Best Payment Gateways UK: Top 10 For Small Businesses In 2026
A payment gateway is what lets your website, app or invoice take a card payment. Pick the wrong one and you'll pay too much on every sale, wait too long for your money or lose sales at the checkout.
We've compared 10 gateways that UK small businesses commonly use, based on their official UK pricing pages, checked October 2026. If you're new to the jargon, start with our guide to what a payment gateway is.
Quick comparison
| Gateway | Online card fee (UK cards, checked October 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe | 1.5% + 20p | Developers and growing online businesses |
| Square | 1.4% + 25p | Businesses selling in person and online |
| PayPal | 2.9% + 30p | Customers who want to pay with PayPal |
| SumUp | 2.5% | Payment links and simple online stores |
| myPOS | 1.30% + 15p | Low online fees with in person payments |
| Viva.com | 2.19% + 24p | European sales and multi currency |
| GoCardless | 1% + 20p (bank payments, capped at £4) | Recurring payments by Direct Debit |
| Adyen | £0.11 + Interchange++ + 0.60% | Larger businesses |
| Worldpay | Quote | Established businesses wanting a big name |
| Barclaycard | Quote | Barclays customers |
How we chose
We looked at published fees for UK cards and international cards, monthly costs, dispute fees, how easy setup is, and how well each gateway works with common website platforms. We haven't been paid to include any provider.
1. Stripe
Stripe charges 1.5% plus 20p for standard UK cards, 2.8% plus 20p for premium UK cards and 2.5% plus 20p for international cards. There are no setup or monthly fees. Disputes cost £20, plus another £20 if you respond manually, which you get back if you win.
Stripe is the go to for developers, with excellent documentation and tools for subscriptions, invoicing and marketplaces. It also has no code options like Payment Links.
Pros: clear pricing, huge feature set, works with almost every platform Cons: premium cards cost more, can be complex for non technical users
Who it's for: online businesses that want room to grow. See our Stripe Terminal guide for in person payments.
2. Square
Square charges 1.4% plus 25p for online payments with UK cards, through its Online Store, Online Checkout and API, and 2.5% plus 25p for non UK cards. Manually keyed payments and invoices cost 2.5%. Its free online store builder is a big plus.
Pros: low UK online rate, free online store, ties in with Square POS Cons: invoices and keyed payments cost 2.5%
Who it's for: shops, cafés and service businesses that also sell online. Read our Square payment gateway guide.
3. PayPal
PayPal charges 2.9% plus 30p for online and virtual terminal payments, according to its pricing updated on 1 October 2026. It's more expensive than most, but some customers prefer paying with their PayPal balance.
Pros: trusted brand, fast checkout for PayPal users Cons: high fees, account holds can be frustrating
Who it's for: online sellers whose customers expect PayPal, usually alongside a cheaper card gateway.
4. SumUp
SumUp charges 2.5% for online payments and payment links, with no monthly fee. Its free online store and invoices make it simple to start.
Pros: easy, no monthly fee, works with SumUp card readers Cons: higher rate than Stripe or Square on most sales
Who it's for: small businesses that mostly sell in person and need the odd online payment.
5. myPOS
myPOS charges 1.30% plus 15p for online payments, with phone and mail order payments at the online rate plus 0.5%. Payments land instantly in your myPOS account.
Pros: low published online rate, instant access to funds Cons: fewer integrations than Stripe, inactivity fee after 10 months unused
Who it's for: myPOS terminal users who want online payments in the same account. See our myPOS review.
6. Viva.com
Viva.com charges 2.19% plus 24p for online and phone payments, with an extra 0.35% through plugins. Refunds cost the original fees plus 30p, and disputes cost £20.
Pros: strong in Europe, multi currency accounts Cons: higher rate than Stripe or Square for UK cards
Who it's for: businesses selling across Europe. Read our Viva.com review.
7. GoCardless
GoCardless isn't a card gateway. It collects bank payments, mainly Direct Debit. The Standard plan costs 1% plus 20p per transaction, capped at £4, with Advanced at 1.25% plus 20p and Pro at 1.4% plus 20p. Prices exclude VAT, and GoCardless charges VAT on its fees.
Pros: much cheaper on large payments thanks to the cap, great for subscriptions Cons: not instant, customers need to set up a mandate
Who it's for: gyms, clubs, consultants and anyone billing regularly. See our Direct Debit guide.
8. Adyen
Adyen charges £0.11 per transaction plus the actual interchange and scheme fees, plus 0.60%. It's built for larger businesses with high volumes.
Pros: transparent Interchange++ pricing, global reach Cons: hard to predict costs, aimed at bigger merchants
Who it's for: high volume businesses. Read our Adyen guide.
9. Worldpay
Worldpay prices its online payments by quote. It's one of the oldest names in UK payments and offers both online and in person services.
Pros: big established provider, wide range of services Cons: no published small business rates, contracts to check
Who it's for: established businesses wanting a single large provider. See our Worldpay review.
10. Barclaycard
Barclaycard's online payment pricing is also by quote. It's a natural option if you already bank with Barclays.
Pros: strong brand, bank relationship Cons: no published rates, sales led sign up
Who it's for: Barclays business customers. See our Barclaycard review.
What it costs on real numbers
Here's what each published card gateway costs on a £50 online sale with a UK card.
On a £10 sale the order changes a little: myPOS 28p, Square 39p, Stripe 35p, SumUp 25p, Viva.com 46p and PayPal 59p. Fixed fees matter more on small online orders.
GoCardless would cost 70p on a £50 payment, and is capped at £4 however large the payment.
International cards
If you sell abroad, international card fees can matter more than the UK rate.
| Gateway | International card fee (checked October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Stripe | 2.5% + 20p (premium international cards cost more) |
| Square | 2.5% + 25p for non UK cards |
| GoCardless | 2% + 20p on international bank payments (Standard plan) |
| Adyen | Interchange++ model, so the real card cost is passed on |
For the other gateways, check the provider's pricing page for overseas cards before you sign up. Some charge a currency conversion fee on top.
Payment methods worth offering
A gateway is about more than cards. Customers increasingly expect choice at the checkout.
- Apple Pay and Google Pay. Fast on mobile, and supported by Stripe, Square and most others.
- PayPal. Some customers won't buy without it.
- Pay by bank. Customers approve the payment in their banking app. It's often cheaper than cards and growing fast.
- Buy now, pay later. Square offers Clearpay at 6% plus 30p per transaction. It can lift basket sizes but costs much more than cards.
- Direct Debit. Best for subscriptions and regular invoices.
Setting up a gateway: what to expect
- Sign up and verify. Expect to provide business details, ID and bank details.
- Connect your platform. Most website builders have a plugin or built in option.
- Test it. Use test mode or a small real payment you then refund.
- Turn on fraud checks. 3D Secure is required for most UK online card payments.
- Check your first payout. Make sure fees and timings match what you expected.
New accounts sometimes face rolling reserves or delayed first payouts while the provider gets to know your business. That's normal, but ask about it upfront if cash flow is tight.
Hidden costs to watch
- Premium and business cards. Stripe charges 2.8% plus 20p for premium UK cards.
- Disputes. Stripe and Viva.com both charge £20 a dispute.
- Refunds. Viva.com charges the original fees plus 30p. Stripe doesn't return its fee on refunds.
- Plugins. Viva.com adds 0.35% through plugins.
- Currency conversion. Selling in other currencies can add a percentage.
How to choose a payment gateway
- Check your platform. Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix and Squarespace all support different gateways. Pick one that plugs in cleanly.
- Look at your card mix. If many customers are overseas, compare international rates.
- Think about payouts. How quickly do you need the money?
- Consider disputes. Chargebacks cost money and time. See our guide to chargebacks.
- Use more than one. Many shops offer cards and PayPal side by side.
Which gateway for which business?
- Online shop on Shopify or WooCommerce: Stripe, plus PayPal as a second option.
- Café or shop adding online orders: Square, so stock and sales sit in one place.
- Tradesperson sending invoices: SumUp or Square payment links, or Stripe Invoicing.
- Gym, club or subscription box: GoCardless for Direct Debit, with a card option for one off payments.
- Seller with lots of European customers: Viva.com or Stripe.
- Business taking millions a year: Adyen, or a quote from Worldpay or Barclaycard.
Gateways and card machines together
If you take payments in person too, using the same provider for both can make life easier. Stripe, Square, SumUp, myPOS and Viva.com all offer card readers as well as online payments. Compare in person rates in our card fees index before you commit.
Pros and cons of using a single provider for everything
Pros
- One dashboard for online and in person sales
- Simpler reconciliation
Cons
- All your eggs in one basket if an account is frozen
- You may miss cheaper rates elsewhere
Our verdict
For most UK small businesses selling online, Stripe is the best all round gateway, with clear pricing and the widest range of tools. Square is the better pick if you also sell in person and want one system for both. myPOS has the lowest published online rate on many sales, though with fewer integrations. Add PayPal as a second option if your customers expect it, and use GoCardless for anything recurring. Larger businesses should get quotes from Adyen, Worldpay and Barclaycard and compare them on real transaction data, not headline rates.
Prices change often, so check each provider's UK pricing page before you sign up, and revisit your choice once a year as your sales grow.
FAQs
What's the cheapest payment gateway in the UK?
On published rates for UK cards, myPOS at 1.30% plus 15p and Square and Stripe are among the cheapest on typical sales. For regular payments, GoCardless is cheaper still.
Is Stripe or PayPal cheaper?
Stripe is cheaper for standard UK cards at 1.5% plus 20p, compared with PayPal's 2.9% plus 30p.
Do payment gateways charge monthly fees?
Most of the gateways on this list have no monthly fee on their standard online pricing. Some charge for extra features.
Can I use a payment gateway without a website?
Yes. Payment links and invoices from Stripe, Square, SumUp and others let you take payments without a website.
What's the difference between a gateway and a merchant account?
A gateway passes the payment securely, while a merchant account holds the funds. Most modern providers bundle both. Our merchant account guide explains more.
Are payment gateways safe?
Reputable gateways are PCI DSS compliant and use encryption and 3D Secure checks. See our guide to PCI compliance.