Best Payment Gateway in the UK (2026)

Compare the top payment gateways for UK businesses in 2026. We rank them by UK card fees, Open Banking support, FCA compliance, GBP settlement, and local support.

What to Look For

UK domestic card pricing
Open Banking support
FCA compliance and UK SCA
GBP settlement speed
Contactless and mobile wallet support
UK-based customer support

Top Picks at a Glance

#	Provider	Rating	Transaction Fee	Monthly Fee	Best For
1	Stripe	4.6	2.9% + $0.30	$0	Best for developer-first companies building custom payment experiences
2	Square	4.3	2.6% + $0.10 (in-person) / 2.9% + $0.30 (online)	$0 (Free) / $29 (Plus) / $79 (Premium)	Best for small businesses needing an all-in-one POS and payment solution
3	Checkout.com	4.4	Custom pricing (typically ~2.5% + $0.20 for mid-market)	$0	Best for enterprise online businesses focused on maximizing payment acceptance rates
4	Mollie	4.2	€0.25 + scheme rate (1.8% EU / 2.8% non-EU cards)	$0	Best for European small businesses seeking easy setup and local payment methods

Full Rankings

Stripe

4.6

4.6 / 5.0

Transaction fee: 2.9% + $0.30

Why it's good

Stripe is the most popular payment gateway in the UK for good reason. Its UK pricing (1.5% + 20p for UK cards, 2.5% + 20p for EU cards, 3.25% + 20p for international cards) is competitive. Stripe supports Open Banking payments through its Link financial connections, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. UK SCA and 3D Secure are handled automatically with smart exemption management. GBP settlement to UK bank accounts is standard with T+2 payouts (or instant for a 1% fee). Stripe's developer tools, documentation, and product ecosystem are unmatched.

Why it might not be

Stripe's flat-rate pricing is more expensive than interchange-plus options for high-volume UK merchants (where UK interchange is capped at 0.2% for debit). Support is primarily online — no phone support without an enterprise plan. For businesses needing heavy in-person payment processing, Stripe Terminal has limited hardware options in the UK compared to Square.

Read full review

Square

4.3

4.3 / 5.0

Transaction fee: 2.6% + $0.10 (in-person) / 2.9% + $0.30 (online)

Why it's good

Square is excellent for UK businesses that accept in-person payments. Its UK pricing is straightforward: 1.75% for in-person card and contactless payments, 2.5% for online payments. The free Square Reader supports contactless, chip, and mobile wallet payments. No monthly fees, and the full suite of business tools (POS, invoicing, online store, appointments) is available in the UK. Setup takes minutes with GBP settlement to UK bank accounts.

Why it might not be

Square's online payment capabilities and developer tools are limited compared to Stripe. No Open Banking support. Square's 2.5% online rate is higher than Stripe's 1.5% + 20p for UK cards. Account stability issues — Square has been known to freeze UK merchant accounts unexpectedly. Limited payment method support beyond cards and wallets.

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Checkout.com

4.4

4.4 / 5.0

Transaction fee: Custom pricing (typically ~2.5% + $0.20 for mid-market)

Why it's good

Checkout.com is London-headquartered and deeply embedded in the UK payment market. It offers competitive interchange-plus pricing that benefits from the UK's low regulated interchange rates. Local acquiring in the UK maximizes authorization rates. Its modern API and Flow orchestration platform are well-regarded by UK developers. Strong relationships with UK acquirers and card schemes provide processing stability.

Why it might not be

Checkout.com requires minimum processing volumes and a sales process — not accessible to small UK businesses. The platform lacks no-code tools for non-technical users. Fewer ecommerce platform integrations than Stripe. Pricing transparency is lower — rates are negotiated rather than published.

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Mollie

4.2

4.2 / 5.0

Transaction fee: €0.25 + scheme rate (1.8% EU / 2.8% non-EU cards)

Why it's good

Mollie entered the UK market and offers competitive pricing with no monthly fees. It supports UK cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Klarna. The platform is easy to set up with good plugins for WooCommerce, Shopify, and Magento. Transparent pricing and a clean dashboard appeal to UK small businesses looking for simplicity.

Why it might not be

Mollie is a newer entrant in the UK market compared to Stripe or Square, with a less established presence. Its UK payment method support is less comprehensive — limited Open Banking support and fewer UK-specific features. The platform was built for continental Europe first, and some UK-specific optimizations are still developing.

Read full review

The UK payment market has its own characteristics that differ from both the US and continental Europe. Card payments dominate online commerce, with Visa and Mastercard debit cards being far more common than credit cards among UK consumers. Open Banking — allowing customers to pay directly from their bank account via their banking app — is growing rapidly and offers merchants lower fees than card processing. Apple Pay and Google Pay adoption is high, particularly among younger demographics. The UK has its own regulatory framework post-Brexit, with the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) overseeing payment services. While the UK adopted its own version of SCA (Strong Customer Authentication), the implementation and exemption rules differ slightly from the EU. Your payment gateway needs to handle UK-specific SCA correctly. GBP settlement is important — receiving funds in pounds sterling without unnecessary currency conversion saves money and simplifies accounting. Faster Payments, the UK real-time payment rail, enables same-day or next-day settlements from some gateways. The UK market is also notable for high contactless payment adoption (the highest in Europe), making tap-to-pay support essential for in-person businesses. We evaluated the leading payment processors on criteria that matter most for UK businesses: UK domestic card pricing, Open Banking payment support, FCA compliance and UK SCA handling, GBP settlement and payout speed, contactless and mobile wallet support, and the availability of UK-based customer support.

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Stripe vs Braintree

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Stripe vs Checkout.com

Stripe vs Mollie

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Visa / Mastercard

American Express

Apple Pay

Google Pay

SEPA

ACH

iDEAL

Bancontact

Sofort (Klarna)

Giropay

Alipay

WeChat Pay

Klarna (Buy Now, Pay Later)

Affirm

Afterpay (Block)

PIX

Boleto Bancário

OXXO

EPS

Przelewy24

BLIK

Multibanco

Paysafecard

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the typical payment gateway fees in the UK?

UK domestic card fees are generally lower than the US due to regulated interchange rates. Stripe charges 1.5% + 20p for UK cards. Square charges 1.75% in person and 2.5% online. Checkout.com and Adyen offer interchange-plus pricing where the gateway markup sits on top of the regulated interchange (0.2% for debit, 0.3% for credit). For a UK business processing mostly domestic debit cards, interchange-plus pricing from Checkout.com can result in total costs under 0.5% per transaction.

Should UK businesses offer Open Banking payments?

Open Banking is worth considering, especially for businesses with higher average transaction values. Open Banking payments are typically cheaper than card payments (flat fee rather than percentage), settle faster, and have no chargeback risk. However, adoption is still growing — not all customers are comfortable authorizing bank payments yet. Offering it alongside cards gives price-sensitive customers a cheaper option while maintaining card payments for those who prefer them.

How does UK SCA differ from EU SCA?

The UK adopted its own version of SCA after Brexit, regulated by the FCA rather than the EBA. The core requirements are similar — requiring two-factor authentication for online card payments — but the UK has slightly different exemption thresholds and enforcement timelines. Your payment gateway should handle UK SCA automatically, including transaction risk analysis (TRA) exemptions, low-value exemptions, and trusted beneficiary listings.

What is the fastest payout speed for UK payment gateways?

Stripe offers instant payouts to UK bank accounts for a 1% fee, with funds arriving in minutes via Faster Payments. Standard Stripe payouts take 2 business days. Square settles next business day as standard. Checkout.com and Adyen offer flexible settlement schedules for enterprise clients, potentially same-day. For cash flow-sensitive UK businesses, Stripe's instant payout or Square's next-day settlement are the best options.

Do I need an FCA-regulated payment gateway?

Your payment gateway itself should be FCA-regulated or operating under an e-money license in the UK. Stripe, Square, PayPal, Checkout.com, and Mollie all hold appropriate UK regulatory authorizations. As a merchant, you do not need your own FCA authorization — your gateway's license covers the payment processing. However, if you hold customer funds or operate a marketplace, additional regulatory considerations may apply.