How we are funded
MerchantHQ is free to use. We are paid in two ways, both for introductions, and neither buys a higher ranking or a friendlier review verdict.
How we are paid
- Card payment quotes. Every quote-form enquiry goes to one card-payments broker, Merchant Advice Service (peptide businesses go to Fena instead). The broker pays us a fee for each introduction. You pay MerchantHQ nothing.
- Business funding. If you ask for business funding on the quote form, we pass your details to our funding partner, currently iwoca. We may receive an introducer fee if that leads to a loan. It does not change what you pay.
We do not take commission from card machine providers or acquirers, we do not run affiliate sign-up links, and no provider pays to be listed or ranked.
What money does not buy
- Position in a "best card machine for [trade]" listicle.
- Inclusion in a head-to-head comparison.
- The verdict in a single-terminal review.
- Removal of a critical finding once published.
- Exclusion of a competing acquirer from a switching guide.
Rate spreads and effective cost
Card payments pricing is famously confusing: blended rates, interchange-plus, IC++, monthly fees, terminal rental, PCI fees, chargeback fees. Our rule is to publish the publicly advertised rate alongside a typical effective cost for a representative SMB profile, so readers can compare like for like. This applies regardless of which partner pays us more.
Sister sites
Best Business Loans Ltd owns MerchantHQ and two sister sites: FundBiz (specialty finance broker), MarketInvoice (invoice finance).
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