SumUp vs Stripe: Battle of the Mobile Card Readers

SumUp and Stripe are both major players in the mobile card reader and POS software space. Based on our comprehensive research, SumUp comes out as the undeniable winner. Its exceptional 4.2/5 score was awarded primarily because of its independently functioning mobile card readers and solid value for money.

If you’re not sure which one is right for your business, you can use our free comparison tool to get a customised quote from one of our trusted merchant account providers. But if you prefer to do your own research, read on to learn the key differences between SumUp and Stripe.

SumUp vs Stripe: Battle Breakdown

In most categories, SumUp defeats Stripe, with its cheaper hardware and a pay-as-you-go model that avoids flat fees. This makes it a better option for smaller businesses with higher transaction volumes.

SumUp’s standout feature is its independently functioning card readers—especially the Solo model, which doesn’t require a connected device to process payments. SumUp also has a slightly higher customer score than Stripe and a faster payout time of one to three days versus Stripe’s three-day minimum.

Stripe provides a huge range of payment services for all types of companies, specialising mostly in online payments for larger businesses. It wins out only in the customer service category, featuring 24/7 availability and omnichannel contact methods.

All of these factors contribute to SumUp’s superior score of 4.2/5 compared to Stripe’s 4/5.

Best Value

Though SumUp charges higher transaction fees than Stripe, it provides better value for money.

SumUp charges a 2.5% transaction fee for online purchases and a 1.69% transaction fee for in-person purchases. But Stripe charges 1.5% and 1.4% for the same categories – in addition to a flat fee of 20p and 10p, respectively.

For a low volume of large purchases, Stripe wins out—but the businesses that need the POS and card reader software provided by SumUp and Stripe are likely to be smaller businesses with a higher volume of smaller transactions. In that case, Stripe’s flat fee will start to rack up costs quickly.

SumUp’s cheapest physical card readers cost £39, compared to Stripe’s £49. Additionally, SumUp’s mid-tier card reader costs a modest £79 + VAT compared to Stripe’s hefty £179 + VAT.

Despite the price difference, Stripe doesn’t deliver much more overall functionality. All of its readers require pairing with some sort of POS device, whether a smartphone or POS system. But SumUp’s mid-tier reader, Solo, enables you to accept payments solely using the reader, with no external devices necessary.

Don’t get us wrong, Stripe’s overall payment-processing ecosystem is broad and complex. For larger businesses seeking a highly customizable payment solution, it’s a great choice. But when it comes to reliable mobile card readers and POS systems for small to medium-sized businesses, SumUp wins out.

Best for Features

Due to its laser focus on in-person transactions and card reading hardware, SumUp comes out on top with better features.

Stripe is a cutting-edge platform offering immense payment customization for businesses—but these features apply mostly to its online payment options, not its in-person POS system or card readers. SumUp, on the other hand, is much more feature-rich where it counts for small businesses.

Its card reader is ultra-reliable, providing around 500 transactions on a single battery charge as well as a native EPOS system. It also beats Stripe handily when it comes to integrations: 11 to 2 in favour of SumUp.

Stripe does provide a helpful automatic invoicing system, charging a transaction fee of around 0.4%-0.5% per invoice—but SumUp provides the same service, with totally free options available.

Best for Compliance

SumUp wins out in compliance as well, due to its advertised payout time of one to three days, compared with Stripe’s standard of three days minimum. Stripe does offer accelerated payout options in select countries, but usually for an additional fee.

That said, both SumUp and Stripe are fully PCI DSS-compliant, and both platforms encrypt sensitive data to guard against cyberattacks.

Best for Customer Support

Customer support is the only area where Stripe comes out as the winner. The platform offers 24/7 customer support, complete with live chat, email, and phone availability, scoring a rare 5/5.

Compare that to SumUp, which offers customer support only during working hours on weekdays and lacks live chat, which we believe should be a staple in 2024.

Alternatives to SumUp and Stripe

Square is another one of the most popular card reading solutions on the market today, and based on our research, it beats both SumUp and Stripe with an overall score of 4.8/5. Square’s card reader costs a measly £16 + VAT, and it features a native EPOS system and more integrations than its two rivals.

Zettle is another top scorer, also earning a 4.8/5. Convenience is Zettle’s strong suit, with guaranteed two-day payouts—the fastest we’ve found so far in a mobile card reader and POS system. Card readers start at £29 + VAT.

Our Methodology

We’ve been comparing all types of software for a long time, so we’ve developed a straightforward method for doing so. Here’s how it works.

We research each software and score it in five separate categories: price, features, compliance, customer support, and customer score. We also looked at other top competitors in the same space, to see how SumUp and Stripe stack within the larger market.

We found that SumUp bested Stripe in four out of five of the categories: price, features, compliance, and customer score. Stripe came out on top in the customer support category, mostly due to SumUp’s lack of 24/7 availability and a live chat feature.

And the Winner is… SumUp

While Stripe puts up a fight with solid customer support and a decent range of features, SumUp comes out as the overall winner, scoring 4.2/5 compared to Stripe’s 4/5. SumUp’s edge comes mostly from its cost-effective hardware, transaction fees without flat rates, and the unique capability of its Solo card reader to accept payments independently.

SumUp also leads in the customer score category, which really can’t be overstated—better overall customer satisfaction is one of the most important metrics there is. It also provides essential services like an EPOS system at no extra cost, a feature Stripe lacks.