Dojo vs SumUp – compare card readers

Offering quick and cost-effective card payment options, we compare 2 of the UK’s most competitive card machines.

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Card payment devices are becoming an ever growing necessity for businesses around the world and if there is one thing a global pandemic taught us, it is that we are definitely living in an increasingly cashless society. In this guide, we take a look at 2 of the most popular card reader providers in the UK.

SumUp vs Dojo: provider overview

Both Dojo and SumUp are offering their customers cost-effective products with very different approaches.

SumUp is arguably one of the more well known card reader retailers on the market and, although Dojo has only been on the scene for a few years, it’s owned by payment giant PaymentSense and is slowly but surely making its way up.

In this guide, we are comparing their 2 most popular machines, the SumUp Air and the Dojo Go.

SumUp
ProductsSumUp Air, SumUp Air and Cradle, SumUp Solo, SumUp 3G and Printer
Payment methodsContactless, Chip and Pin
Alternative payment methodsQR code,Payment link
Apple PayYes
Google PayYes
ConnectivityBluetooth
Requires connection to a phone or tabletYes
Battery life500 sales on a full charge
Warranty period12 months
Dojo
ProductsDojo Go, Dojo One
Payment methodsContactless, Chip and Pin, Magnetic swipe
Alternative payment methodsPayment link
Apple PayYes
Google PayYes
ConnectivitySIM card,WiFi
Requires connection to a phone or tabletNo
Battery life10 hours

The SumUp Air vs the Dojo Go: product overview

Although both card reader providers offer other machines, the SumUp Air and the Dojo Go are the most comparable for SMEs.

SumUp Air

SumUp Air

Dojo Go

Dojo go

Compare rates and fees

Card machines feature a range of fees, use our guide for further explanations of the different charges you might come across in your research.

Depending on your business’s needs, you may feel more connected to one product over the other when it comes to contracts. SumUp is offering a one-off fee for the SumUp Air, whereas the Dojo Go will cost you a continuous monthly fee until your contract ends. Ultimately, this means that the more cost efficient machine is the SumUp Air. However, when you throw in transaction fees, Dojo is slightly more competitive (depending on the amount and type of sales).

When it comes to payout times, aka when you’ll hear the cha-ching in your business’s bank account, SumUp has a current settlement period of 1-3 days, whereas Dojo states that it will payout by 10am the next business day.

Product
OFFER
SumUp Air
Dojo Go
Product NameSumUp AirDojo Go
ContractNo contract1 month minimum
Initial cost£39£0
Monthly cost£0£20
Transaction cost1.69%1.4% + 3p
Transaction cost (card not present)2.5%1.8% + 3p
Settlement 1-3 working days1 working day
Money-back guaranteeYesNo
Money-back guarantee details30-day money-back guarantee
Chargeback cost£10£0.50

Compare features

Card machines usually come with a range of features, some of these will be the selling point for you and your business, and others you could take or leave. Use our guide to learn some of the most common features card readers come with.

So, what features can you expect with the Dojo Go and SumUp Air? When considering what payment types these readers take, there isn’t much of a difference. However, quickly jumping back to the fees and costs, depending on the payment method e.g. if the card is an Amex or a business card, you can expect to pay a higher fee with the Dojo Go.

Another thing to consider is the size difference between these two machines. The SumUp products are iconically pocket-sized and lightweight, whereas the Dojo Go is a slightly larger and heavier device. Both are great options, but if you will be taking payments on-the-go or if the device will be docked at a till really will be a deciding factor to which machine will work better for your business.

Product
OFFER
SumUp Air
Dojo Go
Product NameSumUp AirDojo Go
Networksgoogle pay iconapple pay iconamerican express iconvisa iconmastercard icongoogle pay iconapple pay iconamerican express iconvisa iconmastercard icon
ConnectivityBluetoothSIM card, WiFi
Payment methodsContactless, Chip and PinContactless, Chip and Pin, Magnetic swipe
Alternative payment methodsQR code, Payment linkPayment link
Requires connection to phone or tablet
Battery life500 sales on a full charge10 hours
Printer attached
Add ons
  • Dojo Go stand

Bottom line

So, bottom line, which payment machine comes out on top? As always, it really does depend on what you will be using the reader for and both SumUp and Dojo offer products on the different ends of the spectrum. To compare all the products in full, you can use our table below.

Compare the SumUp and Dojo range

Name Product UKCCF-CRE Initial cost Monthly cost Transaction cost Contract Networks Key benefits Link
SumUp Virtual Terminal
Subject to status
£0
Subject to status
visa iconmastercard icon
Go to site
View details
OFFER
SumUp Solo
£79
£0
1.69%
google pay iconapple pay iconamerican express iconvisa iconmastercard icon
When you buy a SumUp card reader with a SumUp business account, get reduced transaction fees from 1.69% to 1.49%.
Go to site
View details
OFFER
SumUp Air
£39
£0
1.69%
google pay iconapple pay iconamerican express iconvisa iconmastercard icon
When you buy a SumUp card reader with a SumUp business account, get reduced transaction fees from 1.69% to 1.49%.
Go to site
View details
Dojo Pocket
Subject to status
Subject to status
Subject to status
american express iconvisa iconmastercard icon
Read review
View details
Dojo Go
£0
£20
1.4% + 3p
1 month minimum
google pay iconapple pay iconamerican express iconvisa iconmastercard icon
Read review
View details
SumUp Tap to Pay on iPhone
£0
£0
1.69%
visa iconmastercard icon
Read review
View details
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Table: sorted by transaction cost, promoted deals first
We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
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Emily Herring is a Publisher at Finder specialising in credit-based products including credit cards and business and personal loans. Emily has recently joined the Investments team. She has a Masters in Creative Writing & Publishing and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication & Media. See full bio

Emily's expertise
Emily has written 145 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Loans & credit cards
  • Building credit
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