Is the Tide Card Reader vs Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere 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.
Tide Card Reader vs Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere: The Basics
Tide Card Reader | Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere | |
Payment Company Name | Tide | Barclaycard |
Machine Type | Card Machine | Card Machine |
Where To Buy It? | Click Here To Buy The Tide Card Reader | Click Here To Buy The Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere |
Tide Card Reader vs Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere: Which Is Cheaper
Below we compare the cost of buying the Tide Card Reader compared to the Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere and how much each charge you to use them.
You can also see if either qualify as one of the 7 Cheapest Card Readers.
Tide Card Reader | Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere | |
Price For The Machine (excluding VAT) | £49 | £29 |
Minimum Monthly Fee | None | None |
Standard Debit Card Transaction Fee | 1.50% | 1.60% |
Standard Credit Card Transaction Fee | 1.50% | 1.60% |
Amex Card Fee | No | 1.60% |
Standard Card Not Present Fee | 1.50% | 1.60% |
Contract Required | No | Yes |
Minimum Transaction Amount | £5 | No |
How Soon Can You Get Your Money | 1-3 business days | Next Banking Day |
Tide Card Reader vs Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere Reviews
Does the Tide Card Reader or the Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere have better reviews? We compare Trustpilot, iPhone and Android app reviews below.
Tide Card Reader | Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere | |
Trustpilot Rating | 4.2 | 1.3 |
Number of Trustpilot Reviews | 18,090 | 3,158 |
iPhone App Rating | 4.8 | 1.5 |
Number of iPhone Reviews | 64,800 | 20 |
Android App Rating | 3.9 | 1.4 |
Number of Android Reviews | 16,200 | 20 |
Tide Card Reader vs Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere Accepted Cards
Both the Tide Card Reader and Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere accept standard debit and credit cards issued by Visa and Mastercard. But do they accept other card types? We compare below:
Tide Card Reader | Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere | |
Accept Visa | Yes | Yes |
Accept Mastercard | Yes | Yes |
Accept Amex | No | Yes |
Accept Apple Pay | Yes | Yes |
Accept Google Pay | Yes | Yes |
Accept Union Pay | No | Yes |
Accept JCB | No | Yes |
Accept Discover | No | Yes |
Tide Card Reader vs Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere Features
Tide Card Reader | Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere | |
Mobile Phone Required | Yes | Yes |
Built-In Printer | No | No |
Touch Screen | Yes | No |
Take Phone Payments | Yes | Yes |
Take Online Payments | Yes | Yes |
Business Bank Account Included | Yes | No |
Tide Card Reader Features

- Lightweight and compact, for taking payments on the move
- Tide app required to initiate payments
- Proof of transaction by email only
Barclaycard Smartpay Anywhere Features

- Accept cards and digital wallets, including Amex and Apple Pay
- Free FreshBooks account
- Real-time sales data
- Compatible with Android 10 and iOS 15 and above
- Comes with a USB charging cable
- 24/7 help and support
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