Payment Gateway Comparison
Compare real monthly processing costs across Stripe, PayPal, Square, Adyen and GoCardless at your volume.
| Gateway | Monthly Fees | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| GoCardlesscheapest | £220.00 | 1.10% |
| Adyen | £301.00 | 1.50% |
| Square | £377.00 | 1.88% |
| Stripe | £395.00 | 1.98% |
| PayPal | £700.00 | 3.50% |
Cheapest option saves £175.00/month vs Stripe — but consider developer time, tooling and conversion, not just headline rates.
Blended published rates as of September 2026. GoCardless uses Direct Debit (not cards). Custom pricing available at higher volumes.
Payment Gateway FAQs
Which payment gateway is cheapest in the UK?
For online card payments, Adyen and Square typically work out cheapest on UK-domestic volume (~1.2–1.4% blended). GoCardless Direct Debit is cheapest of all for recurring or high-value payments at 1% capped at £4, but it is bank-to-bank rather than card-based. Stripe costs more per transaction but its tooling often reduces overall cost.
Is Stripe or PayPal cheaper?
Stripe is cheaper for most UK businesses: 1.5% + 20p vs PayPal's 2.9% + 30p on domestic transactions — roughly £1.20 less on every £100. PayPal's advantage is consumer trust and its wallet checkout, which can lift conversion enough to offset the fee difference.
What is the difference between Adyen and Stripe?
Stripe is self-serve with no minimums and excellent documentation — best for startups and mid-size businesses. Adyen uses interchange++ pricing (cheaper at volume) but has monthly minimums and a heavier onboarding process — it is aimed at larger merchants processing millions annually.
Should I offer more than one payment method?
Usually yes — cards plus a wallet (Apple Pay/Google Pay/PayPal) plus bank transfer or Direct Debit for larger invoices covers almost every customer preference. Multiple methods lift conversion; the extra integration work pays for itself quickly.
Are payment gateway fees negotiable?
At meaningful volume, yes. Stripe, Adyen and others offer custom interchange++ or blended pricing once you process roughly £50k–£100k+/month. Below that, published rates apply — the calculator above uses standard published pricing.
Need Help Choosing?
We integrate Stripe, PayPal, Adyen and GoCardless for UK businesses — and can advise on the right mix for your volume.