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Home

• MerchantHQ: UK Card Machines and Merchant Accounts Compare 80+ UK card providers: Dojo, SumUp, Square, Zettle, Stripe, Adyen, Worldpay, Barclaycard, Tide, Tyl, Revolut and every UK specialist acquirer.

Card machine reviews

• Card machine reviews: 18 UK terminals tested 2026 Hands-on reviews of every major UK card terminal in 2026: Dojo Go, SumUp Solo, Zettle Reader 2, Square Terminal, Stripe Reader S700, Tap to Pay on iPhone.

Card machines by brand

• Card machines by brand UK 2026: Dojo, Tyl, Worldpay and more Honest reviews of the main UK card machine brands: Dojo, Tyl, Worldpay, Clover, Ingenico, Verifone, Barclaycard and takepayments, with MerchantHQ\

Card readers

• Card readers UK 2026: best card readers compared, MerchantHQ UK card readers compared for 2026: SumUp, Zettle, Square, Tide and Revolut ranked on hardware cost, rate and contract.

Terminals

• Card terminal UK 2026: every UK card terminal compared Every UK card terminal compared in 2026. Dojo Go, SumUp Solo, Square Terminal, Stripe Reader, Zettle, Tide, Tyl, Revolut, Worldpay. Pricing and contract.

Online payments

• Payment Gateway UK: Compare Online Card Gateways (2026) UK payment gateway comparison: Stripe, Adyen, Worldpay, Square Online, Shopify Payments. Pricing, SCA / 3D Secure 2, and which gateway fits ecommerce.

Pay by bank

• Pay by bank UK 2026: open banking payments explained What pay by bank (open banking) is, how account-to-account payments work, the fees and trade-offs versus cards, and who it suits in the UK.
• Pay-by-Bank for High-Risk Businesses (UK 2026) How Pay-by-Bank (open banking) lets CBD, vape and other high-risk UK merchants accept payments without a card merchant account: fees, chargebacks, trade-offs.

Tap to Pay on iPhone

• Tap to Pay on iPhone UK: Setup, Fees, MerchantHQ Tap to Pay on iPhone in the UK: which acquirers offer it, fees, setup, alternatives for Android, and which trades it suits. No separate terminal needed.

Tap to Pay on Android

• Tap to Pay on Android UK: Acquirers, Fees, Phones, Setup Tap to Pay on Android in the UK: which acquirers offer SoftPOS, fees, supported phones (Android 13+), the £100 contactless cap status after 19 March 2026.

Merchant accounts

• UK Merchant Accounts, MerchantHQ UK merchant accounts: how they work, what they cost, the difference between merchant accounts and payment processors, and which UK acquirers offer them.

High-risk verticals

• Best High-Risk Merchant Account Providers Compared (UK 2026) A dated 2026 comparison of UK high-risk merchant account providers: who underwrites each vertical, typical rates and reserves, and how to get matched.
• Best High-Risk Merchant Account Providers UK 2026 Whole-of-market guide to UK high-risk merchant account providers in 2026: who underwrites which vertical, typical rates and reserves, and when to use each.
• High-Risk Acquirer Matrix UK 2026: Rates and Reserves Typical UK card-acquiring rate and rolling-reserve bands by high-risk vertical: CBD, vape, gambling, crypto, adult, travel, forex and more.
• High-Risk Merchant Account for Shopify UK: 2026 Setup Guide Shopify Payments declines most high-risk categories. How to take high-risk payments on a UK Shopify store with a third-party gateway and specialist acquirer.
• High-Risk Merchant Account Instant Approval UK: The Truth Is instant approval for a high-risk merchant account real? What those sites actually do, why genuine acquiring is underwritten, and the fastest safe UK route.
• High-Risk Merchant Account UK 2026: Rates and Approval What a high-risk merchant account is, why mainstream UK acquirers decline you, what it costs (rates and reserves), and how to get approved.
• High-Risk Payment Gateway UK (2026): How They Work and Cost What a high-risk payment gateway is, how it differs from an acquirer, why mainstream gateways decline high-risk trades, and typical UK costs.
• Merchant Account Broker vs Direct Acquirer (UK 2026) Broker (or ISO) vs going direct to an acquirer for a high-risk UK merchant account: how each works, how brokers get paid, and when direct is better.
• Rolling Reserves and Frozen Funds Explained (UK 2026) What a rolling reserve is, typical sizes and hold periods, why high-risk funds get frozen, how to negotiate a lower reserve, and how to protect cashflow.
• Switching acquirers as a UK travel or tour operator (2026) For UK travel and tour operators already stuck on a 20%+ rolling reserve. When to switch, what evidence to present a new acquirer, and which UK acquirers.
• The MATCH List and TMF Explained (UK 2026) What the MATCH list (Terminated Merchant File) is, the reason codes, how long a listing lasts, whether you can be removed, and how to get approved.
• Why Was My Merchant Account Declined? 5 Real Reasons (2026) The 5 real reasons UK merchant account applications get declined, how underwriting works, the MATCH-list mistake to avoid, and how to fix it before reapplying.

Switching providers

• Switching Card Payment Providers UK, MerchantHQ How to leave Worldpay, Barclaycard, Elavon and Paymentsense in the UK. Notice periods, exit fees, terminal returns, and the alternatives most merchants move to.

By trade

• Best Card Machine by Trade, MerchantHQ UK card machine recommendations by trade: restaurants, pubs, salons, mobile traders, vape shops, taxis.
• Card machines for UK travel and tour operators (2026) How UK acquirers price travel and tours: rolling reserves, settlement schedules, ATOL and ABTOT bonding, which acquirers handle future-dated delivery.

By sector

• Best card terminals by sector, MerchantHQ UK card-terminal recommendations by business sector: hospitality, retail, market traders, salons, charities, mobile traders, healthcare, automotive, food.

Faith institutions

• Card Payment Systems for UK Faith Institutions, MerchantHQ We compare digital donation systems and card machines for UK mosques, churches, gurdwaras, temples and synagogues. Editorial guides, transparent fees.
• Gurdwara Donation Terminals UK: Tap Donate, GWD, HibaBox UK gurdwara donation kit reviewed: Tap Donate, GWD, HibaBox, Goodbox and Stripe S700 for sangat dakshina, langar contributions, and festival-day surges.
• Mandir Hundi Digital UK 2026: Tap-and-Bless Contactless UK Hindu mandir hundi digitisation guide: contactless donation kit for daily seva, Diwali / Navratri / Janmashtami throughput, puja sponsorship, Tamil.
• Polish Catholic Parish Contactless UK 2026: Offering-Plate UK Polish Catholic parish contactless giving guide. Goodbox, SumUp Air, Tap Donate, Stripe Reader for offering-plate digitisation.

Guides

• UK card terminal guides 2026, MerchantHQ Long-form guides to UK card-terminal buying, switching, fee structures, Tap to Pay vs hardware, mobile vs countertop, and contactless limits.

Learn

• How to Start a Peptide Business in the UK (2026 Guide) A practical UK guide to starting a research-peptide business: the legal framing, sourcing and labelling, and the payment problem that catches most sellers.
• Interchange-Plus vs Blended Pricing UK: Which Fits Your UK card-acquiring pricing models explained: interchange-plus (IC+) vs blended. £25k annual / £4k monthly threshold, worked examples per acquirer, when.
• Is It Legal to Sell Peptides in the UK? (2026 Guide) The UK legal position on selling research peptides: the research-chemical rule, the MHRA line on human-use claims, GLP-1 peptides, and taking payments.
• MATCH List and TMF UK: Reason Codes, Removal, High-Risk UK-specific guide to Mastercard\
• Offshore Merchant Accounts UK 2026: When They Help or Hurt What an offshore merchant account is, why UK businesses consider one, the tax and FCA realities, and why a UK specialist is usually better.
• Peptide Merchant Account UK 2026: How to Take Card Payments Why Stripe, PayPal and SumUp ban peptide sellers, which UK acquirers underwrite peptides, the rates and reserves to expect, and how to get placed.
• Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) and 3D Secure 2 for UK UK SCA explained for merchants. When 3D Secure 2 triggers, low-value and recurring exemptions, conversion impact, friction reduction, and the liability.
• UK Card Acquirer Settlement Schedules Explained (2026) How UK card-acquirer settlement actually works. Same-day vs next-day, rolling reserves, weekend posting, new-merchant holds and what schedule fits which.
• UK Card Chargebacks: Fees, Dispute Process, Friendly Fraud UK card chargeback guide. Per-chargeback fees by acquirer (£15 to £35), card-scheme dispute process, reason codes, friendly fraud rates, evidence rules.
• UK Card Payments Learn Centre: SCA, Chargebacks, Interchange Plain-English UK card-payment explainers: SCA / 3DS2, chargebacks, interchange rates, settlement schedules, MATCH list / TMF, contactless cap, PCI-DSS.
• UK Card-Payment Reserves for Travel and Tours: Rolling How UK card-acquirer rolling reserves and settlement schedules actually work for travel and tour operators.
• UK Contactless Cap Removed 19 March: What Merchants Need The UK FCA removed the £100 contactless transaction cap on 19 March 2026. Banks are holding £100 voluntarily.
• UK Interchange Fees Explained: Visa & Mastercard Rates 2026 UK interchange fees explained: regulated consumer-debit at 0.2 percent, consumer-credit at 0.3 percent, commercial at 1.0 to 2.5 percent. What you actually pay.
• UK-EEA Cross-Border Interchange Cap 2026: PSR, Court Ruling Where the UK-EEA cross-border interchange fee cap stands in May 2026: PSR powers upheld in January, Visa and Mastercard appeal granted in March.
• Virtual Terminal UK: Take Card Payments by Phone (2026) UK virtual terminal guide: take card payments by phone or post (MOTO) with no hardware. Providers, keyed-in rates, PCI scope and fraud liability.
• Visa Mastercard UK Cross-Border Update 2026: PSR Cap, CoA UK-EEA cross-border interchange in flux: PSR Jan 2026 cap, Visa and Mastercard appeal, Court of Appeal hearing 17 March 2026.

Tools and calculators

• All-In Effective Rate Calculator for UK Card Machines Work out your true all-in card-processing rate from your own statement: MSC, authorisation, PCI and minimum service fees, terminal rental. No email needed.
• Mystery Card Charge Decoder: What Is This Charge? Paste an unfamiliar card descriptor from your bank statement and find out which UK payment processor it is, what it means, and whether it looks like a scam.
• Total Cost of Acquiring Calculator: UK Card Machines Blended UK card-machine cost calculator: MSC, monthly fee, per-transaction rate, chargeback fee, scheme fee, refund handling.
• UK Card-Payment Tools, Calculators, MerchantHQ Free UK card-payment calculators: total cost of acquiring (TCA), fees calculator, all-in effective rate, UK-EU cross-border interchange.
• UK-EU Cross-Border Interchange Calculator (Brexit Uplift) Estimate the extra interchange you pay on EEA-issued cards post-Brexit: 1.15% debit / 1.50% credit vs the 0.2% / 0.3% domestic caps. Instant, no email.

Fees calculator

• UK Card Machine Fees Calculator, MerchantHQ Calculate the true 12-month effective cost of taking card payments in the UK. Enter your monthly card volume and average transaction;

Head-to-head comparisons

• Compare card machines: UK head-to-head comparisons 2026 Compare card machines and card readers side by side: Dojo, SumUp, Square, Zettle, Stripe and more on rate, contract, hardware and settlement. UK 2026.

Alternatives

• Alternatives to UK Card Terminals | MerchantHQ Per-terminal alternatives pages for every major UK card machine: Dojo Go, SumUp, Square, Stripe, Adyen, Worldpay, Tyl and more. Top 5 alternatives ranked.

Editorial deep-dives

• Card machine comparison UK 2026: 14 head-to-head matchups Card machine comparison for UK businesses 2026. 14 head-to-head matchups: Dojo vs SumUp, Square vs Stripe, Worldpay vs Dojo and more. Pricing and contract.
• Cheapest card machine UK 2026: providers ranked by cost Every UK card machine ranked cheapest-first on real headline rates 2026: transaction %, monthly fee, hardware cost and contract. Independent, not a vendor.

Best by trade

• Best card machine by trade UK 2026: 26 trades, MerchantHQ The best UK card machine for every trade. Restaurants, pubs, salons, mobile traders, cafés, hotels, vape shops, taxis, electricians, dog grooming, market.
• Best card machine by UK trade and city 2026, MerchantHQ Trade-and-city-specific UK card-machine recommendations: 26 trades × 12 cities = 312 combinations.
• Best UK card terminals: ranked picks for 2026, MerchantHQ Whole-of-market best-of card-terminal picks for UK businesses in 2026. Best overall, best mobile, best low-fee, best for hospitality, best for charities.

UK acquirer panel

• UK card-payment acquirer panel 2026: all providers compared Every UK card-payment acquirer compared 2026: Dojo, SumUp, Square, Zettle, Stripe, Adyen, Tide, Tyl, Revolut, Worldpay, Barclaycard, Elavon, Lloyds.

Integrations

• Card machine integrations: Xero, QuickBooks, Sage UK Card machines that integrate with Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, Treatwell, Booksy and Cliniko.

Features

• Card Machine Features Guide UK, MerchantHQ Which UK card machines support Apple Pay, AMEX, multi-currency, tipping, bar tabs and pre-authorisation.

Statistics

• Statistics Key statistics for , each linked to its primary source (UK Finance, PSR, gov.uk). Updated .

Data and research

• MerchantHQ Data API: Acquirers, Fees and MCP Endpoint Read-only public API and MCP server for UK card-payment acquirer terms and fees. REST endpoints, OpenAPI 3.1 spec, search_acquirers tool. CC BY 4.0.
• UK Card Acquirer Index 2026: Verified Provider Data Table The UK Card Acquirer Index: headline rate, settlement, contract and channels for UK card-payment acquirers in one sortable table. Methodology and source dated.
• UK Card Payment Statistics 2026 UK card payment statistics for 2026: monthly debit and credit card transaction volumes and values, contactless share, and the Q1 sector breakdown, every figure quoted from UK Finance.

Research

• Research and data, MerchantHQ First-party research from MerchantHQ: the UK Card Processing Fee Index, the Card Acquirer Index, and UK card payment statistics, every figure sourced.
• UK Card Processing Fee Index 2026 The UK Card Processing Fee Index: published headline rates, pricing transparency and contract terms across 42 UK acquirers. First-party MerchantHQ data.

Questions answered

• Card machine questions: bankruptcy, bad credit, new biz Plain-English answers to UK card terminal questions: getting a card machine after bankruptcy or a CCJ, day-one trading, after Stripe or PayPal froze you.

Glossary

• UK card-payment glossary 2026: 30+ terms in plain English Plain-English UK card-payment glossary: card machine, payment gateway, merchant account, acquirer, interchange, SCA, 3DS2, chargeback, contactless, Tap to.

How we test

• How We Test Terminals and Acquirers, MerchantHQ Methodology MerchantHQ methodology: how we test terminals, score acquirers, calculate true effective rates, and rank "best card machine for [trade]" listicles.

UK locations

• UK Indian-Community Locations: Card Machines for Punjabi Card-payment editorial for UK cities with established Indian-heritage business communities: Leicester (Gujarati), Southall (Punjabi), Wembley (Gujarati).

Languages

• Card Machines in Your Language, UK Diaspora Business Guides UK card-payment editorial in languages: .

Blog

• MerchantHQ Blog: UK Card Payments Insight Editorial coverage of UK card processing rates, switching triggers, hardware comparisons, and industry rule changes from the MerchantHQ team.

Free books

• Books: Free UK Card Payments Guides | MerchantHQ Free UK guides from MerchantHQ on card machines, merchant accounts and payment processing. Read on Kindle, Google Play Books, or download free.

Help

• Account Terminated by Acquirer: UK Recovery Runbook (2026) UK acquirer terminated your merchant account? Step-by-step recovery: MATCH list lookup, evidence pack, high-risk acquirer route, FOS escalation.
• Card Surcharging UK: B2B vs B2C Rules (2026) UK card surcharging rules explained: full B2C ban since 13 January 2018, B2B surcharges still legal with disclosure.
• Chargeback Notification UK: 7-14 Day Response Runbook (2026) You have just received a UK chargeback notification. Step-by-step response runbook: 7-14 day response window, evidence pack template, dispute flow.
• Help: UK Card Payment Runbooks, MerchantHQ Crisis runbooks for UK merchants: card machine outages, chargeback notifications, surcharging rules, acquirer disputes.
• My Acquirer Froze My Funds: UK Recovery Runbook (2026) Stripe, SumUp, Square or PayPal froze your card-payment funds? UK-specific recovery flow: 24-72 hour pattern, evidence pack, FOS escalation, alternative.
• My Card Machine Is Not Working: UK Crisis Runbook (2026) Friday-night card terminal down? 4-step troubleshoot, offline mode by acquirer (Dojo, SumUp, Zettle, Square, Stripe), manual fallback, and UK support.
• Processing Limit Breached: UK Volume Cap Runbook (2026) Hit your acquirer\
• Refund Batch Rejected: UK Acquirer Recovery Runbook (2026) Refund batch rejected by your UK acquirer? Step-by-step recovery: insufficient-balance pattern, acquirer-specific causes (Stripe, SumUp, Square, Dojo).
• Suspect You Are on the MATCH List? UK Action Runbook (2026) You suspect you have been added to the MATCH list (Mastercard\

Support

• 24/7 dedicated support: MerchantHQ UK account team explained 24/7 UK card-payment support from your named MerchantHQ account manager. Direct line, response SLAs, escalation paths, chargeback drafting, terminal-down.

About

• About MerchantHQ, UK Card Terminals and Merchant Accounts MerchantHQ is the UK\

How we work

• How MerchantHQ works: place + support + review + switch, end The MerchantHQ account-team service explained. We place you with the right UK acquirer for your trade, then stay your named contact for 24/7 support.

How we are funded

• How We Are Funded, MerchantHQ MerchantHQ earns commission from acquirers, brokers and direct payment partners when readers sign up. Rankings and review verdicts are not for sale.

Editorial policy

• Editorial Policy, MerchantHQ How MerchantHQ writes terminal reviews, switching guides and trade landers. Independence statement, source policy, corrections process and conflict.

Authors

• , Director, MerchantHQ leads MerchantHQ's terminal testing and acquirer comparison.
• Editorial Team, MerchantHQ The named team behind MerchantHQ. Real bylines, hands-on terminal testing, and consistent ownership of every review and switching guide.

Contact

• Contact, MerchantHQ How to reach MerchantHQ: terminal questions, acquirer enquiries, partnership requests, corrections and complaints.

accessibility

• Accessibility statement, MerchantHQ How MerchantHQ is built to be easy to read and use for UK business owners comparing card machines, including search, plain English and screen-reader support.

accreditations

• Accreditations and registrations, registrations and certifications (, Companies House ), verified against public registers.

ai-instructions

• AI instructions for MerchantHQ: facts and citation guidance Guidance for AI assistants on how to describe and cite MerchantHQ, a UK card-payment comparison and account-team service by Best Business Loans Ltd.

chargebacks

• Chargeback help for UK merchants, MerchantHQ account team MerchantHQ drafts your chargeback representment evidence and manages the acquirer dispute process. Included for the life of the account.

cookies

• Cookies and tracking, MerchantHQ MerchantHQ uses Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity to understand which UK card-payment content helps merchants.

disclaimer

• Disclaimer, MerchantHQ MerchantHQ is an editorial and introducer site for UK card terminals and merchant accounts.

epos-pos-systems

• EPOS and POS systems UK 2026: card machine vs till system What a UK POS or EPOS system is, how it differs from a plain card machine, and the smart terminals (PAX, Square, Dojo) that run both. Plain-English 2026 guide.

site-structure

• Fleet Site Structure, CardTerminals Fleet-wide site structure for the six Rank4AI fleet sites.

get-quotes

• Get UK Card-Payment Quotes in 2 Minutes, MerchantHQ Two-minute multi-step form. We match you against 80+ UK card-payment providers most likely to approve and beat your current pricing. Free to apply.
• Thanks. Your MerchantHQ quote request is in. Your MerchantHQ quote request is in. We will email matched quotes from the UK acquirer panel within 24 to 72 hours.

halal

• Halal & Sharia-Aware Merchant Accounts UK | MerchantHQ We compare UK card machines for Muslim-owned businesses, halal trades and sharia-conscious operators. Riba-aware terminology, transparent fees, no jargon.
• UK Halal Merchant Account Index 2026: Riba, Gharar Quarterly scorecard rating Worldpay, Stripe, SumUp, Square, Dojo, Take Payments, Elavon, Tide, Revolut and Adyen against three Sharia criteria: riba-free.

card-machine-cost

• How much does a card machine cost in the UK? (2026) What a UK card machine costs in 2026: hardware £0 to £329, rate 0.74% to 1.95%, monthly £0 to £25+, with worked monthly examples.

how-to-get-a-card-machine

• How to get a card machine for a small business (UK, 2026) How to get a card machine in the UK in 2026: the five steps, who is eligible, what documents you need, and how long it takes.

videos

• MerchantHQ Videos: UK card machine explainers UK card machine video explainers in English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali and Punjabi. SumUp vs Zettle, Tap to Pay on iPhone, corner shop machines.
• Tap To Pay Iphone Uk Tap to Pay on iPhone, UK. Accept cards with no extra hardware.
• What Is A Card Machine Uk What is a UK card machine? A 60-second plain answer.

no-contract-card-machine

• No-contract card machine UK 2026: PAYG and no monthly fee How no-contract and pay-as-you-go card machines work in the UK, the truth about free machines, and when a contract is actually cheaper.

pci-dss

• PCI DSS v4.0.1 for UK merchants: SAQ-A, SAQ-D, Tap to Pay PCI DSS v4.0.1 mandatory for UK merchants since 1 April 2025. Plain-English SAQ walkthrough for UK SMBs: SAQ-A vs SAQ-D, Tap to Pay scope, costs, gaps.

privacy

• Privacy Policy, MerchantHQ How MerchantHQ collects, uses and protects your personal and business data when you request quotes, ask for advice or sign up to a partner. UK GDPR compliant.

rate-reviews

• Quarterly rate reviews: MerchantHQ renegotiates your UK card Every 90 days MerchantHQ checks your effective blended rate against the 80+ UK acquirer panel.

switching-help

• Switching help: MerchantHQ manages your UK card-acquirer Outgrown your current UK card acquirer? MerchantHQ manages the switch: contract notice period, exit-fee negotiation, dual-running coordination, hardware.

terms

• Terms of Use, MerchantHQ Terms of use for MerchantHQ: who we are, what we do, applicant warranties, intellectual property, limitation of liability and governing law.

thank-you

• Thanks, we've got your details | MerchantHQ Thanks for submitting your card-payment quote request. We're matching your business to UK card-payment providers.

types-of-card-machine

• Types of card machine UK 2026: countertop, portable, mobile The types of UK card machine explained: countertop, portable, mobile, contactless, smart terminal and Tap to Pay, and which suits your business.

lp

• UK Card Payments, Get Quotes in 2 Minutes | MerchantHQ Whole-of-market UK card-payment broker. 80+ acquirers compared. In-person card terminals, online payment gateways, high-risk verticals. Free to apply.

what-is-a-card-machine

• What is a card machine? UK card terminal, reader, gateway Plain-English UK card-payment glossary: card machine vs card terminal vs card reader vs payment gateway vs merchant account vs acquirer.

which-card-machine

• Which Card Machine Suits My Business? UK Guide Pick the right UK card terminal in 90 seconds. Decision tree by business type (retail, hospitality, mobile, B2B, e-comm), ticket size band and priority.