SumUp and Square are two of the most popular POS systems in the UK for small businesses, cafés, and market traders.

But - 

Which one actually gives you more value?

Which one has fewer fees, better tools, and makes your life easier?

That’s why we’ve compared both tools across:

• Pricing (what you really pay)
  
  

• Features (POS, hardware, add-ons)
  
  

• Pros, cons, and ideal use cases

By the end, you’ll know exactly which POS system fits your business, whether you run a café, a market stall, or a mobile food truck.

Let’s look into the comparison.

What SumUp Offers

SumUp is a payment and POS system mainly built for small businesses, solo operators, and anyone who needs an easy way to take card payments.

1. Payment Options

You can accept payments in several ways:

• Through a card reader
  
  

• Directly using your phone (Tap to Pay)
  
  

• Online using payment links or QR codes

2. POS System

SumUp has a POS system that works well for cafés, food trucks, and small shops.

You can manage orders, track sales, and connect them with their payment tools.

3. Free Business Account

It offers a free business account where your earnings are deposited. Payouts usually arrive the next day.

4. Online Selling Tools

You can set up a simple online store for free, send invoices, or accept payments through links, helpful for freelancers or businesses without a physical store.

5. Hardware Options

You can choose from different card readers:

• Use your phone alone (free)
  
  

• A small reader that connects via Bluetooth (SumUp Air)
  
  

• A standalone reader with its own screen and mobile data (SumUp Solo or Terminal)

6. Good For

SumUp is commonly used by:

• Market stalls
  
  

• Solo sellers or freelancers
  
  

• Small cafés and salons
  
  

• Mobile or pop-up shops

It’s best for people who want something quick to set up, low-cost, and without contracts.

What Square UK Offers

Square UK provides a full toolkit for small and medium-sized businesses to take payments, manage operations, and sell online or in person. 

Everything is modular and works together, from the hardware to the software.

1. Payment Options

You can accept payments in multiple ways:

• Card reader (tap, chip & PIN)
  
  

• Tap to Pay using your phone
  
  

• Payment links, invoices, or QR codes

2. POS System

Square offers a free POS app that works for retail, food businesses, or service providers.

You can track sales, manage staff, and sync inventory.

3. Free Online Store

You can build a simple online shop, accept click-and-collect orders, or sell via Instagram/Facebook all are synced with your POS.

4. Business Tools

Square includes tools for:

• Customer loyalty
  
  

• Appointment booking
  
  

• Email marketing
  
  

• Staff management and shifts

5. Hardware Options

You can use:

• A card reader that pairs with your phone (Square Reader)
  
  

• A standalone terminal with screen and printer (Square Terminal)
  
  

• POS register with touchscreen (Square Register)
  
  

• Mobile POS kit (Square Reader + iPhone setup)

6. Good For

Square is often used by:

• Cafés and coffee shops
  
  

• Small shops or boutiques
  
  

• Hairdressers, salons, and beauty clinics
  
  

• Mobile vendors and service professionals

It’s a good option for small UK businesses that want a free POS app and only pay per transaction.

Here’s a comparison table between SumUp and Square UK based on the core features we talked about:

SumUp vs Square: Pricing Breakdown Table 

Here’s a table for reference for SumUp and Square’s pricing:

SumUp Pricing – Great for Low-Cost Simplicity

SumUp keeps things very affordable:

• No monthly fee to get started.
  
  

• Card reader costs are one-time (from £39 for SumUp Air).
  
  

• Transaction fees are low: around 1.69% per payment.

✅ What you're paying for:

You’re mostly paying per transaction.

This makes SumUp ideal if you don’t sell a lot every day or if you just need something basic and functional.

You get access to:

• A free business account
  
  

• Simple POS tools
  
  

• Online store builder
  
  

• Invoicing and payment links

💬 My Opinion:

Perfect for solo sellers, side hustlers, and small cafés that don’t want to commit to fixed costs.

Square Pricing – More Features, Slightly Higher Costs

Square also starts with no monthly fee, but:

• Its transaction fees are slightly higher, around 1.75%.
  
  

• If you upgrade, you’ll find paid POS plans for restaurants and retail (e.g., £60–£90/month).
  
  

• Hardware is usually more advanced, but it can get expensive.

✅ What you're paying for:

Even on the free plan, Square gives you a lot more:

• Advanced POS systems for retail or restaurants
  
  

• Appointments and scheduling tools
  
  

• Marketing and loyalty programs
  
  

• Better reporting and dashboard options

💬 My Opinion:

Square is a better value if you plan to scale or if you want multiple tools under one roof. 

But if you're only looking to take card payments without bells and whistles, the extra features may go unused.

Final Thought

• If you’re just starting or want to keep costs predictable → SumUp.
  
  

• If you’re growing and want all-in-one tools with deeper functionality → Square.

Let me know if you'd like a cost example (e.g., for 100 transactions/month) or a breakdown by use case.

SumUp and Square: Pros And Cons

✅ Pros of Square

• Very easy to set up and use – Users consistently mention how quick and intuitive it is for small business owners and staff.

• Free POS software – The basic POS system is free, making it highly attractive for startups and small shops.
  
  

• Affordable hardware options – Multiple users praised the low-cost card readers and register kits.
  
  

• Good range of features – Offers payment processing, inventory, invoicing, online store, and appointments all in one.

• Seamless integration – Works well with third-party apps like accounting software, eCommerce platforms, and delivery tools.

❌ Cons of Square

• Add-on costs add up – While the POS is free, users often mention that many advanced features require paid add-ons.

• Limited offline functionality – Square struggles in areas with unstable internet, which some users find frustrating.
  
  

• Dispute/chargeback resolution – Several reviewers noted frustration around Square’s handling of payment disputes.
  
  

• Payout delays in certain cases – Some businesses reported longer-than-expected delays with fund transfers during holds.

✅ Pros of SumUp

• Fast payouts – Money typically arrives the next working day, which many sellers appreciate.

• No monthly fees – Pay-as-you-go structure with no contract is ideal for occasional sellers.

• Built-in tools – Includes free business account, invoicing, online store, and tap-to-pay via mobile.

• Affordable hardware – Card readers like SumUp Air and Solo are low-cost and portable.

❌ Cons of SumUp

• Unreliable support – Many users reported delayed responses and difficulty getting help when needed.

• Payout holds – Some accounts experience unexpected fund freezes or delays without clear communication.

• Device glitches – Reports of card readers freezing or losing Bluetooth connection.

• Lack of advanced POS features – Missing more complex tools needed by growing or multi-location businesses.

• Confusing onboarding – Verification process and initial approval can be unclear or inconsistent.

Read this full review here.

Here’s a table of the most mentioned shared pros and cons between SumUp and Square:

UseTapp: The Better Alternative

Most Square and SumUp users say the same thing:

1. You need to pay extra for core features like branding, loyalty, or automation.
   
   

2. Their support teams often leave you in the dark when issues arise.
   
   

3. There’s limited flexibility if your business doesn’t fit the “average” mold.
   
   

4. You still need other tools to run marketing, collect feedback, or re-engage customers.
   
   

5. You can’t fully customize the checkout or follow-up journey.
   
   

6. Payouts sometimes get delayed, and dispute resolution is slow.
   
   

7. And growing with them? It gets expensive, fast.

That’s where software like UseTapp comes in.

• It combines a point-of-sale system with built-in text messaging and automation. 

• That means when someone checks out, their info can go straight into a text campaign with no extra software needed. 

• It’s useful if you want to send reminders, promote deals, or just stay top-of-mind with your regulars.

• So, you don’t need extra software to automate follow-ups or run loyalty campaigns. 

• The POS also supports hardware like kiosks, scanners, and even NFC readers, which helps if you're working across locations or want a more polished checkout flow. 

• There’s also a cash discount option (basically 0% transaction fees if the customer pays cash), which is something some businesses use to avoid card processing fees.

It’s not flashy, but the approach is pretty practical. 

Everything is made for fast-moving businesses like consignment shops, retailers, and restaurants.

-> So instead of stacking Square + some SMS tool + loyalty software + manual outreach.

You switch to Tapp and just run your business.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, both SumUp and Square deliver affordable, flexible POS systems that fit UK small businesses.

• Go with SumUp if you’re a solo seller, market trader, or small café that mainly needs to take card payments cheaply, without contracts, and with simple tools that just work.
  
  

• Go with Square if you’re running a café, salon, or multi-service business and want a more complete system with staff management, loyalty, integrations, and stronger POS features. Even if that means paying a bit more in transaction fees or add-ons.

What’s clear from real user reviews is that ease of use, fast setup, and low upfront cost are shared strengths, but both providers struggle with payout holds, customer support, and scaling costs once your needs grow.

But if you’re thinking beyond payments and want your POS to also run loyalty, automate follow-ups, and cut down subscriptions, UseTapp is the smarter long-term choice. 

It gives you payments, SMS, and customer engagement in one system, so you can grow without stacking tools.

👉 Bottom line: SumUp for simplicity, Square for features, UseTapp for growth.