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Finding the right payment gateway can make or break your customer experience.
Whether you're running a local shop, building an online store, or serving clients overseas, choosing the right provider affects how you get paid, how quickly the money reaches your account, what you pay in fees, and how smoothly your business runs.
In this guide, we’ve reviewed the best payment gateways available in the UK and grouped them into 3 categories to match your needs:
Let’s dive into the options that offer the right tools, rates, and reliability for your business needs.
Quick Tip: A payment gateway is the tool that lets you collect payments online securely. It encrypts and verifies the customer’s payment details, then passes them to the processor to complete the transaction.
All-in-one payment gateways are designed to simplify how you accept payments by combining everything in one platform, from checkout and payment processing to invoicing and reporting. There's no need to set up a separate merchant account, which makes them a popular choice for small business owners, startups, and solo operators.
If you're just getting started or want fewer tools to manage, these platforms help you stay focused on your business rather than your payment stack.
In this section, we’ll look at the top three payment gateway providers in the UK: Stripe, Square, and Adyen.
Stripe is known for its powerful APIs and flexibility, but it's also a solid all-in-one solution for online businesses. It offers built-in tools like invoicing, recurring billing, and fraud protection, making it ideal for digital-first companies and platforms that need to customise the checkout experience. Stripe supports over 100 payment methods, including cards, digital wallets, bank transfers, and local payment options.
| Details | Stripe (UK) |
|---|---|
| Key Features | Global payment acceptance, built-in conversion optimisation, pre-built payment forms, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, fraud prevention, billing, and invoicing |
| Transaction Fees | 1.4% + £0.20 (UK cards), 2.5% + £0.25 (EU cards) |
| Payout Time | Same day or up to 3 days |
What is payout time?
Square offers one of the most accessible payment solutions in the UK. It lets you take card payments in-person or online, create invoices, and even communicate with your team, all from the same dashboard. It is designed for businesses of all sizes and across industries, including bakeries, retail shops, professional services, healthcare, and event management.
| Details | Square (UK) |
|---|---|
| Key Features | POS hardware, online store builder, invoicing, developer APIs, and loans |
| Transaction Fees | 1.75% per in-store transaction, 1.4% + £0.25 for transactions with UK cards, 2.5% + £0.25 for transactions with non-UK cards |
| Payout Time | 1–2 business days |
Adyen is designed for businesses with more complex or global needs. While setup can be more involved, it offers advanced risk tools, unified commerce across channels, and international payment support. Ideal for mid-sized to large businesses that need enterprise-grade performance and flexibility.
| Details | Adyen (UK) |
|---|---|
| Key Features | Website, in-app, terminal, and device-based payment acceptance, cross-channel payments, embedded payments for your platform, full payment funnel optimisation, and fraud detection |
| Transaction Fees | £0.11 processing fee + payment method fee |
| Payout Time | 1–2 business days |
Running an ecommerce store means your payment gateway needs to do more than just process transactions. It should offer a smooth checkout process, support the payment methods your customers expect, and help you manage refunds, subscriptions, and international orders, all while keeping fees under control and improving the overall user experience to boost checkout rates.
The best ecommerce payment gateways are built with online selling in mind. They offer:
Here’s how PayPal Braintree, Checkout.com, and Shopify Payments compare for UK-based ecommerce businesses.
Braintree, a PayPal service, is a flexible payment gateway that supports credit and debit cards, digital wallets, PayPal payments, and more, all in one integration. It offers a flexible API for custom checkouts, making it ideal for ecommerce businesses seeking trusted brand recognition and global reach. Braintree also supports various local payment methods, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and ACH Direct Debit.
| Details | PayPal Braintree |
|---|---|
| Key Features | Support for PayPal and card transactions, recurring billing, buy now pay later options, mobile wallet integration, and strong fraud protection. |
| Transaction Fees | Varies by payment method: 1.2% + fixed fee for alternative payment methods (APMs), 1.5%–2% + fixed fee for QR code transactions, and more. |
| Payout Time | 1–3 business days |
Checkout.com offers a developer-friendly solution for growing ecommerce businesses. It supports a wide range of international and local payment methods, real-time analytics, and advanced fraud tools. Ideal for merchants who need more control over their payment infrastructure.
| Details | Checkout.com |
|---|---|
| Key Features | Local and global payments, hosted payment page, modular APIs, fraud detection, multi-currency settlement, and detailed reporting |
| Transaction Fees | Custom pricing based on volume and region |
| Payout Time | Same day |
If you’re already using Shopify, Shopify Payments is the most straightforward choice. It eliminates the need for a third-party payment processor, reduces transaction fees, and integrates directly with your store’s checkout, analytics, and payouts.
Shopify Payments offers pricing plans starting at £19 per month (billed annually), with additional plans at £49 and £259 per month, depending on your store's needs.
| Details | Shopify Payments |
|---|---|
| Key Features | Seamless Shopify integration, supports major cards and mobile wallets, built-in fraud tools, and automated chargeback handling |
| Transaction Fees | Card processing fees depend on the pricing plan, typically around 2% + £0.25 per online transaction |
| Payout Time | Around 3 business days |
If your business sends or receives money across borders, choosing the right international payment gateway can make a major difference. These platforms are built to process payments in multiple currencies, offer competitive FX rates, and support local payout methods, making them ideal for global ecommerce sellers, service providers, and import/export businesses.
Unlike standard gateways, international-focused providers help reduce friction in foreign payments by offering local receiving accounts, multi-currency wallets, and strong marketplace or ERP integrations. Below, we’ll look at three strong options for UK-based businesses: Worldpay, Revolut Business, and OFX.
Worldpay is one of the UK’s most recognised payment processors, offering global payment acceptance, multi-currency settlement, and strong fraud protection. It's built for established businesses that need reliable, high-volume international payment handling. Worldpay offers quote-based pricing, ensuring tailored solutions for businesses with varying transaction volumes and processing needs.
| Details | Worldpay (UK) |
|---|---|
| Key Features | Accepts 135 currencies, can process APMs including Alipay, WeChat Pay, and Klarna, multi-currency settlement, and fraud screening |
| Transaction Fees | 1.3% + £0.20 (Mastercard® and Visa consumer cards) |
| Payout Time | Typically 3–5 business days |
Revolut Business gives UK companies access to local account details in multiple currencies and competitive FX rates. It combines international payments, virtual cards, and spend management in one platform, ideal for SMEs and freelancers handling cross-border transactions. Revolut Business also allows businesses to accept payments in 25+ currencies into segregated currency accounts, with a streamlined dashboard to manage, track, and settle payments quickly.
| Details | Revolut Business |
|---|---|
| Key Features | Accept payments in 25+ currencies, payment links, API, widgets, plugins, integration with BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Magento, OpenCart, PrestaShop, PCI DSS compliance, 24/7 customer support |
| Transaction Fees | Starting from 1% + £0.20 for online payments |
| Payout Time | Same day or next day |
Opayo, formerly Sage Pay, is a payment solution provider owned by Elavon. It is trusted by businesses for processing online and mobile payments, with an extensive range of services and features including card terminals for processing debit and credit card payments, wireless point-of-sale terminals, and online payment solutions. Opayo offers different pricing plans ranging from £0 to £62 per month, depending on the features and transaction volume.
| Details | Opayo |
|---|---|
| Key Features | Accept payments in 100+ currencies, card terminals, wireless POS, online payment solutions, and fraud protection |
| Transaction Fees | Starting from 0.99%, depending on the plan |
| Payout Time | As fast as the next day, depending on the plan |
Now that we've explored the top payment gateway options in the UK, the final decision is up to you. Here are 5 key factors to consider when choosing the right payment system for your business:
A payment gateway handles sensitive payment information, so it’s essential to choose one with strong security features to protect both customer data and your business. A breach can lead to operational disruptions, legal issues, financial challenges, and loss of trust.
Here are important security considerations for secure payment:
Here are some questions you could ask providers to get an idea of their security measures
With 70% of shopping carts abandoned due to a complicated checkout, a smooth and quick payment experience is essential for boosting sales volume. A simple, distraction-free process improves conversions and keeps customers engaged.
Additionally, an easy-to-use admin panel for managing transactions, refunds, and reports is crucial for your business operations.
Here are questions you can ask providers to understand their UX/UI:
It’s essential to ensure that your payment gateway integrates smoothly with your existing systems, such as your website, online store, CRM, and mobile app.
Look for functionality that supports recurring payments, if needed, and offers easy integration through APIs (for data exchange) and SDKs (for customisation). Clear documentation and reliable technical support are also important for setup and troubleshooting.
The UK’s most common payment gateway pricing models are subscription and pay-as-you-go. Subscription plans usually have lower transaction fees but come with monthly fees, while pay-as-you-go plans have no monthly fees but higher transaction costs.
Consider your sales volume, transaction size, and growth when choosing. Subscription plans suit high, consistent sales, while pay-as-you-go works for unpredictable sales.
Be sure to account for setup fees, chargebacks, refunds, international payments, and other additional costs. Always ask for a quote and clarify any potential hidden fees.
Tip: If you handle a large number of transactions, consider contacting potential service providers to inquire about volume discounts.
It's a reality in business that you will run into problems.
When it comes to payment processing, expect issues like compatibility problems, operational glitches, disputes, refunds, and unexpected fees.
A reliable payment service provider should offer a support team that can promptly address and resolve those issues. They should also have good availability and flexibility in terms of contact channels, such as phone, email, and live chat.
Here are some questions you could ask providers to assess potential problems and inquire about their support:
Choosing the right payment gateway is key to ensuring smooth and secure transactions. By considering factors like security, user experience, integration, pricing, and support, you can streamline your payment processes and set your business up for success. Whether you need an all-in-one solution, ecommerce features, or international capabilities, the right gateway can significantly impact your customer experience and business operations.
