Card machine fees calculator
What your card volume actually costs per year, on published UK rates. Every figure is checked against the provider's own pricing page; the date is on the table.
| Provider | Rate | Transaction fees/yr | Hardware/yr | Total/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp | 1.69% flat | £1,014 | £0 | £1,014 |
| Zettle | 1.75% flat | £1,050 | £0 | £1,050 |
| Square | 1.75% flat | £1,050 | £0 | £1,050 |
| DojoLowest listed | Fix: £39.99/month + 1% flat over £4,000/month | £600 | £0 | £600 |
How the sums work
For the flat-rate providers, yearly transaction cost is your monthly card sales × 12 × the provider's published in-person rate. For Dojo we use the Fix plan (businesses with annual card turnover below £100,000 only): £39.99/month, covering card turnover up to £3,999 a month, then 1% flat on turnover above £4,000 a month. Hardware is £0 in the Dojo row because the terminal is free when you switch through MerchantSwitch; bought direct from Dojo it is from £179 upfront, which is a one-off, not a running cost.
A worked example at £5,000 a month: SumUp at 1.69%is £60,000 × 1.69% = £1,014 a year. Dojo Fix is £39.99 + 1% × £1,000 = £49.99 a month, £599.88 a year, a 1.0% effective rate. At that volume Fix wins by around £414 a year. The picture flips at low volume: at £2,000 a month Fix is £39.99 a month (a 2.0% effective rate) against SumUp's £33.80, so below roughly £2,370 a month of card sales a pay-as-you-go reader is cheaper and we would say don't switch.
Rates last checked 27 August 2026 (). The full table across all 17 providers we track, including quote-only acquirers, is on the monthly rate check.
Questions people ask
Which rates does this calculator use?+
The published rates on each provider's own pricing page: SumUp 1.69%, Zettle 1.75%, Square 1.75%, and Dojo's Fix plan for businesses with annual card turnover below £100,000: £39.99/month covering card turnover up to £3,999 a month, then a 1% flat rate on turnover above £4,000 a month. We re-check them and update the date shown whenever a provider moves.
Why does Dojo show "custom quote" above £8,300 a month?+
Dojo's Fix plan is only available to businesses with annual card turnover below £100,000, which is about £8,300 a month. Above that, rates are negotiated case by case. On the custom plans (Flex and Pro) Dojo quotes a rate per business, tailored to card turnover. We have seen quotes as low as 0.29% for high-turnover businesses.
What does the calculator leave out?+
One-off reader purchases for SumUp, Zettle and Square, keyed and online rates (which are higher than in-person rates at every provider), authorisation fees on acquirer contracts, PCI compliance charges, and minimum monthly service charges. That is exactly why a statement tells you more than a rate: the extras are where published pricing and real cost part company.
Are negotiated rates really lower than these?+
Usually, once your volume is worth fighting for. Published flat rates are aimed at small and new businesses. On negotiated acquirer pricing the lowest rate we have seen quoted is 0.29%, at high turnover. The trade-off is a contract, typically 12 months, so the comparison only makes sense with your real numbers.
Want the numbers run on your real statement?
Send one recent card statement and we price it against every provider we track, including the fees this calculator can't see. Free, and no obligation.