Payment gateways act as a “middleman” between your business, and the customer.
They facilitate secure online card payments and are therefore very important to the running of your business. There are many different providers available. As a result, it can be difficult choosing the right one.
Fear not – in this article we have provided a list of 17 providers, to help you decide which is the best online payment gateway for small business UK!
Here’s the 17 best online payment gateway for small business UK
- PayPal
- Stripe
- Amazon Pay
- Shopify
- Sage Pay
- Cardstream
- Skrill
- Braintree
- Authorize.net
- Nochex
- 2checkout.com
- Secure Trading
- Checkout.com
- Bluesnap
- Worldpay
- Adyen
- Square
Check out this guide to compare ePOS systems.
1. PayPal
Best For: Fast payments
Pros
- Has a simple setup for small business.
- One of the easiest payment methods for customers.
- Can also accept international cards.
Cons
- Higher payment fees.
PayPal is often the go-to payment solution for many small businesses. We all know how easy it is to make PayPal payments. Aside from this, the gateway is easy to setup, and they have a control panel that works fantastically on mobile devices.
We also like their excellent fraud protection, and the reliability of their payment processing. eCommerce business owners should be aware of the fees PayPal charges though, as this can reduce your profit margins on sales.
2. Stripe
Best For: Comprehensive payment solutions
Pros
- No hidden fees in the price plans.
- Has an easy-to-use platform.
- Decent fees for European cards.
Cons
- Can have a settlement delay of up to 7 days.
Stripe is a full payment solution. It is one of the most comprehensive gateways available and includes both a payment gateway and merchant account.
You can also easily customize your payment system to blend in with your online store. For European customers, Stripe also has excellent transaction fees, although their prices are not as great for international customers.
3. Amazon Pay
Best For: Simple usage, quick checkout
Pros
- Quick checkout process.
- Has great integration with online stores.
- Highly trusted and a global brand.
Cons
- No availability of PayPal payments.
- Fees can be high for low sales volumes.
Amazon is a global company and its payment gateway solution is also well-respected. Their payment system is incredibly easy to use – for both the business and the customer.
Also, it offers some of the quickest checkout processes available. Which is great for improving sales for your eCommerce store. The only downside, is that for low sales volumes, their fees may seem a little high.
4. Shopify
Best For: Shopify eCommerce stores
Pros
- Offers a comprehensive package for eCommerce stores.
- Abandoned cart recovery.
- A great choice of payment themes.
Cons
- Only available for Shopify stores.
If you have a Shopify eCommerce store, it makes sense to use the Shopify payment gateway service. In fact, this service is ONLY available to Shopify customers.
The great thing about this gateway is that you don’t have to set up another account and you have everything you need in one location. Their service is also comprehensive and essentials give everything you need to make your online store.
5. Sage Pay
Best For: Ultimate security
Pros
- Has a solid range of flat fees.
- Offers a complete payment solution.
- Supports 30 global currencies.
Cons
- Does require a little tech knowledge.
Sage Pay is one of the most secure, robust, and flexible payment gateways available. It has great support for international currencies, and offers some of the best payment security available.
The gateway is also highly customizable and they support face-to-face payments too. Sage Pay also has great support for mobile payments.
Check out this review of Sage for more information.
6. Cardstream
Best For: Customization
Pros
- Payment gateways can be fully customized.
- No initial setup fee.
- No upper transaction limit.
Cons
- Minimum 12-month contract required.
If you want a payment system that integrates fully into your online store, Cardstream is a good option. It offers some of the best payment customization available.
This means that your payment processing will blend into your store and not look as alien. We also like that there is no setup fee, and no upper transaction limit.
7. Skrill
Best For: Lower transaction fees
Pros
- Really easy to use and configure.
- Offers a full set of basic payment services.
- Decent transaction fees.
Cons
- Can be expensive for currency conversions.
Skrill is one of the oldest payment gateway providers and it still remains a decent choice. By using this provider, you can benefit from a comprehensive set of basic payment features.
You get everything you need to efficiently accept payments in your online store. Their pricing is also consistent, but you can find the occasionally hidden fee, like processing fees.
8. Braintree
Best For: Medium-sized businesses looking to expand
Pros
- Includes a bank-sponsored merchant account.
- The payment system is customizable.
- Excellent customer support.
Cons
- Does require some developer knowledge for integration.
Braintree is actually owned by PayPal. However, it offers a different payment gateway solution.
This solution offers some of the best customization available for your payment pages. Also, it includes individual merchant accounts that then link to one of their authorized banks.
This is not the simplest of gateways, however, and developer knowledge is required.
9. Authorize.net
Best For: Businesses requiring more detailed payment services
Pros
- Excellent pricing structure.
- Has great support for a variety of devices.
- Integrates with multiple shopping carts.
Cons
- Not as simple to implement at some gateways.
Authorize.net is another specialist gateway provider that offers a more technical solution. To integrate this payment gateway, you will need some developer knowledge.
However, you can expect excellent customization and a brilliant set of features. It allows you to create a seamless, integrated payment system in your eCommerce store.
10. Nochex
Best For: Business who need accountless payments
Pros
- No customer account is needed to make payments.
- Fantastic technical customer support.
- Relatively easy to use.
Cons
- No face-to-face payment capabilities.
One of the best things about Nochex is that your customers will not need to have an account to make a payment. This makes their gateway solution incredibly simple and convenient.
Also, they have a readily available customer support team with great knowledge. One thing to consider is that Nochex cannot support face-to-face payments.
11. 2checkout.com
Best For: Transparency and flat fees
Pros
- Has solid support for international payments.
- No setup or application fees.
- Has a simple pricing structure.
Cons
- Company has been known to close customer accounts.
2checkout.com is a brilliant gateway provider and operates much like PayPal and Stripe. We like that it offers full transparency in its pricing, and its price plans are simple to understand.
Your small business can also benefit from a free setup and a quick application process. They also have excellent support for international payments.
12. Secure Trading
Best For: Mobile-heavy businesses
Pros
- Great customer support for technical issues.
- Fantastic support for mobile payments.
- Has an excellent uptime rating of 99.97%.
Cons
- Relatively expensive compared to other gateways.
If you need reliability and envision having a busy eCommerce store, you will love the 99.97% uptime record of Secure Trading.
They offer a reliable gateway that is also brilliant for mobile payments. It also supports a good range of alternative payment methods.
One thing to consider is the fact that their 12-month contracts are auto-renewing.
13. Checkout.com
Best For: International payments
Pros
- Supports 159 countries for payments.
- No contracts involved.
- Supports a good selection of payment methods.
Cons
- More suited for high-volume businesses.
Checkout.com is a great all-in-one solution. It is another solid option for international businesses as it supports payments from 159 countries.
In terms of transaction fees, it also offers slightly lower rates for European transactions. We also like that their service works on a month-by-month basis with no contrast involved.
14. Bluesnap
Best For: International eCommerce
Pros
- Has great support for multiple languages.
- Also supported 180 international countries.
- Decent transaction rates.
Cons
- Doesn’t have 24/7 customer support.
Bluesnap is a great option for those who primarily deal in international business. It supports 180 countries and has fantastic support for multiple languages.
Essentially, this could be your one-stop gateway as it also supports 110 different payment types. We also like that Bluesnap’s pricing structure is quite similar to PayPals.
15. Worldpay
Best For: Small businesses
Pros
- Fantastic payment security.
- Virtually all major payment cards accepted.
- Has a good range of price plans.
Cons
- Customer service can be inconsistent.
Worldpay is one of the most popular and reputable gateways. It provides your small business with everything you need to operate an online store.
Their payment gateway is robust and has some of the best security available too. Also, Worldpay accepts virtually all debit and credit cards, and also supports PayPal payments.
16. Adyen
Best For: Smooth payments
Pros
- Accepts a huge range of payment methods.
- Supports in-person and phone payments too.
- Fast and simple payment process.
Cons
- Funds are only settled in your business account twice weekly.
Adyen is fantastic for businesses that want a smooth and quick payment system. It also accepts a staggering 250+ different payment methods which should mean no customers are turned away.
In terms of fees, there are no setup fees, and their transaction fees are OK. They also support phone payments which not all providers do.
17. Square
Best For: Businesses using website builders
Pros
- Partnered with website builders such as Wix
- Offers competitive pricing.
- Doesn’t require a long-term contract.
Cons
- Customer support not available 24/7
Square is an excellent payment gateway and actually works with a myriad of popular website builders including Weebly and Wix.
It has competitive fees that are in some areas cheaper than PayPal. Also, it has a great set of features and can support face-to-face payments.
We also like that you don’t have to commit to a long-term contract.
Choosing the right online payment gateway provider is important.
You need to choose a solution that matches your requirements, offers affordable fees, and makes the checkout process quick and easy for your customers.
Hopefully this list will help make that choice easier. If you’re looking for a digital bank account for your business, checkout this list of the best providers.
We’ve also put together this guide to help you operate your eCommerce fulfillment.
If this guide to the best online payment gateway for small business UK helped you, please recommend DigitalSupermarket.
