features in the SumUp App you can send invoices for 2.90% plus 15 cents per transaction.
Featured Partner
1
Clover
$14.95 per month (plus hardware)
90 days
Versatile POS, invoicing, employee management
Bottom Line
Square and SumUp both offer simple solutions to help small business owners get up and running and process transactions quickly and easily. The services provide the hardware, software and merchant services needed to process your transactions online or in person; all you need to provide is a business bank account.
With its low-cost mobile offerings, SumUp may be best suited for solo business owners and micro businesses. If you’re a freelance service provider, an artist or crafter or a farm owner or baker selling goods at a market, SumUp’s card readers will be sufficient for your transactions.
If you run a more complex business, such as a restaurant or retail store, either SumUp or Square POS could meet your needs. Square offers more diverse hardware options and might be better able to grow to suit small and medium businesses.
However, with similar offerings from both Square and SumUp, the choice between the providers will likely come down to pricing that best aligns with your business.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much does SumUp cost?
There are two costs associated with SumUp. The first is the transaction fee, which you pay for each transaction, and the second is a one-time cost for the physical device. The in-person transaction fees are 2.75%. The cost for the device varies from $35 to $99 (custom pricing for the SumUp POS + Loyalty).
What’s better than SumUp?
The best point-of-sale (POS) system depends on your company’s unique needs. That’s why we analyzed the leading providers on the market to create a list of the best POS systems for small businesses.
Is Square better than Shopify?
Shopify is a great e-commerce platform for businesses that are looking for an all-in-one solution that includes a POS, social selling and inventory management. Square is better suited for businesses that want a simple way to accept payments without a long-term contract. Read our Square vs. Shopify review to learn more.
