- Highs: Cheapest terminal with receipt printer in UK. No ongoing fees or commitment. Nice on counter, but portable too. Easy to use. Free data on inbuilt SIM.
- Lows: Bit chunky to hold. Doesn’t print refund receipts. No WiFi connectivity.
- Buy if: You want a low-cost card machine solution with receipt printer that works on a mobile network.
Buy SumUp 3G + Printer for £169 + VAT. No ongoing fees or contract. Free delivery in 5-7 working days.
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Accepted cards
When the printer-free 3G terminal is in the cradle, it becomes a chunkier, but portable, card machine with receipt printer.
You can also use the 3G reader on its own, but then it won’t be able to print receipts.
Moreover, the 3G Printer functions as a charger for the card reader battery. When the card reader is placed in the printing/charging cradle, both the terminal and printer will be charging. If the card reader is not placed in the cradle, only the printer is charging.
When not coupled with the card reader, the 3G Printer doesn’t have any other functions. It doesn’t print receipts with a wireless connection.
Costs and payouts
The SumUp 3G + Printer costs £169 + VAT through our link.
Note: If you already have a SumUp 3G card reader, you can buy the printer separately for £109 + VAT.
There is no delivery or setup fee with SumUp, so these are the only upfront costs.
| Charges | |
|---|---|
| SumUp 3G + Printer | £169 + VAT |
| Shipping | Free |
| Contractual commitment | None |
| Monthly fees | None |
| Transaction fee (any card) | 1.69% |
| Payouts in 1-3 working days | Free |
| Refunds | Before payout: Free After payout: SumUp keeps transaction fee |
| Chargebacks | £10 admin fee |
| Charges | |
|---|---|
| SumUp 3G + Printer | £169 + VAT |
| Shipping | Free |
| Contractual commitment | None |
| Monthly fees | None |
| Transaction fee (any card) | 1.69% |
| Payouts in 1-3 working days | Free |
| Refunds | Before payout: Free After payout: SumUp keeps transaction fee |
| Chargebacks | £10 admin fee |
There are no monthly fees, nor contract lock-in with SumUp. When you accept cards with SumUp 3G + Printer, you only pay a fixed rate of 1.69% per transaction regardless of card type, country of issue and brand.
SumUp automatically transfers payments to your bank account within 1-3 working days for free. Refunds are free to process if processed straight after the original transaction, but SumUp keeps the transaction fee if the refund is done after the transaction has been paid into your bank account. Chargebacks cost an £10 admin fee each.
| Tech specs | |
|---|---|
| Reader + printer dimensions | 165 (L) x 89 (W) x 72 (H) mm |
| Reader + printer weight | 550 g (185 g for card reader, 365 g for printer) |
| Display | Touchscreen, black and white, backlit |
| Keypad | Push-button, backlit (blue light) For PINs, actions and navigation |
| Connection | GPRS, EDGE, 3G |
| Bluetooth function | Connects to SumUp app only, for using mobile WiFi if 3G on card reader is failing |
| SIM card & data | Built in to card reader, unlimited free data |
| Card reader technology | EMV (chip), NFC (contactless), swipe |
| Printer battery | 800 printouts from full charge/15-secs intervals, lasting an average 72 hrs/max. 2600 hrs |
| Card reader battery | 50 transactions from full charge, standby up to 23 hrs |
| Receipt paper | 57 mm (width) x 30 mm (diameter) thermal paper, paper length per roll: about 10 m |
| Accessories included | SumUp 3G card reader, SumUp 3G Printer, USB-C charging cable, UK power plug, 3 receipt rolls, ‘accepted cards’ decals |
| Tech specs | |
|---|---|
| Reader + printer dimensions | 165 (L) x 89 (W) x 72 (H) mm |
| Reader + printer weight | 550 g (185 g for card reader, 365 g for printer) |
| Display | Touchscreen, black and white, backlit |
| Keypad | Push-button, backlit (blue light), for PINs, actions and navigation |
| Connection | GPRS, EDGE, 3G |
| Bluetooth function | Connects to SumUp app only, for using mobile WiFi if 3G on card reader is failing |
| SIM card & data | Built in to card reader, unlimited free data |
| Card reader technology | EMV (chip), NFC (contactless), swipe |
| Printer battery | 800 printouts from full charge/15-secs intervals, lasting an average 72 hrs/max. 2600 hrs |
| Card reader battery | 50 transactions from full charge, standby up to 23 hrs |
| Receipt paper | 57 mm (width) x 30 mm (diameter) thermal paper, paper length per roll: about 10 m |
| Accessories included | SumUp 3G card reader, SumUp 3G Printer, USB-C charging cable, UK power plug, 3 receipt rolls, ‘accepted cards’ decals |
For the printer to work, the card reader should be ‘locked’ in and sit inside the white, rubber-feel, plastic cradle before any transaction if you want to print a receipt for it. If it is even a little loose, the printer won’t work properly, so it’s best not to keep taking it in and out in case you have to fiddle to reestablish the connection.
Photo: Emmanuel Charpentier (EC), Mobile Transaction
SumUp 3G terminal next to SumUp 3G printer when taken apart.
The SumUp 3G + Printer accepts chip cards in the bottom slot, contactless taps over the display, but magnetic stripe cards can only be swiped in the top card reader slot while outside the cradle (receipts for swipe payments can be printed through sales history after the transaction).
Photo: EC, Mobile Transaction
The card reader release button and charging socket are at the bottom of the printer.
The cradle has two black rubber strips underneath to keep it firmly in one spot of a table. Although the device looks like a stationary terminal, the SumUp 3G Printer is wireless and made to used as a handheld terminal (but it is admittedly chunky, so it may feel natural to use it with two hands).
Photo: Emily Sorensen (ES), Mobile Transaction
The SumUp 3G Printer can be held in a hand or two.
The display is touchscreen, prompting you to tap the letter, symbols or numbers of your SumUp user login, or contact details for e-receipts. Otherwise, you can use the push-buttons for most menu options. The buttons are backlit with blue light so you don’t struggle to see the keys in the dark. There are also green blinking lights above the display to indicate whether it is on standby or fully charged when plugged in.
The card reader is made of matt plastic, is very light, pocket-sized and can be used separately as a terminal without printing capability.
It has a built-in SIM card with unlimited, free data to connect with the local 3G, GPRS or EDGE network for card processing.
If there is no mobile connectivity, but there is WiFi, you can connect the 3G Terminal via Bluetooth with the SumUp app on your phone or tablet, using your mobile device as a WiFi hotspot.
The SumUp 3G Printer package comes with a three-pinned UK wall plug and USB-C cable that can be used together for charging the 3G Terminal and Printer.
Photo: ES, Mobile Transaction
The SumUp 3G reader is small and lightweight on its own.
The printing cradle is also a charging cradle, so the card reader will be charged when placed inside the cradle.
The terminal has very few features – it’s basically just for entering an amount, processing the card, printing a receipt and refunding payments. Consequently, the main menu only gives two options: 1) Sales history, and 2) Settings.
Photo: ES, Mobile Transaction
SumUp 3G main menu.
Photo: ES, Mobile Transaction
Sales history on SumUp 3G + Printer.
The ‘Sales history’ option lists your recent transactions. When you pick a transaction, you see the transaction status, (successful, failed, refunded, payout status), date, time, amount, last digits of card number, and transaction ID. Under each transaction, you can choose to see or reprint the receipt.
You can make full or partial refunds by picking the transaction and scrolling to ‘Refund transaction’.
‘Settings’ leads you to another small menu that includes:
- Printer – choose to auto-print receipts or manually select receipt option (print, no receipt, SMS, email) after transactions
- Change language – choose between most European languages for the card reader display
- Software information – shows software details
- Connection type – choose cellular (3G) or Bluetooth (for connection with SumUp app)
- Logout – log out of your SumUp user account (in the backend, you can create several staff accounts)
Photo: ES, Mobile Transaction
SumUp 3G settings menu.
Photo: ES, Mobile Transaction
Password entry can be fiddly with big fingers.
After some time of inactivity, the card reader goes on standby. You can manually switch it to standby by pushing the power button quickly, or off completely with a long push of the power button.
The default screen when you turn it back on is the “Please enter amount” screen where you enter the transaction amount and proceed to accept the card payment. It may take more than a few seconds to connect with a cellular network if the local connection isn’t strong, or you have switched it on for the first time in a while.
The SumUp 3G reader with printer cannot be integrated with any other point of sale (POS) equipment. It is intended to be used on its own, but it is possible to use it in conjunction with SumUp app’s features. That said, the SumUp payment app is primarily intended for the SumUp Air reader.
Want more POS features? SumUp Air reader works with a free till app
If you have several SumUp devices (SumUp Air or SumUp 3G card reader) registered in the same SumUp account, all transactions will be shown in the SumUp dashboard.
- Your business name and address
- Transaction and terminal ID
- Receipt number
- Card details (card brand, last four card number digits, method)
- Time of sale
- Transaction amount
- Statement in tiny writing: “I agree to pay the above total amount according to the card issuer agreement”
- Authorisation details
- Statement in bigger writing: “Please retain for your records”
- Bottom: SumUp logo and small text about SumUp
Photo: ES, Mobile Transaction
SumUp 3G Printer receipt example.
Since it does not show itemised products, but rather a total amount, it is a small receipt size. You cannot customise the details on the receipt except for business information like address and company name. Changing those details requires contacting SumUp with the request, since it has to be verified in the system.
If you forgot to the attach the printer part to the card reader before getting to the printing stage, you can just finalise the transaction and attach the printer. Then go to the main menu and pick ‘Sales history’, the transaction, and whether to send or print the receipt.
Photo: ES, Mobile Transaction
Receipts are printed from the back of the printing/charging cradle.
When separated from the printer, the card reader will only offer to send a receipt digitally via text or email following the transaction.
We tried to print a receipt for refunds, but found it only prints the receipt for the original transaction, so you can’t provide a paper proof for refunds.
Receipt rolls are easily changed at the back of the printer – just pull out the receipt roll compartment, take out the old roll and insert the new roll with a bit of paper sticking out. Shut the compartment, rip off excess paper – and off you print. No ink is required, since it uses thermal paper (via heat-based technology).
Photo: EC, Mobile Transaction
Receipt paper rolls are changed at the back of the SumUp 3G Printer.
You can’t currently purchase receipt rolls in the SumUp Shop, so you have to order them elsewhere online.