Merchant services
Stripe alternatives for UK businesses (2026).
Looking beyond Stripe? We compared the main alternatives on published UK fees, read 27 October 2026, and show who each one suits.
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Looking beyond Stripe? We compared the main alternatives on published UK fees, read 27 October 2026, and show who each one suits.
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
The main Stripe alternatives for UK businesses are Mollie (1.20% + 20p on UK consumer cards), Airwallex (1.30% + 20p), Square Online (1.4% + 25p), PayPal Braintree (1.9% + 20p), Adyen (£0.11 + interchange plus plus + 0.60%) and Paddle for software sold worldwide (5% + 50¢ as merchant of record). Stripe charges 1.5% + 20p on standard 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| PayPal Braintree Source | 1.9% + 20p; Amex 2.4% + 20p | +1% for non-UK cards | Not published | Not published | Not stated |
| Adyen Source | £0.11 + interchange++ + 0.60% | Same structure; interchange is higher | £0, no setup fee | Flexible, you choose | Not stated |
| Paddle Source | 5% + 50¢ (merchant of record) | 5% + 50¢ | £0 | Not on pricing page | No lock-in |
| Checkout.com Source | Quote only (interchange++) | Quote only | No setup or account fees | Not published | Not published |
| Worldpay Source | Indicative quote, e.g. 1% debit, 1.8% credit + 4.5p | Quote only | £5 PCI fee; £15 minimum monthly charge | 24 hours | Not shown in tool |
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.
Stripe is easy to start with and works with almost every website platform. It charges 1.5% + 20p for standard UK cards, with no setup or monthly fees. Businesses look elsewhere for four main reasons.
The first is price. Stripe charges 2.8% + 20p on premium UK cards, 2.5% + 20p on EEA cards and 3.15% + 20p on international cards, plus 2% for currency conversion. Several alternatives publish lower rates.
The second is sector. Stripe's UK list of prohibited and restricted businesses, last updated 22 September 2026, prohibits gambling, lotteries, funded prop trading and some travel, and restricts others, such as cryptocurrency exchanges, investment services and travel reservation clubs.
The third is cash flow. Stripe says first payouts typically take 7 to 14 days depending on industry, country and risk. The fourth is disputes: Stripe charges £20 for each dispute received and another £20 to counter one manually, refunded only if you win.
Mollie publishes the lowest rate for UK consumer cards online at 1.20% + 20p, with 2.90% + 20p for UK business and European cards. It has no monthly fee and no lock-in contract, and five free payouts a month, then 25p each. It offers volume pricing including IC++ above £50,000 a month.
Airwallex charges 1.30% + 20p for UK cards, 2.40% + 20p for EEA cards and 3.15% + 20p for international cards, the lowest published EEA rate we found. Its Explore plan is £19 a month unless you deposit or hold £10,000, and it includes a multi-currency business account.
Square Online charges 1.4% + 25p for UK cards and 2.5% + 25p for non-UK cards, with transfers as soon as the next day. It suits businesses that also sell in person on Square.
PayPal's own card processing, Advanced Credit and Debit Card Payments, is 1.2% + 30p blended, subject to PayPal's approval.
Adyen publishes interchange plus plus pricing: £0.11 per payment plus the card's interchange and scheme fees plus 0.60%, with no setup or monthly fees. On UK consumer debit cards that is far below a blended rate. Checkout.com also prices on interchange plus plus, with no setup or account maintenance fees, and quotes each business.
PayPal Braintree charges 1.9% + 20p for UK cards and wallets, plus 1% for cards issued outside the UK, and offers discounted rates and interchange plus pricing above £50,000 a month. It suits businesses that want PayPal and cards through one integration.
Worldpay quotes individually. Its online tool, read 27 October 2026, gave 0.8% for personal debit and 1.4% for personal credit online at £250,000 a year, plus 4.5p per payment, a £5 monthly PCI DSS fee and a £15 minimum monthly charge. Stripe itself offers IC+ pricing and volume discounts on custom packages, so it is worth asking before you leave.
If you sell software or digital products to customers around the world, a merchant of record can take on more of the work. A merchant of record sells to your customer on your behalf, so it handles sales tax and VAT, fraud, chargebacks and payment support.
Paddle charges 5% + 50¢ per checkout transaction as merchant of record, with no monthly fees and no lock-in periods. Stripe offers a similar service, Managed Payments, at 3.5% per transaction on top of its normal payment fees.
On £10,000 a month in 200 sales of £50, Paddle charges £500 plus 50¢ on each sale. Stripe Managed Payments adds £350 to Stripe's card fees, which would be £190 if every customer paid with a standard UK card and more for foreign cards.
If you do not need a merchant of record, Airwallex charges 0.50% per successful card transaction for its subscription management, on top of its card rates.
Take £20,000 a month in 500 payments of £40, all on standard UK consumer cards. Stripe costs £400 a month. Mollie costs £340, saving £60 a month or £720 a year. Airwallex costs £360 with its plan fee waived, saving £40 a month. Square Online costs £405, about the same. PayPal Braintree costs £480, which is £80 more.
Adyen comes to £55 in fixed fees plus £120 margin plus about £40 interchange on UK consumer debit cards, so about £215 plus scheme fees: roughly half the Stripe bill.
If 30% of the same sales came from EEA cards, Stripe would charge 2.5% + 20p on them and Airwallex 2.40% + 20p, while Mollie would charge 2.90% + 20p. The best alternative depends on where your customers are as much as on the headline rate.
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.
It depends on your business. On published rates, Mollie is cheapest for UK consumer cards at 1.20% + 20p, Airwallex for EEA cards at 2.40% + 20p, Adyen for larger volumes on interchange plus plus, and Paddle for software sold worldwide as merchant of record.
Yes, on published UK rates read 27 October 2026. Mollie charges 1.20% + 20p and Airwallex 1.30% + 20p for UK consumer cards, against Stripe's 1.5% + 20p. Square Online's 1.4% + 25p is about the same on typical sales. Large businesses can also ask Stripe for custom pricing.
Paddle acts as merchant of record at 5% + 50¢ per transaction, taking on tax, fraud and chargebacks. Stripe's own Managed Payments adds 3.5% to its payment fees. If you only need billing, Airwallex charges 0.50% for subscription management on top of card fees.
Stripe publishes a list of prohibited and restricted businesses, last updated 22 September 2026, including gambling, lotteries, funded prop trading and some travel and crypto services. Accounts can also be reviewed if disputes or refunds rise. We can tell you which providers accept your sector.
On published rates, Airwallex charges 2.40% + 20p for EEA cards and 3.15% + 20p for international cards, and includes a multi-currency account. Stripe charges 2.5% + 20p and 3.15% + 20p, plus 2% for conversion. Adyen and Checkout.com quote on interchange plus plus.
Tell us what you need and where you operate.