UK whole-of-market comparison

Best UK online payment for WooCommerce 2026

Compare the UK shortlist below, then get matched quotes from the acquirers most likely to approve you and beat your current pricing.

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For UK WooCommerce stores running on WordPress. Unlike Shopify, WooCommerce has no preferred-gateway monetisation, so you pick the cheapest UK acquirer outright. Stripe, Square, Adyen, PayPal, Klarna, Mollie all have first-party WooCommerce plugins. WooCommerce-specific extensions like WooCommerce Subscriptions add recurring billing.

Based on MerchantHQ terminal reviews and our ranking methodology. Last reviewed 2026-05-11.

The ranking

1. Stripe Reader S700

4.0 / 5

Best WooCommerce gateway overall

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

Stripe Checkout via the WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway plugin (first-party). 1.5% + 20p UK online. Strongest developer ecosystem, best documentation. Pairs with Stripe Reader S700 for in-person omnichannel. WooCommerce Subscriptions integrates natively for recurring SaaS or membership.

2. Adyen for Platforms

4.0 / 5

Best for high-volume WooCommerce

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

Adyen Web via the official WooCommerce Adyen plugin. Bespoke interchange-plus pricing wins above £200k monthly card volume. Direct UK acquirer relationship, best-in-class SCA exemption flagging (preserves UK ecommerce conversion 2-5 percentage points). AMEX rate negotiable.

3. Square Terminal

4.1 / 5

Best WooCommerce for click-and-collect

All-in-one countertop terminal with receipt printer · 1.75% per transaction (UK) · No contract

Square Online via the WooCommerce Square plugin. 1.4% + 25p UK online. Shared inventory between your WooCommerce store and Square Terminal POS in-person setup. Best for SMB retailers running both 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	Adyen for Platforms	Interchange-plus pricing; bespoke	Bespoke per merchant; typically platform-bundled	Bespoke, often year-long
#3	Square Terminal	1.75% per transaction (UK)	£149 to £199	No contract

FAQs

What is the best payment gateway for a UK WooCommerce store?

Stripe Checkout via the first-party WooCommerce Stripe plugin is the strongest default at 1.5% + 20p UK online: best developer ecosystem, WooCommerce Subscriptions native support, omnichannel via Stripe Reader S700. Adyen for £200k+ monthly via the WooCommerce Adyen plugin. Square for click-and-collect retailers via the WooCommerce Square plugin.

Does WooCommerce charge extra for non-default payment gateways?

No. Unlike Shopify, WooCommerce has no transaction surcharge on alternative gateways. You pick whichever UK acquirer wins on TCA for your shape, plug in the gateway, and only pay the gateway's per-transaction rate. This is the structural advantage of self-hosted WooCommerce over Shopify.

How do UK WooCommerce stores handle subscription billing?

WooCommerce Subscriptions plugin (£200/year first-party) paired with Stripe Billing or Adyen Subscriptions handles recurring card-on-file via Merchant Initiated Transaction exemption. Customer SCA-authenticates at sign-up, recurring charges go through without challenge. Alternative: GoCardless via the WooCommerce GoCardless plugin for Bacs Direct Debit at 1% + 20p (capped £2), cheaper than card on recurring.

Can a UK WooCommerce store accept Klarna and Apple Pay?

Yes. Klarna via the WooCommerce Klarna plugin handles BNPL (Pay-in-3, Pay-in-30, Pay-Later). Apple Pay and Google Pay are supported by Stripe and Square automatically. Most UK WooCommerce stores run Stripe + PayPal + Klarna + Apple Pay simultaneously to maximise checkout conversion.

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Take any of these. We handle support, rate reviews and disputes.

Named UK account team for the life of the agreement. Acquirer pays our commission on completed introductions, so it costs you nothing on top.

24/7 dedicated support
Direct line to a named UK account manager, not a generic acquirer helpline. When your terminal goes down on a Saturday night you call us.
Quarterly rate reviews
As your card volume grows your rate should drop. We renegotiate against the 40+ UK acquirer panel every quarter, so you never overpay because you forgot to ask.
Chargeback and dispute help
UK chargeback fees vary by acquirer and are set out in your merchant agreement, and many disputes are friendly fraud that can be defended with the right evidence. We draft the response and escalate where the acquirer drags its feet.
Switching support when you outgrow
If a better acquirer fit emerges as you grow we manage the cutover. No exit-fee surprises, no dual-running gap. Same account team across acquirers.

How we work, end to end →

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.