Payment Provider Fees & Costs
The headline rate on a pricing page is rarely what you actually pay. Connect fees, chargeback costs, FX markups, and volume-based add-ons all sit outside the number a provider leads with. These guides break down the full, real cost of the major payment platforms so you can compare them properly.
If you're comparing pricing models rather than specific providers, see our Pricing Models guide for how blended and interchange++ pricing actually work.
6 Best Stripe Alternatives in 2026: Pricing, Fees and Comparison
Helcim, Square, Braintree, Stax, Adyen and Checkout.com compared with Stripe on real fees, worked cost examples at three volumes, account risk and who each one fits.
Square Fees Explained (2026): What You Actually Pay
Square Free, Plus and Premium rates for 2026, what a single sale really costs, worked examples by business size, and when Square stops being cheap.
Stripe Fees UK (2026): What Businesses Actually Pay
Stripe's UK card fee is 1.5% + 20p, but that's just the start. This guide covers Connect fees, international charges, European rates, and what you actually pay at scale in 2026.
Checkout.com Fees and Pricing (2026): What Businesses Actually Pay
Checkout.com does not publish standard pricing. This guide covers what businesses actually pay in 2026, with indicative rates from 0.2% to 1.8%.
Adyen Pricing Explained: Interchange++ Fees & Processing Costs
Adyen charges Interchange++ plus a small processing fee. Learn what that means in practice and how Adyen's pricing compares at different volumes.
PayPal Fees UK (2026): Complete Breakdown for Businesses and Consumers
Full breakdown of PayPal fees for UK users in 2026, covering business transaction rates, instant transfer costs, and currency conversion.
Hidden Payment Processor Fees: What to Look For Before You Sign
PCI fees, batch fees, early termination charges. Here is every fee processors bury in contracts, what they cost, and how to negotiate them out.
Fiserv Clover Pricing (2026): Hardware, Software and Processing Fees Explained
Clover pricing starts at $49 for the Go reader. Full breakdown of hardware costs, monthly software fees, and card processing rates for merchants in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn't there a single 'true cost' number for each provider?
Because effective rate depends on your card mix, transaction size, country mix, and whether you trigger add-on fees like Connect, chargebacks, or FX. Each article breaks down the components so you can calculate your own effective rate rather than trust a single headline number.
What's the difference between blended and interchange++ pricing?
Blended pricing charges one flat rate regardless of card type, which is simpler but usually more expensive at volume. Interchange++ passes through the real interchange and scheme fees plus a fixed markup, which is cheaper at scale but requires more scrutiny to compare providers fairly. See our pricing models section for the full breakdown.
Do these fee breakdowns include VAT?
Processing fees themselves are typically outside the scope of UK VAT, but each article notes where VAT applies to related charges (like hardware or software subscriptions) so you're not caught out on your actual invoice.