5 Best payment gateways for startups and alternative payment solutions

Payment gateways enable customers to pay by card at checkout. They connect your website to Visa, Mastercard, and the banks behind them. Simple enough.

But gateways aren’t your only option. Some startups don’t need checkout pages at all. If you invoice clients, receive payments from abroad, or sell to other businesses, some alternatives skip the fees that gateways charge for currency conversion.

This guide covers both. Traditional gateways like PayPal and Revolut for handling cards, and alternative startup payment solutions like Wise Business for international payments and lower costs. You’ll see what each charges and how they work.

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Best payment gateway providers for startups, summary

Before you commit, it helps to see how they line up side by side. Each of these platforms supports e-commerce payment gateways for new businesses and small teams starting to sell online.

Provider	Best for	Transaction fees	Settlement time
PayPal	Consumer trust, quick setup	2.9% + fixed fee5	1-3 business days6
Mollie	European sales	1.20% + £0.207	Every business day8
Revolut Business	Banking + payments	1% + 20p (UK cards), 2.8% (international)9	After 24 hours10
Ayden	Mid-to-large ecommerce businesses + global enterprises	No setup or monthly fee Rates vary by payment methods and sector/volume. 16	Daily, weekly, or monthly batches based on your configuration. 16
Shopify Payments	Ecommerce businesses (small to enterprise)	Basic (from £19/mo) 17	Minimum 3 business days 17

If your customers are mostly in the UK, any of these can do the job. But if you sell globally, the way your gateway handles currency can quietly decide your profit margins. That’s where Wise Business may help. It works alongside your gateway so you can receive, hold, and convert currencies at the mid-market exchange rate.

Factors to consider when choosing a payment gateway

Picking a payment gateway feels straightforward until you start comparing options. The advertised rates look similar, but the real cost depends on where your customers are, how they prefer to pay, and how quickly you need access to your money.

A gateway that works perfectly for a UK-based coffee shop won't suit a SaaS startup invoicing clients in five different currencies. Here's what actually matters when you're choosing.

Payment methods your customers use

Card payments are standard, but depending on your market, customers might prefer other payment methods. In the UK, Apple Pay and Google Pay are common.¹ If you sell to businesses, Direct Debit or invoice payments may work better than cards. The more payment options you offer, the fewer sales you lose at checkout. In fact, checkout conversions can drop by 17% if customers don’t see their preferred method.¹⁴

Cross-currency support

Cross-currency support is one of the most overlooked parts of online payment processing for small businesses. Most gateways add 1 to 2% every time they convert currencies.² Some let you hold multiple currencies and convert when rates are better. Others force instant conversion at their marked-up rate. If you’re doing £20,000 a month in USD sales, poor conversion rates can quietly cost you £400 to £600 each month.

Integration and setup

Some gateways plug straight into your existing accounting tools or ecommerce platforms. Others need developer time for API integration, which means extra cost and ongoing maintenance. If you’re non-technical, a plug-and-play option will save you weeks of setup. Tech-heavy startups may prefer something more flexible and customisable.

Settlement speed

Cash flow matters. Most gateways take one to three business days to release your funds. Some hold back your first few months of revenue as a security measure. Others charge extra for instant payouts. If you need quick access to cover payroll or suppliers, check how long it really takes for payments to land.

Scalability

A setup that works when you’re processing £5,000 a month might not hold up when you hit £100,000. Look for platforms that can handle subscription billing, multi-currency accounts, or marketplace payments if you expect to grow. Switching providers later means re-testing your checkout and migrating saved payment details.

Security and compliance

Every gateway must comply with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS)³, but not all offer the same protection tools. For instance, PayPal ensures PCI DSS compliance through a combination of its own secure systems, such as data encryption and secure connections.⁴ If you’re new to online payments, built-in security can save you from expensive chargebacks.

💡 You may also like: Top Ecommerce solutions

Top payment gateways for startups

These are the e-commerce payment gateways for new businesses that handle most UK startup transactions.

PayPal

PayPal is everywhere. With up to 400 million active accounts ¹¹, your customers are likely already using PayPal, which removes checkout friction. That convenience often comes with some of the highest transaction and conversion fees in the market.

Best for: Small e-commerce stores, freelancers invoicing clients, and businesses where customer trust matters more than processing costs.

Key features¹¹

• Support 200+ markets and 130+ currencies
• Seller protection and risk management tools
• Reporting and optimisation tools built into a dashboard
• Flexible payment options

Pricing⁵

PayPal’s fee structure can be confusing. The base rate is 2.9% + fixed fee for UK transactions, but you’ll pay extra for:

• Cross-border payments from Europe (add 1.29%)
• Currency conversion (3% above the base exchange rate)
• Virtual Terminal or Website Payments Pro (£20/month)
• Micropayments under £5 (5% + £0.05, but this becomes your only rate)

Different fees apply depending on payment type, sender location, and currency. Rather than listing every scenario, use our PayPal fee calculator to see what you'll actually pay based on your transaction types.

Strengths

• Customers trust the name and checkout without hesitation
• Instant setup with no approval wait
• Money usually settles within 24 hours

Limitations

• Could work out as more expensive than other payment gateways
• Currency conversion takes another 3% on international sales
• Pricing and fee structure may be difficult to track

Mollie

Mollie is a Dutch payment gateway and over 200,000 European businesses use it.¹² It’s one of the few gateways that lets UK startups accept iDEAL or Giropay with a simple plug-in setup.

Best for: Startups selling into Europe who need local payment methods, not just cards.

Key features¹²

• iDEAL, Giropay, and Klarna already integrated
• Supports credit/debit cards, digital wallets, bank transfers and “Buy Now, Pay Later” options
• Single integration that handles multiple payment options under one contract
• Works with WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento
• Partners with PayPal to offer it as a payment option within Mollie’s stack

Pricing⁷

Mollie’s UK rates (no monthly fees):

• 1.20% + £0.20 for UK domestic consumer cards
• 2.90% + £0.20 for UK commercial cards and European cards
• 3.25% + £0.20 for all other international cards
• Klarna: 4.99% + £0.30 for UK customers

The first five monthly payouts are free. After that, £0.25 per payout. Currency conversion on payouts costs 1% if you’re receiving in a different currency than your primary balance.

Volume discounts are available if you process over £50,000 monthly.

Strengths

• Pricing's transparent letting you see what you pay
• European payment methods work properly
• Approval’s quicker than traditional banks
• No monthly minimum helps if sales fluctuate

Limitations

• Currency conversion chips away at profit if you're selling in GBP
• Support could be patchier outside normal hours
• Less suitable if your customers aren’t in Europe
• Pricing may be less straight forward versus subscription providers

Revolut Business

Revolut started as a consumer banking app and added business accounts later. The payment gateway came after that. If you already bank with Revolut Business, adding the gateway keeps banking and payment processing in one dashboard. It’s a smart fit for businesses looking for affordable payment processing for startups and integrated business tools.

Best for: Startups that already use Revolut for banking, businesses that want to consolidate accounts.

Key features¹³

• Card payments through WooCommerce, Shopify, or custom integration
• Receive payments in 35+ currencies
• Corporate cards for your team
• Payouts arrive next business day, weekends included
• Fraud protection and chargeback tools
• Connect to accounting software

Pricing

Revolut charges a monthly fee for the business account, then adds transaction fees on top**¹³**:

• Basic plan costs £10/month:
• 1% + 20p for UK consumer cards
• 2.8% + 20p for international and business cards
• Grow (£30/month) and Scale (£90/month) have the same payment rates but higher allowances for transfers and currency exchange.

There’s no setup fee, and refunds don’t cost extra.

Strengths

• Banking and payment processing through one provider
• Weekend payouts help with cash flow
• No hidden charges or surprise fees
• A multi-currency account means you can hold EUR, USD, and other currencies without opening separate accounts

Limitations

• You pay the monthly fee whether you process payments or not
• Customer support isn’t 24/7
• You need to open a Revolut Business account before you can use the gateway

💡 Explore the Revolut Business account in more detail

Ayden

Adyen is a global payments platform used by large online and omnichannel merchants. It’s built from the ground up as an enterprise-grade payment processor and gateway. It’s serving companies like Spotify, Uber, and eBay with unified online, in-store, and mobile payments.

Adyen’s strength lies in offering many payment methods and currencies through a single integration, with transparent pricing based on payment type and region.

Best for: Mid-to-large ecommerce businesses and global enterprises needing flexible international payment acceptance and unified reporting.

Key features ¹⁵

• Accept payments online, in-store, and on mobile through one platform.
• Support for 150+ payment methods and multiple currencies.
• Flexible payouts with control over settlement currency and timing.
• Omnichannel risk and fraud management.
• Developer-friendly APIs and ready-made integrations.

Pricing

Adyen’s pricing is pay-per-transaction with no setup or monthly fees. It uses an Interchange++ model. This is a fixed processing fee plus the payment method/scheme fees.

Typical UK pricing examples¹⁶:

• No setup or monthly fee: You pay only when you process.
• Visa, Mastercard, Maestro: ~£0.11 + Interchange + 0.60% per transaction.
• American Express: ~3.95% + £0.10 per transaction.
• Klarna (Pay Later/Pay Over Time): ~4.99% + £0.20 / ~2.90% + £0.20, depending on product.
• Alternative methods: e.g., Alipay ~3%, BACS ~£0.50.

Adyen doesn’t list flat “standard” rates for all merchants. Rates vary by payment method and sector/volume and often require a sales quote for precise pricing.

Strengths

• No recurring monthly or setup fees. Pay only per transaction.
• Extensive global and local payment method support.
• One integration for online + POS + mobile + marketplaces.
• Highly customizable gateway suitable for complex e-commerce needs.

Limitations

• Pricing isn’t as simple or predictable as flat-rate processors (depends on Interchange++).
• Generally better suited to medium- to large-sized merchants with higher volumes.
• Might require a sales contact to get exact pricing and contract terms.
• Could have more technical integration than plug-and-play competitors.

Shopify Payments

Shopify Payments is Shopify’s built-in payment processing solution. It’s automatically integrated into your Shopify store, so you don’t need a separate gateway. Payment processing, checkout, orders, and payouts are all managed in one dashboard. Because it’s native to Shopify, you avoid extra third-party gateway fees and can keep everything under one platform.

Best for: Ecommerce businesses (small to enterprise) that want an integrated store + payments without a separate payment provider setup.

Key Features ¹⁷

• Accept card payments directly in your Shopify checkout with no third-party gateway setup.
• Integrated dashboard for orders, payouts, and payment reporting.
• Works in-store with Shopify POS terminals and online checkout.
• Supports major cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) and local payment methods (e.g., digital wallets, BNPL where available).
• Automatic syncing of sales and inventory across channels.

Pricing

Shopify Payments itself has no separate setup or monthly fee. You just pay the monthly Shopify plan fee plus transaction processing fees. When you use Shopify Payments, Shopify’s third-party transaction fees are waived ¹⁸.

Shopify plan and Shopify Payments fees (UK) ¹⁷ (Subscription fees exclude VAT)

• Basic (from £19/mo): 2.0% + £0.25 online, 1.7% in-person, 2% extra if not using Shopify Payments
• Shopify/Mid (from £49/mo): 1.7% + £0.25 online, 1.6% in-person, 1% extra if not using Shopify Payments
• Advanced (from £259/mo): 1.5% + £0.25 online, 1.5% in-person, 0.6% extra if not using Shopify Payments
• Plus (from US$2,300/mo): Custom rates for online, in-person, and 3rd-party payments

3rd-party payment fees apply only if you choose an external processor instead of Shopify Payments.

Strengths

• One unified dashboard for store + payments + checkout.
• No extra monthly payment gateway fee beyond your Shopify plan.
• Third-party transaction fee waived when using Shopify Payments.
• Easy setup. It works well for merchants who want a plug-and-play solution.

Limitations

• Payment processing rates are tied to your Shopify plan. Lower-tier plans pay higher per-transaction rates.
• Rates may be higher than those offered by specialised gateways for very high-volume merchants.
• You must use Shopify Payments in supported countries to avoid Shopify’s third-party fees.
• Some advanced merchant features (e.g., custom-negotiated rates) are only available on Plus or through volume negotiation.

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Consider Wise Business as a payment solution for your startup

If your startup sells overseas, you probably know how much banks and gateways take when they convert your payments. A few percent here and there adds up quickly. Wise Business is built to solve that problem.

You can use Wise Business if you collect payments from customers directly, rather than through a payment gateway. When you open an account, you’ll receive local bank details for 8+ currencies major currencies (only with Wise Business Advanced). You do not need a local address or separate bank account in countries using those currencies. Customers can pay you in their own currency using these account details, and you can receive the funds for low fees.

You can use your account’s request payment feature to send customers a Wise payment link so they can pay you easily. Wise Business also provides aninvoicing tool to create professional invoices. These contain your Wise payment details, making it easy for customers to pay you.

If you sell through an online or physical store, you can transfer funds from your payment gateway provider, such as PayPal. Then, you can move the funds to your Wise Business account to convert payments into your local currency if needed. In this way you’ll receive payments at the mid-market exchange rate, saving you money on potential mark-ups from third-parties.

Additionally, whilst Wise isn’t a payment gateway right now, you can sign up to our waitlist form for when this feature becomes available.

Register with Wise Business🚀

*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, QuickPay QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.

FAQs

What is the cheapest payment gateway for a startup?

Fees change depending on how your customers pay and where they are. Card networks, international sales, and currency conversion all add costs. The best option is the one that keeps your total fees low once everything’s included. Many startups use Wise Business alongside a gateway to cut conversion costs when customers pay from abroad.

How do startups accept payments?

Most use an online gateway that connects their website to card networks. Others send invoices or payment links instead. If your customers are overseas, combining a gateway with Wise Business can make international transfers simpler and cheaper.

Can I use multiple payment gateways at once?

Yes, and many startups do. You might choose card payments, GoCardless for subscriptions, and Wise Business for international invoices. The main challenge is reconciliation. Connect each gateway to your accounting software (Xero, QuickBooks) to automate tracking across platforms.

Sources

1. Half of UK adults now regularly use mobile payments – BBC
2. https://www.blkfx.co.uk/blog-posts/currency-conversion-fees-are-the-silent-killer-of-e-commerce-profits – BLK.FX
3. PCI DSS: What it is and how to comply – IT Governance
4. Simplified PCI compliance – PayPal
5. PayPal merchant fees – PayPal
6. Settlement – PayPal
7. Process payments on your website – Mollie
8. When do I receive my payment from Mollie – Mollie
9. Accept payments with Revolut – Revolut
10. When will I receive payments to my merchant account? – Revolut
11. Business payment solutions – PayPal
12. Real-life Mollie experiences – Mollie
13. Business account pricing – Revolut
14. Checkout conversion rate – Alexander Jarvis
15. Engineered for ambition - Ayden
16. Pricing - Ayden
17. Shopify Pricing – Shopify
18. Shopify Help - Shopify

Sources last checked: 12-Dec-2025