Best card payment setup for UK online businesses 2026
Compare the UK shortlist below, then get matched quotes from the acquirers most likely to approve you and beat your current pricing.
For UK ecommerce stores, marketplaces, subscription billing, donation platforms and any business taking card payments via a website checkout. Payment gateway rather than physical card machine. The right answer depends on your platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, custom), volume, B2B-vs-B2C mix and whether you also trade in-person.
Based on MerchantHQ terminal reviews and our ranking methodology. Last reviewed 2026-05-11.
The ranking
1. Stripe Reader S700
4.0 / 5Best for tech-led ecommerce on Stripe
Touchscreen handheld smart terminal (no built-in printer; external receipt printer via the optional dock or USB) · Custom (Stripe pricing) · Stripe terms
Stripe Reader S700 plus Stripe Checkout is the strongest UK omnichannel setup for tech-led businesses in 2026. The same Stripe acquirer relationship runs both your in-person hardware and your online checkout. 1.5% + 20p UK online, custom interchange-plus above £100k monthly. Best fit for ecommerce stores with development resource.
2. Square Terminal
4.1 / 5Best for click-and-collect retail
All-in-one countertop terminal with receipt printer · 1.75% per transaction (UK) · No contract
Square Terminal plus Square Online is the strongest UK setup for click-and-collect or retail-plus-ecommerce SMBs. Shared inventory between in-person and online checkout. 1.4% + 25p UK online, 1.75% in-person. No monthly fee on the standalone Square Online tier.
3. Adyen for Platforms
4.0 / 5Best for high-volume omnichannel
Multiple terminals; mostly platform-bundled · Interchange-plus pricing; bespoke · Bespoke, often year-long
Adyen Terminal plus Adyen Web is the strongest UK omnichannel setup for £1m+ monthly merchants. Bespoke interchange-plus pricing, direct UK acquirer relationship, best-in-class SCA exemption flagging (preserves 2-5 percentage points of UK ecommerce conversion vs gateways that force every transaction through challenge).
4. Tide Card Reader
3.8 / 5Best for Tide Business banking customers (in-person side)
Compact Bluetooth-paired reader (similar to Zettle / SumUp) · 1.5% per transaction (UK) · No contract
Tide Card Reader pairs to Tide Business banking; pair with Stripe Checkout or another gateway for the online side. 1.5% per transaction in-person, same-day to Tide account. Cheap option if you bank with Tide and need separate-but-reconciled online and in-person rails.
Quick comparison
Headline rate, hardware cost, contract and form factor at a glance.
| Rank | Terminal | Rate | Hardware | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Stripe Reader S700 | Custom (Stripe pricing) | £229 | Stripe terms |
| #2 | Square Terminal | 1.75% per transaction (UK) | £149 to £199 | No contract |
| #3 | Adyen for Platforms | Interchange-plus pricing; bespoke | Bespoke per merchant; typically platform-bundled | Bespoke, often year-long |
| #4 | Tide Card Reader | 1.5% per transaction (UK) | £49 hardware | No contract |
FAQs
What is the best card payment setup for a UK online business?
Depends on platform and volume. Shopify stores: native Shopify Payments (powered by Stripe) is the strongest at 1.5% + 20p plus avoids Shopify's alternative-gateway surcharge. Tech-led custom checkout: Stripe Checkout (1.5% + 20p) wins on developer ecosystem. Click-and-collect retail: Square Online plus Square Terminal (shared inventory). Above £1m monthly: Adyen Web on bespoke interchange-plus pricing.
Do I need a different acquirer for in-person and online sales?
No, ideally not. Omnichannel acquirers (Stripe, Adyen, Square, Worldpay) run both rails on one merchant agreement, giving you one statement, one settlement schedule, one chargeback workflow and one set of reconciliation. SumUp, Dojo and Tide are in-person-led with weaker online stories; Shopify Payments and GoCardless are online-only. Match the omnichannel acquirer to your dominant channel.
What is the difference between card-present and card-not-present pricing?
Card-not-present (online) transactions carry higher interchange than card-present (in-person). UK consumer-debit online interchange is around 0.2% (same as in-person), but the acquirer markup on online is typically 0.3% to 0.7% higher to cover the increased fraud and chargeback risk. Expect 0.3% to 0.7% more on your online rate vs your in-person rate from the same acquirer.
Does MerchantHQ cover online payment gateways too?
Yes. We work the 40+ UK acquirer panel, which includes 8 online gateways (Stripe Checkout, Adyen Web, Shopify Payments, Square Online, GoCardless, PayPal Checkout, Opayo, Mollie) plus 12 high-risk specialist online acquirers. See /online-payments/ for the full set.
How we rank
Rankings are built by desk research from each provider's published rates, upfront costs, contract lengths and settlement terms, held in a dated record per terminal (last-reviewed date shown on this page) and re-checked when published pricing changes. We do not hands-on test every device; specs are taken from provider documentation and cited. No provider pays for inclusion or position. MerchantHQ is an introducer: acquirers, including some brands ranked here, pay us commission on completed introductions. Commission never affects a ranking. See our methodology and how we are funded.
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Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director, Best Business Loans Ltd. Last reviewed: 2026-05-11.