Thinking about jumping into the UK ecommerce scene? You’re gonna need a solid payment gateway. With online shopping booming, finding the right one can be a game-changer for your business. Here’s a rundown of the top five payment gateways in the UK you should check out in 2025. These picks will help you handle online transactions smoothly and keep your customers happy.
Key Takeaways
- Revolut: Known for its user-friendly interface and low fees, making it a favorite among small businesses.
- Fondy: Offers seamless integration with various platforms, ideal for businesses looking for flexibility.
- Planet: Stands out with its global reach, perfect for companies aiming for international markets.
- PayPal Braintree: Offers robust security features, ensuring safe transactions for your customers.
- Worldpay: Known for its reliability and extensive customer support, a solid choice for any business.
1. Revolut
Revolut has quickly become a go-to choice for businesses in the UK looking to streamline their payment processes. Revolut’s payment gateway is designed to make transactions as smooth as possible, allowing businesses to accept payments in over 25 currencies. This is particularly handy for companies dealing with international clients.
Key Features
- Multi-Currency Acceptance: Accept payments in more than 25 currencies, which are deposited into segregated accounts. This feature ensures that businesses can manage their funds effectively without worrying about currency conversion issues.
- Unified Dashboard: Track, settle, and manage all transactions from a single dashboard. This centralization simplifies the accounting process and helps in maintaining clear financial records.
- Next-Day Settlement: Get your funds the very next day, even on weekends and holidays. This quick turnaround can significantly improve cash flow for businesses.
- Integration Capabilities: Easily integrate with popular ecommerce platforms like Bigcommerce, Woocommerce, Magento, Opencart, and PrestaShop using API, widgets, and plugins.
Payment Methods Supported
- Credit and Debit Cards: Accepts major cards such as Visa and Mastercard, including UK consumer and international cards.
- Digital Wallets: Supports Apple Pay and Google Pay, making it convenient for customers who prefer using their phones for payments.
- Revolut Pay: Customers can pay directly from their Revolut accounts, offering a seamless experience for existing Revolut users.
- Contactless Payments: Use Tap to Pay on iPhone and QR codes for quick, easy transactions.
Cost Structure
Revolut offers a competitive fee structure:
| Type of Card | Fee |
|---|---|
| UK Visa and Mastercard | 1% + £0.20 |
| American Express | 1.7% + £0.20 |
| International and Commercial Cards | 2.8% + £0.20 |
This transparent pricing helps businesses plan their budgets without any hidden surprises.
Revolut’s payment gateway is a solid choice for businesses that want a reliable, flexible, and cost-effective solution for handling transactions. Its integration with major platforms and support for various payment methods make it a versatile tool for any business.
For businesses that already use Revolut for banking, the integration of Revolut’s payment gateway into their financial ecosystem can be a seamless transition, enhancing the overall efficiency of their operations.
2. Fondy
Fondy is quickly becoming a popular choice for businesses looking for a versatile payment gateway in the UK. With its wide range of accepted payment methods, Fondy caters to businesses of all sizes, from startups to large corporations.
Accepted Payment Methods
Fondy supports a variety of payment options, including:
- Credit and debit cards: Visa, Mastercard
- Digital wallets: Apple Pay, GPay
- Other methods: iDeal, Klarna, bank transfer, open banking, QR code, payment link, Tap2Phone
Key Features
Some of Fondy’s standout features include:
- One-click checkout
- Payment collection on social media, in-app, and on websites
- Flexible payout options
- Instant settlement and split payments
- Embedded wallets and instant payouts
- Comprehensive reports and customer insights
- 24/7 customer support
- PCI DSS compliance
Pricing
Fondy offers competitive pricing with fees such as:
- Domestic debit & credit cards: 1.4% + GBP 0.20
- EEA debit & credit cards: 2% + GBP 0.20
- International debit & credit cards: 3.2% + GBP 0.25
- Alternative payment methods: 0.5% to 2.8% + GBP 0.20
Fondy also provides custom pricing tailored to specific business needs.
Fondy is a solid choice for businesses seeking a reliable and flexible payment solution. With its diverse payment options and robust features, it stands out in the crowded payment gateway market.
For those interested in learning more about Fondy, reading customer reviews can provide valuable insights into real user experiences.
3. Planet
Planet is carving out its niche in the payment gateway landscape, especially for businesses in retail and hospitality. It’s not just another payment processor; it’s a comprehensive platform that integrates payments with essential business software. This makes it ideal for companies looking to streamline operations and improve customer experience.
Key Features
- All-in-One Platform: Planet combines payment solutions with hospitality and retail software, offering global VAT refunds on the same platform.
- Low-Code Integration: Easily integrates with major ecommerce platforms like Shopify, Woocommerce, and Magento.
- Multi-Currency Support: Handles over 100 currencies, making it easier for businesses to operate internationally.
- Developer-Friendly: Comes with a JSON API and Mobile SDK for easy integration.
- Brand Control: Payment pages can be embedded directly on your site, keeping the customer experience seamless.
Accepted Payment Methods
- Credit and Debit Cards: Visa, Mastercard®, American Express, and more.
- Digital Wallets: Apple Pay, Google Pay, and WeChat Pay.
- Local Methods: Twint, Bancontact.
- Alternative Methods: Klarna, iDeal, AliPay+, and SEPA payments.
Planet’s 4-star rating from over 1,400 users highlights its reliability and user satisfaction.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Tailored for specific industries like retail and hospitality.
- Offers a wide array of payment options.
- Supports multiple languages including English, German, and French.
Cons:
- Fees are not publicly listed; must contact sales for details.
- Primarily focused on retail and hospitality, which might not suit all business types.
Planet isn’t just about processing payments; it’s about enhancing the way businesses interact with their customers. Whether you’re running an online store or managing a hotel, Planet’s solutions are designed to fit your needs, making transactions smooth and efficient.
4. PayPal Braintree
PayPal Braintree is a robust choice for businesses looking for a comprehensive payment solution. With its full-stack system, it offers both a merchant account and a payment gateway, enabling seamless transactions. Braintree stands out with its ability to accept a variety of payment methods, including major credit cards, PayPal, and several digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Key Features
- Merchant Account & Payment Gateway: Braintree provides a complete package, handling both merchant accounts and payment gateways.
- Global Reach: Accept payments in over 100 currencies, making it ideal for businesses with international customers.
- Customizable Checkout: Businesses can either use a pre-built UI for checkout or design their own to match their brand identity.
- Smart Retries: Automatically retries failed transactions, increasing the chances of successful payments.
- FX Optimizer: Allows pricing in multiple currencies but settles in the default currency, simplifying international sales.
Accepted Payment Methods
- Credit and Debit Cards: Visa, Mastercard®, American Express, and UnionPay.
- Digital Wallets: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, and more.
- Direct Banking & Vouchers: ACH Direct Debit, Multibanco, OXXO, and others.
Pricing and Fees
Braintree’s pricing is competitive, with no monthly fees and transaction rates starting at 1.9% + GBP 0.20 for UK cards. However, transactions involving non-UK cards incur an additional 1% fee. For businesses processing over GBP 50,000 monthly, discounted rates are available.
Braintree’s flexibility and variety of payment options make it a preferred choice for many businesses. However, integrating Braintree can be complex, requiring some technical know-how.
For anyone curious about how Braintree works in practice, it’s worth checking out reviews from other users. They often highlight both the ease of use and the challenges faced during setup.
Overall, PayPal Braintree is a solid pick for businesses ready to handle the technical setup and looking for a reliable, feature-rich payment gateway.
5. Worldpay
Worldpay is a powerhouse in the UK payment gateway scene, handling a staggering 40% of card transactions. This gateway operates in 146 countries, supporting an impressive 135 currencies. It’s a preferred choice for over a million businesses globally, processing a mind-blowing 2.2 trillion transactions annually. Worldpay’s flexibility is a key selling point, offering both pay-as-you-go and subscription plans.
Features
- Accepts 135 currencies
- Supports online, in-store, and omnichannel payments
- Offers a "Pay By Link" service for businesses without websites
- Provides next-day business settlement
- Includes a dashboard for managing settlements
- Offers insights into customer spending patterns
- Brandable hosted payment page
- "Faster refunds" feature with money back in 30 minutes
- Rewards setup for frequent shoppers
- Designed eCommerce solutions for small businesses
- 24/7 customer service
- APIs, SDKs, and plugins
- PCI DSS compliance
Accepted Payment Methods
Worldpay accepts a wide range of payment methods, including:
- Credit and debit cards: Visa, Mastercard®, American Express, Discover, JCB, and UnionPay
- Digital wallets: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Alipay, WeChat Pay, and more
- Buy Now Pay Later options: Affirm, Klarna
- PayPal and PayPal Pay Later
- Virtual terminal
- Other local and alternative methods
Pricing
Worldpay’s pricing is tailored to business needs, but here are some standard fees:
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Visa and Mastercard® transactions | 1.5% |
| Online Gateway Fee | GBP 19.95 per month |
Considerations
While Worldpay offers competitive fees, these are often tied to contracts with longer terms than many competitors. For those seeking flexibility, the pay-as-you-go plan is available but comes with higher processing fees. Additional costs may include reporting tools (£4.99/month) and PCI compliance (£5/month).
Worldpay is ideal for businesses that handle less frequent, high-value transactions and prefer sticking with one provider over time. Its extensive integration options and hardware compatibility mean you won’t need to overhaul your systems as your business grows. However, be mindful of potential contract lengths and fees.
For more on Worldpay’s global payment processing capabilities, consider how it can benefit your specific business needs.
Conclusion
So, there you have it, folks. We’ve taken a look at some of the top payment gateways in the UK that you might want to consider in 2025. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to switch things up, there’s a lot to think about. Each gateway has its own perks and quirks, so it’s all about finding what fits your business best. Maybe you’re after low fees, or perhaps it’s all about the user experience for you. Whatever it is, make sure it aligns with your goals and the way you want to run your business. Hopefully, this rundown gives you a clearer picture and helps you make a choice that keeps your transactions smooth and your customers happy. Good luck out there in the bustling world of UK ecommerce!
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is a payment gateway?
A payment gateway is a tool that helps process payments online. It checks and sends your payment details from the website to the bank and back, making sure everything is safe and secure.
How do payment gateways work?
When you buy something online, the payment gateway checks your payment info, like your card number. It then talks to the bank to approve the payment and lets the seller know it’s okay to send your stuff.
Which payment gateway is the cheapest?
The cost of payment gateways can vary. Some charge a fee for each transaction, while others have monthly fees. It’s best to compare a few to find one that fits your budget.
What is the most popular payment method in the UK?
In the UK, people often use credit and debit cards for online shopping. Digital wallets like PayPal and Apple Pay are also very popular.
How do I choose the best payment gateway for my business?
Think about what your business needs. Check the fees, see if it works with your website, and make sure it accepts the payment types your customers use.
Is my payment information safe with a payment gateway?
Yes, payment gateways use encryption to keep your payment details safe. This means your info is turned into a secret code that only the right people can read.