How a quote enquiry works, end to end

How MerchantHQ works

MerchantHQ is a UK card-payment comparison and introducer service. Your quote enquiry goes to our card-payments broker partner, Merchant Advice Service, which works to return 2 to 3 matched quotes. Four stages, free to apply, our broker partner pays us a fee. The broker usually comes back within 72 hours; once you are live, the provider you choose runs your account.

The four stages

  1. 01

    You submit the 2-minute form

    Day 0, 2 minutes

    You tell us your trade, average ticket size, monthly card volume, current provider (if any) and risk profile. Companies House autocomplete fills in your business details. No card details collected. Free to apply.

  2. 02

    Your enquiry goes to our broker partner

    Day 0 to Day 3

    With the consent you give on the form, your enquiry goes to one card-payments broker, Merchant Advice Service (peptide businesses go to Fena instead). MerchantHQ does not itself send your enquiry to several acquirers, and it is not paid commission by acquirers on quote enquiries.

  3. 03

    You receive 2 to 3 matched quotes

    Day 1 to Day 3

    The broker contacts you and works to return 2 to 3 matched quotes from card-payment providers. Compare the rate, contract length, exit fees and settlement schedule of each. You decide which to take, or none. We do not ring you on loop, and your details go only to the broker named on the form.

  4. 04

    You choose, and the provider runs your account

    Day 3 onwards

    If you take a quote, you sign directly with that provider, which runs its own onboarding and identity checks and then runs your account and its support line. Your merchant agreement is with the provider, not with MerchantHQ. Our broker partner pays us a fee for each introduction. You owe us nothing.

In one sentence

One enquiry, 2 to 3 matched quotes, then the provider you choose runs your account.

MerchantHQ compares the market and introduces you to our broker partner. Free to apply. Our broker partner pays us a fee for each introduction.

Start now: 2-minute form

FAQs

What does it cost to use MerchantHQ?

Free to apply and free to use. Quote enquiries go to one card-payments broker, Merchant Advice Service (peptide businesses go to Fena instead). The broker contacts you and works to return 2 to 3 matched quotes from card-payment providers. MerchantHQ is paid a fee by that broker for each introduction.

You pay MerchantHQ nothing. MerchantHQ does not itself send your enquiry to several acquirers, and it is not paid commission by acquirers on quote enquiries. You owe us nothing on top of the merchant agreement you sign with the provider.

Who do I contact once I am live?

Your provider. It runs your account and its support line, and your merchant agreement is with it. MerchantHQ does not manage accounts, run rate reviews, draft chargeback responses or manage switches. Our free guides cover reviewing your rate (/rate-reviews/), challenging a chargeback (/chargebacks/) and switching provider (/switching-help/), and you can send a new quote enquiry at any time.

How does MerchantHQ handle high-risk verticals like online gambling, CBD and dating?

High-risk verticals (gambling, crypto, dating, subscription, adult, supplements, CBD, vape, firearms, travel, pawnbroking) go to the same broker partner as every other enquiry (peptide businesses go to Fena). Your risk classification travels with the enquiry, so the broker can look for specialist providers from the start, not after a mainstream decline.

How quickly do I get my first quotes after submitting the form?

The broker usually comes back to you within 24 to 72 hours. Some specialist or high-volume cases take 3 to 7 business days because the provider's underwriting team needs longer to look at your books.

Who owns my data when I submit the form?

Best Business Loans Ltd (Companies House 16833937, ICO registered). We pass your contact details only to our card-payments broker partner (Merchant Advice Service, or Fena for peptide businesses), which contacts you about quotes and pays us a fee for each introduction, and to our funding partner only if you ask for funding. We do not pass your data to anyone else. UK GDPR compliant. Read our privacy policy at /privacy/.

MerchantHQ is owned and operated by Best Business Loans Ltd, directed by Oliver Mackman. Last updated: