Choosing the right ecommerce payment gateway can have a bigger impact on your online business than simply determining how customers pay.

Your payment setup can affect checkout conversion, transaction costs, approval rates, fraud exposure, settlement speed and your ability to expand into new markets.

For UK ecommerce businesses, there are plenty of options. Stripe, Worldpay, PayPal, Mollie, Square, Adyen, Shopify Payments and Checkout.com all offer different combinations of pricing, payment methods, integrations and international reach.

So which is the best ecommerce payment gateway in the UK?

The answer depends on your business.

This guide explains how ecommerce payment gateways work, compares some of the leading payment gateway providers in the UK, looks at current fees, and explains what merchants should consider before choosing a provider.

Pricing note: Fees below were checked in September 2026. Payment processing fees can vary based on card type, transaction volume, location, business model and individual commercial agreements.

What Is a Payment Gateway in Ecommerce?

An ecommerce payment gateway is the technology that securely transfers payment information from your online checkout into the payment infrastructure needed to authorise the transaction.

When a customer enters their card details or selects a payment method such as Apple Pay or Google Pay, the gateway helps transmit the payment information securely to the relevant payment processor, acquirer, card network and issuing bank.

In simple terms:

Customer → Ecommerce Store → Payment Gateway → Acquirer / Processor → Card Network → Issuing Bank

The response then travels back through the chain.

If the transaction is approved, the customer sees a successful payment confirmation. If it is declined, the merchant receives the relevant response from the payment infrastructure.

Today, many providers combine gateway, processing, acquiring and fraud tools within the same platform, so the distinction between a gateway and a processor is not always obvious to the merchant.

How Does a Payment Gateway Work in Ecommerce?

A typical ecommerce card payment happens in a few seconds, but several steps take place behind the scenes.

First, the customer reaches the checkout page and enters their payment details.

The payment gateway then encrypts or tokenises the information and securely sends the transaction for processing.

The request normally moves through:

1. The payment gateway
Captures and securely transmits the payment information.

2. The payment processor or acquirer
Routes the transaction into the card payment network.

3. The card scheme
Visa, Mastercard or another network sends the request to the cardholder's bank.

4. The issuing bank
Checks factors such as available funds, card status, authentication and fraud indicators before approving or declining the transaction.

The decision then travels back to the merchant's checkout.

For UK online payments, Strong Customer Authentication may also apply to electronic transactions unless an exemption is available. The FCA states that SCA requirements are designed to improve payment security and reduce fraud.

Best Ecommerce Payment Gateways in the UK

There is no universal winner. The right UK payment gateway depends on your transaction volume, customer locations, average transaction value, ecommerce platform and risk profile.

Here is a comparison of several major options.

1. Mollie

Mollie is an attractive option for ecommerce businesses looking for straightforward pricing and access to multiple European payment methods.

For UK domestic consumer Visa and Mastercard transactions, Mollie's published rate is currently 1.20% + £0.20. European commercial cards and other international cards are charged at higher rates. Mollie also offers volume-based and IC++ pricing for businesses processing more than £50,000 per month.

Its platform supports cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Klarna and multiple European payment methods through a single integration.

Best for: UK and European ecommerce businesses wanting relatively simple integration and transparent standard pricing.

2. Worldpay

Worldpay is one of the most established names in UK payment processing.

Its ecommerce solution includes hosted and embedded checkout options, support for Apple Pay and Google Pay, fraud prevention tools, recurring payments and multi-currency acceptance.

Worldpay also offers integrations with platforms including Shopify, WooCommerce, Adobe Commerce and OpenCart.

For its pay-as-you-go ecommerce package, Worldpay currently advertises 1.3% + 20p for Visa and Mastercard debit and credit card transactions, with different pricing for Amex, corporate and other cards. Large merchants can receive custom pricing.

Best for: UK merchants looking for an established payment provider with options for both domestic and international growth.

3. Square

Square is particularly popular among small businesses that want to manage online and physical payments within the same ecosystem.

Its current UK ecommerce rate is 1.4% + 25p for UK cards and 2.5% + 25p for non-UK cards across products including Square Online, Online Checkout and its ecommerce API.

Square also provides ecommerce website tools, payment links, invoicing and physical point-of-sale products.

Best for: Smaller retailers and businesses selling both online and face to face.

4. Stripe

Stripe is one of the most widely recognised solutions for online businesses, particularly companies that want flexible APIs and extensive ecommerce payment gateway integration options.

Stripe currently charges 1.5% + 20p for standard UK cards, 2.8% + 20p for premium UK cards, and higher rates for international cards. It also offers custom IC+ pricing and volume discounts for larger businesses.

Stripe supports more than 100 payment methods and 135+ currencies through its platform.

Its developer tooling also makes Stripe a common choice for SaaS platforms, marketplaces, subscription businesses and businesses requiring customised checkout flows.

Best for: Online-first companies requiring flexibility, APIs and international payment-method coverage.

5. Adyen

Adyen is generally positioned toward larger businesses and international merchants requiring acquiring, gateway and processing infrastructure across multiple markets.

Instead of relying only on a simple blended percentage, Adyen offers Interchange++ pricing.

Its UK pricing page currently lists Visa and Mastercard at £0.11 plus 0.80% plus Interchange++. Actual transaction costs therefore depend on the underlying interchange and card-scheme fees.

This type of pricing can provide greater cost transparency for merchants with significant payment volume.

Best for: Larger, international and enterprise ecommerce businesses.

6. Shopify Payments

If your ecommerce website already runs on Shopify, using Shopify Payments can remove much of the complexity involved in connecting a separate payment provider.

For UK merchants, Shopify currently advertises online standard card rates starting at:

• 2% + 25p on Basic

• 1.7% + 25p on Grow

• 1.5% + 25p on Advanced

Higher plans carry larger platform subscription costs but can reduce processing rates. Shopify may also charge additional third-party transaction fees when an external payment provider is used instead of Shopify Payments.

Best for: Ecommerce merchants already operating primarily through Shopify.

7. PayPal

PayPal can be useful both as a payment method and as part of a broader ecommerce credit card payment gateway setup.

Its UK merchant fee schedule currently lists card-funded payments from customers paying without a PayPal account at 1.2% plus a fixed fee, while other domestic commercial PayPal transactions can be charged differently.

For PayPal Online Card Payment Services, the GBP fixed component listed by PayPal is currently £0.30.

The main advantage is familiarity. Many online shoppers already have PayPal accounts and may prefer using the wallet rather than manually entering payment details.

Best for: Ecommerce businesses wanting PayPal wallet acceptance alongside card payments.

8. Checkout.com

Checkout.com focuses heavily on digital-first, international and higher-volume businesses.

Unlike providers offering one standard percentage to every merchant, Checkout.com uses tailored pricing based on the business profile and risk category. It offers both flat-rate and Interchange++ pricing structures.

The platform includes global payment acceptance, analytics, fraud monitoring and a unified API, and Checkout.com states that it supports processing across 150+ currencies.

Best for: Established ecommerce businesses processing significant international volume.

What Is the Cheapest Ecommerce Payment Gateway in the UK?

Looking only at headline percentages can be misleading.

A provider charging 1.2% is not automatically cheaper than one using Interchange++ pricing.

Your real ecommerce payment processing UK costs can depend on:

• Domestic versus international cards

• Consumer versus commercial cards

• Debit versus credit cards

• Average transaction size

• Monthly processing volume

• Currency conversion

• Chargeback fees

• Refund fees

• Cross-border fees

• Monthly gateway fees

• Fraud-management services

• Settlement requirements

For example, a merchant processing mostly UK consumer debit cards may reach a very different conclusion from a business accepting cards from customers across 20 countries.

At larger volumes, negotiating an individual commercial agreement can also be more important than the standard rate shown on a provider's website.

How to Choose a Reliable Online Payment Gateway for Ecommerce

Price matters, but it should not be the only consideration.

When comparing payment gateway providers in the UK, ecommerce businesses should look at the complete payment setup.

Payment Methods

At minimum, most UK ecommerce businesses will want to accept Visa and Mastercard.

Depending on the audience, you may also need:

• American Express

• Apple Pay

• Google Pay

• PayPal

• Open Banking

• Buy Now Pay Later

• Local European payment methods

• Alternative payment methods

A merchant expanding internationally should pay particular attention to how payment behaviour differs by country.

Approval Rates

A low transaction fee means very little if too many legitimate transactions are declined.

Look at the provider's acquiring coverage, routing capabilities, issuer relationships and ability to optimise transactions across markets.

As businesses scale, payment performance can become just as important as headline pricing.

International Coverage

If you plan to sell globally, check:

• Supported countries

• Settlement currencies

• Processing currencies

• Local acquiring capabilities

• Cross-border fees

• FX charges

• Local payment methods

The best ecommerce payment gateway UK merchants choose domestically may not necessarily be the best infrastructure for international expansion.

Ecommerce Payment Gateway Integration

Your gateway should work reliably with your existing technology.

Before signing, check whether the provider offers integrations or plugins for platforms such as:

• Shopify

• WooCommerce

• Magento / Adobe Commerce

• BigCommerce

• Custom ecommerce platforms

For more complex businesses, API quality and developer documentation become increasingly important.

Fraud and Security

Any business processing card payments needs to consider PCI DSS requirements.

PCI DSS provides technical and operational requirements designed to protect payment account data, and it applies across entities involved in payment processing.

Your provider should also offer appropriate tools for areas such as:

• Tokenisation

• 3D Secure

• Strong Customer Authentication

• Fraud screening

• Velocity controls

• Risk monitoring

Security should be part of the payment architecture rather than an afterthought.

Settlement Speed

Cash flow matters.

Check how quickly the provider settles your funds and whether settlement terms change based on:

• Country

• Currency

• Business category

• Processing history

• Risk level

Some businesses may receive next-day settlement, while others may operate under longer settlement schedules or reserve structures.

Business Model and Risk Category

Not every payment provider supports every type of ecommerce business.

Underwriting requirements can be significantly different for sectors such as:

• Gaming

• Crypto

• FX

• Subscription businesses

• Digital goods

• Adult

• High-risk ecommerce

• Cross-border businesses

This is why choosing a payment partner based only on a pricing table can cause problems later.

The provider needs to fit the actual merchant profile.

Payment Gateway vs Payment Processor: What's the Difference?

A payment gateway is primarily responsible for securely capturing and transmitting payment information from the checkout.

A payment processor handles the communication and transaction processing between the various financial institutions involved.

The acquiring bank or acquirer enables the merchant to accept card payments and connects the transaction into the card-network infrastructure.

In modern ecommerce, a single company may provide several or all of these services.

That is why businesses often use terms such as payment gateway, PSP, processor and acquirer interchangeably, even though they describe different parts of the payment chain.

Finding the Right Payment Setup With Monepik

The right payment infrastructure is not always about selecting one provider from a list.

Different merchants need different acquiring relationships, payment methods, geographies, settlement structures and risk appetites.

Monepik works across a network of 350+ banks, acquirers, PSPs and EMIs, helping businesses identify payment and banking partners suited to their requirements.

For merchants expanding into new markets, operating in more complex verticals or looking to strengthen their existing payment setup, having access to multiple providers can create more options than relying on a single standard gateway.

Instead of asking only:

“Which ecommerce payment gateway is cheapest?”

A better question is:

“Which payment setup gives my business the right combination of cost, acceptance, reliability and scalability?”

That is the decision that ultimately matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a payment gateway in ecommerce?

A payment gateway is technology that securely captures and transfers payment information from an ecommerce checkout to the payment infrastructure responsible for processing and authorising the transaction.

How does a payment gateway work in ecommerce?

When a customer enters their card or payment details, the gateway securely sends the transaction to the processor or acquirer. The transaction then moves through the relevant payment network to the customer's issuing bank for approval or decline. The response is returned to the ecommerce website within seconds.

Is a payment gateway required for an ecommerce website?

If your ecommerce website accepts electronic payments, you need infrastructure that can securely transmit and process those payments. This may be provided through a standalone payment gateway or through an all-in-one payment provider that combines gateway, processing and acquiring services.

How much do ecommerce payment gateways cost in the UK?

UK ecommerce gateway costs vary significantly. Standard domestic online card rates from major providers currently begin around the 1% to 2% range plus a fixed transaction fee, while enterprise providers may use custom or Interchange++ pricing. Additional charges can apply for international cards, currency conversion, chargebacks and other services.

What are the cheapest payment gateways for ecommerce in the UK?

There is no single cheapest provider for every merchant. Mollie, Worldpay, Square and Stripe currently publish competitive standard rates for UK domestic cards, while providers using Interchange++ or negotiated pricing may be more cost-effective for larger merchants. Compare total processing costs rather than only the advertised percentage.

How do I integrate a payment gateway with my online store?

Most providers offer plugins for major ecommerce platforms such as Shopify and WooCommerce. Custom websites can normally integrate through an API, SDK, hosted checkout or embedded payment components. The complexity can range from a simple plugin installation to a customised technical integration.

Are ecommerce payment gateways secure?

Reputable payment providers use technologies such as encryption, tokenisation, 3D Secure and fraud monitoring to protect payment data. Merchants accepting cards also need to understand their PCI DSS responsibilities and ensure their ecommerce environment is appropriately secured.

What is the difference between a payment gateway and a payment processor?

The gateway captures and securely transmits payment information from the checkout. The processor helps route and process the financial transaction between the merchant, acquirer, card network and issuer. Many modern payment companies provide both services.

How long does it take to set up an ecommerce payment gateway in the UK?

Simple businesses using pre-built ecommerce integrations may be able to complete the technical setup quickly. However, onboarding also depends on KYC, underwriting, business model, risk assessment and documentation. More complex or higher-risk businesses can require additional review before processing is enabled.

Final Thoughts

There are plenty of strong options for businesses looking for an online payment gateway in the UK.

Stripe may suit businesses that want strong developer tooling. Square can work well for smaller omnichannel merchants. Mollie offers competitive domestic pricing and European payment methods. Shopify Payments simplifies payments for Shopify stores. Worldpay provides established UK and international infrastructure, while Adyen and Checkout.com can be better suited to larger and more complex merchants.

But the best choice is ultimately determined by your business model.

Before choosing a payment gateway for your ecommerce website, compare more than fees.

Look at approval rates, payment methods, international coverage, settlement, fraud protection, integration capabilities and whether the provider actually supports your industry.

Looking for the right payment or acquiring partner for your ecommerce business?

Monepik can help connect you with payment providers from its global network based on your business model, markets and processing requirements.

Talk to Monepik about your payment setup.