Merchant account providers UK
Compare Merchant Account Providers: Could Your Business Pay Less?
A low card rate is only useful if the complete bill works for your business. Compare payment providers by the cost of your usual transactions, when the money reaches your bank and what happens if you want to leave.
Start with what you want to make easier: taking payment after a job, keeping track of counter sales or seeing when your money will arrive. This guide helps you find a manageable shortlist and compare the full offer, without expecting you to become a payment specialist.
Compare merchant account quotesSome links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them. Our shortlist covers selected providers, not the whole market; suitability depends on your requirements and the offer available to you.
If the machine works well but the bill is confusing, start with the provider and account. If the machine itself is the problem, start with the reader. Separating those two decisions can save a lot of unnecessary shopping around.
Start with how you trade
Which type of merchant account provider suits your business?
If you take occasional card payments, keeping fixed costs down may matter most. Once card sales become a large part of your income, negotiated rates, reliable support and a smooth connection to your till can become more valuable. There is no single turnover figure at which every business should switch.
A practical starting point for your shortlist
Your business
Start by comparing
Check before deciding
Your businessNew business or occasional seller
Start by comparingSquare, SumUp and Tide
Check before decidingHardware cost, minimum charges and what you pay during a quiet month.
Your businessEstablished shop or service business
Start by comparingWorldpay, takepayments, Handepay and Elavon
Check before decidingA quote based on your actual statement, including fixed fees and contract terms.
Your businessBusy café, restaurant or hospitality venue
Start by comparingDojo, takepayments and Elavon
Check before decidingCompatibility with your exact till, connectivity, peak-time support and payout timing.
Your businessOnline shop or booking business
Start by comparingStripe, PayPal and an acquiring/gateway package
Check before decidingCheckout compatibility, refund costs, overseas cards and subscription requirements.
Your businessSeveral locations or complex payment needs
Start by comparingLloyds Cardnet, Worldpay, Elavon and Trust Payments
Check before decidingReporting across locations, implementation costs and who supports each part of the system.
Keep your shortlist manageable: choose two or three providers that fit how you take payments, then ask each to price the same sales volume, transaction count and equipment requirements.
Need a straightforward device first? Our small business card reader comparison focuses on simple setups. For a broader service package, use our merchant services comparison.
Merchant account, payment gateway or payment provider: what do you actually need?
The account and service behind your card payments
This is the service behind taking a card payment and getting the takings to you. With some packages, the payment account and the machine have separate agreements. Ask who supplies each part and who sends each bill.
A bundled payment service
Some providers arrange the payment service for you, so you do not have to find a separate merchant account yourself. You still need an approved account and an agreement explaining the fees and when you receive your money.
A payment gateway
A gateway passes payment information between your checkout and the payment processing services. It is particularly relevant when selling online. Some packages include it; others require a separate agreement. Buying a gateway alone does not necessarily give you everything required to accept payments.
A business bank account
Your business bank account receives your payouts and supports everyday banking. It is a different service from card processing. Having a business account with a bank does not automatically mean that bank is the best choice for your card payments.
For more detail, read our guide to merchant acquiring and payment processing companies comparison.
12 merchant account and payment providers to compare
Use these summaries to decide where to start. They describe different services, not a best-to-worst ranking. Pick the ones that cover how you get paid, then compare the equipment, full bill and help you would receive.
1 Square
Square offers payments and software for managing sales. If you want to find products on screen, check an earlier purchase or explore appointment tools, it is a useful starting point.
A cycle repair business might want to charge for a repair and a replacement part together, then find that sale if the customer calls back. Think through your own version of that job and check which app and plan covers it.
- Best for
Small shops and service businesses that want useful sales tools alongside payments.
- Why consider it
You can explore more than simply typing an amount into a reader.
- Main watch-out
Separate the free base plan from optional paid software. Check whether your overseas card mix changes the processing bill.
- Useful links
2 SumUp
SumUp offers card readers and payment plans, including devices that work without a paired phone. Start with the way you want to take payments, then choose the equipment.
For a market seller, keeping the phone free for calls while a customer pays can be a useful convenience. If you need stock or booking tools too, check the exact software rather than expecting a basic reader to do everything.
- Best for
Sole traders and small businesses keeping everyday payments straightforward.
- Why consider it
A useful option when you want to start with simple payment collection.
- Main watch-out
Compare pay as you go with any subscription using eligible card sales. A lower percentage does not automatically recover the monthly subscription.
- Useful links
3 Tide
Tide offers card readers alongside its business account services. Keeping more of your business money in one place may be convenient, but the reader still needs to be a good fit on its own.
Think about where you check your takings and how you pay suppliers. Ask how a sale appears in the account and when you can use the money. Then compare the full cost with keeping your current bank and choosing a different reader.
- Best for
Owners who already use Tide or want to consider payments alongside a business account.
- Why consider it
It may reduce the number of services you need to check during the day.
- Main watch-out
Ask which account and device you need, the current card fees, and exactly when a payment becomes available to spend or transfer.
- Useful links
4 takepayments
takepayments provides card machines and other payment services, with help choosing a setup. It is worth considering when you want to explain your business before deciding what to order.
Describe where the machine will be used, who shares it and what your busiest period looks like. You want the proposal to fit those details, with a clear explanation of what staff would do when someone is ready to pay.
- Best for
Owners who would rather discuss their equipment and payment needs with someone.
- Why consider it
You can talk through the whole setup rather than choosing from a reader price alone.
- Main watch-out
Request the full fee schedule, all contract lengths and your specific payout terms. Ask who handles terminal faults and what replacement service is included.
- Useful links
5 Worldpay
Worldpay provides services for taking card payments in different ways. Include it if you are reviewing the whole arrangement, particularly when customers pay both at the counter and remotely.
A shop selling online wants to find orders, understand payouts and handle returns without making extra work. Ask which parts of the proposed Worldpay setup connect and which tasks your team will still do separately.
- Best for
Established businesses comparing payments in person and online.
- Why consider it
A broader proposal may cover several ways your customers pay.
- Main watch-out
Check what is included and how refunds work for both counter and online sales.
- Useful links
6 Dojo
Dojo offers payment devices and connections to supported till systems. It is worth looking at when retyping amounts or carrying a machine between customers is making service harder.
Try a sale where the amount changes before payment, then a refund. If staff need to carry the machine, test that too. The useful question is whether your exact till and device make these jobs easier.
- Best for
Busy venues that want payments to work smoothly with the till.
- Why consider it
A suitable till connection can cut repeated typing and help staff serve customers.
- Main watch-out
Confirm the exact till connection, equipment charges and when your bank receives the takings.
- Useful links
7 Elavon
Elavon provides card-payment services and equipment options. Consider it when you want to review how payments fit around your shop, venue or online sales.
Ask to see the jobs you repeat most often: a sale, a refund and the report showing the money due to your bank. A broader service is valuable when it makes those tasks easier, not just when it has a longer product list.
- Best for
Businesses comparing a complete payment service for the counter and beyond.
- Why consider it
It gives you another complete service to compare against simpler reader options.
- Main watch-out
Ask whether the proposed gateway, terminal and till integration are all covered by one agreement. Check the process for refunds across your sales channels.
- Useful links
8 Handepay
Handepay offers card-payment services for businesses. It is a useful second conversation if you want to compare equipment, help and charges together.
Take a recent statement and explain what annoys you about the current setup. Perhaps the machine is awkward to share or the bill is hard to follow. Ask the proposal to address that problem as well as any potential saving.
- Best for
Owners seeking another quote for regular card payments.
- Why consider it
You can compare a proposal based on the business you actually run.
- Main watch-out
Check the calculation behind any saving, the minimum term and which existing exit costs remain your responsibility.
- Useful links
9 Lloyds Bank Cardnet
Lloyds Cardnet offers card readers and online or telephone payment options. The familiar name may appeal, but choose the equipment around where your customers pay.
A fixed collection desk and a large showroom may need different equipment. Ask to see the screen, receipts and daily sales record, then compare the full bill with a second provider.
- Best for
Shops and service businesses comparing a bank-branded payment package.
- Why consider it
A choice of payment options from a familiar banking provider.
- Main watch-out
Ask about eligibility, equipment, online payments and the account your funds will settle into. Compare the total proposal even if you already bank with Lloyds.
- Useful links
10 Stripe
Stripe offers online payment tools, including ways to take payment without building a completely custom checkout. Start with what your website or booking process needs.
A photographer collecting booking deposits needs something different from a website selling hundreds of products. Ask who connects the service and how you can match the payment to the customer or order.
- Best for
Businesses mainly choosing how customers will pay online.
- Why consider it
You can compare the online payment arrangement separately from the card machine.
- Main watch-out
Include platform, billing, currency conversion and development costs where relevant. Check how refunds and disputes affect the amount you retain.
- Useful links
11 PayPal
PayPal has online payment products as well as PayPal Point of Sale, formerly Zettle, for in-person sales. Be clear which service you need before comparing fees.
A customer paying through a website is a different purchase from a reader for your counter. Check how the chosen product fits your account and how you get the money into the bank you use for bills.
- Best for
Owners considering a familiar online payment option or a separate in-person POS setup.
- Why consider it
It offers another route for the way your customers prefer to pay.
- Main watch-out
Fees can vary by payment product and transaction type. Model the service you will actually use instead of assuming all PayPal payments share one rate.
- Useful links
12 Trust Payments
Trust Payments provides payment services that may suit a more involved setup. It is worth discussing when you have a specific requirement that a simple reader does not cover.
Explain the problem before discussing the technology. You may want online and counter sales to be easier to follow. Ask which jobs the proposed setup combines, who puts it together and what you would still do by hand.
- Best for
Businesses needing a particular website or payment-system connection.
- Why consider it
A broader service may address a particular gap in your current setup.
- Main watch-out
Ask who will set it up, how much the complete service costs and whether it supports your business before signing.
- Useful links
Already taking cards? Put your current bill to work.
Have a recent processing statement ready when you speak to providers. It makes it easier to compare your existing costs with a proposal for the same sales and transaction mix.
Compare quotes for your businessCompare the complete bill
What does a merchant account really cost?
Think of the bill in three parts: what you pay when a customer buys something, what you pay each month and what it costs to get started. A few pence on every sale adds up in a coffee shop. A monthly charge feels bigger when a seasonal business is quiet. Include the machine and any work needed to connect it to your till.
As a published benchmark, Square lists a standard UK in person fee of 1.75%, with an additional 1.5% for non-UK cards. SumUp lists 1.69% for standard pay as you go in person transactions, with a separate zero-fee exception for payments using a SumUp card. These are different providers' published terms, not quotes for a dedicated merchant account or a guarantee of the cheapest option.
Pricing references checked 9 September 2026: Square pricing and SumUp pricing. Hardware, optional software and other services may cost extra. Online, manually entered and other transaction types can have different rates.
Charges to include in every quote
Cost
What to ask
CostProcessing percentage
What to askWhich rates apply to UK consumer debit, credit, business and overseas cards?
CostFixed transaction charges
What to askIs there a pence charge for each payment or authorisation?
CostRecurring charges
What to askWhat do I pay for the terminal, gateway, software, PCI services and account each month?
CostMinimum charges
What to askWill I pay a minimum processing amount even during a quiet month?
CostRefunds and disputes
What to askAre original processing fees returned, and what additional fees apply?
CostPayouts and currency
What to askAre faster transfers or currency conversion charged separately?
CostLeaving the service
What to askWhat notice, cancellation, equipment return or remaining rental costs apply?
Worked example: why a lower rate can still cost more
Imagine two illustrative offers. Offer A charges 1.75% with no monthly fee. Offer B charges 1.2% plus 5p per payment and £20 a month. These are example fee structures, not offers from named providers.
Illustrative monthly processing costs
Monthly card sales
Average payment
Offer A
Offer B
Monthly card sales£2,000
Average payment£10 (200 payments)
Offer A£35
Offer B£54
Monthly card sales£10,000
Average payment£10 (1,000 payments)
Offer A£175
Offer B£190
Monthly card sales£10,000
Average payment£50 (200 payments)
Offer A£175
Offer B£150
Monthly card sales£50,000
Average payment£50 (1,000 payments)
Offer A£875
Offer B£670
At £10,000 of monthly sales, Offer B costs £15 more when the average payment is £10, but £25 less when it is £50. The sales total has not changed; the number of fixed charges has. That is why two businesses with the same turnover can need different deals.
Calculation: card sales × percentage fee, plus payment count × fixed fee, plus the monthly charge. Examples exclude hardware, tax on applicable charges, refunds, disputes and differences between card types. Actual proposals must include those costs where relevant.
A useful number to know: a difference of 0.5 percentage points on £20,000 of eligible monthly card sales equals £100 a month, or £1,200 over 12 identical months, before other charges. Small rate differences become meaningful as sales grow.
For a fuller checklist, read our card machine fees guide. Use the calculator below to explore your own sales assumptions.
Compare selected payment offers
Explore the offers below, then check the full terms against your requirements. An advertised starting price may cover only one part of the service.
This affiliate comparison includes selected providers and does not cover the whole market. Offers and availability can change.
Five questions that can prevent an expensive mistake
- Will this work with the equipment I already own? Give the provider your till software, device model and any booking or ecommerce platform. Ask for confirmation of the exact integration and who pays for setup. “Works with EPOS” is not enough.
- When will the money be available in my bank? Ask about cut-off times, weekends, bank holidays and new-account checks. Money arriving in a provider account is not always the same as money arriving in your usual business bank account.
- What happens during my busiest hour? Ask about connectivity options, support hours and replacement hardware. If you trade on Saturday evenings, a weekday-only support route may not suit your business.
- What happens when sales change? Discuss seasonal closures, extra terminals, higher turnover and a move into online sales. Check whether adding services starts a new contract or changes your pricing.
- Who is responsible for each part? A terminal supplier, gateway and acquirer may be different companies. Know who handles a failed payment, missing payout or cancellation so you are not passed between support teams.
If you trade at temporary locations, see our card machine hire guide. A year-round equipment agreement may not be the right starting point for a handful of events.
Switching provider? Check these details before cancelling
Start by collecting a recent statement and your existing agreements. Confirm the end date, notice period and equipment return conditions for each service. A payment processing agreement and a terminal rental agreement may finish at different times.
Ask your shortlisted provider to explain the proposed saving in pounds using the same monthly sales, transaction count and card mix. Include any setup cost and remaining old-provider charges. A £30 monthly saving takes ten months to recover a £300 switching cost, assuming the saving stays the same.
Get the new service ready, try payments and refunds, and check the first payout before relying on it. Keep your old sales records so you can answer later customer queries and check what you were paid. Choose a quiet day for the change rather than the morning of your busiest weekend.
For several sites: pilot the new setup at one location before a wider rollout. Check staff permissions, daily reporting and the process for identifying which location a payment came from.
Merchant account questions from business owners
Do sole traders need a merchant account?
Sole traders need a way to process card payments, but do not necessarily need to arrange a separate dedicated merchant account themselves. A bundled payment service may provide the acceptance setup. The provider will still check your identity and business eligibility.
Which merchant account provider is cheapest?
Use your own sales to answer this. Work out a normal month and a quiet one, including the machine and regular charges. If customers often use business or overseas cards, include those too. Then decide whether the equipment and help are worth the total price.
How quickly can I start accepting payments?
It depends on the account checks and any equipment or setup work. Have your business details, identity documents and the bank details for receiving takings ready. Wait for a confirmed start date before promising customers you can take cards.
Can a provider hold back some of my payments?
Some agreements allow a provider to delay payouts or hold back part of the money in certain circumstances. Ask when this could happen, whether a holdback is included in your offer and how the money is released. This matters especially if customers pay well before you deliver their order.
Is a merchant account the same as a business bank account?
No. Card processing handles accepting and settling card payments; your business bank account handles everyday banking. Some services bring them together in one app, but you should still understand the fees and terms for each.
Should I choose the provider my bank recommends?
Include it in your shortlist if it meets your needs. Then compare it against other written offers using the same figures. Familiarity is useful, but it does not tell you which package will cost less or work better at your busiest times.
Find a payment package that fits how you trade
Use the quote form to explain what you need from the service. Compare what you would pay and what you would get, including equipment, help and access to your takings. The right choice should feel manageable on an ordinary working day as well as look sensible on a quote.
Compare merchant account quotes
Table of Contents