Best UK online payment for B2B invoicing 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 B2B businesses invoicing corporate customers with 30-day, 60-day or 90-day payment terms. Card payment vs Bacs Direct Debit vs traditional bank transfer. The right choice depends on transaction size (commercial-card interchange runs 1.0% to 2.5%, materially higher than consumer), invoice frequency, and customer preference.
Based on MerchantHQ terminal reviews and our ranking methodology.
The ranking
Ranked on fit for this use case. The score beside each pick is that terminal's overall review score across all uses, so a lower-scored terminal can rank higher here when it suits this job better. The rate, hardware and contract lines come from the same terminal data as the comparison table below.
1. Stripe Reader S700
Review score 4.0 / 5Best for card-preferring UK B2B
Touchscreen handheld smart terminal, 5.5in display, Android 10 (no built-in printer; external receipt printer via the optional dock or hub) · 1.4% + 10p EEA cards, 2.9% + 10p non-EEA (Stripe standard Terminal pricing) · No contract (Stripe standard pay-as-you-go terms)
Stripe Invoicing at 1.5% + 20p (UK card-not-present) for B2B customers who insist on paying by card. AMEX-supported at higher rate (typically 2.5%). Stripe Tax handles UK VAT calculation. Stripe Connect handles platform-style B2B billing.
2. Adyen for Platforms
Review score 4.0 / 5Best for enterprise UK B2B
Range of Adyen terminals, usually supplied through a platform · Interchange-plus pricing, quoted per merchant · Quoted per merchant (not published)
Adyen for B2B invoicing above £1m monthly. Bespoke interchange-plus pricing wins materially on commercial-card heavy invoicing because commercial interchange is 1.0% to 2.5% and direct interchange-plus exposure saves over blended.
Quick comparison
Headline rate, hardware cost, contract and form factor at a glance.
| Rank | Terminal | Rate | Hardware | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Stripe Reader S700 | 1.4% + 10p EEA cards, 2.9% + 10p non-EEA (Stripe standard Terminal pricing) | £229 excl. VAT | No contract (Stripe standard pay-as-you-go terms) |
| #2 | Adyen for Platforms | Interchange-plus pricing, quoted per merchant | Quoted per merchant; usually bundled by the platform | Quoted per merchant (not published) |
FAQs
What is the best UK payment method for B2B invoicing?
GoCardless Bacs Direct Debit at 1% + 20p (capped £2) is the default winner: cheaper than card on commercial-card interchange (which runs 1.0% to 2.5% blended), automated recurring billing, native integrations with Xero, QuickBooks and Sage. Stripe Invoicing at 1.5% + 20p wins where the customer insists on card. Adyen wins enterprise above £1m monthly.
Why is commercial-card interchange more expensive than consumer-card?
UK consumer-debit interchange is regulated at 0.2% and consumer-credit at 0.3% under the retained EU Interchange Fee Regulation. Commercial cards (business credit, corporate cards, purchasing cards) are uncapped and run 1.0% to 2.5%. On a £10,000 invoice, the difference between consumer-debit (£20) and commercial-credit (£250) is meaningful. Bacs Direct Debit is cheaper still at the £2 cap.
How do UK B2B businesses get customers to authorise Bacs Direct Debit?
Customer signs a Bacs Direct Debit mandate at first invoice. GoCardless has Open Banking-style instant mandate flow (customer authenticates via online banking), or paper mandate, or Confirmation of Payee for higher-trust customers. Once authorised, subsequent invoices pull automatically.
Can a UK B2B business mix card and Bacs invoicing?
Yes. Most UK B2B businesses give customers a payment choice: card (faster but more expensive for the merchant), Bacs Direct Debit (cheaper for the merchant, 3-day Bacs cycle), or bank transfer (manual but free). Xero, QuickBooks and Sage let you tag each invoice with the customer's preferred method.
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. Quote enquiries go to one card-payments broker, Merchant Advice Service, which pays us a fee for each introduction; acquirers do not pay us commission on quote enquiries. That fee never affects a ranking. See our methodology and how we are funded.
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