Is the SumUp Air vs Tide Card Reader Plus better for your UK small business?
We compare both machines based on real user reviews, prices and what features they each offer.
You can also find our comparison of all the best card machines here.
SumUp Air vs Tide Card Reader Plus: The Basics
SumUp Air | Tide Card Reader Plus | |
Payment Company Name | SumUp | Tide |
Machine Type | Card Machine | Mobile POS |
Where To Buy It? | Click Here To Buy The SumUp Air | Click Here To Buy The Tide Card Reader Plus |
SumUp Air vs Tide Card Reader Plus: Which Is Cheaper
Below we compare the cost of buying the SumUp Air compared to the Tide Card Reader Plus and how much each charge you to use them.
You can also see if either qualify as one of the 7 Cheapest Card Readers.
SumUp Air | Tide Card Reader Plus | |
Price For The Machine (excluding VAT) | £39 | £79 |
Minimum Monthly Fee | None | None |
Standard Debit Card Transaction Fee | 1.69% | 1.50% |
Standard Credit Card Transaction Fee | 1.69% | 1.50% |
Amex Card Fee | 1.69% | No |
Standard Card Not Present Fee | 1.69% | 1.50% |
Contract Required | Yes | No |
Minimum Transaction Amount | £1 | £5 |
How Soon Can You Get Your Money | 2-3 business days | 1-3 business days |
SumUp Air vs Tide Card Reader Plus Reviews
Does the SumUp Air or the Tide Card Reader Plus have better reviews? We compare Trustpilot, iPhone and Android app reviews below.
SumUp Air | Tide Card Reader Plus | |
Trustpilot Rating | 4 | 4.2 |
Number of Trustpilot Reviews | 14,271 | 18,090 |
iPhone App Rating | 4.7 | 4.8 |
Number of iPhone Reviews | 11,200 | 64,800 |
Android App Rating | 4.4 | 3.9 |
Number of Android Reviews | 78,100 | 16,200 |
SumUp Air vs Tide Card Reader Plus Accepted Cards
Both the SumUp Air and Tide Card Reader Plus accept standard debit and credit cards issued by Visa and Mastercard. But do they accept other card types? We compare below:
SumUp Air | Tide Card Reader Plus | |
Accept Visa | Yes | Yes |
Accept Mastercard | Yes | Yes |
Accept Amex | Yes | No |
Accept Apple Pay | Yes | Yes |
Accept Google Pay | Yes | Yes |
Accept Union Pay | Yes | No |
Accept JCB | Yes | No |
Accept Discover | Yes | No |
SumUp Air vs Tide Card Reader Plus Features
SumUp Air | Tide Card Reader Plus | |
Mobile Phone Required | Yes | No |
Built-In Printer | No | Yes |
Touch Screen | No | Yes |
Take Phone Payments | Yes | Yes |
Take Online Payments | Yes | Yes |
Business Bank Account Included | Yes | Yes |
SumUp Air Features

- Low-cost
- Portable
- Phone connection
- Long-lasting battery
- Major payment acceptance
Tide Card Reader Plus Features

- Robust and reliable, for taking frequent payments
- Lifetime FREE 4G conneInitiate payments from the device or the Tide appctivity
- Paper and email receipts
More Card Reader Comparisons
SumUp Air vs myPOS Go 2
SumUp Air vs myPOS Go Combo
SumUp Air vs myPOS Pro
SumUp Air vs Worldpay Simplicity POS
SumUp Air vs Revolut Reader