If your card reader already sits on the counter, the SumUp business account earns its place without costing anything. No monthly fee, next-day settlement including weekends, and a POS rate that drops from 1.69% to 1.49%. We confirmed both rates from SumUp’s pricing page in April 2026.
The trade-off is tangible. SumUp Payments Limited is an Electronic Money Institution, not a licensed bank. Your funds are safeguarded under e-money regulations, not covered by the FSCS £120,000 guarantee. There’s no overdraft. Accounting software integrations are limited.
SumUp Business Account at a Glance
Our Verdict
SumUp earns its place for businesses already running SumUp card readers. The POS rate drops from 1.69% to 1.49% and takings settle the next day, including weekends. At £5,000 a month processed, that saves £10. At £10,000, £20. Zero transfer fees mean supplier payments cost nothing regardless of volume.
Without the reader, your comparison shifts. Starling and Mettle are both permanently free, both FSCS-protected, and both more capable as standalone banking accounts. SumUp’s edge is the payment ecosystem, not the banking features.
If you hold significant working capital or need an overdraft, SumUp won’t deliver. E-money safeguarding is not the same as the FSCS £120,000 statutory guarantee. That gap matters if your balance regularly exceeds £20,000.
Best For
If you are a small business or sole trader already using SumUp card readers, hospitality operator, market trader, or mobile service business, and want in-person card payments, settlement, and banking in one app at no monthly cost, this fits.
Not Ideal For
Businesses that need FSCS protection, an overdraft, or deep accounting integrations. Also not suited to LLPs or standard partnerships (not accepted). Businesses not using SumUp card readers will find Starling or Mettle more capable at the same zero monthly cost.
Key Facts
Monthly fee: £0 (standard plan). POS rate with account: 1.49% (without: 1.69%). UK bank transfers: free. ATM withdrawals: 3 free per month, then 2% per withdrawal. Mastercard business debit card included. We confirmed these figures from SumUp’s pricing page in April 2026.
Sub-accounts let you ring-fence VAT or payroll funds separately. In-app invoicing at no cost. FCA-authorised e-money institution (FRN 900700), e-money safeguarded, not FSCS-protected. Eligible: sole traders and limited companies. Next-day settlement including weekends from SumUp card readers.
What Is SumUp Business Account and How Does It Work?
How the Account Works
The SumUp Business Account is a free UK e-money account that integrates natively with SumUp’s card reader ecosystem.
Card payments processed through a SumUp reader settle into the account the next working day, including weekends and bank holidays. We confirmed this from SumUp’s pricing page in April 2026.
The account runs on Faster Payments for UK bank transfers, supports incoming and outgoing payments, and includes a Mastercard business debit card. Sub-accounts let you ring-fence VAT or payroll funds within the same product.
This is not a full banking product. There is no overdraft, no savings interest, and limited accounting software integrations. It is a transactional account designed to work alongside SumUp’s payment processing, not to replace a full business bank account.
Who the Account Is Designed For
The fit is strongest for sole traders or limited companies already using SumUp card readers for in-person payments. Hospitality operators, market traders, mobile service businesses, and any business where in-person card acceptance is central to daily revenue.
For that profile, the value is concrete: instant access to card takings, a lower POS rate, and zero banking overhead. For businesses that don’t use SumUp readers, the account competes on a much narrower basis against Starling and Mettle.
How to Open an Account
If you already use SumUp at the counter, the business account opens through the same iOS or Android app. Your existing profile carries over; you’re not starting identity checks from scratch.
If you are new to SumUp, apply via the app with photo ID and standard identity information. No credit check for the basic account.
Account Plans and Pricing
Free and Paid Plans
The standard plan is free: no monthly fee, no minimum balance. Business Account Plus costs £15 a month and buys rather more than the extra cash withdrawals it is usually described as adding. It carries up to three extra Mastercards for staff with spending controls on each, up to three separate balances for tax or bills, bulk transfers from an uploaded file, cash deposits at 2% instead of 2.5%, five free cash machine withdrawals a month, and support at any hour. We took all of it from SumUp’s own plan pages in August 2026.
| Plan | Monthly Fee | Free ATM Withdrawals | Transfer Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | £0 | 3 per month | Free |
| Plus | £15 | 5 per month | Free |
| Plan pricing verified from SumUp’s published pricing page, April 2026. After the free ATM allowance, 2% applies per withdrawal on both plans. | |||
Monthly Fees
The standard plan has no monthly fee. Whether Plus is worth £15 a month turns on two things: how much cash you bank, because the deposit fee drops from 2.5% to 2%, and whether a second person needs a card. Bank £3,000 of cash a month and the saving alone covers it.
If you regularly withdraw cash at volume, compare the 2% overage fee against the £15 fixed cost before upgrading.
Transaction and Transfer Fees
UK bank transfers are free in both directions. No charge for Direct Debits or card purchases. We confirmed this from SumUp’s published pricing in April 2026.
At 100 outgoing transfers a month, zero transfer fees save £20 compared to Tide’s 20p-per-payment model. At 50 transfers, £10. That compounds over a year with no monthly fee working against it.
An accountant chasing the bank feed at month-end is the practical risk here. If SumUp doesn’t connect to their Xero, the work becomes exporting CSVs and uploading manually. Check the integration list before switching.
Cash Deposit, ATM and Card Charges
ATM withdrawals: three free per month on the standard plan, then 2% per withdrawal. If you need £200 cash on your fourth withdrawal of the month, that’s £4. Withdraw twice a week and the cost adds up quickly.
SumUp is a digital-first account, so cash handling is limited. If you regularly bank physical takings, a high-street account or a provider with Post Office or PayPoint deposits will suit you better.
Banking Features
Payments, Transfers and Direct Debits
UK bank transfers via Faster Payments are free in both directions. Direct Debits are supported at no charge. We confirmed this from SumUp’s published pricing in April 2026.
There is no overdraft facility on this account. If you need credit access alongside your business banking, SumUp is not the right account. Starling offers a business overdraft subject to eligibility.
Close out a busy Friday market and the card takings are in the account Saturday morning, before the drive to the next event. There is no waiting on a Tuesday clearing cycle or calling the bank on Monday.
Cards and Expense Cards
The account includes a Mastercard business debit card and domestic card spending is free. Expense cards for a team do exist, but only on Business Account Plus, alongside extra balances and bulk transfers. On the free account you get one card, which is the honest shape of the product: it is built around a single user and everything past that is an upgrade.
Accounting Integrations and Business Tools
In-app invoicing is included at no cost. Card payments and invoiced income appear in the same view, removing a manual reconciliation step for businesses collecting both. We confirmed this from sumup.com in April 2026.
Accounting software integrations are limited. Tide connects natively to Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, and Sage. Mettle includes FreeAgent at no cost.
SumUp integrates with Sage Accounting, Xero and QuickBooks, and syncs sales rather than providing a bank feed. The catch is which plan you are on: those integrations are a benefit of POS Plus and Payment Plus only. On the free account you get a CSV or PDF export and nothing else, which means your bookkeeper is re-keying month-end by hand.
Multi-User Access and Spending Controls
Sub-accounts let you ring-fence VAT or payroll funds without opening a separate banking product. We confirmed sub-account availability from SumUp’s product pages in April 2026.
Team spending controls exist, but only on the paid plan. Business Account Plus lets you issue up to three extra Mastercards to staff and set spending controls on each, alongside up to three separate balances for tax, bills or savings. On the free account there is one card and one balance, so a second person spending on the business means handing over yours.
Savings, Credit or Other Extra Features
There is no savings pot, no interest on balances, no overdraft. SumUp is a transactional account. The standout extra is the POS integration: the 1.49% card reader rate (versus 1.69% without the account) and next-day weekend settlement. That’s the product scope, not a gap to be filled.
International Features
Sending International Payments
You cannot send money abroad from this account. SumUp gives the UK account a sort code and an account number, and transfers go to other UK accounts in pounds. There is no international bank number, no currency choice and no international payment screen. That is a design decision rather than an oversight, and it is fine if every supplier you pay is British.
If your business sends money abroad regularly, a multi-currency specialist such as Wise or Airwallex will be cheaper and more transparent than routing it through SumUp.
Receiving International Payments
An overseas customer can pay you, but only the awkward way. Your UK sort code and account number are what you can give them, so their bank has to route a sterling payment to a UK account and convert at their end. SumUp does not issue an international bank number for the UK account, so the cost of that conversion is theirs to find and yours to absorb in the invoice.
If your business needs international receiving regularly, Starling (no FX fee on card spending) or a dedicated multi-currency account like Airwallex are better-suited options.
Foreign Exchange Fees and Currency Support
Overseas card spending on the SumUp Mastercard incurs an FX fee. SumUp doesn’t publish a single headline FX rate for card payments.
If overseas spending is a regular part of your operation, compare SumUp’s actual FX rate against Starling, which applies no additional FX fee on card spending abroad. For multi-currency operations, SumUp is not the right tool.
Eligibility and Account Limits
Who Can Apply
If you are a sole trader or limited company, you can apply. We confirmed current eligibility from sumup.com in April 2026. No credit check is required for the standard account. No minimum revenue threshold.
If you are an LLP or standard partnership, you are not accepted. Tide and Starling both accept those structures at no monthly cost.
Supported Business Types
Supported structures: sole traders and UK-registered limited companies. Not supported: LLPs, general partnerships, or non-UK-registered businesses. We confirmed this from sumup.com in April 2026.
If your business is structured as an LLP or partnership, Tide accepts LLPs and partnerships with no monthly fee and built-in invoicing. Starling also accepts LLPs.
Account Limits and Restrictions
SumUp publishes the caps in full, and they are workable for most small businesses. A single outgoing transfer can be up to £25,000, with £50,000 a day and £150,000 a month. Card payments are capped at £15,000 a transaction and the same again per day. Cash out of a machine is tighter, at £500 a withdrawal and £2,000 a day. Nothing limits what comes in. Cash going in is where the ceiling bites: deposits at a partner shop run from £20 to £500 at a time, capped at £12,000 a month and £52,000 a year, which a busy pub will reach well before Christmas.
You have no overdraft available on any plan. If you need credit access alongside your business banking, source that separately before switching.
App, Online Banking and User Experience
Mobile App Experience
SumUp is a mobile-first product, so you’ll do most of your banking through the app. The iOS and Android app handles both payment processing and account management in one place. If you already run your SumUp card reader through the app, adding the account requires no separate interface or login.
Card takings, invoices, and bank transfers appear in the same view. For a sole trader running a single operation, that consolidation removes switching between apps.
Web and Desktop Access
SumUp is a mobile-first product, built around its app. If you do most of your bookkeeping at a desk and rely on a full browser dashboard or multi-screen reconciliation, that’s a genuine limitation to weigh against an account like Tide or Starling.
Ease of Day-to-Day Account Management
If your business is already embedded in the SumUp ecosystem, day-to-day management is straightforward: one app for card payments, invoicing, and banking. No separate login, no reconciliation between systems.
If you don’t use SumUp readers, the app is a basic current account interface competing against Starling and Mettle, both of which have more mature banking-focused app experiences.
Customer Reviews and Reputation
What Customers Like
If you check Trustpilot, SumUp’s broader rating covers the card reader and payments service, not the business account specifically. Positive reviews consistently cite ease of setup, card reader reliability, and the simplicity of getting started with in-person payments.
If you already use SumUp readers, the account extension is well-regarded for removing a step between taking card payments and accessing funds. Check current app store reviews for in-app support quality specific to the banking product.
Common Complaints
We could not find a verified Trustpilot rating for the SumUp Business Account separate from the payment processing service at the time of this review. The two products share a review profile that makes it difficult to isolate banking-specific feedback.
If you need to query a banking issue rather than a card reader issue, confirm the same support team handles both. SumUp has operated since 2011 as a payment provider; the business account is more recent. Check recent app store reviews for banking support quality.
Customer Support and Service
Support Channels and Availability
SumUp offers in-app, email, and phone support.
If you need to resolve a payment hold or account query quickly, verify whether banking queries go to the same team handling card reader issues. Support quality for the banking product may differ from the payment processing service.
Help Centre and Self-Service Resources
If you need self-service, SumUp maintains a help centre covering both payment processing and account management. For straightforward banking queries, the help centre covers common tasks.
Security, Regulation and FSCS Protection
Regulation and Authorisation
SumUp Payments Limited is authorised by the FCA as an electronic money institution (FCA reference 900700). We confirmed this from the FCA register in April 2026.
As an e-money institution, SumUp puts you in a different regulatory class from customers of fully licensed banks like Starling, Monzo, and NatWest-backed Mettle. The practical consequence: your funds are not covered by the statutory FSCS deposit guarantee.
FSCS Protection or Safeguarding
You are not FSCS-protected with SumUp. Your funds are safeguarded: held in ring-fenced accounts separate from SumUp’s own business assets under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011.
They cannot be used to pay SumUp’s creditors if the company becomes insolvent. This is contractual protection, not the statutory £120,000 FSCS deposit guarantee.
If your balance routinely stays under £5,000, the protection gap is small in practice. If you hold £20,000 or more, the absence of the FSCS guarantee is a meaningful consideration. Starling and Mettle both carry FSCS protection at no monthly cost.
If you routinely hold significant working capital in the account, weigh this safeguarding model against an FSCS-protected bank such as Starling or Mettle, where eligible deposits carry the statutory government-backed guarantee.
Security Features
As an FCA-authorised e-money institution, SumUp operates under FCA security and operational requirements that protect you.
SumUp publishes little detail on in-app security features such as two-factor authentication, card freezing, and transaction alerts, so treat the specifics as unconfirmed if those controls are central to your decision.
Who SumUp Business Account Is Best For
Best Use Cases
SumUp suits you if your business takes card payments through a SumUp reader and you want those takings settling into the same account the next day, including weekends. A market trader closes out Saturday afternoon: takings settle Sunday morning, not Tuesday.
Zero transfer fees extend that advantage if you send supplier or payroll payments regularly. At 100 payments a month, you save £20 over Tide’s 20p model. At 50 payments, £10. There’s no monthly fee working against that saving.
If you’re a hospitality operator or mobile service business running lean on float, next-day settlement and zero banking overhead are often all the account needs to do.
When to Consider Alternatives
Consider Starling if you need FSCS protection at no monthly cost. Starling is permanently free, FSCS-protected through a full UK banking licence, and provides an overdraft subject to eligibility. No card reader integration.
Mettle is free with FreeAgent accounting software bundled at no cost. Mettle is backed by NatWest and FSCS-protected. No card reader integration, but stronger accounting tools than SumUp.
Consider Tide if you need built-in invoicing with automatic payment matching and deep accounting integrations (Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Sage). Tide charges 20p per outgoing transfer after the first five each month, and new accounts are FSCS-protected up to £120,000 via ClearBank.
SumUp Business Account vs Alternatives
SumUp vs Tide
Tide gives you five free transfers a month and then charges 20p each, with no monthly fee. SumUp charges nothing per transfer and has no monthly fee either. At 100 outgoing payments a month that is about £19 a month in SumUp’s favour, and about £9 at 50. Tide’s advantage is its accounting integrations: Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, and Sage natively.
SumUp is e-money safeguarded rather than FSCS-protected. With Tide it depends on who holds your account: balances at ClearBank are FSCS-protected up to £120,000, while accounts held with PrePay Technologies are safeguarded e-money instead. If card reader integration is your priority, SumUp wins. If invoicing and accounting integrations matter more than zero transfer fees, Tide is the better fit.
SumUp vs Starling
Starling is the stronger free account if FSCS protection matters: permanently free, deposit-protected to £120,000, and overdraft available subject to eligibility. SumUp is free with no overdraft and e-money safeguarding only. Both charge zero for domestic transfers.
If you don’t use SumUp card readers, Starling is the stronger free account: FSCS-protected, overdraft available, and a more mature banking app. SumUp’s advantage is exclusively the card reader integration.
SumUp vs Mettle
Mettle suits businesses that want accounting software bundled: FreeAgent included at no cost, FSCS-protected through NatWest. SumUp is free with card reader integration and next-day weekend settlement. Neither offers an overdraft.
If you use FreeAgent or need accounting software bundled with your banking, Mettle is the better fit. If you take in-person card payments through SumUp readers and want settlements in the same account, SumUp wins.
Final Verdict: Is SumUp Business Account Worth It?
SumUp is worth it if your business already uses SumUp card readers and you want takings, invoicing, and banking in one app at no monthly cost. The POS rate reduction and next-day weekend settlement are genuine advantages over Starling and Mettle for card-first businesses.
If you need FSCS protection, an overdraft, or deep accounting integrations, choose Starling or Mettle instead. Both will serve you better at the same zero monthly cost.
If you hold significant balances, the protection question is concrete. Hold £20,000 or more and the absence of the FSCS guarantee matters. Below £5,000, the practical gap is small.
The card reader integration is the deciding factor. With it, SumUp is the most efficient setup for card-first businesses.
Without it, you are comparing a basic free account against two better-equipped alternatives, and Starling or Mettle win at the same zero monthly cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SumUp FSCS protected?
No. SumUp Payments Limited (FCA reference 900700) is an Electronic Money Institution authorised under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011, not a licensed bank. Funds are safeguarded in ring-fenced accounts, separate from SumUp’s own assets. That money is protected if SumUp fails, but you don’t have the statutory £120,000 FSCS guarantee that applies to licensed banks. We verified this from the FCA register and SumUp’s published legal terms in April 2026. If FSCS protection is a requirement, Starling Bank or Mettle (backed by NatWest) are the alternatives at no monthly cost.
Does SumUp offer a business overdraft?
No. SumUp doesn’t offer an overdraft facility on the business account. If you need credit access alongside your business banking, Starling offers a business overdraft subject to eligibility and credit assessment.
Do I need to use SumUp card readers to open the account?
No. You can open a SumUp Business Account without using SumUp card readers. The account is free and available to any eligible sole trader or limited company. However, the main differentiators, the reduced POS rate of 1.49% (versus 1.69% without the account) and next-day settlement including weekends, only apply if you process payments through a SumUp reader. Without the reader, you’re using a basic free account with limited accounting integrations. In that case, Starling or Mettle offer stronger standalone banking at the same price.
What happens to my money if SumUp fails?
SumUp Payments Limited holds customer funds in ring-fenced safeguarding accounts under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011. These accounts are separate from SumUp’s own business assets, meaning they can’t be used to pay SumUp’s creditors if the company becomes insolvent. Funds would be returned through the insolvency process. This is a contractual protection, not a statutory government-backed guarantee. It isn’t the same as FSCS cover. We confirmed this structure from SumUp’s legal terms and the FCA register in April 2026.
What business structures can open a SumUp account?
SumUp accepts sole traders and limited companies. LLPs and standard partnerships are not accepted. We confirmed this from sumup.com in April 2026. If your business is structured as an LLP or partnership, Tide and Starling both accept those structures at no monthly cost.
How does SumUp Business Account compare to Starling?
Starling is permanently free with FSCS deposit protection and an overdraft subject to eligibility. SumUp is free with e-money safeguarding and no overdraft. Both charge zero for domestic transfers. The key difference is the card reader integration: SumUp settles card payments next day including weekends at a 1.49% POS rate. Starling offers no card reader integration. If you don’t use SumUp readers, Starling is the stronger free account on every other dimension.
How we reviewed SumUp
What we assessed. We evaluated SumUp on pricing, contract terms, features, and eligibility. These are the factors that matter most to UK small businesses considering this provider.
Data sources. SumUp’s pricing page, terms, and product docs were checked directly in April 2026. No comparison sites, no press releases, no affiliate material. FCA register cross-checked for regulatory status.
Update cadence. We re-verify this page regularly, and whenever a provider changes pricing, eligibility, or terms. The verification date on the page reflects the most recent full review. Some links on this page are affiliate links, see our editorial policy.