Dating site and app merchant accounts UK

Subscription chargeback rates and consent-capture complexity drive elevated dispute exposure. Card schemes monitor the dating vertical closely; Valentine's and post-Christmas dispute spikes are predictable.

Legal status (UK)

Legal in UK. Online Safety Act 2023 content-moderation duties apply; AML and identity rules apply to higher-tier introduction services.

Acquirers accepting

  • Specialist subscription-billing acquirers
  • Trust Payments (selectively)
  • Acquirers with dating-vertical programmes

Typical pricing

Rate
3.0% to 5.0% blended
Settlement reserve
10% to 15% rolling reserve common

Watch outs

  • Cancellation flow must be visible and easy; obscured cancellation drives complaint volume.
  • Catfishing and fake-profile moderation expectations are heaviest in this vertical.
  • Free-trial-to-paid conversion requires clear consent capture.
  • Visa "stop subscription" mandate must be honoured at first request.

Last reviewed: 2026-05-18.