Does Startups.co.uk help with choosing payment processing for a small business?
Yes — Startups.co.uk has a dedicated payment processing section aimed at UK small businesses, covering card machines, POS systems, online payment gateways, and a card processing fees calculator. It is a useful starting point if you want to compare types of payment setup and understand what drives cost, but treat it as editorial guidance rather than a single definitive ranking: you will still need to check current rates and contract terms directly with providers.
What the payment processing section covers
The site groups its payments content under a "Taking Payments" area, with these entry points:
| Page | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Card machines | Comparing card machines and readers for small businesses |
| POS systems | Comparing point-of-sale systems for small businesses |
| Online payments | Comparing payment gateways for taking payments online |
| Fees calculator | Working out UK credit card processing fees and rates |
| All Taking Payments | The full index of payments content |
The structure suggests the content is organised by how you take payment — in person, through a till/POS, or online — rather than by provider. That is a sensible way to narrow down your options before you start comparing quotes.
How to use it when choosing a provider
- Decide your payment channel first. Are you taking payments face to face, online, or both? Use the card machines page for in-person, the POS page if you also need sales and stock functions, and the online payments page for ecommerce or invoicing.
- Estimate your costs. Use the fees calculator to model UK credit card processing fees and rates. The output you need is a rough percentage or per-transaction cost at your expected volume — this is the number you take to providers.
- Shortlist providers. Use the comparison pages to build a shortlist, then verify each provider's current pricing, contract length, and hardware costs directly, since these change and are not guaranteed by editorial content.
- Check the fit against your business. Match contract length and hardware commitment to how long you expect to need the setup — a startup with uncertain volume has different needs from an established shop.
What it does not do
- It does not appear to offer a live quote or a single "best provider" verdict you can act on without further checks.
- Pricing signals on the site point to comparison and calculator content, not to a published price list for payment services.
- Nothing in the available material indicates the content is free of commercial relationships, so read sponsored or partner content with that in mind.
Where it fits alongside other sources
Startups.co.uk is strongest as a framing and comparison layer: it helps you understand the categories, the fee mechanics, and the questions to ask. For the final decision, combine it with:
- Direct quotes from two or three providers, using the same assumed monthly transaction volume so the comparison is fair.
- Your bank's merchant services offer, if you already have a business account.
- Any sector-specific requirements (for example, hospitality needing tableside payment or guaranteed hours implications for staffing — a topic the site also covers).
If you are at the stage of asking "which type of payment setup do I need and what should it cost?", the payments section is a reasonable first stop. If you are ready to sign a contract, go to the providers themselves.