Card paymentsSumUp Business Rate (pay as you go)
1.69%
per transaction
£0
monthly fee
Contract: No contract
Payout: Next working day
No monthly fees
Free, quick comparison
Card payments comparison
Compare card payment providers for your business, cut your transaction fees and get set up in days with Grow Your Business's free card payments comparison.
Compare now No obligation · Takes minutes
Trusted choice
Rated 4.9 out of 5
Card payments
Card paymentsZettle by PayPal Standard
Card paymentsSquare In-Person Payments
1.75%
per transaction
£0
monthly fee
Contract: No contract
Payout: Next working day
Free POS software
Card paymentsWorldpay Simplicity Plan
Card paymentsBarclaycard Payments Anywhere
Card paymentsDojo Custom Rate
From 0.55%
per transaction
£15
monthly fee
Contract: 12 months
Payout: Next day, including weekends
Next-day settlement 7 days a week
Deal tables sorted by headline transaction rate (low to high)
Rates shown are indicative and depend on your card turnover, average transaction value and business type. Final pricing is confirmed by the provider after your quote.
What are card payments?
Card payments let your customers pay by debit or credit card — in person on a terminal, online through a checkout, or over the phone with a virtual terminal.
Behind the scenes a payment provider authorises the card, moves the money and settles it into your business bank account, taking a small percentage of each sale plus, sometimes, a fixed monthly fee.
Why compare card payment providers?
Lower transaction fees
A 0.5% difference on £10,000 monthly turnover is £600 a year — switching provider is often the quickest saving a small business can make.
Faster settlement
Some providers pay out next day including weekends, which keeps cashflow steady during busy trading periods.
Fewer hidden costs
Comparing side by side exposes PCI fees, minimum monthly charges, terminal rental and early exit penalties before you sign.
What to look for in a card payments deal
Transaction rate
The percentage taken from each sale. Blended rates are simple; interchange-plus can be cheaper at higher volumes.
Monthly and hidden fees
Check for minimum monthly service charges, PCI compliance fees, statement fees and chargeback costs.
Settlement speed
Next-day settlement — including weekends with some providers — makes a real difference to cashflow.
Accepted card types
Make sure Amex, business cards and international cards are supported if your customers use them.
Security and compliance
PCI DSS support, tokenisation and fraud screening should be included, not charged as an extra.
Reporting and integrations
Look for links to your accounting software, EPOS and online store so takings reconcile automatically.
How does comparing card payments work?
Tell us your monthly card turnover, average transaction value and whether you sell in person, online or both.
We match your profile against UK acquirers and payment providers and show the deals you're likely to be accepted for.
You pick a provider, complete a short application and pass standard KYC and anti-money-laundering checks.
Most businesses are approved within 1–3 working days and trading on the new rate inside a week.
Do I need a card payments provider?
If more than a handful of your customers reach for a card or phone at the point of paying, yes — cash-only trading now costs most UK businesses sales.
Even mobile and appointment-based businesses benefit: taking payment on the spot cuts unpaid invoices and chasing time.
If you already accept cards but haven't reviewed your rate in two years, you're very likely overpaying.
How do I choose the best card payments deal?
The cheapest headline rate isn't always the cheapest overall. Work out your true cost per month: transaction fees on your actual turnover, plus terminal rental, monthly service charges and PCI fees. Low-volume businesses usually win with pay-as-you-go providers and no monthly fee, while businesses taking over roughly £10,000 a month on cards often save more on a contracted rate.
How can I save money on card payments?
Negotiate at renewal, avoid long terminal rental contracts, and ask for interchange-plus pricing once your volume is stable. Encourage contactless and debit card use where possible, since debit rates are lower than credit and commercial cards, and always review your statement for fees you no longer use.
Considering card payments:
These guides might help.
How card processing fees work
Interchange, scheme and acquirer fees explained — and how to spot the ones you can cut…
Choosing a merchant account
What UK providers check, how long approval takes and when an ISO beats a bank…
PCI DSS made simple for small firms
The compliance basics every business taking card payments has to meet…
FAQs
Our services are provided at no cost to you. We may receive a commission from the companies we refer you to, but this does not affect what you will pay for the product you choose.
Written by the Grow Your Business payments team · Updated on 21 March 2026