UK whole-of-market comparison

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. Last reviewed 2026-05-11.

The ranking

2. Stripe Reader S700

4.0 / 5

Best for card-preferring UK B2B

Touchscreen handheld smart terminal (no built-in printer; external receipt printer via the optional dock or USB) · Custom (Stripe pricing) · Stripe 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.

3. Adyen for Platforms

4.0 / 5

Best for enterprise UK B2B

Multiple terminals; mostly platform-bundled · Interchange-plus pricing; bespoke · Bespoke, often year-long

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
#2 Stripe Reader S700 Custom (Stripe pricing) £229 Stripe terms
#3 Adyen for Platforms Interchange-plus pricing; bespoke Bespoke per merchant; typically platform-bundled Bespoke, often year-long

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: 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.

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