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When investing in card readers for your business, you have to choose something that will work for you and your business’s needs. SumUp and Square are two of the most popular card reader providers. In this guide, we compare their most sought after products – the SumUp Air and the Square Reader.
SumUp vs Square: provider overview
So, what are the main differences between the Square and SumUp? If you’re looking for a provider with a range of options, SumUp currently has one of the largest card reader artileries on the market, especially when you compare it to the 2 products Square has. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that more is better, it just means that there could be additional features that you might not have considered before.
| Products | SumUp Air, SumUp Air and Cradle, SumUp Solo, SumUp 3G and Printer |
|---|---|
| Payment methods | Contactless, Chip and Pin |
| Alternative payment methods | QR code,Payment link |
| Apple Pay | Yes |
| Google Pay | Yes |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth |
| Requires connection to a phone or tablet | Yes |
| Battery life | 500 sales on a full charge |
| Warranty period | 12 months |
| Products | Square Reader, Square Terminal |
|---|---|
| Payment methods | Contactless, Chip and Pin |
| Alternative payment methods | Payment link,Over the phone |
| Apple Pay | Yes |
| Google Pay | Yes |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth |
| Requires connection to a phone or tablet | Yes |
| Battery life | Designed to last all day |
| Warranty period | 24 months |
The SumUp Air vs the Square Reader: product overview
Although both card reader providers offer other machines, the SumUp Air and the Square Reader continue to be the “go-to” products in their range.
Compare rates and fees
When comparing card readers, it is a good idea to compare the rates and fees that the provider charges. For further explanations of the different charges you might come across in your research, use our handy guide.
The SumUp and Square card readers have some of the lower fees for card machines on the market, but there are still some large differences to consider. For example, the Square Reader charges a higher transaction fee by 0.6% when compared to the SumUp Air. However, the SumUp Air charges a £10 chargeback fee, where Square doesn’t charge anything for this. SumUp also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
| Product Name | SumUp Air |
|---|---|
| Contract | No contract |
| Initial cost | £29 |
| Monthly cost | £0 |
| Transaction cost | 1.69% |
| Transaction cost (card not present) | 2.5% |
| Settlement | 1-3 working days |
| Money-back guarantee | Yes |
| Money-back guarantee details | 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Chargeback cost | £10 |
| Product Name | Square Reader |
|---|---|
| Contract | Pay as you go |
| Initial cost | £16 |
| Monthly cost | £0 |
| Transaction cost | 1.75% |
| Transaction cost (card not present) | 2.5% |
| Settlement | 1 working day |
| Money-back guarantee | No |
| Chargeback cost | £0 |
Compare features
Each of SumUp and Square’s card readers have unique features for the different machines they offer.
For example, with the Square Reader, you can accept chip & pin payments but the buyer will have to use your separate device to enter their pin, whereas the Square Terminal has a built-in screen.
If you would like to learn about all the different features you should look out for when comparing card readers, you can use our helpful guide.
| Product Name | SumUp Air |
|---|---|
| Networks |      |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth |
| Payment methods | Contactless, Chip and Pin |
| Alternative payment methods | QR code, Payment link |
| Requires connection to phone or tablet | |
| Battery life | 500 sales on a full charge |
| Printer attached | |
| Add ons |
| Product Name | Square Reader |
|---|---|
| Networks | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth |
| Payment methods | Contactless, Chip and Pin |
| Alternative payment methods | Payment link, Over the phone |
| Requires connection to phone or tablet | |
| Battery life | Designed to last all day |
| Printer attached | |
| Add ons |
|
The bottom line
If you’re looking for a card reader provider that is convenient and you know what you are getting, you can’t fault with fan-favourite SumUp. With its large range of products, you can choose the perfect one for your business. But, if you’re looking for a card provider that doesn’t sting you with a chargeback fee or a longer warranty period, there are other options out there.
However, if you’re looking for something on-the-go, the Square Reader is another great choice for SMEs, particularly with its low transaction fees. With the added feature of a phone mount, you won’t need to worry about wires or juggling machines. But the downside of this is that you have to have a connection to an additional device such as a smartphone or tablet. And if you opt for the Square Reader’s big sister, you will need to have a wifi connection, which limits how far you can take your machine.
So, Square or SumUp? The decision ultimately depends on your business’s needs and wants. You can compare the SumUp and Square range below:
Compare the SumUp and Square range
Table: sorted by transaction cost, promoted deals first