Payments

Card payments for UK businesses - however you take them.

Whether you sell online, in person, or both - and whether you're a high-street shop, an ecommerce brand, or in a higher-risk sector - there's a route to taking card payments that fits how your business actually works. We help UK businesses compare the options and pick the right one.

Powered by a growing network of trusted providers

  • Worldpay
  • Barclaycard
  • Cashflows
  • Fiserv
  • SumUp
  • Trust Payments
  • Adyen
What we cover

Three routes to taking card payments

Most UK businesses fall into one of three categories - or a combination. Start with the one that matches how your business actually trades.

Illustration of online payment options across web and mobile

Online Payments

Card processing for ecommerce checkouts, in-app purchases, recurring subscriptions, and phone or email orders.

  • Website payment gateways, mobile app SDKs, and Click to Pay.
  • Suits ecommerce, subscription, SaaS, and direct-to-consumer brands.
  • Rates from 0.5% when well matched to the right acquirer.
Explore online payments
Countertop card terminal in a UK retail setting

Card Terminals

Face-to-face card payments for retail, hospitality, mobile trades, and multi-site operators.

  • Countertop, mobile, smart POS, and full ePOS systems.
  • Chip-and-PIN, contactless, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
  • Independent comparison on monthly cost, contract terms, and fit.
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Higher-risk merchant accounts and specialist payment processing

High Risk Processing

Specialist underwriting for sectors mainstream banks turn away - CBD, adult, raffles, vape, supplements, gaming, and travel.

  • UK and EU specialist acquirers with explicit appetite for high-risk verticals.
  • Approval support for declined, terminated, or new high-risk merchants.
  • Recovery routes after a mainstream processor shutdown.
Explore high-risk processing
Complementary tools

Tools that work across every route

Pay by Link and Virtual Terminals sit alongside your main payment setup - useful when you also take orders by phone, send invoices, or need to capture a payment without a checkout or terminal in front of the customer.

How card payment pricing actually works

The headline rate is rarely what you actually pay. UK card processing cost is shaped by how you trade, what you sell, and which contract you sign.

What shapes your real cost

  • Transaction rates that vary by card type (debit, credit, commercial, international) and pricing model (blended vs interchange-plus).
  • Monthly fees - terminal rental, gateway fees, minimum service charges, and PCI compliance.
  • Contract length and exit costs - terminal contracts can lock you in for 18-60 months with significant early termination fees.
  • Chargeback fees, refund handling, settlement timing, and cross-border or currency conversion costs.
  • Rolling reserves and stricter underwriting terms for higher-risk sectors, new businesses, or elevated dispute rates.

We compare the total cost - rates, fees, contract terms, and operational fit - not just the headline number.

How it works

From enquiry to live in four steps

We handle the search, the matching, and the back-and-forth - so you don't have to.

1

Tell us about your business

Share what you're looking for via our short online form. One of our team will follow up to gather any extra detail we need to match you properly.

2

We find the right provider

We approach the providers in our UK and EU panel best matched to your sector, volumes, and risk profile. Your details stay secure.

3

Choose, switch, go live

We present your matched quotes clearly and answer any questions. When you're happy, we handle the switching or onboarding.

4

Stay supported as you grow

Our job doesn't stop at sign-up. We review your setup as your business grows, renegotiate terms when they come up, and stay on hand for renewals.

Why Merchant Advice

Why use Merchant Advice instead of going straight to a provider?

Going direct means you only see one route. We put the market side-by-side so you can judge fit, cost, and contract terms before a single sales process narrows it for you.

Independent comparison

We're not tied to any one provider. We recommend the setup that fits your business - not the one that pays us best.

Negotiation support

We help you push back on the first offer - on rates, monthly costs, contract length, exit fees, and reserves.

Switching support

Already under contract? We help you check exit fees, timing, and parallel running so switching doesn't interrupt payments.

Complex case guidance

Been declined, had an account closed, or trade in a tougher sector? We work with specialist acquirers who underwrite properly.

A small business owner on the phone at her shop counter, beside a card terminal and till
Next step

Get clear on the right payment setup

Tell us how your business takes payments and we'll help you decide which route fits, what to compare next, and which providers are worth taking seriously.

  • Guidance based on your business model, not a sales pitch.
  • Support across online gateways, card terminals, and high-risk acquirers.
  • A shortlist based on cost, fit, and approval likelihood.
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Frequently asked questions

What does Merchant Advice actually do?
We're an independent broker for UK card payments. We help merchants compare providers, negotiate terms, and switch when it makes sense - across online gateways, card terminals, and specialist high-risk acquirers.
Is your service free?
Yes. Our service is free for the merchant. We're paid a small commission by the provider you choose, which doesn't increase your rates. It's how providers compensate us for matching them with merchants we recommend them to.
Do I need a payment gateway and a merchant account?
In most setups, yes - especially for online payments. The gateway transmits card data securely; the merchant account holds the funds before settlement. Some providers bundle both into a single contract, others keep them separate. We help you compare both routes.
Do you cover both online and in-person payments?
Yes. We work across the full payments stack - ecommerce checkouts, in-app payments, card terminals, smart POS, ePOS, and pay-by-link. If your business takes cards both online and face-to-face, we help you compare both sides under one provider where it makes sense, or split them when it doesn't.
Do you work with small businesses or only larger ones?
Both. We help sole traders and single-counter shops at one end, and multi-site retail or hospitality groups at the other. The provider, terminal, or gateway changes; the brokering process is the same.
Do you cover high-risk sectors?
Yes. CBD, adult, vape, supplements, gaming, travel, and other higher-risk verticals all sit within our specialist panel. Mainstream providers usually decline these by default - we work with the specialist acquirers who underwrite them properly and keep accounts open.
How long does it take to switch payment provider?
Depends on the route. Online gateways and platform plugins can be live within a few days. Card terminals usually take 1-2 weeks. Higher-risk applications and integrated ePOS deployments take longer - typically 2-6 weeks depending on underwriting and integration.