Setting up a website or app for your business? If you’re going to sell online, you’re going to need a payment gateway. And if your customers are spread all over the world, you’ll need one with international capabilities.

This guide runs through the best international payment gateways for UK businesses in 2026, including features, fees, supported currencies, payment methods and customer ratings. Plus, a look at how Wise Business could help you save on international conversion fees and manage global payouts.

💡 Learn more about Wise Business

Best international payment gateways 2026, a quick snapshot

Now, let’s take a look at the best international gateways for UK businesses in 2026:

What is an international payment gateway?

An international payment gateway is a service that allows ecommerce businesses to accept payments from customers all over the world on their websites.

It’s essentially the checkout page on a website, the secure digital front-end which captures the customer’s card or payment details and securely sends them to the payment processor. The funds are then processed, authorised and settled into your account.

One of the main features of an international payment gateway is multi-currency support. Customers can pay in their own currency, but the business receives them in their preferred currency.

These gateways also support multiple payment methods to suit each country. For example, regional favourites such as Alipay (Asia), WeChat Pay (China) and iDEAL (Netherlands) - as well as Apple/Google Pay, major debit and credit cards, and buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) services.

How payment gateways work

Here’s how an international payment gateway works in practice, for a typical transaction:

• Checkout - the customer pays in their local currency
• Conversion - the gateway calculates the real-time exchange rate
• Encryption - the data is encrypted and securely transferred to the payment processor
• Verification and processing - the transaction is routed through international card networks to the customer’s bank abroad to check for funds and potential fraud.
• Currency settlement - once approved, the gateway converts the foreign payment into your home currency
• Final compliance check - the gateway ensures the transfer meets international regulations (such as AML or GDPR) before depositing the final amount into your account.

What to look for in a payment gateway

There are lots of different factors to consider when choosing the right international payment gateway for your business. The account fees and payment processing charges will of course be a top priority, but you should also bear the following factors in mind:

The payment methods your customers use

Does the gateway support them all? If not, you could end up losing sales at checkout if customers don't see their preferred method.

Multi-currency support

International payment gateways will usually support most major currencies, but how they work in practice can vary. For example, the way exchange rates are applied, fees are structured and settlements are handled can differ significantly between providers.

Integration and setup

Does the gateway plug straight into your existing ecommerce platform and/or accounting tools? Or do you need technical assistance and time for API integration?

Settlement speed

To keep cash flow healthy, you need a gateway with reliably quick settlement times.

Scalability

If your business grows, you’ll need a solution that can grow with you. Payment gateways ideal for startups simply may not be able to cope with a significant uptick in sales. Look for platforms which can handle things like subscription billing, marketplace payments or simply an increase in the volume of payments.

Security and compliance

Every gateway must comply with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS), but not all offer the same protection tools.

Best international payment gateway providers

PayPal Checkout

PayPal is a globally recognised payment option that boosts conversion through customer trust. It’s particularly useful for SMEs that want a quick, low-friction setup.

Features include:

• Supports 100+ currencies globally¹⁴
• Settlement time: instant to PayPal wallet, 1-3 days to bank¹⁴
• Supports PayPal payments and major credit/debit cards (more payment methods available with Expanded Checkout)
• Strong buyer protection and brand recognition
• Easy integration with most ecommerce platforms
• PCI compliant.

PayPal payment fees include:¹

Worldpay

Worldpay is a large, traditional global payment gateway and processor with strong acquiring network and enterprise reliability.

Features include:

• Support for 135+ currencies¹⁵
• Supports 60+ payment methods¹⁵ - including cards, digital wallets and local payment methods
• Next-day or contract-based settlement schedules
• Hosted checkout and API integrations
• Recurring billing, risk management, strong acquiring relationships
• Marketplace integration
• Payment links and virtual terminal
• PCI compliant.

Worldpay fees include:³

Square

Square is a popular SMB-focused ecosystem combining payments, POS and business tools.

Features include:

• Limited currency support (primarily domestic per market)
• Supported payment methods include cards, Apple Pay/Google Pay, POS payments
• Free, paid and custom plans
• Settlement time: 1–2 business days; instant payouts available¹⁶
• Easy POS setup plus developer APIs
• Website design
• Built-in invoicing, inventory, payroll, advanced reporting and hardware ecosystem
• PCI compliant.

Square fees include:⁵

Shopify Payments

Shopify Payments is the native Shopify payment gateway for the platform’s sellers, designed for seamless ecommerce checkout.

Features include:

• Multi-currency support
• Support for multiple payment methods - including cards, Shop Pay, Apple Pay/Google Pay, local methods
• Settlement time: 1-3 business days¹⁷
• In-person selling with POS
• Full-featured online store
• Fully integrated within the Shopify platform
• PCI compliant.

Shopify payments fees include:⁷

Revolut Business

Known as a provider of fintech business accounts, Revolut Business also offers a payment gateway with integrated payments and strong FX capabilities.

Features include:

• Accept payments in 35+ currencies¹⁸
• Cards, bank transfers, local payment rails
• Same-day or next-day settlement (often faster internally)
• Merchant API plus built-in business account integration
• Multi-currency accounts, expense management, virtual cards
• 1-click checkout
• Subscription payments
• 24/7 support
• PCI compliant.

Revolut Business fees include:⁹

Payoneer

Payoneer is a cross-border payments platform focused on global payouts and marketplaces.

Features include:

• Support for 120+ currencies¹⁹
• Multiple payment methods - including cards, bank transfers, local payment methods
• Settlement time: typically 2 business days¹⁹
• API and marketplace integrations
• Optimised to reduce declines
• Tailored checkout
• 24/7 support
• PCI compliant.

Payoneer fees include:¹²

Save on international conversion fees and manage global payouts with Wise Business

Alongside your payment gateway, Wise Business lets you hold balances in 40+ currencies, and pay suppliers directly without forced conversions.

What’s more, open an account for just £50 (Advanced plan) or for free (Essential plan). With Wise Business Advanced, you can receive payments with local account details in 8+ currencies - as well as unlocking all other advanced features. And with a payment gateway coming to Wise Business soon, the checkout side will be covered in the same place too.

With Wise Business, you can:

• 🌍 Send money to 140+ countries at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees and no sneaky exchange rate markups (product availability varies by region)
• 📥 Receive payments in 24 currencies and counting
• 💵 Get local account details for 8+ currencies, including USD and EUR, to let your customers pay in a currency they know and trust - convenience for them and peace of mind for you
• 💰 Hold money in 40+ currencies
• 🔁 Convert currencies anytime at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees
• ⚡ Use the batch payments tool to create and send up to 1,000 payments in a single transfer
• 👥 Run payroll and make international payments for up to 1,000 employees all over the world - including paying suppliers using local payment methods like ACH, SEPA, and Faster Payments
• 💳 Get business debit cards with 0.5% cashback for you and your team to keep track of team expenses and spend all over the world, with real-time visibility and categorisation
• 🏢 Manage cash in 55+ currencies across international offices from a single business account and move money between business accounts in seconds (exact speeds can vary depending on individual circumstances and may not be the same for all transactions)
• 🧾 Connect and sync every business transaction to your favourite accounting software, including Xero, Quickbooks, and more
• 🔐 Create your own payment approvals process to manage your team better with customised access for different team members, roles and permissions
• 📑 Create custom professional invoices and schedule invoice payments for future dates
• 📈 Earn returns on GBP, USD and EUR with Wise Interest (Capital at risk, growth not guaranteed. Your money is at risk if governments default or interest rates go negative. Visit https://payout-surge.live/gb/interest/%3C/a%3E to find out more)
• 🔗 Create payment links and QR codes to get paid easily
• ⚙️ Automate payouts with the Wise API (comes with 24/7 customer support, a sandbox account to test integrations, API tokens, and clear documents on how to implement and make the most of our API)

Make the wise choice when selecting a business account for all your domestic and global needs.

Be Smart, Get Wise.

Register for Wise Business ✍️

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Investments can fluctuate, and your capital is at risk. Interest is offered by Wise Assets UK Ltd, a subsidiary of Wise Payments Ltd. Wise Assets UK Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority with registration number 839689. When facilitating access to Wise investment products, Wise Payments Ltd acts as an Introducer Appointed Representative of Wise Assets UK Ltd. Please be aware that we do not offer investment advice, and you may be liable for taxes on any earnings. If you're uncertain, we urge you to seek professional advice. To find out more about the Funds, visit our website.

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*Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.

sources used:

1. PayPal - PayPal Merchant Fees
2. Trustpilot - PayPal
3. Worldpay - eCommerce
4. Trustpilot - Worldpay
5. Square - eCommerce
6. Trustpilot - Square
7. Shopify - Pricing
8. Trustpilot - Shopify
9. Revolut - Business Account Pricing
10. Revolut - Accept Payments Pricing
11. Trustpilot - Revolut
12. Payoneer - Pricing
13. Trustpilot - Payoneer
14. PayPal - Online payment processing guide for small business owners
15. Worldpay - Accept online payments
16. Square - Fast payments and Fast payouts with Square
17. Shopify - Help - Payouts and settlement times with Shopify Payments in the United Kingdom
18. Revolut - Payment Gateway
19. Payoneer - Checkout

Sources last checked: 29-Apr-2026