{"id":581958,"date":"2026-10-29T12:53:59","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T12:53:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/?p=581958"},"modified":"2026-10-29T12:53:59","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T12:53:59","slug":"how-to-choose-payment-processing-provider","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/card-readers\/how-to-choose-payment-processing-provider","title":{"rendered":"How to choose a payment processing provider for your business"},"content":{"rendered":"

Deciding which payment processing provider to use is an important decision to make for your business. It can have an impact on your sales conversion rates, customer check-out experience, cash flow and financial security.<\/p>

There are many options available and selecting the wrong one could mean you\u2019re spending more on fees than you need to or integrate badly with your existing set-up.<\/p>

This guide looks at what you need to think about, how to understand pricing structures and everything else you need to compare so you can choose the best payment provider for your business.<\/p>

8 things to consider when choosing a business payment processing provider<\/h3>
  1. Fees<\/a><\/li>
  2. Ease of use<\/a><\/li>
  3. Integrations<\/a><\/li>
  4. Contract length<\/a><\/li>
  5. Security<\/a><\/li>
  6. Customer support<\/a><\/li>
  7. Reviews<\/a><\/li>
  8. Rewards<\/a><\/li><\/ol>

    1. What fees do payment processors charge?<\/h4>

    This is where you need to choose a pricing structure that aligns with your business. There are many different types of fees, including transaction fees, monthly fees, forex fees and in some cases chargeback fees. Typically, a plan that charges no monthly fee will mean a higher transaction fee, which can be useful for a business with lower turnover. <\/p>

    A plan with a monthly fee is likely to charge lower transaction fees. Choosing a provider that has multiple plan options could be a good idea so you can change as your business grows. Providers that do that include SumUp<\/a> and Square<\/a>.<\/p>

    2. Which payment processing systems are easiest to use?<\/h4>

    Time is money in business and choosing a system that is easy to use can save you both. You should look at a provider that has a simple interface for customers and an intuitive back-end dashboard for staff to handle refunds and track sales. Square and SumUp<\/a> offer the simplest setups for UK small businesses, featuring plug-and-play mobile card readers and intuitive smartphone POS apps that require no technical setup.<\/p>

    3. How do payment processors integrate with EPOS, accounting tools, and business bank accounts?<\/h4>

    Look for a provider that allows you to connect with any software you already use, such as your existing e-commerce platform, POS hardware, inventory software, accounting tools and bank account. <\/p>

    Providers including SumUp<\/a> and Tide<\/a> actually have their own bank accounts as well, making it easy to integrate if you want the same business banking<\/a> and payment processing provider. This can also be very handy when you\u2019re starting a business in terms of separating business spend and personal spend.<\/p>

    4. Is the provider flexible or does it lock you into a long-term contract?<\/h4>

    Long-term contracts might save you money over the whole term, but you\u2019ll lose flexibility if you lock yourself in. They can come with early termination penalties or automatic renewal clauses, so make sure you\u2019re aware of them before you make a decision. <\/p>

    If you don\u2019t want to lock yourself in, look for flexible providers, such as SumUp<\/a> and Stripe<\/a>. Conversely, if you are comfortable with a contract over a longer period of time, then by choosing a provider like SumUp, you can save money by choosing its Payments Plus plan yearly instead of monthly. Paying monthly is \u00a319 a month, while paying yearly costs \u00a3189, which is \u00a315.75 a month.<\/p>

    5. What security and fraud prevention features should your payment processor include?<\/h4>

    PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliance is a set of global security requirements for any UK business that accepts, processes, stores or transmits credit or debit card data. All providers are required to comply with PCI DSS and data encryption and tokenisation to protect card details. <\/p>

    You can look at what each provider offers in terms of security on top of the minimum requirements, because some have higher levels than others.<\/p>

    6. Which payment processors offer 24\/7 customer support?<\/h4>

    If you have a technical issue, having access to customer support that can help you resolve it as quickly as possible can be key for your business. You should look at providers that offer responsive support channels that are at least available during business hours by phone or live chat. This will ensure any technical outages or payment holds can be sorted out without too much fuss. <\/p>

    Worldpay and Stripe provide 24\/7 technical phone and online support in the UK, while providers like SumUp, Square, and Tide operate customer service during standard business hours.<\/p>

    7. How do the leading UK payment processors compare on Trustpilot and app ratings?<\/h4>

    You can get an idea of other people\u2019s experiences with business payment processing providers by looking at online reviews. Trustpilot is a good place to start and looking at ratings on phone app stores is also useful, because it shows what other customers think of the apps. You\u2019re going to be using these apps a lot, so one that has issues could be a red flag. <\/p>

    Provider<\/th>Trustpilot rating<\/th>Apple App store rating<\/th>Google Play Store rating<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    SumUp<\/th>4.2\/5 (58,000+ reviews)<\/strong><\/td>4.6\/5 (14,000+ reviews)<\/td>4.8\/5 (144,000+ reviews)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Square<\/th>3.9\/5 (3,700+ reviews)<\/td>4.8\/5 (13,000+ reviews)<\/strong><\/td>4.5\/5 (260,000+ reviews)<\/td><\/tr>
    Paypal (Zettle)<\/th>3.4\/5 (5,700+ reviews)<\/td>4.6\/5 (11,000+ reviews)<\/td>3.3\/5 (43,000+ reviews)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>
    Ratings sourced from Trustpilot, the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in October 2026.<\/div>

    8. Does the payment processor offer closed-loop discounts or customer reward schemes?<\/h4>

    Some modern payment providers operate two-sided \u201cclosed-loop\u201d networks that waive transaction fees entirely when a customer pays using that provider\u2019s own consumer card or digital wallet.<\/p>

    A leading UK example is SumUp\u2019s Zero-Fee scheme<\/a>. When a customer pays using a personal SumUp card, the merchant is charged a 0% transaction fee, instead of paying the standard 1.69% fee. The customer can then earn up to 5% cashback when spending at independent businesses in the SumUp merchant network, incentivising repeat purchases. <\/p>

    Revolut Business offers similar advantages, reducing transaction rates to around 1% when customers check out using Revolut Pay.<\/p>

    \n
    \n
    \n
    \n \n <\/path>\n<\/svg>\n <\/div>\n\n
    \n
    \"Ian\n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div>\n\n
    \n
    \n
    Case study: Ian chose SumUp to run the bar at his local cricket club<\/div>\n
    \n

    \"We chose SumUp for our cricket club bar because we wanted something straightforward for taking payments, whilst also offering transparent pricing. <\/p>

    The SumUp Solo is smaller than a lot of card machines, which is handy behind the bar when space is limited. It\u2019s easy to use, and charging it is quick and simple, so we can get it ready without much fuss.<\/p>

    We also wanted a payment option that made sense for a club bar, where sales can vary depending on matches and events. Having a compact, easy-to-use reader helps us keep things running smoothly when members and visitors come in for a drink.\"<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

    \n Ian Harrington\n <\/div>\n
    Bar Manager at Clevedon Cricket Club<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    How to compare payment processing providers for your business<\/h3>

    When you\u2019re making a decision on the right provider, it\u2019s important to work out what you should look for and what you should avoid. We\u2019ve put some of these things in a table to help you.<\/p>

    Feature<\/th>What to look for<\/th>What to avoid<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Fees<\/th>Transparent, flexible pricing<\/td>Complex fee structures<\/td><\/tr>
    Ease of use<\/th>A platform that\u2019s easy for customers and staff<\/td>Clunky and cluttered interfaces<\/td><\/tr>
    Integrations<\/th>A provider that lets you integrate with existing software, for example a provider that has its own business bank account, such as SumUp or Tide<\/td>Limited ability to integrate<\/td><\/tr>
    Contract length<\/th>Flexible contracts that don\u2019t lock you in<\/td>Long-term contracts with high early termination fees<\/td><\/tr>
    Security<\/th>PCI DSS compliance and fraud detection tools<\/td>Providers with limited information in these areas<\/td><\/tr>
    Customer support<\/th>Support being available when you\u2019re likely to need it<\/td>Uncommunicative or limited hours<\/td><\/tr>
    Reviews<\/th>Good scores across multiple review platforms<\/td>Repetitive complaints about the same problems<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>

    How much do business payment processing devices cost?<\/h3>

    One of the most important things to compare when choosing a business payment processing provider are the fees involved. Payment processing devices can range from affordable, one-off card readers to more expensive terminals with monthly fees and additional features. <\/p>

    The right option for your business will depend on your budget, how often you take payments and whether you need extras such as till integration or built-in reporting.<\/p>

    Provider<\/th>Transaction fees<\/th>Cheapest device<\/th>Number of devices available<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    SumUp<\/a><\/th>1.69%<\/td>\u00a325<\/td>5<\/td><\/tr>
    Square<\/th>1.75%<\/td>\u00a319<\/td>5<\/td><\/tr>
    Paypal (Zettle)<\/th>1.75%<\/td>\u00a329<\/td>3<\/td><\/tr>
    Tide<\/th>1.5% + 5p<\/td>\u00a349<\/td>3<\/td><\/tr>
    Stripe<\/th>1.5% + 20p<\/td>\u00a349<\/td>3<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>

    Why should your business use a payment processing system?<\/h3>

    Using a payment processing provider can save your business time and money, while also helping with organisation. Some of the key benefits of using a payment processing system include:<\/p>