Stripe Alternatives UK: Compare Payment Processors
Why Look for Stripe Alternatives?
Stripe is excellent for developer-led online businesses, but it's not the right fit for every UK company. Common reasons to look elsewhere:
- In-person payments — Stripe Terminal is limited. Square, SumUp, and Dojo offer better POS solutions.
- Cost at scale — at 1.5% + 20p, Stripe becomes expensive above £10K/month. IC++ pricing saves 30%–50%.
- Phone support — Stripe only offers email/chat support. Traditional providers offer dedicated account managers.
- High risk industries — Stripe has strict acceptable use policies and may freeze accounts without warning.
Stripe vs Alternatives: Full Comparison
| Provider | Online Rate | In-Person Rate | Monthly Fee | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | 1.5% + 20p | 1.5% + 20p (Terminal) | £0 | Developer-led online |
| Square | 1.4% + 25p | 1.75% | £0 | Omnichannel small business |
| Worldpay | From 0.75% + IC | From 0.3% + IC | From £20 | Established merchants |
| Adyen | IC++ from 0.6% | IC++ from 0.6% | €0 (min €120/invoice) | Enterprise / high volume |
| SumUp | 2.5% | 1.69% | £0 | Mobile / micro business |
| Mollie | 1.2% + 25p | N/A | £0 | European ecommerce |
| PayPal (Braintree) | 1.2% + 30p | 1.75% (Zettle) | £0 | PayPal ecosystem |
When to Stay with Stripe
Stripe remains the best choice if you're a developer-heavy team building custom checkout flows, need Stripe Connect for marketplaces, or process primarily online payments under £10,000/month. The API quality, documentation, and ecosystem are still industry-leading.
When to Switch
- Processing over £10,000/month online → look at IC++ gateway providers
- Need in-person payments → compare card machines
- Want phone support and account management → traditional acquirer like Worldpay or Barclaycard
- Selling internationally → Adyen or Mollie offer better multi-currency support
Use our free comparison tool to see which provider saves you most based on your actual volumes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Stripe alternatives in the UK?
For in-person payments: Square (1.75%) or SumUp (1.69%). For online: Adyen (IC++ from 0.6%), Worldpay, or Mollie. For all-in-one: Zettle by PayPal. The best alternative depends on whether you need in-person, online, or omnichannel payments.
Why switch from Stripe?
Common reasons include: needing in-person card payments (Stripe Terminal has limited UK availability), wanting lower rates at higher volumes (IC++ beats Stripe's 1.5%+20p above ~£10K/month), needing phone support, or wanting a UK-based provider.
Is Stripe the cheapest payment processor?
Not always. Stripe's 1.5% + 20p is competitive for low-volume online businesses, but IC++ pricing from Worldpay or Global Payments is significantly cheaper for businesses processing over £10,000/month.
Does Stripe work for in-person payments in the UK?
Stripe Terminal is available in the UK but has limited hardware options compared to dedicated POS providers like Square, SumUp, or Dojo. If in-person payments are your primary channel, a dedicated card machine provider is usually a better choice.