Which Is Better for Small UK Businesses?
The deciding question is how much you take in a typical month, and how steady it is. Run a market stall or a quiet salon and SumUp is the obvious start, because a £25 reader and no monthly fee mean you pay only when a card taps.
That matters most in a flat month. If your February runs to a few sales a day, SumUp takes its slice of each one and nothing more, so your cash flow carries no fixed cost while trade is thin.
Dojo now charges a 1.2% blended rate on all cards below £100k turnover, cheaper per pound than SumUp’s 1.69%. But it adds a £0.05 per-authorisation fee and a separately-priced terminal, and locks you into a 12-month term.
So there is no single break-even. Dojo wins the rate; SumUp wins on no commitment, an owned reader and no per-sale fee. We would model your own volume and average transaction value first.
SumUp vs Dojo Fees and Charges
Card Transaction Fees
SumUp charges a flat 1.69% on every in-person card, Amex included, dropping to 0.99% if you take its £19/month plan. There is nothing to negotiate, and no nasty surprise when a customer pays on a premium card.
Dojo now charges 1.2% blended on all cards below £100k annual turnover (custom above), plus a £0.05 per-authorisation fee, and the old £39.99 Fix Plan no longer exists. We took both rates straight from the providers’ own pages rather than an aggregator.
Monthly, Setup and Contract Costs
SumUp has no monthly fee on its base tier and sells the reader outright from £25. Stop trading for a month and you owe nothing.
Dojo’s software is free on Essential (Plus is £11.99/month), but hardware is separate: buy from £149 or rent at £15 to £25 a month, and the 12-month term runs whether you trade or not.
To ease the switch it covers up to £3,000 of a rival’s exit fees. That tells you exactly who Dojo is chasing, and it isn’t the weekend market trader.
Other Fees to Watch
SumUp’s weak spot is online, where it charges 2.50% on payment links and invoices, well above its in-person rate. Sell a few hundred pounds of stock through a link each month and that gap quietly eats the saving you made at the counter.
Dojo adds a £0.05 fee per authorisation, which quietly mounts up if you take lots of small payments. You can buy the terminal outright now, or rent it, so the kit can be yours.
Fee Verdict: Who Costs Less
On the rate, Dojo’s 1.2% beats SumUp’s 1.69% at almost any volume. But add Dojo’s per-authorisation fee and hardware, and SumUp’s owned reader with no monthly fee wins for low or small-ticket trade.
SumUp’s own £19/month plan drops to 0.99%, which can undercut both once you’re busy enough to absorb the fee.
Which one wins rests on a number only you have. We would work out your real monthly volume and average transaction value before trusting either headline.
SumUp vs Dojo Payment Methods and Checkout Options
Cards, Wallets and Alternative Payment Methods
Over the counter the two are level. Chip and PIN, contactless, Apple Pay, Google Pay and American Express are all handled by both, so your customer won’t notice which machine you hold and this isn’t where the decision lives.
Checkout Experience
SumUp throws in a free online store, invoicing and payment links, which is handy if you sell beyond the counter, while Dojo keeps its eyes on fast in-person checkout and bill-splitting rather than web sales.
Methods Verdict
Mixed online and in-person trade points to SumUp, while a high-volume counter that lives at the till points to Dojo. We would split this by where your money actually changes hands.
SumUp vs Dojo Hardware, POS and In-Person Payments
Card Readers and Terminals
The split is ownership versus support: buy a SumUp reader cheaply and keep it, or rent Dojo kit that’s always covered and always current but never yours.
| SumUp | Dojo | |
|---|---|---|
| Models | Solo Lite, 4G Solo, larger terminals | Go Max, Wired, Pocket |
| Cost | £25 to £135 to buy | £149 to £239 to buy, or £15 to £25/month to rent |
| You own it? | Yes | Yes if bought, no if rented |
| Support and replacement | Buy again if it breaks | Included on rental |
| Verified 7 August 2026. | ||
POS Software and Hardware Add-ons
SumUp’s POS Lite handles stock and reporting for a small shop, and that’s about the size of its ambition.
Dojo plugs into 50-plus ePOS systems. A Friday-night restaurant splitting one bill six ways and firing the order straight to the kitchen screen is Dojo’s home ground, and SumUp never tries for it, which is why we would hand hospitality to Dojo and the market stall to SumUp.
In-Person Verdict
Want a cheap reader you own, with costs that flex with trade? SumUp. Run a busy venue that values a rented, supported terminal wired into the till, and it’s Dojo, because at that footfall the support is worth more than the ownership.
SumUp vs Dojo Online Payments and Integrations
Hosted Checkout, Payment Links and APIs
SumUp gives you a hosted store, payment links and invoicing, billed at 2.50% online. Dojo is an in-person specialist and doesn’t chase web checkout, so an online-led business is pointed straight at SumUp.
Platform Integrations
SumUp connects to Shopify, WooCommerce, Xero and QuickBooks, and its 4am Xero sync means that on the morning your VAT return is due, the figures are already sitting there. Dojo’s strength is ePOS instead: 50-plus till systems with bill-splitting built for hospitality.
Online Verdict
Selling online, or wanting your takings to reconcile on their own? SumUp wins. Wiring the till to the kitchen in a venue? Dojo. We give the web to SumUp and the floor to Dojo.
SumUp vs Dojo Payouts, Contract Terms and Account Risk
Settlement Speed and Payout Schedule
SumUp pays out next day at 7am into a free SumUp account, and slower to an outside bank. Dojo pays the next working day, with funds available from around 3pm, though weekend and bank-holiday payouts need a paid upgrade.
That gap decides how much float you need. If you take a Saturday night on Dojo without the upgrade, the money reaches you on Monday, so your cash flow has to cover Sunday’s supplier run out of last week’s takings.
Contract Length and Exit Terms
SumUp is pure pay-as-you-go, with nothing to cancel. Dojo runs a 12-month term for businesses under £1m turnover, then monthly rolling with one month’s notice, and it covers up to £3,000 of a rival’s exit fees, which makes leaving a locked-in legacy provider far less painful.
Reserves, Holds and Account Stability
A run of chargebacks or one unusually big sale can trip SumUp’s risk checks, and the money sits frozen while you explain it. Reviewers say it’s slow to put right. Dojo runs as a direct acquirer, which we rate steadier, with fewer of the abrupt algorithmic holds that hit aggregator platforms.
Neither difference is big enough to plan around, so keep a cash buffer with either. Never bet next week’s payroll on funds clearing on time.
SumUp vs Dojo Customer Reviews and Reputation
Trustpilot and Independent Review Themes
SumUp holds 4.1 out of 5 across 42,000-plus reviews. Dojo sits higher at 4.3, with real praise for UK phone support and reliable hardware.
The recurring gripe about Dojo is not the kit but the sell: pushy independent reps at sign-up, pressing for a signature on the day. We read the recent reviews, not just the score. Take the demo, then take your time.
Support Channels and Response Times
When a terminal dies mid dinner rush, you want a person on the phone, not a help article. Dojo’s UK phone support is a genuine asset there.
SumUp leans on app and online help. Fine for setup, slower the day a hold needs a human.
Reputation Verdict
We give reputation to Dojo for support and stability, with the caveat about the hard sell, while SumUp stays a trusted, no-drama name for smaller traders.
SumUp vs Dojo for Hospitality and High Street Retail
For a busy cafe or shop, Dojo is built for the shift. Next-working-day settlement keeps cash moving after a packed Saturday, ePOS bill-splitting clears a crowded table fast, and its 1.2% blended rate beats SumUp’s flat 1.69%.
SumUp can run a small cafe perfectly well, but it’s happiest with the seasonal or low-volume trader who can’t justify a fixed monthly cost, which is why we point established venues to Dojo and occasional traders to SumUp.
Downsides of SumUp and Dojo
Downsides of SumUp
SumUp’s 2.50% online rate is hard to defend. Its flat rate never falls with volume. And its risk checks can freeze an account mid-chargeback, then take their time releasing it.
Downsides of Dojo
Dojo’s £0.05 per-authorisation fee punishes small-ticket trade, hardware is priced separately, and the 12-month contract locks you in. And the sign-up sell can be pushy. Good kit, firm salespeople.
Alternatives to SumUp and Dojo
Need the cash the instant it taps? myPOS settles in seconds at 1.10% + 7p.
Want a free till app and a cheap owned reader? Square at 1.75% is the one to weigh.
Already bank with Tide? Its card reader drops to 0.79% + 3p on the plan. We rate each of these a better fit than SumUp or Dojo for its own particular job.
Final Verdict: SumUp or Dojo?
Choose SumUp if you trade seasonally, take modest volume, or sell a bit online. No fixed cost, a cheap owned reader, nothing to sign. For most small traders, that’s the call we would make.
Choose Dojo once your volume is steady in a busy venue.
There the 1.2% blended rate, next-working-day settlement, ePOS muscle and UK phone support earn the contract. Just hold your nerve on price with the sales team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SumUp or Dojo cheaper?
On the rate, Dojo is usually cheaper: its 1.2% blended rate (under £100k annual turnover) undercuts SumUp’s flat 1.69%. But Dojo adds a £0.05 per-authorisation fee, separate hardware and a 12-month contract, so SumUp’s owned reader and no monthly fee keep it cheaper for low or small-ticket trade. There is no single crossover turnover.
How does Dojo’s pricing work now?
Dojo dropped the Fix Plan in 2026. It now charges 1.2% blended on all cards below £100k annual turnover (custom above), plus a £0.05 per-authorisation fee. Software Essential is free (Plus is £11.99/month), and hardware is bought (from £149) or rented (£15 to £25/month) separately.
Do I own the card reader with SumUp or Dojo?
With SumUp you buy the reader outright from £25 and own it. With Dojo you can now buy the terminal (from £149) or rent it (£15 to £25 a month); rented terminals include support and are returned if you leave.
Do both accept American Express?
Yes. SumUp accepts Amex at its flat 1.69% with no surcharge. Dojo includes Amex within its 1.2% blended rate, with no separate surcharge disclosed on its public pricing page.
How fast do SumUp and Dojo pay out?
SumUp pays next day at 7am into a free SumUp account, or one to three days to an external bank. Dojo pays the next working day, with funds available from around 3pm; weekend and bank-holiday payouts need a paid upgrade.
How we compared SumUp and Dojo
Ranking criteria. We compared SumUp and Dojo on transaction fees, monthly and hardware costs, payment methods, payouts, contract terms and account risk, weighted by what matters to a UK business taking card payments.
Data sources. Every figure was checked directly against sumup.com/en-gb and dojo.tech on 7 August 2026, with the FCA register used to confirm regulatory status. No comparison-site data, no press releases, no affiliate material.
Update cadence. We re-verify this page at least monthly and whenever either provider changes pricing or terms. The verification date reflects the most recent full review. Some links on this page are affiliate links, see our editorial policy.