Cash used to be how most tradespeople got paid. That is changing. More customers, particularly younger homeowners and those who have dealt with unreceipted cash payments before, prefer to pay by card or bank transfer. Some actively choose tradespeople who accept card over those who do not.
Taking card payments is easier and cheaper than most tradespeople expect. Here is how to get set up.
Why It Is Worth Doing
Accepting card payments removes friction from the payment process. A customer who has the money but does not have cash on them can pay immediately at the end of the job rather than promising to transfer it later.
It also signals professionalism. A tradesperson who takes card payments looks more established than one who only takes cash. For some customers, it is a trust signal.
And it reduces the awkward conversation about cash. Some customers feel uncomfortable with cash transactions for larger jobs. Card removes that awkwardness entirely.
The Simplest Option: SumUp or Square
For a sole trader tradesperson who wants to accept card payments with minimal fuss, SumUp and Square are the two most popular options in Ireland.
Both work in the same basic way. You download an app on your phone, order a small card reader (the device the customer taps or inserts their card into), and connect the two. When a customer pays, they tap or insert their card on the reader and the payment processes immediately.
SumUp. The card reader costs around €39 to buy outright. The transaction fee is 1.69 percent per payment. No monthly fees. No contract. Money arrives in your bank account within one to three business days.
Square. Similar model. Card reader is free or low cost. Transaction fee is around 1.75 percent. Also has no monthly fees or contracts.
For most sole trader tradespeople, SumUp or Square is all you need. There is no complicated setup, no merchant account application, no bank approval process. Order the reader, download the app, and you can accept card payments within a few days.
Bank Transfer
For larger jobs, bank transfer is often the most practical option and many customers prefer it. Include your IBAN and BIC on every invoice.
The downside of bank transfer is that payment is not immediate. You send the invoice, the customer transfers the money, and it arrives the next working day. This works fine for planned payments but is less useful for collecting payment on completion of a job.
Combining Both
A practical setup for most tradespeople: bank transfer for invoiced work and SumUp or Square for on-the-spot payment at the end of smaller jobs.
This covers most scenarios without overcomplicating things.
What About Transaction Fees?
The fees on SumUp and Square, around 1.69 to 1.75 percent, are the cost of accepting card payments. On a €500 job, the fee is about €8.50. That is a reasonable cost for the convenience and professionalism it provides.
You can build this into your pricing if you choose to. Some tradespeople add a small surcharge for card payments. Others absorb the fee as a cost of doing business. Either approach is fine, just be transparent with customers about how you handle it.
Keeping Records
Card payments through SumUp or Square generate automatic transaction records in the app. These can be exported for your accountant and serve as a clear record of income received.
This is another advantage over cash: there is an automatic digital trail that makes bookkeeping easier and reduces the risk of disputes about whether a payment was received.
Written by Maebh Collins
ACA qualified, Dundalk-based. I build websites and write SEO content for trade businesses across Ireland and the UK. If you have questions, get in touch.