# Card payments in person

> “Take card payments at my shop or market stall”. Ranked by expert consensus and what people use now; affiliate links never change the order.

For taking cards face to face, the fee on each sale matters more than any feature list, since none of these picks charges a monthly fee to start. SumUp and Zettle by PayPal suit stalls and pop-ups: buy a reader once, pay per transaction. Square goes further with appointments, an online store and one shared stock list, but it is not available in Germany or Italy. Pick by country first, then by how much you sell online too.

Last checked: 2026-10-02

## Ranking

1. **[Square](https://suiteintent.com/t/square?m=GB)**: Point of sale and payments for shops and services. · Best for: Selling at the counter and online · Free plan
2. **[SumUp](https://suiteintent.com/t/sumup?m=GB)**: Card readers and payment links for small businesses. · Best for: Taking card payments with no contract · Free plan
3. **[Zettle by PayPal](https://suiteintent.com/t/zettle?m=GB)**: PayPal's card reader and till app. · Best for: Market stalls and pop-ups with no fixed costs · Free plan

## Side by side

| Tool | Price | Ease of use (1-5) | Team size |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Square | Free plan | 5 | solo, small team, growing team |
| SumUp | Free plan | 5 | solo, small team |
| Zettle by PayPal | Free plan | 5 | solo, small team |

## Why these picks

- Prices last checked: 2026-10-02
- Ranked by expert consensus and what people use now; affiliate links never change the order.

## Head to head

- [SumUp vs Zettle: card payments at your stall](https://suiteintent.com/compare/sumup-vs-zettle)

## Rules that apply

- [Italy's corrispettivi telematici: RT and POS rules](https://suiteintent.com/compliance/corrispettivi-telematici): Selling to consumers in Italy? See who must send daily takings to the Agenzia delle Entrate, the RT or free web option, online sales and the 2026 POS link.

## Questions

### Can I take card payments on my phone without buying a reader?

SumUp lets you take tap-to-pay payments straight on your phone, so a reader becomes optional. That works well for a trader who takes a few contactless payments a day. If you serve a queue at a busy stall, a dedicated reader is quicker and keeps your phone free. Square and Zettle both sell their own readers alongside their apps.

### Is there a monthly fee for a card machine?

Square, SumUp and Zettle by PayPal all start with no monthly fee. You pay a percentage on each card sale, and with SumUp or Zettle you buy the reader once. Square adds optional paid plans for advanced features if your business grows. Check the transaction rate in your own country before you order, since that is where the cost sits.

### I already sell on PayPal online. Should I use Zettle in the shop?

Zettle is PayPal's own card reader and till app, so it fits naturally if your online sales already run through PayPal. Customers can pay by card or with a phone wallet. If you want one stock list across a web shop and the counter, Square links both, though not in Germany or Italy. SumUp also offers a free online store and payment links.

### Which card reader works in Spain, Germany and Italy?

SumUp works across Spain, Germany, France, Italy and the UK. Zettle by PayPal covers Spain, Germany, France, Italy and the UK as well. Square runs in the UK, France, Spain and the US, but not in Germany or Italy, so a stall in Munich or Milan needs one of the other two. Pick the one whose rates are lowest in your market.

### Can I send an invoice or payment link from the same app?

SumUp sends payment links and invoices from the same account you use at the counter. Square also covers invoices, plus appointments for service businesses such as salons. That helps when a customer wants to pay a deposit before visiting. Zettle focuses on face-to-face payments and a simple till.