Merchant accountDojo custom acquiring
From 0.55%
per transaction
£15
monthly fee
Contract: 12 months
Payout: Next day, 7 days a week
Weekend settlement
Free, quick comparison
Merchant account comparison
Compare UK merchant accounts, see acquiring rates, settlement times and contract terms, and find the account that fits your card turnover.
Compare now No obligation · Takes minutes
Trusted choice
Rated 4.9 out of 5
Merchant account
Merchant accountWorldpay Simplicity
Merchant accountBarclaycard Payments
Merchant accountElavon standard acquiring
Merchant accountCardnet business rate
Deal tables sorted by headline rate (low to high)
Rates shown are indicative and depend on your turnover, average transaction value and business type. Final pricing is confirmed by the provider after your quote.
What is a merchant account?
A merchant account is a specialised holding account that receives money from card sales before it settles into your normal business bank account.
Traditional acquirers underwrite you individually and give a bespoke rate. Aggregators like SumUp or Square put you on a shared account with a flat rate — faster to open, usually more expensive per transaction.
Why compare merchant accounts providers?
Bespoke acquiring rates
Above roughly £10,000 monthly card turnover, an individually underwritten rate almost always beats a flat aggregator rate.
Interchange-plus transparency
IC++ pricing shows the scheme cost and the acquirer margin separately, so you can see exactly what you're paying for.
Faster settlement
Next-day settlement, including weekends with some acquirers, keeps working capital moving in busy trading weeks.
What to look for in a merchant accounts deal
Reserves and minimums
Ask about rolling reserves, minimum monthly service charges and authorisation fees before you sign.
Headline pricing
The percentage or flat fee taken from each payment. Compare on your real volumes, not the marketing rate.
Monthly and hidden fees
Check minimum monthly charges, PCI fees, gateway fees, refund charges and chargeback costs.
Settlement speed
How quickly funds reach your business account — next day makes a real difference to cashflow.
Security and compliance
PCI DSS scope, 3D Secure, tokenisation and fraud screening should be included, not bolted on.
Reporting and integrations
Links to your accounting software, EPOS or online store so takings reconcile automatically.
How does comparing merchant accounts work?
Share your monthly card turnover, average transaction value, trading history and business type.
We approach UK acquirers who accept your sector and request indicative pricing for your profile.
Compare quotes on effective rate, not headline rate — we show monthly fees and minimums alongside the percentage.
Once you accept, underwriting and KYC typically take 1–3 working days before your account goes live.
Do I need merchant accounts?
Any business taking card payments needs a merchant account, but it may be bundled inside your provider's package rather than sold separately.
Very low volume traders are usually better off on an aggregated account with no monthly fee.
Higher-risk sectors — travel, subscriptions, adult, crypto — need a specialist acquirer and should expect a higher rate and a rolling reserve.
How do I choose the best merchant accounts deal?
Work out your effective rate: total monthly charges divided by total card turnover. That single number cuts through blended rates, minimum monthly service charges, PCI fees and authorisation fees, and it is the only fair way to compare two acquirer quotes.
How much could I save on merchant accounts?
A business turning over £30,000 a month on cards that moves from a 1.75% flat rate to a 0.75% acquired rate saves around £3,600 a year, even after paying a £20 monthly service charge.
Payment guides
These guides might help.
How payment processing fees work
Interchange, scheme and acquirer fees explained — and which ones you can negotiate away…
Choosing a payment provider
What UK providers check, how long onboarding takes and when a specialist beats your bank…
PCI DSS made simple for small firms
The compliance basics every business handling 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 25 July 2026