Square, SumUp and Shopify POS are the three card readers Canadian market vendors compare most, and for a weekend craft fair any of them will take tap, chip, Apple Pay and Google Pay. The differences that matter are the reader price, the fee on Interac debit (which many Canadian shoppers tap), whether you need a phone, and whether your online shop is already on Shopify. All prices below are CAD from each company’s Canadian pages on October 7, 2026.
For the selling side, see the holiday market vendor guide, a holiday Etsy or craft-market shop and starting an Etsy shop. Booth gear is covered in craft market booth gear.
How do Square, SumUp and Shopify POS compare in Canada?
The in-person credit card rates are close; Interac debit pricing, hardware cost, and the monthly plan are where they differ.
| Option | Best for | Pricing | In Canada | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square | Most market, craft-fair and mobile-service sellers starting out | Reader $69; 2.5% credit in person; Interac 0.75% + 7¢; no monthly fee for basic POS (source) | Canadian rates; +1.5% on cards issued outside Canada; next-business-day deposits included |
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| SumUp | Sellers who want a standalone terminal that doesn't rely on their phone | Go reader $125 (sale; regularly $249); $0 monthly; 2.50% credit; 0.90% debit (source) | Canadian pricing; Go has free unlimited 4G via a built-in SIM |
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| Shopify POS | Sellers who already run an online Shopify store | Basic $49 CAD/month; 2.6% in person; POS Pro add-on $119/month per location (source) | Canadian plans in CAD; reader hardware priced in Shopify's store |
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Prices and features from each company's own pages, checked October 7, 2026. They change often; confirm on the official site before you buy.
Which card reader is cheapest for a weekend market in Canada?
For low volume, Square usually costs least up front because the reader is $69 and there is no monthly plan for basic point of sale. SumUp’s Go costs more to buy but has no monthly fee and its own data connection. Shopify POS adds a $49 CAD monthly plan, which only makes sense when you also sell online.
Illustrative example
Assumed numbers for one market day with no tax, to show the arithmetic using the listed rates: 20 sales of $40, half on credit and half on Interac debit.
- Square: credit 10 × ($40 × 2.5%) = $10.00; debit 10 × ($40 × 0.75% + $0.07) = $3.70. Total fees about $13.70.
- SumUp: credit 10 × ($40 × 2.50%) = $10.00; debit 10 × ($40 × 0.90%) = $3.60. Total fees about $13.60.
- Shopify Basic: credit 10 × ($40 × 2.6%) = $10.40; debit fees depend on Shopify’s Interac rate in your plan (check the pricing page), plus the monthly plan.
On these assumptions the per-day fees are within a few cents of each other, so the hardware price, the monthly plan and how you like to work decide it. This is a teaching sketch, not a quote.
Who should pick Square, SumUp or Shopify POS?
| If you… | Lean toward | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Are testing your first few markets | Square Reader | $69 reader, no monthly plan for basic POS |
| Sell where your phone signal or battery is unreliable | SumUp Go | Standalone terminal with built-in 4G |
| Already sell online on Shopify | Shopify POS | Shared inventory and reporting |
| Also take bookings or invoices (detailing, lessons) | Square | Appointments and invoices in one account |
Cash still matters at many markets. Bring a float and a cash box, and a backup way to take payment if the reader fails.
What mistakes do market sellers make with card readers?
- Not testing the reader before the market. Charge a small amount to yourself the week before.
- Ignoring non-Canadian cards. Square adds 1.5% on cards issued outside Canada; tourists’ cards cost more.
- Paying for a monthly POS plan in the off-season. Pause or downgrade when markets end.
- Pricing without fees. Round prices so a 2.5% fee does not eat your margin.
- Forgetting GST/HST. Once registered, set tax in the POS so receipts show it.
Which tax rules apply to card sales at Canadian markets?
Card and cash sales are both business income for income tax, and processor fees are generally deductible business expenses. Your total sales from all channels count toward the GST/HST $30,000 small-supplier threshold. Payment processors may report sales information to tax authorities; see tax on reselling and gig apps. This is not tax advice.
Which guides sit next to the card reader comparison?
Read the holiday market vendor guide, Etsy vs Shopify and craft market booth gear. Service businesses that take payment on site can also compare Jobber vs Housecall Pro vs Square Appointments.
What are the common questions?
How much does Square charge per transaction in Canada?
Square's Canadian fee page listed 2.5% for in-person credit cards, 0.75% + 7 cents for Interac debit, 3.3% + 15 cents for manually keyed cards and 2.8% + 30 cents for online and invoice payments on October 7, 2026, with an extra 1.5% on cards issued outside Canada.
What does SumUp cost in Canada?
SumUp's Canadian page listed the Go card reader at $125 (a sale price, regularly $249) with no monthly cost, 2.50% for credit cards and 0.90% for debit cards on October 7, 2026.
Do I need Shopify to use Shopify POS?
Yes. Shopify POS runs on a Shopify plan. Basic was listed at $49 CAD a month with in-person card rates from 2.6%, and POS Pro is an extra $119 CAD a month per location.
Which card reader works without a phone?
SumUp's Go is a standalone terminal with built-in 4G connectivity, according to SumUp. Square's basic Reader pairs with a phone or tablet running the Square app.
Are card processing fees tax deductible?
Processing fees on business sales are generally deductible business expenses on Form T2125. Keep the monthly fee statements. This is general information, not tax advice.
Which sources support this guide?
The rules, rates, and platform requirements in this guide are checked against these primary sources. Retail price ranges are labelled as ranges to verify locally, and they are not quotes.
- Square fees in Canada — Square
- Square Reader (Canada) — Square
- SumUp payment processing pricing (Canada) — SumUp
- SumUp Go card reader (Canada) — SumUp
- Shopify POS pricing (Canada) — Shopify
- When to register for and start charging the GST/HST — Canada Revenue Agency