Best Card Machines for Taxi Drivers UK 2025

Why Taxi Drivers Need Card Machines

82% of UK taxi fares are now paid by card (Licensed Taxi Drivers Association 2024). Drivers accepting cards earn 23% more in fares by not turning away cashless passengers.

Critical requirements for taxi card machines:

• Portable: Compact size for vehicle use
• Battery life: Full shift (8-12 hours)
• Works offline: Process in areas with poor signal
• Fast processing: Under 3 seconds (passengers are waiting)
• Tip-friendly: Easy gratuity addition
• Low cost: Minimize fees on £12-£35 fares

Top 4 Card Machines for Taxi Drivers

1. SumUp - Best for Most Taxi Drivers

Rating: 9.3/10 for Taxis

SumUp is used by over 15,000 UK taxi drivers. The £19 reader is perfect for in-car use with 1.39% flat fees ideal for £12-£35 fares.

Pricing:

• Fee: 1.39% flat
• Reader: £19
• Monthly: £0

Perfect for Taxis Because:

• Ultra-compact (fits in glove box)
• Battery lasts 500 transactions (multiple weeks)
• Works offline via Bluetooth (processes in tunnels, rural areas)
• Tip prompts (10%, 15%, 20%)
• Digital receipts (email/SMS)
• Rugged design survives vehicle environment

Cost Example: 30 fares × £20 avg = £600/day → Fee: £8.34/day

2. Zettle - Best for Uber/Bolt Drivers

Rating: 8.7/10

Drivers doing Uber/Bolt plus traditional taxi work benefit from PayPal integration for unified earnings management.

Pricing:

• Fee: 1.75%
• Reader: £29

Features:

• PayPal account integration (combine Uber earnings)
• Instant balance access
• Works in 130 countries (useful for airport runs)

3. Square - Best for Private Hire Operators

Rating: 8.5/10

Private hire operators with dispatch systems use Square for professional invoicing and payment tracking.

Pricing:

• Fee: 1.75%
• Reader: £49

Features:

• Free invoicing for corporate accounts
• Driver performance tracking
• Digital receipts with route details

4. Revolut Business - Best for Full-Time Drivers

Rating: 8.2/10

Full-time drivers benefit from Revolut's integrated business account with expense tracking for fuel and maintenance.

Pricing:

• Fee: 1.0% + 10p
• Reader: £39
• Business account: FREE

Taxi vs Uber/Bolt: Different Needs

Traditional Black Cab/Taxi Drivers

Recommended: SumUp

• 100% in-car transactions
• Average fare: £12-£25
• 30-50 fares daily
• Need: Simple, cheap, reliable

Uber/Bolt Drivers (Supplementary Card Payments)

Recommended: Zettle

• 80% app payments, 20% card
• PayPal integration valuable
• Multi-platform earnings management

Private Hire/Minicab Operators

Recommended: Square

• Corporate account billing
• Professional invoicing needed
• Multiple drivers tracking

Cost Analysis for Taxi Drivers

Typical London taxi driver (£800/day, 30 fares):

• SumUp (1.39%): £11.12/day = £334/month
• Square (1.75%): £14.00/day = £420/month
• Zettle (1.75%): £14.00/day = £420/month

Annual savings: SumUp saves £1,032 vs Square/Zettle

Tips and Gratuities

All major card readers support tips:

• SumUp: Custom tip amounts or %
• Square: 10%, 15%, 20%, custom
• Zettle: Preset tip options

Tip collection data: Drivers using card tip prompts receive 34% more in gratuities compared to "keep the change" with cash (LTDA survey).

Final Recommendation

For most UK taxi drivers: SumUp (£19, 1.39%, portable, reliable)

• Lowest total cost for typical fares
• Compact and vehicle-friendly
• Long battery life
• Works offline
• No monthly fees

Drivers accepting cards earn £180-£250 more weekly by not refusing cashless passengers (23% fare increase).