Best Card Machines for Charities and Fundraising Events

By Olivia Johnson - Trusted UK Business Expert

Last Updated 10th of September 2026

7 minute read

The right card machine can help your charity take more gifts with less work. We compare simple readers and purpose-built donation units, so you can choose with confidence and keep more money for your cause.

The best card machines for charities are SumUp or Square for low-cost, staffed events, CollecTin Solo for simple branded giving, Give A Little for Gift Aid and campaign tools, and GoodBox for busy, fixed or self-serve donation points.

The cheapest reader is not always the best value. Read on to compare costs, signal, battery life, Gift Aid, reports and the way each machine works at a real event.

Make Every Donation Count.

Discover the best Card Machines for Charities and Fundraising events, compare essential features, and find the right payment solution for collecting fast, secure, cashless donations.

Best Card Machines for Charities and Fundraising Events

A card machine lets a donor give by debit card, credit card, phone or smart watch. Most machines take contactless gifts. Some also take chip and PIN. The best choice depends on where you collect, who uses the device and how often you raise funds. It also helps to understand the difference between countertop, portable and mobile card machines, particularly if you collect donations in several locations.

For a small fete, fun run or cake sale, a basic reader is often enough. A volunteer types the amount into an app. The donor then taps or inserts a card. These readers cost little and have no long deal in most cases. Yet they need a charged phone, an app and a sound data link. A mobile card payment machine is usually the most practical format when volunteers move between stalls or collection points.

A charity donation terminal does more. It can show your logo, story and set gift amounts. A donor may use it alone in a church, museum, shop or hall. Some units work without a phone and can store gifts when the signal drops. They cost more, but their clear message can make giving feel safe and easy.

Here is a practical shortlist for UK charities. Prices and fees can change over time and without prior notice, so check the supplier details before you buy.

• Best low-cost pick: Square Reader. The Square Reader costs £19 plus VAT and charges 1.75% for an in-person payment made with a UK card. It takes contactless, chip and PIN, Apple Pay and Google Pay. It is a sound choice when a volunteer already has a suitable phone or tablet. Square also gives clear sales reports. This helps when an event has both gifts and sales, such as mugs, books or cakes. Our full Square Card Reader guide explains its setup, features and everyday operation in more detail.
• Best simple all-in-one reader: SumUp Solo. The Solo costs £79 before VAT and uses Wi-Fi or mobile data. Its standard reader fee is 1.69% today. There is no fixed monthly fee on the basic pay-as-you-go plan. The Solo can work without a linked phone, which cuts fuss at a busy stall. It suits a small charity that wants one neat device for events, talks and local drives. See our complete SumUp card machine guide for a closer look at the provider’s readers and payment process.
• Best for PayPal users: PayPal Reader. PayPal Point of Sale, once called Zettle, charges 1.75% for card payments. Its reader links to a phone by Bluetooth or USB-C. It takes chip and PIN, contactless and common phone wallets. The offer price starts at £29 before VAT for an eligible new business user. The normal cost for extra readers is higher. It is useful for teams that know PayPal tools or need basic item and staff reports. You can also read our detailed guide to the Zettle card machine and its portable payment features.
• Best low-cost charity terminal: CollecTin Solo. This unit is made for giving, not shop sales. The CollecTin Solo starts at £200 with a SumUp Solo reader. It has a stated 1.49% transaction fee, no monthly software fee, custom branding and no need for a phone. Donors can choose a gift amount on the unit. It is a good middle ground for a small church, trust or community group that wants a clear donation point without a large monthly bill.
• Best for Gift Aid and campaign data: Give A Little. Give A Little is charity software that can work with fixed units, portable readers, QR codes and Tap to Pay on some Android phones. It can ask for Gift Aid, a receipt and permission to stay in touch. It also lets teams test pictures, words and gift values. A 1.58% UK fee applies when its Stripe route is used, but device and use fees may also apply. This choice fits a charity that wants one view of many drives and sites.
• Best for a fixed or self-serve site: GoodBox. GoodBox makes stand-alone donation units with bright screens and branded messages. The GBx Flex has up to eight hours of battery life and can take offline gifts. The GBx Core can show a film or image and work on 4G or a wired link. Its UK fee is 1.59% plus 10p for each gift. These units suit museums, places of worship, visitor sites and busy doors where no volunteer stands by the machine.

A reader that saves £100 at the start may lose gifts if a phone drops its link. A high-end screen may not earn back its cost at one small event.

How Do You Choose the Right Charity Card Machine?

Start with the way people will give. Walk through the event as a donor. Can they see the machine? Can they tell that the money goes to your charity? Can they give in a few taps? Each extra step can slow a queue and give a person time to walk away.

Use this short check before you buy:

• Place: Will the machine sit on a desk, move through a crowd or stay outside?
• Help: Will a trained volunteer hold it, or must a donor use it alone?
• Signal: Is there safe Wi-Fi or strong mobile data at the site?
• Power: Can you plug it in, or must its battery last all day?
• Gift size: Do you need quick set sums, a free choice or chip and PIN for larger gifts?
• Records: Does your finance team need reports by event, site, device or volunteer?
• Gift Aid: Can the system ask for a valid claim or give you the data needed later?
• Safety: Can the unit be fixed down, locked or kept with a volunteer?

Test the device at the site. Run one live payment and check that it reaches the right account. Pack a spare cable and power bank.

What Will a Charity Card Machine Really Cost?

Look past the price on the box. Your true cost has five parts: hardware, payment fees, software fees, data or Wi-Fi, and staff time. Add mounts, cases, spare power packs and delivery. Ask if VAT applies and whether a lease has a minimum term.

Fees matter, but the gift value matters too. On a £10 gift, 1.69% is about 17p. A fee of 1.59% plus 10p is about 26p. That gap is small if a branded screen helps one more person give. Yet it grows across tens of thousands of gifts. Use your own number of gifts and mean gift size to compare a full year.

Gift Aid may have a far larger effect than a tiny fee cut. A charity can often claim 25p for each £1 under Gift Aid when the rules are met. A normal claim needs a donor declaration. HMRC says a valid record must include key facts about the donor and gift, and records must be kept.

There is also the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme. Eligible charities may claim 25% on contactless card gifts of £30 or less without a donor declaration, subject to the scheme rules and limits. This does not cover every card payment. Ask your finance lead or adviser which route fits each gift. Keep clear reports so a claim can be checked.

How Can You Raise More at a Fundraising Event?

A machine only takes the payment. Your message earns the gift. Put a clear outcome next to each amount: “£5 buys a warm meal” is stronger than “Choose £5”. Use facts that are true, current and easy to prove. Never use fear or pressure.

Offer three or four set amounts and one other-amount choice. Put a useful middle sum first or in the main spot. For a quick line, use one default sum and a fast tap mode. For a calm site, let people read a short story and choose. Test one change at a time, such as the picture, words or amount. Then use reports to see what worked.

Make trust easy to see. Show the charity name, number and logo. Use a neat stand and a sealed or locked mount. Tell donors that the payment is secure. Do not ask for more personal data than you need. If you ask for email or Gift Aid details, say why and give a choice.

Train volunteers to use one warm line: “You can tap here if you would like to help.” They should know how to change the sum, spot a failed gift and protect the device. They should never take a card away from its owner or ask for a PIN.

Ready to Choose a Card Machine? Pick the device that fits your site, team and donor journey, then compare its full one-year cost. Click the link below to view our recommended card machine options and find the right fit for your next charity event.

FAQ

Can a charity use a normal card reader?

Yes. A charity can use a normal reader such as SumUp, Square or PayPal Reader if the provider approves its account. A normal reader is often best for a staffed event. Make sure the account is in the right legal name and the activity meets the provider’s terms.

Which card machine is best for a small charity?

Square Reader is a strong low-cost choice when a phone or tablet is on hand. SumUp Solo is better when you want one device that can work on its own. CollecTin Solo adds charity branding and set gift values with no phone or monthly software fee.

Can card machine donations get Gift Aid?

Yes, but rules apply. A standard Gift Aid claim needs a valid donor declaration. Some systems collect those details. Eligible contactless gifts of £30 or less may fit the Small Donations Scheme without a declaration, within HMRC rules and limits.

Will a card machine work without Wi-Fi?

Some will use a SIM or a linked phone’s mobile data. Some charity units can record offline gifts and send them when service returns. Offline payments carry a risk of later failure, so check the provider’s rules and test signal at the site.

How many card machines does an event need?

Start with one device for each busy payment point, plus a spare for a large event. Think about queue time, footfall, battery life and volunteer skill. Label each device in reports so you can see which place raised the most.

Find the Right Card Machine for Your Charity.

Simplify in-person giving with reliable Card Machines for Charities and Fundraising. Explore transaction fees, portability, payment options, and event-friendly features before choosing.