Merchant services
How to switch payment processor without losing sales.
Switching processor can cut your card costs by thousands a year. Here is how to do it safely, what to watch for and what it could save, on prices read 27 October 2026.
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Switching processor can cut your card costs by thousands a year. Here is how to do it safely, what to watch for and what it could save, on prices 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 switch payment processor, open and test the new account before turning off the old one, move saved cards and subscriptions with both providers' help, keep the old account open until refunds and chargebacks have run off, then remove the old checkout. On £20,000 a month, moving from PayPal's 2.9% + 30p standard rate to Mollie's 1.20% + 20p saves about £390 a month.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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.
Start with your last three monthly statements. Add up everything you paid, including monthly charges, then divide by your card sales to get your effective rate, the true percentage you pay. Compare it with what other processors would charge on the same sales.
Take £20,000 a month in 500 payments of £40 on standard UK cards. At PayPal's standard 2.9% + 30p you pay £730 a month. At Stripe's 1.5% + 20p you would pay £400, saving £330 a month or £3,960 a year. At Mollie's 1.20% + 20p you would pay £340, saving £390 a month or £4,680 a year. At Adyen, about £215 plus scheme fees.
Even if your current rate looks close, check for extra charges such as minimum monthly charges, PCI DSS fees, authorisation fees and high dispute fees. These often decide whether a switch pays.
A switch is also worth it when your processor no longer fits: it pays out too slowly, it holds a reserve you no longer need, it restricts your sector or it lacks payment methods your customers want.
Run the old and new processor side by side for a short time, so customers can always pay:
If customers have saved cards with you, or pay by subscription, the card details sit with your current processor, not with you, so you cannot export them yourself. Instead, your old processor sends the card data directly to the new one through a secure transfer that both must agree to.
Ask your current processor early whether it supports a card data export and how long it takes. Ask the new processor whether it accepts imports and in what format. Plan a date to switch billing so no customer is charged twice or missed.
Some providers make portability a selling point. Paddle says there are no lock-in periods and that your data can be migrated to another provider. Stripe offers a Vault and Forward service that stores card details and routes payments to other processors, priced on request.
If a data export is not possible, you will need to ask subscribers to re-enter their card details on the new checkout. Give them notice and a simple link.
All-in-one providers such as Stripe, Mollie and Square Online have no fixed term on their standard plans. Mollie says it has no lock-in contracts and you can cancel anytime. Paddle says it has no lock-in periods.
Merchant accounts from acquirers are different. They may have a minimum term, a notice period and charges if you leave early, as well as a minimum monthly service charge that continues until the account is closed. Worldpay's pricing tool shows a £15 minimum monthly service charge. Read your agreement for these terms before you give notice.
If you hold equipment or a gateway contract with a separate company, check those agreements too. A gateway may have its own notice period even if the acquirer does not.
Your old processor may also keep part of your takings as a reserve for a period after you leave, to cover refunds and chargebacks. Ask when it will be released.
Before you sign, ask for written answers to these questions. Put the answers next to your current statements so you compare like with like:
We handle the whole switch. We compare the whole online payments market on your statements, including the processors that only quote on request, such as Worldpay, Checkout.com and Elavon, and show you the total cost with each one. We check your current contract for notice periods and exit charges, and plan the move of saved cards and subscriptions so customers are not affected.
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.
Get quotes on your real card mix, check your current contract, apply and get approval from the new processor, test it live, then switch your checkout. Move saved cards with both providers' help, and keep the old account open until refunds and chargebacks have run off before closing it.
Approval with an all-in-one provider can take days, and Stripe says first payouts typically take 7 to 14 days. Moving saved cards and subscriptions needs both providers to agree a transfer, which can take longer. Running both processors side by side avoids any gap.
Not if you plan it. Your old processor can usually transfer saved card details securely to the new one, so subscriptions continue. If a transfer is not possible, you will need to ask customers to re-enter their card details, with notice and a simple link.
Stripe, Mollie and Square Online have no fixed term on standard plans, and Mollie and Paddle state no lock-in. Merchant accounts from acquirers can have minimum terms, notice periods, exit charges and minimum monthly charges. Read your agreement before giving notice.
On £20,000 a month in £40 payments, moving from PayPal's standard 2.9% + 30p to Stripe's 1.5% + 20p saves about £330 a month, and to Mollie's 1.20% + 20p about £390, on published rates read 27 October 2026.
Yes. We compare the market, negotiate the rate, manage the application, coordinate the move of saved cards and subscriptions, and give you a named account manager. Our service is free to you. We may receive a fee from the provider you choose.
Tell us what you need and where you operate.