The Best Payment Processors In The UK 2026

There were more than 2,000 UK payment service providers in 2024. This abundance makes choosing the ideal solution a real challenge.

With 10% of consumers abandoning their carts due to limited payment options and 19% because they didn’t trust the site’s security with their credit card information, the UK payment processor a business works with can directly impact profitability, security, customer experience, and operational efficiency.

How did we analyse the UK payment processors?

When every provider promises reliability, speed, and innovation, choosing the right payment processor can be overwhelming. We used the following criteria, focusing on real business needs, to compile a list of the top six payment processors in the UK.

Supported payment methods

We reviewed the range of payment methods (debit and credit cards, digital wallets, online bank transfers, and alternative payment methods (APMs)) a provider supports across key regions, including the UK, APAC, LATAM, Europe, and India. 

By allowing customers to pay using their preferred payment method, businesses can reduce cart abandonment and increase conversion rates. This is especially important for companies operating internationally or planning to expand into new markets where payment preferences can vary significantly.

Pricing model

We analysed how each provider structures its pricing, whether fees are transparent, and whether they use flat-rate, blended, or interchange++ models. The pricing model will decide how predictable a business’s costs are, how well the solutions fit their transaction volumes, and whether it remains affordable as the company grows.

Payout speed

We chose payment processors with faster settlement timelines because speedier access to funds can significantly impact cash flow, especially for SMEs and high-volume merchants. Reliable settlement timelines also help businesses plan expenses, manage working capital, and operate more smoothly day-to-day.

Integrations

Strong integrations simplify setup and make it easier for businesses to manage payments within their existing systems. We analysed and selected third-party payment processors that offer APIs, SDKs, hosted checkout, and ready-made integrations with e-commerce platforms, accounting software, and billing tools.

Security and compliance

We examined each payment processor’s security standards and regulatory oversight, including PCI DSS compliance, built-in fraud-prevention tools, and local regulatory authorisations.

Strong security and compliance are essential to reduce fraud risk and protect sensitive payment data. It also allows businesses to operate with confidence while meeting local regulatory requirements.

Multi-currency capabilities

We have included payment processors on our list that can accept, process, and settle transactions in multiple currencies. Additionally, we have found processors that support international payments and local acquiring for businesses selling to customers outside the UK, helping them reduce costs, improve approval rates, and create a smoother checkout experience.

Customer support

Responsive, knowledgeable support is essential when payment issues arise, as delays or unresolved issues can directly impact revenue and customer trust. The payment processors on our list were reviewed for whether support is available 24/7 or only during limited hours, the level of regional coverage, and the overall quality of service based on public merchant feedback.

Scalability

Finally, we looked at how well each payment processor supports business growth over time. We reviewed their ability to handle increasing transaction volumes, support expansion into new markets, and provide the necessary local licences, compliance, and payment methods as businesses scale. A scalable payment processor helps avoid costly migrations and ensures payments don’t become a bottleneck as the business grows.

The best payment processors in the UK

Unlimit

Unlimit is a global fintech and payment processing provider with nearly 17 years of industry experience. The company offers a unified payment and financial services platform built to help businesses accept and manage local and global payments and scale into new markets.

Unlimit supports payment processing, multi-currency business accounts, and Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) solutions, all accessible through a single integration. This reduces complexity and accelerates expansion across Europe (including the UK), Latin America, APAC, Africa, and India.

Key features

• Supports over 1,000 payment methods, including credit cards, digital wallets, bank transfers, local, and alternative payment methods
• Allow accepting payments and offer settlement in nearly 150 currencies
• Supports expansion across 200 locations
• Features a full-stack modular architecture with multiple product suites
• Provides a single API integration for access to all global markets and numerous payment flows
• Offers additional features, such as payment links, subscription payments, instalment payments, hosted pages, and embedded checkout widgets
• Hold local licences and compliance frameworks in key markets, such as Europe, LATAM, APAC, Africa, and India
• Integrations with major e-commerce platforms, including WooCommerce and Magento 2
• Provides a merchant dashboard and analytics tools for performance tracking
• Assigns dedicated account managers and regional/industry experts for smoother onboarding and continuous support.

Pricing

Unlimit’s pricing model is tailored to each business’s transaction volume, geographical coverage, industry verticals, and services used. Companies can consult with the sales team about their unique needs and get a customised quote.

Additionally, Unlimit doesn’t have setup, account maintenance, or other hidden charges.

Pros

• Direct connectivity to major card schemes and local payment networks removes third-party intermediaries, enabling lower processing costs and faster settlements
• Extensive global reach with 1,000+ payment methods and local licences in over 90 regions makes it a strong choice for businesses planning to scale internationally
• A single API for all core payment functions simplifies integration, reduces technical complexity, and helps companies launch and expand into new markets more quickly
• A modular, full-stack product architecture allows businesses to choose only what they need, while still having room to scale seamlessly as they grow
• Local experts and regulatory coverage in key markets make compliance easier and reduce operational complexity across multiple jurisdictions.

Cons

• Since Unlimit doesn’t have a fixed pricing model, businesses have to speak with the sales team to get tailored quotes, which can make initial cost comparisons slightly difficult
• The platform is feature-rich and may hence be complex for smaller, UK-only businesses.

Checkout.com

Founded in 2012, Checkout.com is an end-to-end payment processing service provider. Beyond processing, Checkout.com also offers acquiring, gateway, and fraud management services. It primarily focuses on mid-market to enterprise e-commerce businesses.

Key features

• Offers a unified payments API
• Allows accepting payment in over 150 currencies
• Supports major credit and debit cards, digital wallets, local payment methods, and various alternative payment methods across 45+ markets
• Offer settlement in nearly 20 currencies
• Includes developer-friendly APIs and tools
• Holds local acquiring licenses in key regions, such as the UK, EU, US, and MENA
• Regulated by various global bodies, including the Monetary Authority of Singapore
• Offers high-end security measures, such as 3D Secure authorisation, dispute management support, and network tokenisation.

Pricing

Checkout.com’s pricing model is tailored to each business’s volume, risk profile, needs, and budget. They use an interchange++ model, which means they provide a breakdown of the flat fee so businesses know how much of the transaction value goes toward processor, interchange, and credit card processing fees.

Checkout.com also offers free processing for registered charities.

Pros

• Continuous development of new features, such as the reconciliation API, which isn’t yet widely available in the market
• Their advanced AI-powered tools, local acquiring, and direct connection to major card networks improve payment acceptance rates
• Offer powerful data insights and performance analytics to help businesses understand transaction behaviour and optimise payment strategies
• Intuitive interface and modern design that’s user-friendly and easy to integrate
• Fast, reliable global payouts and cross-border settlement, making international expansion easier for merchants.

Cons

• Sometimes the customer support can be slow and unresponsive, which can be frustrating when the issues are payment-related
• Custom pricing agreements can make cost comparisons harder upfront, and may increase costs for very small or low-volume businesses
• The fees can be higher in some cases than expected, and the fee structure is complex and challenging to understand
• They support a narrower range of UK-specific alternative payment methods than other global payment processors on this list
• The onboarding and integration process can be time-consuming and challenging, making it difficult for businesses seeking a quick, easy setup.

Rapyd

Rapyd began as a mobile payments company in 2016 and has since grown into a global fintech platform offering unified payment processing, multi-currency accounts, and cross-border payments. As a licensed card acquirer in the UK and Europe, Rapyd supports both online and POS (in-store) payments, and it’s built to help merchants seamlessly expand into international markets.

Key features

• Supports payments in more than 150 currencies across 190 countries
• Offer access to over 900 payment methods, including cards, digital wallets, wire transfers, real-time payment rails, and cash vouchers
• Provides a unified platform for accepting payments and sending global payouts, alongside multi-currency global business accounts
• Features AI-powered fraud monitoring and the ability to set custom 3DS rules
• Offers API integrations for online checkouts, subscription billing, and recurring payments across e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce, Wix, and Shopify
• Licensed Visa and Mastercard acquirer in Europe, the UK, Israel, and Singapore
• Hold a PCI-DSS license for handling card payments and other permits, including the Major Payment Institution license in Singapore and the Category 3D license in the Middle East.

Pricing

Rapyd uses an Interchange++ pricing model, charging a fixed fee per transaction that combines the interchange fee, card scheme fees, and a small acquirer fee. Pricing varies based on processing volume, business type, and other factors and will be provided after a consultation with Rapyd.

Pros

• Extensive global coverage enables businesses to reach customers across multiple regions and expand confidently into international markets
• Seamless integrations with leading platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Wix support faster setup and smoother operations
• Checkout pages and payment links are optimised for multiple languages, including Chinese, German, Hindi, Italian, and more, helping create a more localised and user-friendly payment experience.

Cons

• Settlement timing and payout processes may not be as quick as with some other providers
• For smaller, local-only businesses, Rapyd’s global-first platform may be unnecessarily complex or higher cost
• Businesses should be legally registered in one of the country’s Rapyd-supported countries to be able to send and receive payments
• Rapyd only offers dedicated account managers to enterprise or large-scale clients
• Some users report poor customer support due to poor communication and unresolved issues around settlements and account closures.

GoCardless

Founded in 2011, GoCardless is a payment processor specialising in bank-based payments. Their initial focus was to provide small and mid-sized businesses with a convenient way to accept international payments, particularly recurring and one-off payments made directly from customers’ bank accounts. Currently, it operates across the US, Europe, and Australia.

It’s particularly praised for its integration capabilities with many accounting and billing platforms, making it especially useful for subscription-based merchants who want to automate payment collections without relying on card-based payment methods.

Key features

• Allow businesses to collect recurring and one-off payments via Direct Debit and instant bank transfer without long-term contracts or setup costs
• Supports international payments in over eight currencies and 30 countries using real exchange rates
• Accepts a wide range of payment methods
• Integrates with over 350 partner platforms, including accounting software like Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, and billing systems
• Offers tiered plans (Standard, Advanced, and Pro)
• Provides transparent pricing with no hidden fees or caps on domestic payments.

Pricing

GoCardless has a pay-as-you-go pricing model as follows:

• Standard: 1% + 0.20 GBP capped at 4 GBP for domestic transactions and 2% + 0.20 GBP for international transactions
• Advanced: 1.25% + 0.20 GBP, capped at 5 GBP for domestic transactions and 2.25% + 0.20 GBP for international transactions
• Pro: 1.4% + 0.20 GBP, capped at 5.60 GBP for domestic transactions and 2.4% + 0.20 GBP for international transactions.

They don’t have monthly or early termination fees, but they do charge:

• 5 GBP for chargebacks and payment failures exceeding 15 per month
• 50 GBP per month for adding a business name to customer bank statements
• 150 GBP per month for custom checkout and notifications (only available on the Advanced and Pro plans).

Pros

• A single API to integrate payments directly into the business website streamlines onboarding and development
• Integrations with third-party platforms make it easier to connect payments with accounting, billing, and CRM workflows
• User-friendly platform with intuitive setup processes reduces complexity for both developers and finance teams
• Lower fees than typical card processing charges for recurring payments help save costs on subscription and recurring payments
• Automated collection reduces the need to chase payments
• Their responsive customer service team provides prompt responses, including 24/7 support via online tickets, phone support in the US, and email support
• The extensive help centre and knowledge base on their website, and instructional video resources on the company’s YouTube channel, help users troubleshoot and learn independently.

Cons

• Due to limited payment methods, it may not be suitable for global businesses needing broad payment options like cards, wallets, or buy-now-pay-later (BNPL)
• Since international transaction fees aren’t capped like domestic fees, they can add up for high-volume businesses
• Processing can be slower than card payments, and settlement times would depend on banking systems
• They don’t have a dedicated mobile app, which may limit usability for business owners who want on-the-go access.

CAB Payments Holdings PLC

CAB Payments Holdings plc is a UK-based financial technology company and publicly-listed payments processor specialising in cross-border payments, foreign exchange (FX), and economic infrastructure for business clients.

Founded on the legacy of Crown Agents Bank and headquartered in London, the firm provides a range of B2B payment and FX solutions, particularly designed to move money efficiently into and out of hard-to-reach and emerging markets.

Key features

• Supports cross-border payments and foreign exchange services across 150+ countries
• Facilitates international money movement where traditional infrastructure is limited
• Provides an end-to-end automated payments and FX gateway that supports hundreds of currencies from a single API-enabled platform
• Offers a digital FX platform with executable pricing in 100+ currencies across 550+ currency pairs
• Operates under the regulatory strength of  Crown Agents Bank in the UK
• Maintains an extensive network of local bank accounts, settlement partners, and liquidity providers to improve execution and access in hard-to-reach markets.

Pricing

CAB Payments doesn’t have a standard consumer-style pricing model. Its revenue primarily comes from bespoke commercial arrangements with institutional clients, such as banks, development organisations, and large fintechs. Pricing for FX and cross-border transactions typically varies based on transaction size, corridor complexity, and services used.

Pros

• Highly specialised cross-border expertise in emerging markets makes CAB a strong partner for companies needing to move complex international flows where traditional banking rails are limited
• Its regulated UK banking platform provides strong compliance, risk oversight, and institutional-grade trust for large-scale transactions
• Robust FX and payments infrastructure with multi-currency capabilities and strong liquidity enables faster and more efficient global settlements
• The focus on financial inclusion and social impact in underserved markets ensures measurable impact in local markets.

Cons

• CAB is primarily institutional and B2B-focused, not designed for typical UK SMEs seeking online checkout or card payment processing
• Custom arrangements and institutional contracts make cost structures less transparent than those of mainstream merchant providers
• Like other FX-centric firms, earnings and flows can fluctuate with global economic and currency dynamics.

Trust Payments

Trust Payments is a UK-based global payment processor and acquirer that provides an all-in-one payments platform for online, in-store, mobile, and omnichannel commerce. It’s a regulated financial institution authorised by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Malta Financial Services Authority, serving more than 20,000 merchants worldwide across sectors such as retail, travel, hospitality, gaming, and finance.

Trust Payments positions itself as a “Converged Commerce®” provider, combining payment gateways, acquiring, point-of-sale, analytics, and loyalty tools into a single unified solution.

Key features

• Supports major credit and debit cards, digital wallets, bank transfers, and alternative payment methods across 100+ currencies
• Combines payment gateway and acquiring services in a single platform
• Enables online, in-person, mobile, and omnichannel payments through online gateways, mobile app payments, self-checkout options, and point-of-sale terminals
• Provides Tap-to-Pay on Android / SoftPOS capabilities, allowing merchants to accept contactless payments without dedicated hardware.
• Offers robust fraud prevention and security capabilities, including PCI DSS compliance and advanced encryption
• Provides fast onboarding and 24/7 global support with localised assistance.

Pricing

Trust Payments tailors its fees based on a merchant’s turnover, transaction volume, business model, and risk profile. Businesses can discuss their specific needs with the Trust Payments team and obtain a quote.

Pros

• The comprehensive omnichannel payment solutions reduce tech complexity and operational costs
• The broad coverage, including major cards, digital wallets, and APMs, helps businesses cater to both local and global customers
• Fast onboarding and flexible settlement options enable merchants to start processing payments quickly after approval
• 24/7 multilingual customer support with localised service channels for UK businesses ensures reliable assistance whenever issues arise

Cons

• No publicly listed pricing makes it difficult for smaller merchants to compare costs
• There are mixed merchant reviews around customer support responsiveness, with some users reporting delays or difficulty resolving issues
• The fee structures for high-risk sectors are complex and may include additional monitoring premiums or reinstatement charges.

The best payment processor?

There’s no single best payment processor for businesses. Each solution has its own unique strengths and drawbacks. The right choice ultimately depends on the business model, growth plans, and long-term goals.

FAQs