Shopify POS with an External Card Terminal: How to Save on Fees
Use an external card terminal with Shopify POS and reduce fees: compare SumUp Standard, the POSBridge partner rate, and Payments Plus.
· 9 min
An external card terminal can give Shopify POS merchants more hardware freedom and reduce ongoing payment fees. The difference is particularly visible in Germany: while Shopify Payments in-person transactions are often estimated at around 1.5%, qualifying new SumUp customers receive a 1.15% partner rate through POSBridge for eligible cards.
POSBridge connects the Shopify POS cart to SumUp Solo. It sends the amount to the terminal automatically, monitors payment, and lets staff record the result in Shopify POS through a custom payment method whose name they choose.
In short: in Germany, SumUp with the POSBridge partner rate or SumUp Payments Plus can cost less than Shopify Payments POS. Your actual savings depend on your Shopify rate, card mix, turnover, and selected POSBridge plan.
What is an external card terminal in Shopify POS?
An external terminal processes the card payment outside Shopify. The payment provider – SumUp in this case – authorizes the card, collects the funds, and pays them out. Shopify POS records the sale through a custom payment method.
Without an integration, the workflow normally looks like this:
- Create the cart in Shopify POS.
- Read the final total.
- Enter the amount again on the external terminal.
- Complete the card payment.
- Select a custom payment method in Shopify POS.
- Complete the order.
POSBridge automates the error-prone third step. The app reads the Shopify POS cart and sends the amount to SumUp Solo through the SumUp Cloud API.
Does Shopify charge an additional fee for external POS terminals?
Shopify states in its documentation for custom POS payment methods that it charges no additional Shopify transaction fee for these methods. The custom method is used for tracking in Shopify; the external provider handles the funds.
This is different from an external online payment gateway. Third-party fees can apply to online gateways depending on the Shopify configuration. This article concerns in-person sales through Shopify POS with an external terminal recorded as a custom payment method.
Which costs should you compare?
A fair comparison includes three items:
- Shopify Payments POS fee: find your actual rate in Shopify Admin under Shopify Payments fees. It depends on your plan and account.
- External processor fee: SumUp fees depend on the pricing model, card type, and any partner rate.
- POSBridge plan: POSBridge starts at €4.99 per month. The plan you need depends on usage and transaction limits.
The calculations below use a sample Shopify Payments POS rate of 1.5% + €0.00 and the POSBridge starting price of €4.99 per month. Check your actual Shopify rate in Admin and choose the POSBridge plan that fits your business.
The three SumUp pricing models in Germany
1. SumUp Standard
Without a monthly subscription, SumUp currently charges 1.39% for in-person card payments in Germany. This model suits merchants who want flexibility without a monthly SumUp fee.
2. POSBridge partner rate for new SumUp customers
New SumUp accounts registered through the designated POSBridge partner link currently receive:
- 1.15% for domestic debit and credit cards within the EEA.
- 1.39% for premium, international, and business cards.
The rate is applied automatically in SumUp's backend for qualifying new registrations. Existing SumUp accounts generally retain their current terms.
3. SumUp Payments Plus
SumUp Payments Plus currently costs €19 per month and reduces the fee for common consumer cards to 0.79%. Different rates apply to American Express and certain premium cards.
Compared with the 1.15% POSBridge new-customer rate, Payments Plus becomes cheaper at approximately €5,278 in monthly card turnover: the 0.36 percentage-point difference then offsets the €19 monthly fee. The actual point depends on card mix.
Example 1: €5,000 in monthly card turnover
Assumptions: Shopify Payments POS at 1.5%, POSBridge from €4.99, and cards eligible for the respective reduced SumUp rate. Hardware, taxes, and the existing Shopify base plan are excluded because they vary by business.
Shopify Payments POS
€5,000 × 1.5% = €75.00 per month.
SumUp Standard + POSBridge
€5,000 × 1.39% + €4.99 = €74.49 per month. Saving compared with the example: €0.51 per month.
POSBridge partner rate + POSBridge
€5,000 × 1.15% + €4.99 = €62.49 per month. Saving: €12.51 per month or €150.12 per year.
SumUp Payments Plus + POSBridge
€5,000 × 0.79% + €19 + €4.99 = €63.49 per month. Saving: €11.51 per month or €138.12 per year.
In this example, the POSBridge partner rate is slightly cheaper than Payments Plus.
Example 2: €8,000 in monthly card turnover
Shopify Payments POS
€8,000 × 1.5% = €120.00 per month.
SumUp Standard + POSBridge
€8,000 × 1.39% + €4.99 = €116.19 per month. Saving: €3.81 per month.
POSBridge partner rate + POSBridge
€8,000 × 1.15% + €4.99 = €96.99 per month. Saving: €23.01 per month or €276.12 per year.
SumUp Payments Plus + POSBridge
€8,000 × 0.79% + €19 + €4.99 = €87.19 per month. Saving: €32.81 per month or €393.72 per year.
At €8,000 in monthly card turnover, Payments Plus produces the lowest total in this example.
From €10,000 in monthly card turnover: SumUp may offer individually negotiated rates. Request a personal offer instead of relying only on public pricing.
Calculate your own savings
Use this simple formula:
Shopify cost: monthly card turnover × your personal Shopify POS rate.
SumUp cost: monthly card turnover × applicable SumUp rate + SumUp monthly subscription + your actual POSBridge plan.
Saving: Shopify cost minus SumUp cost.
Use your real card mix. Premium, international, and business cards can be charged at a different rate from domestic consumer cards.
Benefits beyond payment fees
- Keep existing SumUp hardware: merchants do not necessarily need to switch to a Shopify card reader.
- Choose your pricing model: Standard, partner rate, Payments Plus, or an individually negotiated SumUp rate.
- No monthly terminal rental: SumUp Solo is generally purchased once.
- More flexibility: the in-person processor can be different from the online payment provider.
- Automatic amount transfer: POSBridge removes manual re-entry of the cart total.
How payment works with POSBridge
- Add products to the Shopify POS cart.
- Open the POSBridge tile in the Smart Grid.
- Send the amount automatically to SumUp Solo.
- Complete card payment on the terminal.
- Wait for POSBridge to confirm the successful SumUp payment.
- Select the custom payment method created earlier in Shopify POS and complete the sale.
Transparent limitation: POSBridge is not a native Shopify payment method and does not mark the order as paid by itself. Staff complete the sale through a freely named custom payment method. POSBridge automates amount transfer to SumUp Solo.
For the full technical setup, read our guide: Connect SumUp Solo to Shopify POS →
Get POSBridge as a Shopify custom app
POSBridge is not currently listed publicly on the Shopify App Store. Submit an access request on getposbridge.com. We review your store details, prepare the custom app, and send your personal installation link within 24 hours.
- Request access to POSBridge.
- Receive your personal installation link and approve Shopify access permissions.
- Choose a plan variant and complete billing through Stripe.
- Connect SumUp through OAuth and pair Solo.
- Configure the POS tile and custom payment method.
Notes for Austria, France, and Italy
Austria
Shopify Payments is available in Austria for online payments but not for in-person Shopify POS transactions. An external terminal is therefore required. New SumUp accounts through POSBridge currently receive 1.15% for eligible cards; premium, international, and business cards are charged at 1.39%. Austrian merchants must also meet RKSV requirements through a separate specialized solution.
France
The POSBridge partner rate is currently 1.60% for eligible domestic debit and credit cards within the EEA instead of the 1.75% SumUp standard rate. Premium, international, and business cards are charged at 1.75%. Because Shopify Payments POS can be cheaper depending on the plan, French merchants should compare the actual Shopify rate shown in Admin.
Italy
The POSBridge partner rate is currently 1.80% for eligible domestic debit and credit cards within the EEA instead of the 1.95% SumUp standard rate. Premium, international, and business cards are charged at 1.95%. Merchants should compare this with their actual Shopify POS rate.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Shopify POS with an external card terminal?
Yes. Add the terminal as a custom payment method in Shopify POS. The external provider processes the funds, while Shopify records the selected method on the order.
Does Shopify charge an additional transaction fee?
According to Shopify's Help Center, Shopify charges no additional fee for custom POS payment methods. This applies to recording an external terminal for in-person sales and differs from external online payment gateways.
Is SumUp with POSBridge always cheaper than Shopify Payments?
No, not in every country or pricing model. In Germany, the POSBridge new-customer rate or Payments Plus can be significantly cheaper. Compare your Shopify rate, card mix, and required POSBridge plan using the formula in this article.
Which terminal works with POSBridge?
POSBridge officially supports only SumUp Solo in Cloud API mode.
Do I still need to enter the amount on the terminal?
No. POSBridge sends the current Shopify POS cart total automatically to SumUp Solo. After payment, complete the sale in Shopify POS using your custom payment method.
Which SumUp option is cheaper at €5,000 turnover?
Under the assumptions used in this article, the POSBridge new-customer rate is slightly cheaper than Payments Plus. At approximately €5,278 in monthly card turnover, Payments Plus becomes mathematically cheaper than the partner rate, provided the payments qualify for the reduced rate.
What happens above €10,000 in monthly card turnover?
Individually negotiated SumUp rates may be available at this volume. Ask SumUp for a personal offer and compare it with Standard, partner, and Plus pricing.
Conclusion
An external card terminal is not automatically more expensive with Shopify POS. In Germany, SumUp Solo combined with the POSBridge partner rate or Payments Plus can reduce ongoing payment costs substantially. At €8,000 in monthly card turnover, the example shows potential savings of up to €393.72 per year.
You still keep the Shopify POS cart and centralized order management. POSBridge transfers the amount automatically to SumUp Solo; staff then complete the sale using their custom payment method.
Request your personal POSBridge installation link: Request access →