You're weighing SumUp against Zettle by PayPal and Square — three of the most-discussed names in card readers and point-of-sale. Each wins at something different. Here's the side-by-side comparison that actually helps you pick.
Short answer: SumUp wins on card readers from £39 with tap/insert/swipe and price, Zettle by PayPal wins on ecosystem depth and enterprise features, and Square wins on specific niche use cases. Choose based on which factor matters most to you.
SumUp
Value & simplicity
Card readers from £39 with tap/insert/swipe, no monthly fee with per-transaction 1.69–2.5%, free e-commerce and invoicing tools, built for small merchants, market traders, cafés and tradespeople.
Zettle by PayPal
Ecosystem & depth
The most feature-rich of the three, with the deepest ecosystem and enterprise-grade support tiers — at the highest price.
Square
Niche parity
Feature parity close to SumUp at a similar price point, with an edge on specific vertical use cases SumUp or Zettle don't cover.
★Quick comparison
| Dimension | SumUp | Zettle by PayPal | Square |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core capability | Readers from £39, tap/insert/swipe | Feature-rich, mature | Solid but narrower |
| Price positioning | Value-tier, no monthly fee | Premium | Value-tier |
| Target user | Small merchants, traders, cafés | Established professionals | Similar to SumUp |
| Ecosystem | Growing | Deep and mature | Modest |
| Learning curve | Moderate | Steeper | Similar |
Deep dive: SumUp
SumUp is the card-reader and POS platform for small merchants, with no monthly fee and per-transaction pricing instead. Its strongest cards are card readers from £39 with tap/insert/swipe, the no-monthly-fee, 1.69–2.5% per-transaction model, and free e-commerce and invoicing tools. Positioned for small merchants, market traders, cafés and tradespeople, it competes mainly on price-to-capability ratio. Current pricing here.
Deep dive: Zettle by PayPal
Zettle by PayPal is the established name, and it wins on ecosystem depth — years of integrations and content, enterprise-grade support tiers, and a trusted reputation among merchants who want certainty. Where it loses to SumUp: price, and it's often over-featured for smaller users.
Deep dive: Square
Square is the third contender, typically winning on specific vertical use cases that SumUp or Zettle by PayPal don't cover, plus price parity with SumUp at the mainstream tier. Where it loses: a smaller community and less content and template ecosystem than Zettle by PayPal.
Head-to-head: SumUp vs Zettle by PayPal
- Price: SumUp wins clearly.
- Learning curve: SumUp is usually gentler.
- Feature depth for power users: Zettle by PayPal.
- Community and third-party integrations: Zettle by PayPal.
- New feature velocity: SumUp, over the past 12 months.
Verdict: SumUp for value; Zettle by PayPal for depth.
Head-to-head: SumUp vs Square
- Price: similar tier.
- Core capability: very close.
- Community: SumUp is larger.
- Specific niche coverage: Square may edge it out if your use case is unusual.
Verdict: SumUp for mainstream small merchants; Square for specific niches.
Head-to-head: Zettle by PayPal vs Square
- Price: Square wins.
- Depth: Zettle by PayPal wins.
- Reputation: Zettle by PayPal wins.
Verdict: Zettle by PayPal for enterprise needs; Square for smaller budgets that don't need SumUp.
Which one is right for you?
Pick SumUp if…
You're a small merchant on a value budget, card readers from £39 with tap/insert/swipe matters most, and you want no monthly fee, per-transaction 1.69–2.5% without an enterprise premium.
Pick Zettle by PayPal if…
You're a professional who needs the deepest ecosystem, budget isn't the constraint, and enterprise features and SLA matter.
Pick Square if…
You have a specific niche use case SumUp may not cover, and price is similar to SumUp but the vertical fit is better.
SumUp — the value pick of the three
Card readers from £39 with tap/insert/swipe, no monthly fee with per-transaction 1.69–2.5%, plus free e-commerce and invoicing tools — priced for small merchants.
🔒 Card readers and POS for small merchants, market traders, cafés and tradespeople · readers from £39 with tap/insert/swipe · no monthly fee, per-transaction 1.69–2.5% · free e-commerce and invoicing tools included. Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
Which of the three is cheapest? SumUp and Square usually sit close on the entry tier; Zettle by PayPal is the premium option.
Can I try SumUp before buying? Check the current trial options on SumUp's site.
Which has the best community and content? Zettle by PayPal by a margin, but SumUp's community is growing fast.
What if I outgrow SumUp? Migration to Zettle by PayPal is possible for most workflows, though export formats and feature parity differ by category.
Bottom line
For most small merchants, SumUp is the sensible starting point in 2026 — upgrade to Zettle by PayPal if and when you actually hit its ceiling, or look at Square if a specific niche need points that way.
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