Editorial Policy & How We Test
Last updated: 29 July 2026
What we compare
We group mobile payment providers into six categories — card readers, payment gateways, POS systems, ecommerce payments, merchant accounts and business banking — and assess each on the same set of criteria: contract terms, payout/settlement speed, hardware requirements, integration effort and who the provider is genuinely best suited to.
Where our information comes from
We base our comparisons on publicly available information from each provider's own website and published rate cards, together with general industry knowledge of how each category of product typically works. Because pricing, contract terms and features change frequently and can vary by sector, turnover and region, we always recommend confirming current terms directly with the provider before signing up — figures on this site should be treated as a starting point for comparison, not a quote.
How we choose which providers to include
We prioritise providers with meaningful market presence in the UK for the relevant business size and category. Inclusion in a comparison is not paid for; however, some included providers are also affiliate partners — see our Affiliate Disclosure.
Keeping pages up to date
We periodically review comparison pages for accuracy. If you're a provider representative or a reader who has spotted outdated information, please contact us with the page URL and details, and we'll review it.
How we calculate the WMP Score
Where you see a WMP Score (out of 5) next to a provider, it is calculated from the same researched facts shown in that comparison — not a subjective star rating, and not based on user reviews, Trustpilot, app store ratings or any external review platform. We are not an independent testing lab and have not run live transactions through every provider; the score reflects how each provider's published terms compare within its category.
Each provider is scored 1–5 on five criteria, then combined into a weighted overall score:
Because this is a weighted judgement based on our own research rather than independent lab testing or verified customer reviews, treat the WMP Score as a useful starting signal alongside the figures in the table — not a replacement for checking current terms directly with the provider.
Glossary of payment terms
- Interchange
- The fee paid to the customer's card-issuing bank on every transaction, capped by UK law at 0.2% for consumer debit cards and 0.3% for consumer credit cards.
- Scheme fees
- A smaller fee paid to Visa or Mastercard for using their card network, on top of interchange.
- Blended / flat-rate pricing
- One percentage charged on every transaction regardless of card type, rather than passing through the actual interchange cost.
- Interchange-plus pricing
- A model that charges the real interchange fee plus a separate, negotiable markup, instead of one blended rate.
- Authorisation fee
- A small fee charged each time a card payment is authorised, whether or not the sale completes.
- Chargeback
- When a cardholder disputes a payment through their bank and funds are reversed, usually with an extra fee charged to the merchant.
- PCI compliance
- Security standards all card-accepting businesses must meet; non-compliance can trigger an extra monthly fee from your provider.
- Settlement
- The process of funds moving from the customer's bank into your merchant/provider account after a sale.
- Payout
- When settled funds are transferred from your provider into your own bank account.
- MOTO payments
- Mail order/telephone order — card payments taken without the card being physically present, usually priced higher due to higher fraud risk.
- Card-not-present (CNP)
- Any payment where the card isn't physically presented, e.g. online or phone orders — these usually carry higher fees than in-person chip/PIN or contactless.