Merchant Atlas

Best Payment Gateways UK: How to Compare Providers

Looking for the right payment gateway in the UK? Start with your transaction profile rather than a generic “best” list. The most suitable setup depends on what you sell, average order value, monthly volume, customer location, payment methods and how you want checkout to work.

What is a payment gateway?

A payment gateway is the technology that connects a customer checkout with payment-processing services. Some businesses buy gateway and processing services separately; others use an all-in-one provider.

How to compare payment gateways

Factor	What to check
Fees	Percentage, fixed, monthly, refund, dispute and currency-related charges.
Payment methods	Cards, wallets, bank payments and other methods your customers actually use.
Checkout	Hosted, embedded or API-based options and mobile experience.
Settlement	Expected payout timing, reserves and account controls.
Risk	Fraud controls, authentication and dispute workflows.
Integration	Shop plugins, APIs, webhooks, reporting and test environments.

Build your own shortlist

Record your monthly sales, average transaction, UK versus overseas share, refund rate and required integrations. Ask shortlisted providers to price the same scenario so the comparison is meaningful.