Is the Tide Card Reader vs Barclaycard Smartpay Touch 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.
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Tide Card Reader vs Barclaycard Smartpay Touch: The Basics
| Tide Card Reader | Barclaycard Smartpay Touch | |
| Payment Company Name | Tide | Barclaycard |
| Machine Type | Card Machine | Mobile POS |
| Where To Buy It? | Click Here To Buy The Tide Card Reader | Click Here To Buy The Barclaycard Smartpay Touch |
Tide Card Reader vs Barclaycard Smartpay Touch: Which Is Cheaper
Below we compare the cost of buying the Tide Card Reader compared to the Barclaycard Smartpay Touch and how much each charge you to use them.
You can also see if either qualify as one of the 7 Cheapest Card Readers.
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| Tide Card Reader | Barclaycard Smartpay Touch | |
| Price For The Machine (excluding VAT) | £49 | Monthly Rental Fee |
| Minimum Monthly Fee | None | £29 |
| 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 Touch Reviews
Does the Tide Card Reader or the Barclaycard Smartpay Touch have better reviews? We compare Trustpilot, iPhone and Android app reviews below.
| Tide Card Reader | Barclaycard Smartpay Touch | |
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.2 | 1.3 |
| Number of Trustpilot Reviews | 18,090 | 3,158 |
| iPhone App Rating | 4.8 | No Rating |
| Number of iPhone Reviews | 64,800 | No Reviews |
| Android App Rating | 3.9 | No Rating |
| Number of Android Reviews | 16,200 | No Reviews |
Tide Card Reader vs Barclaycard Smartpay Touch Accepted Cards
Both the Tide Card Reader and Barclaycard Smartpay Touch 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 Touch | |
| 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 Touch Features
Tide Card Reader | Barclaycard Smartpay Touch | |
| Mobile Phone Required | Yes | No |
| Built-In Printer | No | Yes |
| Touch Screen | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Touch Features
- Take payments in store or on-the-go using chip and PIN, contactless and more
- Booking tools to minimise no-shows and maximise customer numbers
- Full reporting and dashboards
- Accept digital wallets, such as Apple Pay, as well as credit cards, debit cards, and telephone payments
- Real-time insight
- Hand-held device, software package, and portal access are all included for £29 plus VAT per month
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