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Payment Gateways UK: Independent Advice & Provider Matching

Payment Gateway Matching

Compare payment gateway providers

Tell us a little about your business and online payment setup. We’ll use your requirements to identify gateway providers that may be suitable.

1 Business
2 Payment setup
3 About you
Step 1 of 3

Tell us about your business

This helps us understand which payment providers may be able to support your setup.

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A short description is enough.
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This helps us identify providers that support your business location.
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Where are your customers based?
Select all that apply.
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✓ We only ask for information that helps us understand your payment requirements.
Payment Gateway Matching

Compare payment gateway providers

Tell us about your website and online payment setup.

✓ Business
2 Payment setup
3 About you
Step 2 of 3

Your payment setup

Approximate figures are absolutely fine.

The website or online store where you accept payments.
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This helps us understand your integration requirements.
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Approximate monthly online credit and debit card turnover.
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What is your average online transaction value?
Choose the closest range.
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✓ These details help us understand which gateways and integrations may suit your business.
Payment Gateway Matching

Where should we send your results?

Add your contact details and we’ll review your payment gateway requirements.

✓ Business
✓ Payment setup
3 About you
Your gateway profile
Business —
Website platform —
Monthly online sales —
Average transaction —
Step 3 of 3

About you

We’ll use these details to discuss gateway providers that may be suitable.

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Optional: tell us about integrations, recurring payments, international payments or anything else we should consider.
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Partner contact consent
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Free to businesses · No obligation
Your information is used to assess your requirements and, where you consent, introduce you to selected payment gateway partners.
Payment gateway advice

Choosing a payment gateway for your business

A payment gateway securely connects your website, app or payment interface with the systems used to authorise and process customer payments. The right setup depends on how you sell, the technology you use and the payments your customers need to make.

What should you consider?

◫
Ecommerce & checkout

Hosted checkout, embedded payments, wallets and mobile customer experience.

↔
Integrations & APIs

Shopify, WooCommerce, booking systems, CRM, ERP or bespoke platforms.

↻
Recurring & international

Subscriptions, repeat payments, multiple currencies and overseas customers.

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Complex requirements

Some sectors require specialist acquiring, underwriting or gateway support.

i
Payment gateway or payment provider?

A gateway handles the technology used to pass payment information securely. Some providers combine the gateway, merchant account and acquiring service, while others provide these separately.

Independent Payment Gateway Advice

Find a payment gateway that fits your checkout, systems and business model

Payment gateways differ in how they handle ecommerce, subscriptions, international payments, fraud controls, integrations and specialist business models.

MAS helps businesses understand the technical and commercial requirements before exploring payment gateway providers that may be suitable.

✓ Ecommerce & online payments ✓ High-risk gateways ✓ Software & API integrations ✓ International & complex setups
Quick Summary

Choosing a payment gateway in the UK

✓
A payment gateway connects your online checkout with the wider payment-processing network.
✓
Compare checkout compatibility, payment methods, recurring payments, international support, fraud controls and cost.
✓
High-risk businesses may need a gateway and acquiring setup that supports their sector and transaction profile.
✓
Ecommerce platforms, booking systems, software and APIs can determine which gateway providers will work with your setup.
Start With Your Payment Model

What do you need a payment gateway for?

Start with how customers pay. Different payment models can need very different gateway functionality.

Ecommerce

Online Checkout & Ecommerce

For websites and online stores taking one-off customer payments.

Compare gateway providers →
Recurring Revenue

Subscriptions & Recurring Payments

Billing, stored credentials, renewals, failed payments and subscription lifecycles.

Explore subscription payments →
Specialist Underwriting MAS Specialism

High-Risk Payment Gateways

Specialist gateway and acquiring routes where mainstream providers may not support the business.

Explore high-risk gateways →
Platforms

Marketplaces & Split Payments

Collect funds, deduct commissions, split payments and manage payouts between multiple parties.

Explore split payments →
Booking & Scheduling

Booking-System Payments

Deposits, prepayments, recurring billing and payments connected to booking platforms.

Explore booking payments →
Accounting

Xero & Accounting Integrations

Connect payment collection with invoicing, accounting and reconciliation workflows.

Explore Xero payment providers →
Before You Choose

Understand the payment setup before comparing gateways

The best gateway depends on the complete payment journey — not just the transaction fee.

01
Understand

Map the payment journey

Start with checkout, payment methods, currencies, recurring payments and the systems the gateway needs to connect to.

Explore payment integrations →
02
Compare

Compare the full payment cost

Look at gateway, processing, acquiring, fraud tools, international fees and integration costs together.

Payment Gateway Fees UK 2026 →
03
Find

Explore suitable gateway providers

Once the requirement is clear, compare providers that may fit the business model, technology and underwriting profile.

Compare gateway providers →
Compare Payment Gateways

Tell us what your online payment setup needs to do

Tell us how customers pay, which systems you use and anything your gateway needs to support.

This can include ecommerce, subscriptions, booking systems, marketplaces, high-risk sectors, APIs and more complex payment integrations.

Compare Payment Gateway Providers
Free to businesses · No obligation
✓ Ecommerce & online payments ✓ High-risk gateways ✓ Subscriptions & marketplaces ✓ Software & integrations
Complex Payment Architecture MAS Specialism

When one standard payment gateway is not enough

Larger, international or more complex businesses may need greater control over providers, currencies, payment methods and stored customer credentials.

Multiple Providers

Payment Orchestration

Manage several PSPs, acquirers and payment methods through a more centralised payment layer.

Explore payment orchestration →
Provider Flexibility

Acquirer-Agnostic Gateways

Use one gateway with more than one acquiring relationship where the gateway supports the required connections.

Explore multi-acquirer gateways →
International

International & Multi-Currency

Consider merchant location, customer countries, currencies, local acquiring, FX and cross-border costs.

Explore international payments →
Customer Choice

Alternative Payment Methods

Add wallets, bank payments and other local or alternative payment methods alongside cards.

Explore alternative payments →
Stored Payments

Tokenisation & Stored Cards

Understand how payment credentials can be tokenised for recurring and stored-payment journeys.

Explore network tokenisation →
Changing Provider

Gateway & Token Migration

Check what happens to stored cards, tokens and recurring payments before changing gateway.

Changing payment gateway →
Need Help Narrowing It Down?

Not sure which payment gateway fits your setup?

Tell us how you take payments, the systems you use and any international, subscription, high-risk or integration requirements.

Tell Us About Your Payment Setup
Free to businesses · No obligation
Compare the Complete Setup

What should you compare in a payment gateway?

Gateway choice affects much more than checkout.

Fees & Pricing

Compare gateway, transaction, international and acquiring costs together.

Gateway fees UK →

Integrations

Check ecommerce, booking systems, software, APIs and existing infrastructure.

Explore integrations →

Security & Fraud

Consider tokenisation, fraud tools, authentication and PCI responsibilities.

Explore tokenisation →

Payment Methods

Cards, wallets, bank payments and local payment methods may all matter.

Explore payment methods →

International Support

Check merchant locations, customer countries, currencies, FX and acquiring.

Explore international payments →

Settlement & Reporting

Compare settlement timing, reconciliation, reporting and operational visibility.

Compare gateway providers →
Payment Gateway Costs

What makes up the cost of a payment gateway?

The cheapest headline transaction rate does not always mean the lowest overall payment cost.

Gateway Fees

Monthly, platform or per-transaction gateway charges may apply.

Processing & Acquiring

Card processing and acquiring costs can sit separately from the gateway.

International & FX

Cross-border cards, currencies and settlement can add extra cost.

Fraud Tools & Extras

Fraud controls, plugins, additional features and more complex integrations may cost extra.

A Common MAS Enquiry

Using Stripe or reviewing your options?

Stripe-related questions are among the most common enquiries we receive from businesses reviewing their payment setup.

Some businesses have simply outgrown their existing setup. Others need different integrations, international support or a provider with a different risk appetite. We also hear from businesses whose Stripe account has been restricted or closed and need to understand what to do next.

Growing Business

Have You Outgrown Stripe?

As businesses grow, pricing, international requirements, subscriptions or more complex payment infrastructure can make it worth reviewing the existing setup.

Read the Outgrown Stripe guide →
Compare Options

Stripe Alternatives

Compare providers around your business model, integrations, risk profile and payment requirements rather than simply replacing Stripe like for like.

Explore Stripe alternatives →
Account Closed?

Stripe Closed or Restricted Your Account

Understand the immediate steps to take and how to approach finding a payment provider whose underwriting and risk appetite better fit the business.

What to do after a Stripe closure →
Specialist Gateway Requirements

Some businesses need more than a standard gateway

Provider choice can become much narrower when underwriting or technical requirements are more complex.

MAS Specialism
Specialist Underwriting

High-Risk Payment Gateways

Some sectors, transaction models and customer profiles are not supported by mainstream gateway providers.

✓ Sector restrictions ✓ Higher transaction values ✓ International customers ✓ Chargeback exposure
Explore high-risk payment gateways →
MAS Specialism
Technical Requirements

Complex & Integrated Gateway Setups

Gateway choice may depend on the software, platforms and payment infrastructure the business already uses.

✓ APIs & software ✓ Booking platforms ✓ Multiple acquirers ✓ Existing infrastructure
Explore integrated payments →
Embedded Payments for ISVs MAS Specialism

Your customers are already processing payments. Should your software business share in that revenue?

For established ISVs, SaaS companies and software platforms, payments can become more than another integration.

The right payment partnership can potentially allow the platform to improve the customer experience while creating recurring payment-related revenue from transaction volume already passing through its customer base.

Think Portfolio, Not Merchant
What payment volume already exists across your customer base?

Customer numbers, payment adoption and portfolio transaction volume are the starting point for assessing the commercial opportunity.

How software businesses can participate commercially
01

Integrated Payments

Connect a payment provider directly into the software workflow.

02

Revenue Share

Negotiate commercial revenue linked to customer payment processing.

03

Embedded Payments

Make payments part of the product, onboarding and wider customer experience.

04

White Label & PayFac Models

Explore greater control over branding, pricing, merchant onboarding and economics.

Exploring payment monetisation for your software business?
Start with your customer portfolio, payment volume and the level of control you actually want.
Compare Payment Gateway Providers

Find a payment gateway that fits the way your business actually takes payments

Tell us about your business, payment volumes, existing systems and any specialist requirements. We can help you understand the type of provider and payment setup that may be suitable.

✓ Independent payment guidance ✓ High-risk payment gateways ✓ Complex & integrated payments ✓ Embedded payments for ISVs
Want to understand the process first? See how Merchant Advice Service works →

What Our Customers Say...

Libby was fantastic in coming to the rescue to help me sort card machine for my business without any charge, would highly recommend.
I had a brief phone call with Libby to outline our needs and within an hour I was being called by a processing bank to get things moving. Our new provider has been set up within 48 hours and we are overjoyed and stress free. Thank you Libby, what a…
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Great service, thank you
1st class service, nothing but good things to say about this business. From first contact nothing has been to much trouble.
Using merchant services has helped my business no end. Great service, really professional and nothing was ever too much trouble when asking questions. Thank you!
Great service from the team. Would highly recommend using them!
Great thanks to Merchant Advise Service and Libby James. We encountered a problem with our existing merchant that led us unable to process customer payments which as a small business was a disaster. Libby quickly matched us with a new merchant and…
I contacted Merchant Advice Service when our company received notice from a previous provider. We’re classed as “travel” due to the nature of our UK holiday business. At the time we reached out to a few providers - however the advice we received fr…

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is a payment gateway?

    A payment gateway is technology that securely passes payment information between a customer’s checkout and the wider payment-processing network. It is commonly used for ecommerce, online bookings, subscriptions and other remote payment journeys.

    How much does a payment gateway cost in the UK?

    There is no single standard payment gateway fee. Costs can include gateway charges, transaction fees, acquiring costs, international or currency charges, fraud tools and additional platform or integration fees. Businesses should compare the total cost of the payment setup rather than one headline rate.

    Do I need a merchant account as well as a payment gateway?

    In many setups, the gateway handles the movement of payment information while an acquiring or merchant-services arrangement handles card processing and settlement. Some providers package these services together, while others allow businesses to use separate gateway and acquiring providers.

    Can a payment gateway integrate with my existing website or software?

    Potentially. Compatibility depends on the gateway, ecommerce platform, booking system, software provider or API being used. Businesses with existing technology should check integration requirements before choosing or changing provider.

    Can I change payment gateway without losing recurring payments or stored cards?

    Sometimes, but this should be checked before switching. Stored payment credentials and tokens are not always portable between providers, and migration can depend on the existing gateway, new provider, token format and contractual arrangements.

    Can high-risk businesses use a payment gateway?

    Yes, but provider choice can be more limited. Sector, products or services, transaction values, customer location, chargeback exposure and previous processing history can all affect which gateway and acquiring providers are prepared to support the business.

    Compare Payment Gateway Providers

    Find a payment gateway that fits your business

    Tell us how you take payments, the systems you use and any international, high-risk, subscription or integration requirements. We can help you understand which types of provider may be suitable.

    Compare Payment Gateway Providers
    ✓ Independent payment guidance ✓ High-risk gateways ✓ Complex & integrated payments ✓ Embedded payments for ISVs
    Free to businesses · No obligation