A salon has specific payment needs that a generic card reader comparison doesn’t cover. Tipping needs to work properly — for your staff as much as your customers. You probably use booking software. And you likely have quieter periods where a chunky monthly fee hurts more than a slightly higher transaction rate.
What salons and hairdressers actually need
Tipping that works without awkwardness. The reader or its app needs to prompt the customer to add a tip before they pay. Some providers handle this cleanly; others make it a separate step that requires staff to fiddle with settings mid-checkout. The difference matters when there’s a queue.
Booking software integration. If you use Treatwell, Fresha, Vagaro, or another appointment platform, check whether your card reader can sync with it. Not all do. Some booking platforms have their own built-in payment processing that makes the question moot.
Multiple staff tracking. Busy salons with multiple chairs need to track which stylist took which payment. Some readers and apps support staff profiles; others treat the whole business as one account.
Portability. Even in a fixed salon, you’ll want to take the reader to the customer at the chair rather than having them come to a till. Wireless and Bluetooth readers handle this fine.
Reliable connectivity. Unlike a market stall, you have WiFi. Most salon readers will work fine on a standard broadband connection.
The best card readers for salons
1. Square Card Reader
Cost: Reader from £19 + VAT; Square Terminal £149 + VAT Transaction fees: 1.75% per in-person payment Settlement: 1–2 business days
Square is the strongest option for most salons, mainly because of how it handles tipping and staff management.
Tipping: the Square app lets you configure a screen that appears during checkout with suggested amounts (10%, 15%, 20%), a custom tip option, or no tip. It’s one of the cleaner tipping experiences available — the screen faces the customer, they tap, done.
Staff profiles: you can create individual accounts for each stylist, track sales separately, and run per-staff reports. Useful for commission-based pay and end-of-day reconciliation.
Appointments: Square has its own booking system (Square Appointments) that integrates natively with payments. For a small salon that doesn’t already have a booking platform, it’s a solid free option. If you use another booking platform, Square integrates with some (but not all) via Zapier or direct API.
Hardware: the small Square Reader 2 works fine for a single-chair setup. For busier salons or a more professional front-desk feel, the Square Terminal (£149 + VAT) is a standalone device with a proper screen and customer-facing display.
At a £40 cut, 1.75% works out at 70p. For a salon consistently above £3,000/month in card revenue, Square’s paid plans (from £0 to £69/month) bring the transaction rate down.
2. SumUp
Cost: Air from £39; Solo from £79 Transaction fees: 1.69% standard, or 0.99% on SumUp One (£19/month) Settlement: 1–3 business days
SumUp is slightly cheaper per transaction than Square at standard rates. The tipping function works but is less polished — it requires a separate step rather than appearing automatically in the payment flow, which can create a slightly awkward moment.
SumUp One at £19/month and 0.99% is worth considering for salons taking more than around £2,000/month in cards. The maths work out in your favour fairly quickly.
It’s a good choice for a mobile hairdresser or a sole trader who doesn’t need staff profiles or booking integration and just wants a reliable, low-cost reader.
3. Fresha
Cost: No monthly fee; reader hardware available from Fresha Transaction fees: 1.29% + 20p per transaction (2.29% + 20p for new clients via the Fresha marketplace) Settlement: Daily or weekly
Fresha is salon booking software first, payment processor second. If you want a single platform handling appointments, client records, staff rotas, stock management and card payments, it’s worth serious consideration.
The Fresha reader connects directly to the booking system, so payments reconcile automatically against appointments. No manual matching.
The catch: transaction fees are higher for “new clients” brought through the Fresha marketplace (2.29% + 20p). For existing clients booked directly, it’s 1.29% + 20p. If you’re already using Fresha for bookings, adding their reader is the path of least resistance. If you’re not, it’s a bigger commitment.
4. Zettle Reader 2 by PayPal
Cost: First reader £29 + VAT Transaction fees: 1.75% Settlement: 1–2 business days
Zettle is similar in price and capability to Square. It supports tipping and has basic staff management. If you already use PayPal for anything in your business, settlement going to your PayPal account is convenient. The app has less depth than Square’s for reporting and staff tracking, but for a simpler setup it’s perfectly capable.
5. Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere
Cost: Reader £29 + VAT Transaction fees: 1.6% per transaction Settlement: Next business day
The Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere reader has one of the lower flat-rate transaction fees available without a contract (1.6%). If your salon is past the early stages and taking consistent card revenue, that 0.15% difference over Square adds up over a year.
Tipping is supported. Settlement is next business day. The app is functional rather than feature-rich — it won’t win on booking integration or staff management, but as a payment device for a salon that manages those functions elsewhere, it does the job cheaply.
The tipping question in practice
It’s worth being specific about this because it affects your staff’s income directly.
Square, Zettle and Barclaycard all support tipping through their apps. Fresha handles it natively as part of the booking flow. SumUp supports it but requires configuration.
Before committing to any reader, test the tipping flow yourself. Some are seamless: the screen rotates to face the customer, they tap a percentage, done. Others require the staff member to enable it manually each time, which creates the kind of pause at checkout that makes both parties uncomfortable.
Booking software compatibility at a glance
| Card reader | Native booking | Treatwell | Fresha | Vagaro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square | Square Appointments | No | No | No |
| SumUp | No | No | No | No |
| Fresha | Yes (native) | No | Yes | No |
| Zettle | No | No | No | No |
| Barclaycard | No | No | No | No |
Most integrations between card readers and third-party booking platforms are handled through Zapier or manual CSV export rather than live syncing. If seamless integration matters, Fresha’s own reader or Square with Square Appointments are the cleaner options.
Our pick
For most salons: Square. The tipping flow is the best available, staff management works well, and the app is capable enough to grow with you. The Square Terminal (£149 + VAT) is the hardware to aim for once you’re past the early stage.
For mobile hairdressers or sole traders: SumUp Air. Cheaper, simpler, and the 1.69% rate is competitive. SumUp One is worth the £19/month once you’re above £2,000/month in card sales.
For salons already using Fresha: add their card reader and keep everything in one place.
See our best card readers for small businesses for the full comparison, or our guide to choosing a card reader if you’re still working out what you need.
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