Card Payments Made Easy

We are trusted by all the major UK card acquirers, terminal suppliers, Epos, and website gateway providers.

Whether you’re new to card payments, or it’s time to review your existing solution, we can search the market to find the best solution for your business.

Accept Payments Any Way You Want

Card Machine

We supply fast, secure and reliable card machines to fit all business types and sectors.

Whether you’re on the Epos till, next to your customer at their table, driving your taxi or delivery vehicle or in a field at a festival we have a solution to help you get paid.

We can also provide terminals independently meaning you are not tied to your card acquirer by way of terminal contract. We offer simplified pricing plans with our card machines to suit your business needs and cash flow.

Phone Payments

If your business needs to accept credit and debit card payments over the phone you need the ability to take these payments securely and with a minimum of fuss.

We can arrange for your card terminal to permit you to key phone payments directly via your terminal’s keypad. Alternatively, you can use a Virtual Terminal

Virtual terminal (VT)

A VIRTUAL TERMINAL allows you to take payments over the phone with a secure web interface, they are quick and easy to set up with no technical knowledge required.

An added benefit of taking phone payments via a VT is it won’t tie up your card machine when using, meaning you are free to continue to serve customers in-store. Your VT will provide real-time reporting to help keep track of your payments and can offer peace of mind as a risk management tool to help protect against fraud.

We can provide our in-house VT but as you would expect from the UK’s largest independent payments broker, our partners can do the same. We’ll make sure the right VT solution is the one we will recommend.

Online Payments

We can source the best online payment solution to help your business to begin taking payments fast, simply, safely and securely.

The right online payment solution can streamline the checkout process, give excellent fraud protection, reduce cart abandonment and offer shoppers a consistent experience regardless of channel, device, language or currency. All of which are crucial factors for retailers aiming to continually improve the shopping experience for customers.

You can try before you buy with a 15day free trial, followed up with 2-months free if you sign up to a monthly subscription via our Ecommerce partners BigCommerce

Payment Gateways

To sell products online you need a secure payment gateway – effectively your terminal online.

As you’d expect we can provide our online gateway but because of our relationships across the sector we can offer solutions from the UK’s leading payment service providers to offer you with unrivalled choice.

E-commerce

Want to set up your own e-commerce shop? Not sure how to go about selling your products online?

With our partners BigCommerce you can build a personalised store without the need to employ web developers or worry about integration and hidden fees.

BigCommerce’s “Out of the Box” cloud-based solution gives you access to 100s of prebuilt sector-specific drag and drop templates, along with 100s of apps and user-friendly features including mobile-ready shop fronts so you can be live with your store selling in no time at all.

What’s more, your BigCommerce store comes fully integrated with our payment gateway, so you’ll still be able to take advantage of our competitive pricing.

You can try before you buy with a 15day free trial, followed up with 2-months free if you sign up for a monthly subscription.

Pay by Link

‘Pay by link’ is useful for all kinds of business – an accountant sending e-invoices to customers, a wholesaler taking a telephone order, a venue or hotel confirming a booking, a restaurant or takeaway getting paid before delivery, a tradesperson or builder providing services to householders. Whatever service or product you provide, ‘pay by link’ is a simple and useful tool to let customers pay securely by their credit and debit card.

Letting your customers enter their payment details via a secure link reduces your risk of fraud from “cardholder not present” transactions and reduces your PCI/DSS compliance requirements.

Many payment gateway providers offer “pay by link” as an add-on service but we also have partners who provide a bespoke, customisable service for collecting varying amounts or recurring payments.

So, whether you are a small business that sends one or two “pay by link” requests each month or a large business collecting 1000s of payments at variable amounts we can provide the right solution for your business.

Pay at Table

“Pay At Table” solutions for restaurants, pubs, bars, cafés, tea rooms, coffee shops, theatres and stadiums let your customers place their order and pay from their table or seat, with their mobile.

Technology has accelerated recently and there are lots of options available, we have fostered relationships across the sector, so we can offer solutions from the UK’s leading “Pay At Table” service providers, so you can get the right solution at the right price.

Open Banking

With its popularity growing amongst consumers, “Open Banking Payments” are expected to grow rapidly over the coming years. Many payment providers across the UK are starting to add this facility to their portfolios.

Currently, there are several limitations when it comes to various “Open Banking” service providers and what they can offer that’s why we have developed relationships across the sector so we can give the best advice on this emerging service.

EPoS Payments

An EPOS terminal (Electronic Point of Sale) is a computerised till system widely used in across the UK. From shops to restaurants, hairdressers to pubs, and cafes to plumbers merchants. Where ever someone needs serving then an EPoS is usually being used.

EPoS let people pay for goods or services, but increasingly they are becoming much more than this as they can provide business information such as stock control, product sales, buying habits, staff clocking in and out functions that assist the business owner. You can have either full integration or semi-integration of your card machine into your chosen EPoS terminal.

Charity Contactless Donation

The way we give to charities is changing as the public carry less cash with them when out and about. The convenience of contactless payments has allowed the charity sector to “TAP” into this technology and to start collecting donations in the same way.

In the beginning, contactless technology was expensive and prohibitive to many charities, something we didn’t think was fair. By using our payments network we have been able to find solutions that provide the results at a cost charities can afford.

The contactless solution allows charities to choose donation amounts that are displayed on the screen, charities can create campaigns, display images and videos to give a strong call to action and allows for the donor to gift aid their donation. Being portable they use WiFi and are GPRS compatible so you can collect funds wherever you have an event. Alternatively, if you want to place it in a high footfall area you can securely fix the contactless donation station using the purpose-built security mount

£28 +vat per month 36-month contract – Associated Costs 1.69% per donation and £19.99+vat per SumUp Air reader (One-off cost)

Pay As You Go

 A great option for businesses that won’t take many payments or don’t want to be tied into a monthly contract. Businesses such as market traders, street food vendors, season traders or businesses that service their customers away from a fixed location.

“Pay As You Go” solutions do attract higher transactions rates but with no monthly terminal rentals, PCI fees or contract costs, after a small initial card machine purchase that can be linked to a compatible device (smartphone, tablet) or can be standalone you can quickly start taking payments the way your customer wants to pay and if you don’t take any payments for any reason you don’t incur any fees or charges.

We advise that if you start to take over £3000 per month on a “Pay As You Go” device then it will become cost-effective to change to a pay monthly solution.

Cash Handling Services

We realised that for many industries from retail, finance, corporate, bars/nightclubs and charity, handling cash is still a vital part of accepting payments. There are significant costs both in terms of the charges taken for banking the physical cash and also the management time involved in processing payments this way.

As the UK’s largest independent payments broker we looked for an answer to this problem, searching the sector for partners with the same values as us, companies that would understand customers’ needs. We can offer solutions from providers, so you get the best service at the right price.

acceptcards® in numbers

total cards processed by our customers in 2022

customers helped since 2005

in savings since 2005

What our customers says

acceptcards® FAQs

Why should I use Acceptcards to arrange my merchant services?

Our customers tell us how busy they are ensuring that their business is as successful as possible. For them, time is a precious commodity and they are faced with many challenges. Researching, negotiating, and agreeing the best merchant services facility with suppliers, takes considerable time and effort. While pricing and saving is important, the knowledge and depth of experience we have in all areas of card processing will also ensure we match the functionality that best fits your business and your customers’ preferred method of payment. We believe that you need great service and proactive advice from an expert who will always be there for additional support, no matter which supplier is processing your payments.

This will allow you to spend more time concentrating on your business.

What type of card machines are available to us?

We can access all card machine types and models for you, including the latest touch screen machines which, you may be surprised to hear, are no more expensive than the older styles and have many additional features.

You may have previously had the painful experience of entering into a 3, 4 or even 5-year contract on your card machines with a third-party agent, who then wouldn’t let you change merchant services supplier without significant penalties. With Acceptcards, we can arrange your card machine independently from the merchant services supplier, meaning you’re not tied to them for longer than their contract period. This is typically 30 days to 12 months, depending on which one you use.

Why is my merchant services supplier charging me Non-secure fees?

This additional charge can be significant and range from £0 to as high as 0.85%. Non-secure fees are still charged by most merchant services suppliers so when checking your statement, be aware that these fees may be listed in a separate section or as a separate line along with other additional charges.

The charge is applied for payments taken over the telephone (MOTO), even when CVV2 details are recorded, and for website (E-Commerce) transactions without 3D Secure or Verified by Visa.

What are Premium Credit Cards and should I be charged more for accepting them?
Premium Cards are classed as consumer cards that provide additional benefits such as travel insurance, loyalty schemes, shopping discounts etc. They are usually shown as a separate figure on your merchant services statement; some show under the actual card type, i.e. ‘Visa Credit Card’. Underneath, it will list ‘Premium Cards’ whilst others show them together i.e. ‘Visa Credit Card Premium’.

Using the Acceptcards switching service ensures that you’re not heavily penalised on your charging tariff for the premium cards you accept from your customers.

How much money can I save on my card payment charges?

Acceptcards are an independent consultancy based service and are here to provide you with guidance and advice relating to card processing for your specific business needs. Our approach and values are embedded in exceptional customer service, providing a fair, consistent and ethical approach. We have strong partnerships with leading card payment processors, terminal providers and gateway/website payment service providers, ensuring customers obtain competitive pricing and access to the latest technology and innovation in card payment acceptance.

Our service is at no cost to you and you will have the benefit of all the savings we identify (which is in over 95% of cases). If on the rare occasion we are unable to improve your current terms, we will let you know and provide you with peace of mind. We can also identify benefits in streamlining current processes and introducing new technology. Many customers have seen a significant reduction in their monthly merchant charges, and savings of between 30 and 40% are not unusual.

Do I have to pay a fee to Acceptcards for your service?
We receive a fee and/or commission from providers when you use our services to purchase a payments product. For customers switching provider, in all cases the savings we identify are retained in full by you.

Savings may also come in the form of streamlining current processes and the functionality of the recommended solutions. On the rare occasion we are unable to improve your current terms, we will let you know and provide you with the peace of mind that you are already on competitive pricing and/or the most suitable product.

How long does it take for the funds to be credited to my bank account?
We recognise that cashflow is a very important part of any business. Different card processors (acquirers) provide various settlement timescales and indeed, many of them have options that include following day settlements. At Acceptcards we take the time to get to know you and your business so that we can provide a solution that meets your own cashflow requirements.

To see how we can help your business, please contact us.

Will switching mean I’ll be tied into another long contract?
As a consultancy based service we can give you advice on what type of contract is suitable for you and your business. For example, did you know that card processing generally involves signing into two contracts – one for the merchant account and one for the terminal? As a result, we often recommend that clients have the merchant account and terminal from separate providers so that they are not tied to their card processor (acquirer) by way of terminal contact. We can arrange for you to switch easily at any future point.

Please contact us to see how this may work for your business.

Which business sectors do Acceptcards specialise in?

Our knowledge and experience covers every business sector and size, from sole trader cafes to 100 plus retail store chains. Whether you’re accepting cards face to face, online, by phone or a combination of all three, our merchant services consultants can advise on the solutions most suitable for your business.

Being independent means you’ll have access to all the latest payment technology and solutions in the market, specific and tailored to the sector you’re in. This will enhance your payment facility and your customers’ experience, while still giving you access to a choice of merchant services providers at a lower cost.

Why is my merchant services supplier charging me PCI Non-Compliance Fees?

If you see the words ‘Non-compliance’ on your merchant services statement, you are probably being charged a penalty for failing to complete the relevant PCI DSS questionnaire. The process for doing this is straightforward, and suppliers should provide assistance and support to help you become compliant.

The fees for non-compliance can be pretty hefty, ranging from £10 per month to 0.30% of card turnover. There can also be significant fines from card schemes for non-compliance. You can find out more about what PCI DSS is on their website – https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/pci_security/standards_overview

What are Authorisation Fees and should I be charged for them?

If you’re being charged for authorisation fees, they will be listed separately to your standard credit and debit card fees. Generally, these will be applied to every transaction including the recent addition of contactless payments. They are typically an additional 3p or 4p and should be factored in with your main pricing when reviewing to check if you’re on a fair overall package.

We will always be transparent and explain exactly how your new charges are made up, with a clear breakdown of the savings you’ll make when using our comparison service to switch suppliers.

Can you help with my PCI Certification?

The PCI DSS is a mandatory requirement for any business that takes card payments. It’s a set of 12 mandatory requirements from the Card Schemes designed to ensure that all businesses that process, store or transmit card information maintain a secure environment and help reduce the risk of loss. Put simply, the PCI DSS is about preventing card payment information held by customers, or their third parties, from being used fraudulently, and all the consequential financial and reputational losses associated with this. We can help by assisting you to become compliant directly with your current acquirer or introduce you to one of our partner PCI specialists who will do it all for you for a small fee.

Which payment processors (acquirers) Epos and till system providers do you work with?

Acceptcards have strong partnerships with all the leading card payment processors, terminal providers, EPOS providers and gateway/website payment service providers, ensuring that customers obtain competitive pricing as well as access to latest technology and innovation in card payment acceptance. We also have partnerships with many specialist providers, meaning that we will always be able to provide a cost-effective solution that works with your business.

I want to take card payments. How much does it cost?

As an independent consultancy based service, we are here to provide you with guidance and advice relating to card processing for your specific business needs. We aim to provide you with the card processing facility that is the best fit for your business. This enables you to work efficiently and to receive the relevant management information regarding card payments, all at the most competitive cost.

Please contact us and we will provide you with a bespoke quotation for your business.

Is there a pay as you go option for accepting card payments?

At Acceptcards we recognise that one size does not fit all so we ensure we offer a broad range of solutions including ‘pay as you go’ options. We partner with the leading PAYG providers that offer a quality service at a competitive price. A ‘pay as you go’ card processing facility has similar characteristics to PAYG mobile phones i.e. they generally involve higher transaction rates but no monthly fixed fees or contracts. Card machines are purchased for a small initial fee and can either be linked to a compatible device (smartphone, tablet) or can be standalone. These types of options are good for businesses such as market traders or mobile businesses i.e. businesses with lower annual card turnover and/or low average transaction values.

For more information please contact us.

How do the Acquirer’s compare?
Thank you for considering acceptcards to review your merchant service requirements, the acquirers are required to provide an indicative quotation for the UK Market in a specified format by the UK Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) through an online calculator. This will be available on their individual websites, however we will update this question as and when we receive the information as we work with many providers.

As a broker, we take into consideration your specific requirements for your business and can often negotiate better rates than those detailed in the generic pricing indicated within the links.

AIB Merchant Services

Barclaycard

Clover

Elavon

Global Payments

Lloyds Cardnet

Worldpay

 

Industry News

Our Partners