Payment Gateway Fees Explained: A UK Business Guide
A plain-English explanation of payment gateway fees and why the cheapest percentage is not always the lowest total cost.
Start with your own payment profile
Before comparing providers, record your monthly sales, transaction count, average order value, payment methods, customer countries and refund rate. Those details make provider pricing and features easier to compare.
What to compare
- Percentage and fixed transaction fees.
- Monthly or platform charges.
- Payment methods and currencies.
- Settlement timing and account controls.
- Refund and dispute handling.
- Fraud, authentication and reporting tools.
- Website, ecommerce and accounting integrations.
Ask for like-for-like information
Give each provider the same assumptions and ask for the complete commercial terms. Check current pricing and product availability directly with the provider before making a decision.
Related tools: compare payment providers or use the payment fee calculator.