Card machine questions, straight answers.

We’ve answered every common question about SumUp card machines below — pricing, security, delivery, refunds, compatibility and the bits that fine-print usually hides. Still can’t find what you need? Call us.

The cost of trading.

How much does a SumUp card machine cost?

SumUp card machines start at €29 for the Air (mobile, phone-paired) and go up to €149 for the Solo Printer (terminal with built-in receipt printer). All are sold outright — you own the hardware.

Are there monthly fees or contracts?

No. There are no monthly fees, no contracts and no minimum turnover. You pay a one-off price for the hardware and then 1.49% per successful transaction. That’s the entire cost structure.

Is the 1.49% transaction fee the same for every card?

Yes. The 1.49% rate applies whether the customer pays by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, contactless or chip and PIN. There are no premium-card surcharges.

Are there hidden fees?

No. There are no setup fees, no statement fees, no PCI compliance fees, no chargeback fees and no inactivity fees. The 1.49% per transaction is genuinely the only fee you’ll see.

How does that compare to traditional banks?

The average small business in Germany pays a traditional acquirer €25–€40/month in rental plus 1.6–2.75% per transaction plus statement fees. Switching to SumUp through Resay typically saves €600–€1,200 a year. We’ll quote your specific saving on a call.

Taking money in.

Which payment methods do SumUp card machines accept?

All of them: contactless cards, chip & PIN, magnetic stripe (where supported), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Garmin Pay. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro and V Pay are all accepted at the same 1.49% rate.

How fast do I receive the money?

Funds settle in your linked bank account within 1–2 business days. There are no holding periods, no minimum payout thresholds, and no payout fees — the full payment minus 1.49% lands automatically.

What's the maximum transaction value?

You can take payments up to €10,000 per transaction. Contactless without PIN is capped at €50 per tap, in line with European banking rules; higher amounts ask for a PIN or insertion.

Can I issue refunds?

Yes. Refunds are processed directly from the card machine or the SumUp app in a couple of taps. Partial and full refunds are both supported and there’s no fee to issue one.

Can I take phone or online payments?

Yes — SumUp also supports payment links, virtual terminals and online invoicing through the same account. Take card payments by SMS, email or QR code without any extra hardware.

Keeping payments safe.

Are SumUp card machines secure?

Yes. Every reader is PCI-DSS Level 1 compliant — the highest standard for payment security. Card data is encrypted end-to-end the moment it’s read and tokenised so the raw card number is never stored on the device, on your phone or in your account.

What happens if my card machine is lost or stolen?

Call us straight away and we’ll deactivate the device remotely. Because card data is never stored on the reader itself, a lost machine can’t be used to clone cards or harvest details — it’s effectively a brick once deactivated.

How are chargebacks handled?

SumUp manages the entire chargeback process for you. You’ll get a notification in the app if a customer disputes a payment and can submit evidence directly. There are no fees to defend or process a chargeback.

Is my customers' data shared with third parties?

No. Customer card data is only used to authorise the transaction and is fully GDPR-compliant. It isn’t sold, marketed against, or shared with third parties for advertising.

Shipping, returns, refunds.

How long does delivery take?

Orders placed before 3 PM CET ship the same working day. Most German addresses receive their card machine the next working day, with free tracked, signed-for delivery. EU delivery is 2–3 working days.

Do you ship outside Germany?

Yes — we ship card machines free of charge across Germany and most EU countries within 2–3 working days. For the UK, Switzerland or other international destinations, contact our sales team for a quote.

What if I change my mind?

Every card machine comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Return it within 30 days for a full refund — no restocking fee, no awkward questions. Standard 2-year manufacturer warranty applies thereafter.

What if my card machine is faulty?

All SumUp card readers carry a 2-year manufacturer warranty. If yours develops a fault inside that period, we’ll arrange a free replacement and prepaid return shipping for the original device.

Under the bonnet.

Do I need Wi-Fi to use a SumUp card machine?

Not for the Solo, Solo Lite or Solo Printer — they all have a built-in 3G SIM with free unlimited data. They’ll also use Wi-Fi if available. The SumUp Air needs a Bluetooth connection to a smartphone or tablet that has internet access.

Does it work with my existing till or POS?

SumUp readers work standalone but also integrate with many popular EPOS systems via the SumUp API or partner apps. Tell us which till you use on a call and we’ll confirm compatibility.

How long does the battery last?

The SumUp Solo runs a full trading day on one charge. The Solo Lite gives up to 8 hours. The Air manages roughly 500 payments per charge — typically a week or two of mobile work.

Can I print receipts?

The SumUp Solo Printer has an integrated thermal receipt printer. All other readers can send digital receipts by SMS, email or QR code in one tap.

Do firmware updates cost anything?

No. SumUp pushes firmware and security updates automatically and free of charge for the life of the device. You don’t manage updates — the reader handles them in the background.

Can't find your question? Ask us directly.

Our team in Leutenbach answers calls and emails the same working day — no chatbots, no scripts.