Dojo vs SumUp: attractive but very different card machine packages

The choice of card machines for small businesses is wider than ever, as contactless and chip card payments have proven indispensable. Two of the most popular options in the UK are SumUp and Dojo.

Launched by Paymentsense, Dojo offers a single package with a high-quality card terminal, payment processing and useful extras. SumUp, in contrast, offers several cheaper card machines, more business tools and multichannel sales features.

Both are great solutions, but let us compare the card machines, costs, software and service for a better idea of which is better for your business.

Compare Dojo and SumUp:

Card machines

Dojo's and SumUp's main offering is their card machine range, each with three options.

Dojo:

• Dojo Go: PAX A920 smart POS terminal with touchscreen and receipt printer
• Dojo Pocket: Portable, smartphone-like terminal (no receipt printer)
• Dojo Wired: Stationary card machine with push-buttons

SumUp:

• SumUp Air: Requires a mobile device connection via Bluetooth
• SumUp Solo: Pocket-sized, with or without a receipt printer
• SumUp Terminal: Mobile, with POS features and receipt printer

SumUp Air: the only card reader dependent on a mobile device

Let's begin with SumUp Air, the longest-standing and cheapest model of them all. Via Bluetooth, it connects with an app that acts as a POS system on your iPhone, iPad or Android device – the card reader does not work on its own. It's ideal for mobile use, but can be purchased with a holder for a till point.

It has a long battery life (500 transactions from full charge) since it only powers up when the merchant selects 'card' as the payment method for a transaction. The card reader can then accept a contactless payment or chip card with a PIN code entered on its glass-covered PIN pad.

Photo: Emily Sorensen (ES), Mobile Transaction

SumUp Air sits nicely in my hand.

Photo: ES, Mobile Transaction

SumUp Solo is a similar size to Air.

Mobile and portable card machines: very different ranges

As for the independent, mobile (with 4G) and portable (with WiFi) payment terminals, the companies offer very different models. For a start, SumUp's are unique designs, whereas Dojo puts their brand name on industry-established terminals by PAX.

SumUp Solo vs Terminal

SumUp Solo is a small, square-shaped terminal that fits in your pocket. Instead of buttons, it has a touchscreen with simple software for adding an amount and accepting chip and contactless payments. A virtual PIN pad is displayed on the screen when required.

"SumUp Solo is one of the most unique card readers I've tested – but also the most frustrating at times. It forced some updates at inconvenient times and the battery didn't last that long, but the latest version has apparently improved."

– Emily Sorensen, Senior Editor, Mobile Transaction

You can buy it with a receipt printer that also acts as a power bank for the card reader.

Photo: Emmanuel Charpentier, Mobile Transaction

SumUp Solo next to its receipt printer attachment.

The Solo terminal can accept tips, process refunds, send email or text receipts and change the display language. It is not for any other functions, just card or mobile wallet payments without an inventory library, cash acceptance or other till functions.

Because it works independently, Solo's battery life was shorter at about 100 transactions from a full charge when we tested it. It has since improved so it lasts longer, especially if you get the printer package and make use of its power bank capabilities.

Photo: ES, Mobile Transaction

SumUp Terminal has a product library and other useful POS features that Dojo's card machines don't have.

SumUp's latest card machine, Terminal, is a big upgrade from Solo, as it has point of sale features and online payment options built in. It looks a bit like Dojo Go, but has a flatter body and no holder for a countertop.

We especially like that Terminal's software includes SumUp's online payments options, such as the online store builder (yes, you can build it on the terminal!), invoices, a virtual terminal and an online business account.

Both terminals come with a free SIM card with unlimited data for 4G, if not using WiFi.

Dojo Go vs Pocket

Dojo's main card machine, Dojo Go, is the size of a traditional terminal and comes with a countertop base. It is the most sophisticated of the company's options with its receipt printer, 5″ HD touchscreen, mobile connectivity and 10-hour battery life.

Photo: ES, Mobile Transaction

Dojo Go terminal in its countertop holder.

That said, Dojo's payment software installed on the terminal is very basic. It only lets you enter an amount and description to create a transaction, and receipts can be sent digitally or printed by the terminal. Sales can be monitored remotely from your smartphone in the Dojo app.

Dojo Go also integrates with over 600 point of sale (POS) systems, making it suitable for stationary till points. Otherwise, it works through WiFi or 4G with its inbuilt SIM card, ideal on the go or portably for table service around your premises.

The smaller card machine, Dojo Pocket, is only for table-side payments and similar uses, and may only be offered to merchants with Dojo Go.

Pocket does have a handy size – it looks and feels a bit like a smartphone, which means it doesn't have a receipt printer.

Want a stationary card machine with push-buttons? Only Dojo has this

If you're just taking payments at a fixed till point, Dojo Wired could be cheaper for your budget. We also like the fact it has push-buttons, which some users find more accessible than flat touchscreen terminals with only visual cues.

Costs: monthly fees vs pay-as-you-go

Pricing and type of contract are things you should consider carefully, as they differ quite a bit between the providers.

No contract or monthly fee required with SumUp

SumUp's card machines are purchased upfront so you own them without a contract.

You get a 30-day money back guarantee, year's product warranty and free shipping with that. The card readers cost between £22.50–£152.08 + VAT (offers here) depending on the model.

Then there's only a pay-as-you-go rate of 1.69% per card machine transaction.

For a monthly fee of £19 (Payments Plus subscription), the rate is only 0.99% for all card transactions including online ones. If your annual turnover is above £60,000, you can negotiate even lower, custom rates.

"If your business transacts for over £2,800 monthly, you save money with SumUp Payments Plus compared with the pay-as-you-go rate. And monthly sales above £5,000 grant you the chance of even lower fees with SumUp's custom rates. So Dojo is no longer the better choice for busy shops, necessarily."

– Emily Sorensen, Senior Editor, Mobile Transaction

Dojo has choice of plans, with at least one monthly fee required

Dojo offers a choice of plans, with fewest options for low-volume businesses.

If your annual card turnover is less than £100,000 (£8.3k monthly), you will need to:

• Pay once for the terminal (from £179 + VAT), with no ongoing rental fee
• Pay a fixed monthly fee of £39.99, covering for transactions up to £3,999 monthly (excess transactions cost 1%)
• Sign up for a 12-month contract

Businesses accepting over £100k annually in card payments can rent a card machine (from £15 + VAT monthly) and get custom fees, which includes a £10 + VAT monthly "platform fee". They also get to choose between a monthly and annual contract.

Dojo can pay up to £3,000 of exit fees for your previous card machine contract if you're stuck in one.

Transaction fees: very different approaches

On the Dojo Fix plan for low-volume businesses, it doesn't matter how few transactions you accept – the monthly fee for transactions will always be a minimum £39.99. Essentially, it replaces Dojo's previous minimum monthly service charge of £24.95.

This makes it pricey for very slow months, but cheaper than SumUp's pay-as-you-go rate if you accept over £2,366 monthly.

SumUp has no monthly minimum transaction fees, just a fixed £19 monthly subscription if you opt for a lower consumer card rate.

Dojo's custom Flex plan would have lower fees for consumer debit and credit cards (e.g. 1.4% + 5p) and higher fees for commercial cards (e.g. 1.99% + 5p), but is not transparent about rates until you sign up.

Other fees

Refunds cost 50p through Dojo, whereas SumUp retains the transaction fee if settlement has already been processed (it is free otherwise).

Chargebacks are only £10 through SumUp, about a third of what Dojo charges (£28 + VAT).

No other fees apply to SumUp. Dojo, conversely, may add miscellaneous charges such as £3.50 + VAT per month for paper bills, PCI-DSS non-compliance fees (card security standard) and an early termination charge if leaving before the end of a 12-month contract.

Basic reports, but accounting integrations possible

Both platforms offer basic sales reports downloadable from a merchant portal in a web browser. No extensive sales analytics are included.

You can monitor transactions from a Dojo app on your iPhone or Android smartphone, or sync with accounting through an integrated POS system. Dojo used to integrate directly with QuickBooks, but no longer advertises this.

SumUp similarly lets you check sales from its app, but also integrates directly with QuickBooks, Xero and Sage.

We recommend direct integration with accounting, as it can automate your VAT returns and just generally save you lots of time. The alternative is downloading sales reports from Dojo or SumUp in an Excel format, then uploading them into your accounting software.

POS integrations

A card machine can be used just to accept card payments or linked with a wider electronic point of sale (EPOS) system.

In SumUp's case, the Air card reader connects with a free SumUp App that has basic till functions for any sector. There's a product library with images, VAT rates, tipping, staff logins and cash acceptance.

The card reader also works with SumUp Point of Sale, Loyverse and a few other till systems in the UK for more complex features. Merchants get the best integration with SumUp's own POS system starting at £49 monthly, which may also get you lower rates (subject to a quote).

Photo: ES, Mobile Transaction

SumUp Air works with SumUp's own POS systems as well as others.

Dojo doesn't come with any point of sale (POS) software, just the basic payment features on the card terminal.

Instead, you can integrate with an external POS system. Dojo doesn't state which software is compatible, only that it works with over 600 different EPOS systems.

It's meant to be easy to set up – you just ask Dojo about integrations, who will explain what to do about your chosen EPOS. It is then your POS provider that can connect Dojo with their software, in some cases on-site at your location.

Online and remote payments

Today's brick-and-mortar businesses benefit from several sales channels, so online selling tools are important.

Dojo doesn't have much to offer on that front, only:

• Payment links sent from the Dojo account in a browser
• QR code payments for remote or tableside ordering
• Keyed entry for over-the-phone transactions where the customer is not present

The keyed entry option (commonly referred to as virtual terminal) may need to be activated by Dojo before you can use it.

Still, ecommerce businesses can integrate Dojo with WooCommerce, OpenCart, Adobe Commerce and PrestaShop for online payments, so merchants aren't necessarily restricted on that front.

Dojo's and SumUp's online payment tools:

SumUp has a lot more online sales tools, including:

• Payment links sent from the app or web dashboard
• QR codes for table-side ordering and touch-free till payments
• Virtual terminal in a web browser or in-app, plus keyed entry at checkout
• Email invoicing software in browser and app
• Online store builder with checkout built in

None of these have a monthly fee, only the fixed transaction fee applicable to online or keyed payments.

All the tools are easy to use and accessible in SumUp App on a mobile device or SumUp Terminal.

We think the breadth of invoicing features is impressive considering it's free to use. The online store is very basic, but created quickly from the app, which can't be said of other ecommerce solutions. Links, QR codes and the virtual terminal are simple, but do their job effectively.

Like Dojo, SumUp integrates with a few ecommerce platforms: PrestaShop, Wix and WooCommerce.

Customer support and reviews

Both platforms offer 7-day support via telephone or email, but the opening hours differ slightly.

Dojo has a phone line for account queries Monday to Sunday between 8am-6pm and a technical support line between 8am-11pm every day. After 11pm, there is no support, so if you're a pub or late-night bar, it might be an issue. They can, however, ship a terminal replacement the next working day if it's faulty.

SumUp prefers that you message or email them, as there is no phone number advertised (they may offer a number in the chat, though). You can reach support between 8am-7pm on weekdays or 8am-5pm on weekends, i.e. there's no help late at night if there's a technical hiccup.

Photo: ES, Mobile Transaction

Dojo Go on a counter at Mean & Green in London.

What do users say about the different companies? Dojo is still a relatively new company, but has managed to gain a rapid foothold among small businesses in London and beyond. The average Dojo reviews rate the company highly, often highlighting a good service and how efficiently the system works.

It's clear that Paymentsense, who's behind Dojo, has improved its service and put a lot of resources into this simple product so it just works.

In contrast, SumUp has been around for a decade and has become a common sight in cafés, market stalls and small shops. Reviews talk about it being a great product, easy to use and cheap, and its app is updated regularly to avoid bugs. That said, reviews are a mixed bag, with many talking about a poor service when issues arise.

Verdict: choice depends in part on turnover

Without doubt, SumUp and Dojo both have excellent products with fair pricing for the businesses they're geared towards.

SumUp's predictable rate without monthly fees or a contract are good if you can't foresee sales over the next year. Dojo may be cheapest between a £2.4k and £5k monthly turnover.

A lower turnover makes SumUp's pay-as-you-go rate cheaper. But is Dojo then better for those with a higher sales volume? Not necessarily, because SumUp can personalise rates above a £5k/month card turnover.

If you start with SumUp and demonstrate a high sales volume, you can negotiate down the rate. What's more, you only need to make over £2,800 monthly to save money with the low fixed rate on the SumUp Payments Plus subscription.

Still, Dojo's card machine is the best quality. It works in most situations, whether independently or coupled with your choice of EPOS, and transactions land in your bank account the very next day. There just aren't many extra sales tools, so it's really mainly about the card machine.

SumUp's card readers are comparatively cheap to buy, small and efficient, and the new Terminal competes directly with Dojo Go. What's more, SumUp integrates out-of-the-box with its own POS system, business account and online payment tools, which makes running a business easier.

If you want the best service, Dojo wins with its longer support hours, fast terminal replacement and efficient onboarding. Personal support is not SumUp's strength, but they do make an effort to update features regularly.