SumUp introduces Solo Lite Card Reader for UK Merchants

By Puja Sharma

Global FinTech SumUp launched its latest innovation in the UK, the Solo Lite card reader, which was made available to merchants across Europe.

Solo Lite was designed to empower small businesses and entrepreneurs with a cost-effective, portable, reliable and easy-to-use payment solution. A one-time device cost of £25, combined with a small fee per transaction, made it an accessible starter device for entrepreneurs.

Commenting on the launch, SumUp Chief Hardware Officer Tomer Sabag said that the company took pride in developing and building its technology in-house. He noted that merchant feedback was used to continuously improve products and services, ensuring SumUp consistently delivered effective tools to the market. Solo Lite, he added, benefited from over a decade of learning from merchants, reflecting SumUp’s ongoing focus on simplifying business operations for the more than four million businesses it supports globally. He said the product was developed to be both affordable and capable of serving as a day-to-day partner for merchants.

Solo Lite combined functional design with usability and supported all major payment and card types. It included the core features required to accept digital payments throughout the day, including:

• Connectivity to smartphones via Bluetooth for use on the move or in-store
• A Corning® Gorilla® glass screen and extended battery life, capable of processing over 1,000 transactions on a single charge
• Access to sales monitoring, refunds and business performance tracking through the SumUp app, including a smart tipping function
• Next-day payouts and the option to spend earnings directly via the SumUp Business Account
• A touchscreen interface enabling customers to tip directly on the reader
• A charging station designed for countertop and checkout placement to support smooth payment flows
• Third-party integrations, enabled through SumUp’s API, allowing merchants to connect the reader with software platforms across sectors

While the device was suitable for use across multiple industries, including retail and hospitality, its portability and battery life made it particularly well suited to food trucks, coffee carts, market traders and other mobile businesses.

Solo Lite was made available via the SumUp website and was scheduled to be distributed from Q2 2026 through a broad retail network, including Toolstation, Screwfix, Ryman, Currys and others.