Merchant services
How to accept payments online in the UK.
Take card payments on your website, by link, by invoice or over the phone. We explain each option and compare the fees, read 27 October 2026.
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Take card payments on your website, by link, by invoice or over the phone. We explain each option and compare the fees, read 27 October 2026.
Published online rates from the major processors serving UK businesses, plus the quoted rates that only come on request. You see them side by side, on your own sales.
The short answer
To accept payments online, you need a provider that takes card details securely and pays you. The quickest routes are payment links or invoices, which need no website (SumUp 2.5%, Square invoices 2.5%), or a checkout on your website (Mollie 1.20% + 20p, Square Online 1.4% + 25p, Stripe 1.5% + 20p for UK cards). Prices read 27 October 2026.
Published prices read on 27 October 2026 from each provider's own pricing page. Quote only or not published means the provider gives rates on request; we obtain those for you.
| Provider | Standard UK card rate | European and international cards | Monthly fee | Payouts | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp Online Source | 2.5% online payments | 2.5% (not split out) | £0, or Payments Plus £19 | Next day by 7am to SumUp account | None stated |
| Square Online Source | 1.4% + 25p UK cards | 2.5% + 25p non-UK cards | £0, or Plus from £29 | Next day; instant 1.95% | Not stated |
| Stripe Source | 1.5% + 20p standard UK cards; 2.8% + 20p premium UK cards | 2.5% + 20p EEA; 3.15% + 20p international; +2% if converted | £0 | Standard free; instant 1% (min 40p); first payout 7 to 14 days | Pay as you go |
| Mollie Source | 1.20% + 20p UK consumer cards | 2.90% + 20p European and UK commercial; 3.25% + 20p other | £0 | 5 free a month, then 25p each | No lock-in |
| Airwallex Source | 1.30% + 20p UK cards | 2.40% + 20p EEA; 3.15% + 20p international | £0 or £19 (waived over £10k) | Not on pricing page | Not stated |
| PayPal Source | 2.9% + 30p standard; 1.2% + 30p for advanced card payments | +1.29% EEA, +1.99% other markets | £0; £20 for Website Payments Pro | Free withdrawal to bank | Not stated |
| Shopify Payments Source | 2% + 25p on Basic; 1.3% + 25p on Plus | 3.1% + 25p on Basic | Plan from £25 (£19 paid yearly) | Not on pricing page | Monthly or yearly plan |
Rates are for online card payments taken by UK businesses, before VAT where the provider states it. Premium, business and non-UK cards usually cost more. Our service is free to you. We may receive a fee from the provider you choose; it never changes the price you pay.
Tell us about your business. We compare the whole market, including the processors that only quote on request, and come back with the lowest total cost for your online sales and the right set-up. You keep a named account manager after setup.
Our service is free to you. We may receive a fee from the provider you choose; it never changes the price you pay.
Most businesses use one or more of these:
Start by choosing a provider that works with your website platform. Shopify has Shopify Payments built in. WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace and most other platforms offer plugins from providers such as Stripe, PayPal, Square and Mollie.
Next, apply. You give your business details, your directors' identity documents and your bank account. The provider will check your website, so make sure it shows your prices, delivery times, refund policy and terms. Square advertises fast online sign-up, and Stripe says a first payout typically takes 7 to 14 days while it reviews a new account.
Then connect the plugin, turn on Apple Pay and Google Pay, and make a test payment. A hosted payment page, where the customer enters card details on the provider's page rather than yours, keeps card data away from your systems and keeps your security paperwork simple. Finally, check where payouts go and how often.
Take a business taking £3,000 a month online in 100 payments of £30, all on standard UK cards. On published rates read 27 October 2026:
Most website rates include a fixed fee per payment, such as 20p at Stripe and Mollie or 25p at Square. On large orders it hardly matters. On small ones it can double the cost. On a £5 payment, Mollie's 1.20% + 20p comes to 26p, or 5.2% of the sale, and Stripe's 1.5% + 20p comes to 27.5p.
SumUp charges a flat 2.5% for online payments with no fixed fee, so a £5 payment costs 12.5p. It costs less than Mollie on payments under about £15 and less than Stripe on payments under £20. Above those amounts, the lower percentage wins.
If you sell low-priced items, such as downloads, tickets or donations, work out your average sale before choosing. PayPal also offers a micropayments rate for payments under £5 on application.
Card security rules, called PCI DSS, apply to every business that takes cards. The simplest way to meet them is to let your provider handle the card details, through a hosted payment page or an embedded form that sends details straight to the provider. You then complete a short annual questionnaire instead of a full assessment. Some providers charge for this: Worldpay's tool shows a £5 monthly PCI DSS fee.
UK banks require strong customer authentication on most online payments. Your provider runs 3D Secure, where the customer confirms the payment in their banking app, before the payment is approved.
Never take card details by email or write them down. If you take phone orders, use a virtual terminal or a payment link instead.
We compare the whole online payments market for you, including the processors that only quote on request, such as Worldpay, Checkout.com, takepayments and Elavon. We look at your real card mix, average sale and the countries you sell to, and work out the total monthly cost with each one, including monthly charges, dispute fees and payout costs, not just the headline rate.
We then negotiate the rate and terms, handle the application and the switch from your current processor, and give you a named account manager who stays with you after you go live and reviews your costs as your sales grow. Our service is free to you. We may receive a fee from the provider you choose; it never changes the price you pay.
Use payment links or invoices. You send a link by email, text or social media and the customer pays on the provider's secure page. SumUp charges 2.5% for online payments such as payment links, and Square charges 2.5% for invoice payments, read 27 October 2026.
On published UK rates read 27 October 2026, a website checkout with Mollie at 1.20% + 20p is lowest for standard UK cards, then Airwallex at 1.30% + 20p and Square Online at 1.4% + 25p. For payments under about £15, SumUp's 2.5% with no fixed fee costs less.
Use a virtual terminal or send a payment link while the customer is on the phone. Square charges 2.5% for manually entered payments. PayPal's Virtual Terminal is part of Website Payments Pro at £20 a month plus transaction fees. Never write card details down.
With an all-in-one provider such as Stripe, Square, SumUp or Mollie, you can often apply and start within days. Stripe says first payouts typically take 7 to 14 days while it reviews a new account. Dedicated merchant accounts take longer.
You need an account to receive payouts. Most providers pay into a UK business bank account. SumUp pays into its own free business account by 7am the next day, and Airwallex offers a business account with its payments.
Yes. Most providers, including Stripe, Mollie, Square, Adyen and Viva.com, support Apple Pay and Google Pay at checkout. They are usually charged at the same rate as the card behind the wallet.
Tell us what you need and where you operate.