It’s now easier than ever before to accept credit and debit card payments by opting for portable card readers. Contactless card readers process payments through a smartphone or tablet app, making them simple to use and much cheaper than the traditional rented card machines. An ideal product offering for a small business owner!
SumUp and iZettle are both prominent players in the mobile card payment processing market. But the question is, who comes out on top?
Don’t forget you can compare credit card processing fees via our comparison engine here and save up to 45%!
A quick look at SumUp and iZettle
SumUp was founded in 2012 and is headquartered here in the UK, in London. It’s active in 31 countries and offers a range of products to support the mobile payments industry. You can choose from two card readers, using their POS mobile app, to help you carry out transactions with ease.
iZettle has been operating since 2010 from Sweden and, impressively, was the first to develop a chip-card reader and app which meets international security requirements. It serves 12 countries and was bought by PayPal for $2.2 billion in 2018.
Both have an attractive pricing structure, but which comes out cheapest?
Pricing and fees
Let’s do a quick price comparison below:
SumUp
Monthly fees: None
Card reader cost: SumUp Air = £59 + VAT SumUp 3G = £99 + VAT £29 + VAT
Transaction fee: 1.69% 1.75%
Remote transaction fee: 2.95% + £0.25 2.5%
iZettle
Monthly fees: None
Card reader cost: £29 + VAT
Transaction fee: 1.75%
Remote transaction fee: 2.5%
As you can see, neither SumUp nor iZettle charge monthly fees, although there is the option of paying for the Pro hospitality POS app with iZettle for £39 per month. iZettle offers a much cheaper card reader so it’s up to you if you think it’s worth the investment to go for the SumUp 3G which is a standalone device so no need for a smartphone or tablet.
In terms of transaction fees, SumUp comes out slightly cheaper than iZettle for card transactions, but it’s iZettle who wins in terms of the remote transaction fee and running costs overall. As with anything, be sure to balance out the low costs against other factors that are vital to running your business.
Who has the better product offerings?
Let’s start with SumUp. They offer:
SumUp Air – a pocket size reader with a screen, magnetic strip reader, and 10-digit keypad
SumUp 3G – which has an inbuilt Sim card with unlimited data, ideal for when you’ve not got your smartphone to hand
Full POS system – comprising of a tablet, cash drawer, receipt printer and SumUp Air
Whilst a limited range, the choice between the two different card readers may be the deciding factor.
So how does iZettle compare?
Well, for starters, they have a larger range of products. These include:
iZettle Card Reader 2 – arguably one of the best card readers around
Stands – for your tablet/card reader
Cash drawer
Receipt printer – which can be easily hooked up via Bluetooth or WiFi
Store kit that functions as a full POS system
Deciding on who offers the best product range really comes down to needs of your business. If you want more options, iZettle is the way to go. However, SumUp’s two card readers may add more value to your business and their full POS system bundle works a treat.
Which is the easiest card reader to use?
Both readers accept most major debit and credit cards, as well as being able to take contactless payments from Apple Pay and Android Pay. However, SumUp is unable to take payments from JCB or Samsung Pay.
The SumUp Air is smaller than the iZettle reader and is incredibly easy to use. The battery is long-lasting too, capable of managing up to 500 transactions.
The SumUp 3G means you no longer have to connect your card reader to your mobile device. It’s self-sufficient and great if you don’t want anything too complex. However, payment processing does take slightly longer with the 3G reader as you need to key in the transaction balance manually.
The iZettle Card Reader 2 is said to be able to work 25% faster than any other available card reader on the market. It’s small in size and accepts an extensive range of payments, including JCB and Samsung Pay, unlike SumUp.
When it comes down to functionality, iZettle reigns supreme.
Which has the better POS app?
The SumUp POS app works well but it’s pretty basic. Only cards and cash can be accepted and there’s no option to add gift cards, vouchers, or split payments. There’s also no option to add a tip to a transaction – far from an ideal scenario for the hospitality industry. The reporting functionality is also fairly limited.
On the other hand, with iZettle, you’re able to add tips, process refunds, and send email invoices and receipts via the app. Your phone can be turned into a barcode scanner which is a handy addition meaning you don’t need to splurge on further kit. The reporting functionality is more extensive than SumUp and you can connect it with any existing accounting software you use.
In the long-term, iZettle could be your best bet.
How quickly are funds deposited to your bank?
Good news – both companies deposit funds quickly, with iZettle just slightly taking the lead.
Funds will be transferred into your bank /merchant account within 1 to 3 business for SumUp and 1 to 2 business days for iZettle.
Which one is safer?
There’s need to be concerned about security with either SumUp or iZettle as both comply with best practices, although iZettle goes a little further.
SumUp is PCI-DSS compliant (Payment Card Industry’s Data Security Standard) and uses both SSI (Secure Socket Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) to encrypt all data as it gets processed.
iZettle comply with highest industry standard for hardware and software security, PCI PTS 4.1 and data is comprehensively encrypted. They also have a tamper-proof card reader design so if there are any signs of tampering, the device will automatically shut down.
Which has the best Customer Support?
SumUp has an online support centre, encompassing a library of guides that should cover most issues you’re likely to come across. If you can’t find the answer to your question, they have a ticket-based email system, although this can be a little slow. Luckily, they also employ a phone line which is open on weekdays between 8am and 7pm, and between 8am and 5pm and Saturdays as standard.
Likewise, iZettle has an extensive written resource section and a ticket-based email system. Their phone lines are in operation on weekdays between 9am and 5pm. If you’re wanting further support, you can sign up for the iZettle Go PLUS membership to access phone support until 8pm on weeknights, as well as on a Saturday.
SumUp is therefore the better option here in terms of their support availability – plus they don’t charge you for this privilege.
And the overall winner is…
The good news is you can’t go too far wrong in terms of who you decide to go with. SumUp is a great choice for small businesses who are budget conscious and want the convenience of the 3G card reader. Ultimately though, iZettle comes out on top for those who are focused on growing their business, with a more advanced card reader and set-up, as well as detailed reporting capabilities.
To find out the best option for you, click here to go to our comparison engine.
