Our rating(4.5/5)
SumUp’s app-based card reader accepts contactless and chip payments for a fixed rate.
SumUp offers affordable, hassle-free solutions for small businesses and sole traders accepting credit and debit cards in person. Its Air card reader is a fixed-rate pay-as-you-go solution with no contract or monthly fees.
  • Highs: No monthly fees or contract lock-in. Fixed rate for all cards including Amex. Online payments available.
  • Lows: POS features limited. No evening support. No accounting integration.
  • Buy if: You need a hassle-free and affordable solution for taking card payments.

Offer for Mobile Transaction readers

Get a SumUp Air card reader for just €39. No monthly fees or contract. Affordable, flat 1.69% transaction fee. Free delivery in 3-5 days.

Mobile Transaction is an independent payments industry resource trusted by over a million small businesses annually.

We allow solution providers to offer product discounts for the benefit of our readers. These discounts do not influence our editorial content such as reviews or recommendations. Rating scores are based on full retail price. (Full policy)

Limited offer
€39
+VAT

Lowdown

Many Irish entrepreneurs are looking for alternatives to a lock-in card machine contract – and the commitment-free SumUp fits the bill exactly.

SumUp Air is one of the few app-based card readers in Ireland working via Bluetooth in conjunction with a smartphone or tablet app. The mobile device needs to be connected to the internet via WiFi, 3G or 4G and then you can take card payments anywhere through the terminal.

SumUp Air contactless card

The card reader fits in your palm – easy to hold out for paying customers.

There are no fixed monthly fees or minimum transaction volume required. Instead, SumUp is a pay-as-you-go service costing only a simple transaction fee for successful sales and the one-off cost of the card reader, which is yours to keep indefinitely.

How it works

The cloud-based processing power of SumUp App is what allows the card reader to accept payments.

The payment process itself is simple: firstly, enter the transaction amount in the SumUp App or add products from the product menu. The customer inserts their card into the reader and confirms the payment with their PIN on the card reader keypad or taps a contactless card or phone on the SumUp Air display.

When the payment has gone through, you can send an email or text receipt to the customer.

SumUp Air accepts Visa, V Pay, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club, UnionPay and Discover. Usually, you have to pay higher fees to accept the last four, but this is not the case here.

SumUp also accepts contactless cards as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Cards accepted

VisaV PayMastercardMaestroAmerican ExpressUnion PayDiners ClubDiscoverContactlessApple PayGoogle Pay

It typically takes 2–3 working days for payments to be credited to your bank account.

Alternatively, you can opt to receive transactions the next day – even on weekends – in the complimentary SumUp Card account. There is no monthly cost for this, no fees for using the card, and you get three free monthly ATM withdrawals (further withdrawals cost 2% each). Transfers to your bank account are also free.

The card can be added to your Apple Pay wallet and used in shops accepting Mastercard, whether online or in store.

Online payment options can also be accepted via payment links, invoicing and a basic online store page.

Image: SumUp

SumUp Card displayed on SumUp app on mobile phone

SumUp Card is a prepaid debit card for next-day payouts.

Predictable, simle fees

SumUp’s rate is currently 1.69% per transaction and the card terminal costs €39 + VAT through this link (with free delivery). The terminal has a 30-day-money-back guarantee from the day of purchase.

There are no monthly fees, no contractual commitment and no setup fee.

SumUp charges
SumUp Air price €39 + VAT
Shipping Free
Account creation Free
Monthly cost Free
Card reader transactions 1.69%
Cancellation fee None – no contract
Refunds Free within 2-3 days, 1.69% after
Chargebacks €10 each
Invoices, Online Store, Payment Links 1.69% per transaction
Virtual Terminal 2.95% + €0.25 per transaction
SumUp
charges
SumUp Air price €39 + VAT
Shipping Free
Account creation Free
Monthly cost Free
Card reader transactions 1.69%
Cancellation fee None – no contract
Refunds Free within 2-3 days, 1.69% after
Chargebacks €10 each
Invoices, Online Store, Payment Links 1.69% per transaction
Virtual Terminal 2.95% + €0.25 per transaction

While some merchant service providers charge for processing refunds, SumUp does not – as long as you process the refund before the transaction has settled in your bank account (i.e. within 2-3 working days). After this, the refund will cost 1.69%. Chargebacks incur an admin fee of €10.

It is also possible to accept remote payments through Invoices, Online Store Starter, Payment Links (incl. QR codes) and SumUp Virtual Terminal. The virtual terminal is subject to approval by SumUp. Transactions through the virtual terminal cost 2.95% + €0.25 each and all other remote payments are 1.69% per transaction.

SumUp’s transaction fee appears to be the best fixed rate currently available in the Irish mobile card payment market. Both Square and Elavon MobileMerchant advertise a 1.75% rate, and Elavon charges more for JCB, UnionPay, Diners Club and Amex. High-volume merchants might find better deals with a traditional card machine.

App features and reporting

The SumUp app has essential features for accepting and managing payments – and a bit more.

For example, you can add products to a product library for an easier checkout experience as you can click on these to add to the shopping cart. Alternatively, enter the sales total directly in the app when you take the payment.

If you were granted access to Payment Links, the payment methods will (apart from cash and card) show payment link, SMS link and QR code as payment options – plus SumUp Gift Cards if you have sold any for redemption. Email invoices can be sent and managed from the app by all SumUp users.

SumUp Invoices Ireland

SumUp Invoices are useful for many professionals.

Tipping can be switched on in the app, where the customer can choose the tip amount from a few suggested percentage options.

You can create multiple staff accounts in the app, defining whether they are allowed to process refunds and view all transactions in the app. If you need to have more than one person accepting card payments at a time, it is possible to link more than one card reader to the main SumUp account.

SumUp’s online dashboard provides an overview of important sales statistics. You can also access more sales data and export an entire sales history – or history of a particular day, week or month – to a CSV/Excel file.

Payout reports are automatically emailed to you for every settlement in your bank account (if this setting is switched on), listing the associated transactions.

When ready to expand your checkout features, it is possible to upgrade the software to a more feature-rich Goodtill POS system built around your requirements.

SumUp Air, 3G or Solo?

Alternatively, you can opt for the standalone SumUp Solo or SumUp 3G and Printer terminal. These come with a built-in SIM card with unlimited data for payment processing anywhere (though they also work with WiFi). None of them require a connected mobile device to function – in fact, they are meant to be independent card readers that don’t work with a point of sale app.

SumUp Air SumUp Solo
SumUp Air SumUp Solo
Price €39 + VAT €79 + VAT
Works without smartphone/tablet
Connectivity 3G, 4G, WiFi GPRS, 3G, WiFi
Size 8.4 x 8.4 x 2.3 cm 8.3 x 8.3 x 1.7 cm
Battery life 500 transactions 100 transactions
POS integrations SumUp App, Goodtill None
Receipt printing Printers available No compatible printers
SumUp Air SumUp Solo
SumUp Air SumUp Solo
€39 + VAT €79 + VAT
Works without smartphone/tablet
Connectivity
3G, 4G, WiFi GPRS, 3G, WiFi
Size
8.4 x 8.4 x 2.3 cm 8.3 x 8.3 x 1.7 cm
Battery life
500 transactions 100 transactions
POS integrations
SumUp App, Goodtill None
Receipt printing
Printers available No compatible printers

SumUp 3G and Printer consists of a SumUp 3G card reader attached to a printing-and-charging cradle. The whole thing is portable, but considerably heavier than the handheld Solo reader and more basic in its features.

Solo, on the other hand, is a touchscreen terminal with built-in features like smart tipping, language settings and screen brightness settings. It looks fancier, but doesn’t work with a receipt printer (yet) like SumUp 3G does.

These standalone card machines are ideal for merchants requiring an additional, portable card terminal to function independently from a point of sale system. They also work well for on-the-go payments that do not require a phone to operate the card reader.

Compatible receipt printers

Receipts are sent by email or text message, but paper receipts can be printed through compatible Bluetooth printers purchased in addition to SumUp Air.

Compatible options are Bixolon R200IIiK/BEGE and SPP-R210iK and Star Micronics SM-L200. They connect to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth and cost between €210-€330 + VAT.

SumUp with Bixolon receipt printer

SumUp Air with app and Bixolon SPP-R210i receipt printer.

If you’re using the card reader with an iPhone or iPad, the MFi version of the Bixolon SPP-R200II is a great choice. It is a rugged, yet lightweight (at 236 grams), portable printer that can either be fixed to a belt or slid into a bag.

It is also possible to connect the SumUp App to printers using AirPrint (iOS) and Google Cloud Print (Android).

Of course, if you need receipt printing and not the SumUp App, you can opt for the SumUp 3G and Printer set for €129 + VAT.

Photo: Emmanuel Charpentier, Mobile Transaction

SumUp 3G card reader and printer

SumUp 3G and Printer card terminal.

What about customer service?

To contact customer support, messaging chat is encouraged, but you can phone them between 8am and 7pm on weekdays and 8am-5pm on weekends, or email any time. The support team is unavailable in the evening past opening hours. The helpline is generally responsive, but non-urgent email queries can take a few days for a response.

The online Support Centre answers the majority of user questions. Apart from that, the product is designed to be so simple to use that very little input is needed from the customer service team.

Who is SumUp suitable for?

SumUp is a great option for merchants and small businesses needing a single mobile card reader, as opposed to multiple readers and staff accounts. This could be market stalls, small shops, cafés, taxi drivers, fundraisers, tradespeople and other professionals.

For lower-volume traders and businesses, the flat rate is competitive. If monthly card sales exceed €5000, it may be worth getting a quote from a traditional terminal provider to compare. Just bear in mind the additional monthly fees, contractual lock-in and minimum transaction volumes that other providers often require.

SumUp is for registered businesses and sole traders only, meaning only bank accounts in your business, sole trader or organisation’s name are accepted.

If you’re travelling to trade shows, for example, SumUp offers the flexibility of using it abroad – as long as you’ve alerted customer service, and only if you’re going to one of the other countries SumUp operates in.

How to get started

You register for a SumUp account online through a short online form, then order the card reader which will be delivered by post within a week’s time.

As with other payment providers, SumUp performs an automatic identification, bank account and business check upon registration to be sure your details are legitimate and your business is not classed as high-risk. As a self-employed person, your bank account can be in your own name. If registering a business name, the bank account should be in your business’ name.

Photo: Emmanuel Charpentier, Mobile Transaction

SumUp Air on a charging dock

You can order an accompanying charging dock for SumUp Air, pictured here.

When you have the card reader, download the free SumUp app on your iOS or Android device and pair it with the terminal via Bluetooth (needs to be enabled on your mobile device). That’s it – when all of these things are connected, you are ready to take card payments.

Our verdict

In Ireland, SumUp is no doubt one of the leading options for mobile card payments. With Square having entered the Irish market recently, SumUp does have a bit of competition now. Then there’s Elavon MobileMerchant, which is not as cutting-edge, and Clover terminals that are not exactly cheap.

Small-business merchants will find SumUp’s simple fee structure and point-of-sale app just what they need for accepting cards in the most user-friendly way possible. The card machine is a robust piece of engineering that looks good and fits into your pocket easily. Overall, it is a very low-risk, easy payment solution for anyone who just wants to take payments without hassle.