Written by Rob Binns Reviewed by Ruairi Shirlow Updated on 25 February 2021 On this page The best merchant accounts for ecommerce businesses 1. Worldpay 2. Clover 3. 2Checkout 4. PayPal 5. Shopify FAQs What is an ecommerce merchant account? How much does an ecommerce merchant account cost? Is an ecommerce merchant account the same as a business bank account? What is a payment gateway? Our Methodology Expand All providers have been reviewed and tested by our Research team. By requesting a quote, we can match you with a potential supplier, and we may earn a small commission for this referral Find the best online merchant account for your business and build an ecommerce empireTo start taking credit and debit card payments online, you’ll require a merchant account. And not just any old merchant account, either – you’ll need one built for the rigorous demands of ecommerce, from a provider that empowers you to accept payments in a variety of currencies, and with a range of card types. And of course, you’ll also want low fees, and quality customer support. But how do you find the right supplier?Don’t worry – we’ve done the hard work for you. Read on for our breakdown of the top merchant account providers for ecommerce. And if you’re ready to start comparing quotes, get a head-start with our quick, simple (and free!) quote-finding form. More on how that works below. The best merchant accounts for ecommerceWe compared the vast range of ecommerce merchant account providers for UK businesses. As it turns out, the best UK ecommerce merchant accounts come from Worldpay, Clover, 2Checkout, PayPal, and Shopify.The best merchant accounts for ecommerce in the UK are: 01 | Worldpay 02 | Clover 03 | 2Checkout 04 | PayPal 05 | Shopify Let’s find out why. WorldpayBest for UK businesses Worldpay offers an ecommerce merchant account that’s as straightforward as it is flexible. And its range of online payment services is a hit with businesses of all sizes – 300,000 of them in the UK alone, in fact. Worldpay also brings specific expertise in the retail and video game industries, as well as offering one of the best merchant accounts for travel businesses – so it understands the challenges faced by growings SMEs. Combine all this with simple pricing plans and 116 compatible currencies, and you’ve got a formula for ecommerce success. Expert Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Better still, Worldpay also offer high risk merchant accounts for UK-based businesses, making it one the best merchant services for travel businesses. This isn't something all providers do – so if your ecommerce business dabbles in online gambling, pharmaceuticals, or adult entertainment, our research suggests you should start here. Pros 24/7 UK customer support ‘Business Manager’ tool lets you monitor your transactions in real-time Compatible across multiple platforms No joining fee Cons Poor online customer approval ratings Clover (formerly Fiserv)Best for fast-growing businesses With half a century of experience and a massive global reach, US-based Clover provides a scalable, reliable merchant account for ambitious ecommerce businesses. Sure, it's rates aren't the cheapest – so, while it's well-suited to more well established online businesses, it's not as ideal if you're only just starting out on your ecommerce odyssey.Read our full review of Clover. Expert Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Oh, and – even if you’re already set up with another merchant account provider – Clover makes it easy to make the switch. And why wouldn’t you? Its security and fraud management tools are some of the best you’ll find, and its industry-leading payment gateway solutions – which include both hosted and API options, for flexibility – will help take the friction out of your customers’ shopping experience. Pros Detailed real-time reporting and analytics Processes transactions in less than two seconds Cons Lack of transparency in pricing plans Poor online customer approval ratings Both Worldpay and Clover, like many merchant account providers, aren't super transparent about their pricing online. And by their very nature, merchant account fees tend to differ based on the size and sales volume of your business.However, getting quotes that are tailored to your business – from Clover, Worldpay, or another Expert Market-approved supplier – is something that we can help with. Simply provide us with some details about your business by selecting one of the options below. Compare Quotes From Ecommerce Merchant Account Providers and Save Do you already have a merchant account? Yes No It takes just 30 seconds...We'll ask about your industry, how long you've been in business, and which merchant services – if any – you've used before. We'll also need a bit of info around the amount of sales you're expecting to take with card per month. But don't worry – we use your responses only to help score you the best deal on an ecommerce merchant account.When you've finished filling in the form, we'll try to match you with one or more merchant account suppliers that match you requirements. If we're successful, these companies will be in touch with you directly to offer ecommerce merchant services advice, as well as quotes tailored to your business. 2CheckoutBest for global businesses US-based 2Checkout provides scalable ecommerce merchant accounts to businesses to over 50,000 merchants in 200 countries around the world. With several striking payment forms, its ecommerce gateway works with your website to give your customers a better buying experience. Setup is quick and easy, and you can start taking payments within 24 hours. And though they’re across the pond, don’t fret – 2Checkout’s customer service team is available around the clock to answer your questions. Our only gripe? It's more than a little pricey. While the ‘2Sell' plan is, admittedly, quite reasonable, you could be paying up to 6% + 45p per transaction with 2Checkout's premium plan. Explore 2Checkout's rates below.2Sell2Subscribe2Monetize3.5% + 25p4.5% + 35p6% + 45p Pros Range of pricing plans offers flexibility No monthly fee Integrates quickly with more than 120 shopping carts Cons One of the more expensive providers Not as focussed on the unique demands of UK businesses Compare Quotes From Ecommerce Merchant Account Providers and Save Do you already have a merchant account? Yes No It takes just 30 seconds... PayPalBest for large businesses Though not a traditional merchant account provider, PayPal is still globally respected as an easy, secure way to accept card payments online. Its sliding price scale makes PayPal’s fees cheaper the more transactions you take, which means big benefits for bigger businesses. It’s also a great option if you already have a PayPal account set up, as you’ll receive instant payouts. It’s got 24/7 customer support, and comes with the knowledge and experience of a true payment industry goliath.Check out PayPal's sliding fee structure below. Your sales volumeWhat you’ll payLess than £1,5003.4% + 20p£1,500.01 – £6,0002.9% + 20p£6,000.01 – £15,0002.4% + 20p£15,000.01 – £55,0001.9% + 20pMore than £55,000Available on enquiry Pros Trusted by seven million businesses worldwide Huge range of shopping cart integrations Cons Sliding pricing plan means it’s ill-suited to small businesses ShopifyBest for new businesses and start-ups Built for those who love to build, Shopify is perfect if you’re a hands-on type, and if you’re looking to add some pizzazz to your ecommerce website. Shopify lets you build a stunning website – then start selling through it.Shopify integrates with well over 100 payment gateways, and comes with drag-and drop functionality – so it’s easier than ever to sell in style. Plus, you’ll get access to all the data about your customers, takings, and orders from your mobile – all displayed in a simple, good-looking dashboard. Shopi-fine! Pros No hidden fees 14-day free trial available 24/7 support and access to online community ecommerce forums Cons Not the cheapest option on the market Prices on website only offered in dollars FAQs What is an ecommerce merchant account?Ecommerce businesses require merchant accounts to accept debit or credit card payments. You can get a merchant account from a major bank or by online payment processors, and you do not have to choose the bank you use for business banking to provide your merchant account.For a comparison of merchant accounts in general, head over to our page. How much does an ecommerce merchant account cost?Ecommerce merchant account fees differ by the supplier. Generally, though, you’ll pay a transaction fee – usually a percentage of the value of each sale. Some merchant accounts also come with a monthly cost, and occasionally a setup fee – so make sure you read the small print before signing on the dotted line. Is an ecommerce merchant account the same as a business bank account?Nope – they’re two separate accounts. Your merchant account is what lets you accept card payments online (or face-to-face, if you’re planning on opening up a bricks and mortar store). It’s like a holding pen, where these payments dwell for a bit before being released into the green pastures of your business bank account.Your business bank account is where the funds you take online (or at the till) go when they’ve been validated – and, of course, after your ecommerce merchant account provider has taken its cut. What is a payment gateway?A payment gateway (also known as an ecommerce gateway) is the software that works with your website to process, validate, and secure online transactions. It usually comes with your ecommerce merchant account.A payment gateway can be hosted on the website of your payment provider to ensure PCI compliance. Alternatively, it can be integrated into your own website, to make for a smoother customer experience. A payment gateway is a crucial part of the infrastructure of online payments – so crucial, in fact, that you can’t start selling without one.To get a better idea of how much you can expect to pay for an ecommerce merchant account, take a minute to fill out our free quote-finding form and compare quotes today. You can also take a look at our list of the best payment gateways. Our methodologyHow we analyse and rate ecommerce merchant account providersAt Expert Market, it’s our aim to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and transparent product and service reviews possible. So, to help you better understand the best merchant account options out there, we’ve conducted in-depth, extensive research into the payments industry and its top companies.Here’s how we did it:We worked with two independent researchers over 60+ hours to rate 13 different merchant services providers – eight traditional (dedicated) merchant account suppliers, and five payment facilitators.Our project assessed four separate varieties of payment methods, as well as nine specific features. Using a bespoke, industry-style algorithm, we rated each provider across four key metrics.Help and support: we assessed the level of customer support (such as email, phone, or live chat), as well as its availability (24/7, or weekdays only?), to provide a weighted score for each merchant account supplier.Affordability: our affordability algorithm took into account the specific transaction and monthly fees for various transaction types, as well as any one-off costs. Our analysis also included contract length, package type, the flexibility of each providers’ pricing structures, plus the price of any hardware required.Features: we assessed each supplier on up to eight specific features. We then weighted these scores, and translated them into a point value system. This allowed us to form accurate ratings for each merchant account provider, and make specific recommendations to you.Customer approval: we assigned each provider a ‘customer score’, which involved seeking opinions from within the community, as well as feeding data aggregated from online sources into a unique algorithm. This allowed us to calculate overall customer approval scores for each merchant account supplier, in real time.We take the integrity of our research seriously. If you’ve got any questions at all about our research process, feel free to get in touch with Rob, our financial services specialist, at rob.binns@expertmarket.co.uk. Our site is reader-supported. Some featured providers are our partners, so we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through our site. This is at no extra cost to our readers, and this doesn’t affect the independence of our reviews. Whether or not we have a partnership with a company does not affect our rating and review of the service. Written by: Rob Binns Services Expert Rob writes mainly about the payments industry, but also brings to the table industry-specific knowledge of CRM software, business loans, fulfilment, and invoice finance. When not exasperating his editor with bad puns, he can be found relaxing in a sunny (socially-distanced) corner, with a beer and a battered copy of Dostoevsky. Reviewed by: Ruairi Shirlow Business Services Researcher Ruairi uses his 3+ years of research experience to uncover insights which can help Expert Market provide the best business solutions for their users. He has done this by meeting with business owners to find out what is important to them and what challenges they face on a daily basis. Ruairi specialises in tools that can be used to grow your business and has done research for a wide range of categories on Expert Market, such as EPOS, Website Builders, and Merchant Accounts.