American Express Acceptance
UK businesses can accept American Express in-store, online and through supported payment platforms.
Depending on the business and payment setup, Amex acceptance may be arranged directly with American Express or through an eligible payment provider.
Key Takeaways
Accepting American Express in the UK
- Businesses may be able to accept American Express directly with Amex or through an eligible payment provider.
- Amex can be accepted face-to-face, online and through compatible digital payment environments.
- Direct American Express merchant pricing is based on factors including industry and annual account activity.
- Online acceptance may require an American Express Merchant ID to be connected to the business's payment gateway.
- Businesses should compare Amex acceptance as part of their complete card-processing arrangement rather than looking at one transaction rate in isolation.
- EPOS, ecommerce, booking and other software integrations should be checked before changing payment provider.
Want to accept Amex alongside other card types?
Tell us how your business takes payments today and whether you need Amex acceptance in-store, online or as part of a wider integrated payment setup.
How can a business accept American Express?
American Express currently offers UK merchants two broad routes to acceptance:
- accepting American Express directly; or
- accepting American Express through an eligible payment provider.
The appropriate route can depend on the business, its payment provider, processing volumes and the wider merchant-services setup.
Some businesses may find that their existing provider can enable Amex alongside other card types.
Others may have a direct American Express merchant relationship.
Businesses should therefore establish how Amex acceptance would sit within their existing merchant account rather than assuming a completely separate payment setup will always be required.
Can small businesses accept American Express?
Yes. American Express explicitly supports acceptance by eligible small businesses as well as larger national and regional merchants.
Eligible small businesses may be able to accept Amex:
- through a payment provider; or
- directly through American Express.
Eligibility and commercial terms depend on the route being used and the individual business.
Can I accept American Express on my existing card machine?
Potentially.
The terminal itself needs to support American Express and the merchant's processing arrangement also needs to be enabled for Amex transactions.
Businesses should check:
- whether the current payment provider supports Amex;
- whether Amex is already enabled on the merchant account;
- whether a separate American Express Merchant ID is required;
- whether the terminal needs configuration or activation;
- how Amex transactions appear in reporting; and
- how settlement is handled.
American Express provides specific guidance for merchants to test and enable terminals once the merchant relationship is established.
Businesses comparing terminal setups can also read our Card Machines UK guide .
Can American Express be accepted online?
Yes.
American Express can be accepted through supported ecommerce and payment gateway environments.
For a direct American Express online setup, Amex's current UK guidance describes a process involving:
- a payment gateway;
- an American Express merchant relationship;
- an American Express Merchant ID; and
- connection between the Merchant ID and the payment gateway.
The gateway then routes the transaction for processing and authorisation.
Businesses should confirm the exact setup with their payment provider because some platforms may handle this as part of a wider merchant-services arrangement.
Visit our Payment Gateway advice for more information about online payment processing.
What is an American Express Merchant ID?
A Merchant ID identifies the merchant within the relevant American Express acceptance arrangement.
For businesses accepting Amex directly online, American Express states that the Merchant ID can be supplied to the payment gateway provider so the merchant account can be integrated with the gateway.
The exact structure can differ where Amex acceptance is provided as part of another payment-provider arrangement.
How much does it cost to accept American Express?
There is no single American Express merchant rate that applies to every UK business.
American Express states that its direct merchant processing rate is based on factors including:
- the merchant's industry; and
- annual account activity.
For its direct merchant offering, American Express describes the pricing as a percentage-based card-processing rate and says that it does not add separate setup or monthly account fees to that direct arrangement.
Businesses accepting Amex through another payment provider may have a different commercial structure.
Pricing could therefore be:
- shown separately;
- included in blended card pricing;
- subject to provider-specific commercial terms; or
- combined with other merchant-service charges.
The sensible comparison is the total cost of the merchant-services arrangement, not simply whether one card brand has a higher or lower headline percentage.
Are American Express merchant fees always higher?
Businesses should not assume there is one universal relationship between Amex pricing and Visa or Mastercard pricing.
The actual cost depends on the merchant's agreement, provider, card mix, transaction profile and route to Amex acceptance.
Older merchant-services guidance often described American Express as automatically more expensive, but modern payment-provider pricing can be structured in several different ways.
Merchants should compare actual quotes and statements rather than relying on a general assumption.
Can a business charge customers extra for paying by American Express?
For most UK consumer transactions, merchants cannot simply add an extra surcharge because a customer chooses to pay by credit or debit card.
UK payment-surcharge rules prohibit card surcharges across a wide range of consumer transactions.
Businesses operating in specialist commercial, corporate or other unusual payment environments should check the rules that apply to their specific transaction rather than relying on a general consumer rule.
How does American Express settlement work?
Settlement arrangements depend on the merchant agreement and acceptance route.
For merchants accepting directly, American Express describes approved transaction amounts being credited to the merchant account, less the agreed processing rate, before payment is made to the merchant's nominated bank account according to the agreed payment terms.
Businesses should confirm:
- settlement frequency;
- bank-account details;
- how fees appear;
- how refunds are recorded;
- how disputes affect settlement; and
- whether Amex is reported separately from other card brands.
Can American Express work with Apple Pay and contactless?
Yes, where the card, device, merchant account and payment acceptance environment support the transaction.
American Express can form part of:
- contactless-card payments;
- Apple Pay;
- other supported digital wallets;
- online checkout; and
- supported in-app payment journeys.
Read our How to Accept Apple Pay guide and our Contactless Payments guide for more information.
MAS Specialism
Amex acceptance may need to fit an existing payment environment
Established businesses may already use integrated card terminals, EPOS, booking software, ecommerce platforms, gateways or other systems.
MAS helps businesses understand how a new provider or Amex acceptance would fit those existing requirements before making changes to the payment setup.
Can American Express integrate with EPOS?
Yes, where the payment provider, terminal and EPOS system support the required transaction route.
The important distinction is between:
- whether the terminal can physically accept Amex; and
- whether the merchant's acquiring and software arrangement supports it.
A business changing provider should therefore check both payment acceptance and system compatibility.
Read our Integrated Card Machines & EPOS Compatibility guide .
What about businesses using booking or hospitality software?
Hospitality, hotel, travel and appointment-based businesses may take Amex through several payment channels.
These can include:
- face-to-face terminals;
- online bookings;
- booking deposits;
- prepayments;
- MOTO transactions;
- payment links;
- card-on-file arrangements; and
- ecommerce checkout.
Amex support should therefore be checked across the entire payment journey, not only at the physical till.
Can high-risk businesses accept American Express?
Acceptance is subject to underwriting, eligibility and the risk appetite of the relevant provider.
A business being able to accept Visa or Mastercard does not automatically guarantee that Amex will be available through the same arrangement.
Factors can include:
- business sector;
- products or services sold;
- transaction values;
- customer geography;
- refund and dispute profile;
- payment channel; and
- provider restrictions.
Businesses with more specialist requirements can visit our High-Risk Merchant Accounts hub .
Can I add Amex after my merchant account is already live?
Potentially, yes.
The process depends on the payment provider and whether the business will accept Amex through that provider or through a direct American Express arrangement.
Before making changes, establish:
- whether the current provider supports Amex;
- what pricing will apply;
- whether a new Merchant ID is required;
- whether terminals need enabling;
- whether the gateway needs configuring;
- how settlement will work; and
- whether any software integrations are affected.
Can I switch payment provider and keep accepting American Express?
Usually this needs to be checked as part of the migration.
A business should not assume that an existing Amex arrangement automatically transfers to a new merchant-services provider.
Check:
- Amex acceptance with the new provider;
- existing Amex Merchant IDs;
- terminal configuration;
- gateway configuration;
- EPOS integration;
- booking and ecommerce systems;
- settlement arrangements; and
- reporting.
Read our Switching Merchant Account Provider guide before changing your wider processing setup.
What should you compare before accepting American Express?
Acceptance route
Will Amex be accepted directly or through the business's payment provider?
Processing cost
Compare the actual Amex pricing and the overall cost of the merchant account.
Customer demand
Consider whether your customers actively want to use American Express.
Card terminals
Check whether existing terminal hardware and merchant configurations support Amex.
Online payments
Confirm whether the payment gateway and ecommerce platform support the required Amex setup.
Integrations
Check EPOS, booking software, CRM and other payment integrations.
Settlement
Understand when Amex transactions will settle and how they appear in reporting.
Refunds and disputes
Establish how refunds and disputes are managed through the chosen acceptance route.
Comparing merchant account providers?
Tell us which card types, payment channels and existing systems your next provider needs to support.
How Merchant Advice Service helps
Merchant Advice Service helps businesses understand their payment requirements before comparing providers.
Where American Express acceptance matters, we can help businesses consider:
- merchant-account options;
- Amex acceptance requirements;
- card-terminal compatibility;
- payment gateways;
- online payments;
- EPOS;
- booking and software integrations;
- processing costs;
- settlement;
- existing provider arrangements; and
- switching requirements.
MAS does not issue American Express Merchant IDs and does not make American Express underwriting or eligibility decisions.
Our role is to help the business understand the wider payment requirement and compare provider options that may fit its technical and commercial setup.
Related payment guides
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✓ Independent UK payment advice ✓ American Express acceptance ✓ In-store & online payments ✓ Existing-system compatibility
Sources & References
Merchant Advice Service uses primary and authoritative sources where possible when reviewing payment-provider requirements, regulation and payment technology.
Sources were reviewed when this guide was last updated. Merchant pricing, acceptance routes, eligibility, integration requirements and provider terms can change, so businesses should confirm current details directly with American Express or their payment provider.
Editorial & Commercial Disclosure
Merchant Advice Service provides independent payment information and provider-matching services.
MAS may receive commission or a referral fee from some payment providers where a business proceeds following an introduction. This does not determine the factual information or provider-selection principles included in this guide.
American Express acceptance, pricing, eligibility, settlement and technical requirements can vary by business and payment-provider arrangement.
Merchant Advice Service is not American Express and does not issue American Express Merchant IDs, set Amex pricing or make American Express underwriting decisions.
Businesses should confirm current acceptance requirements and commercial terms directly with American Express or the relevant payment provider before entering into an agreement.
