What kinds of businesses are restricted with Square, PayPal (Zettle) and SumUp?
Not everyone is approved by Square, SumUp or PayPal (Zettle). What are the restricted businesses, and why is it harder to get approval for them?
How to access funds from card payment sales faster
Card payment settlement can take days. How can a business access funds instantly or the next day? We look at options for payouts and direct access.
What is softPOS (or Tap to Pay) and how does it work?
How does softPOS work? What is the definition of it? We explain the term, technology and issues around 'Tap to Pay'.
What are recurring payments? Definition, types and suitable use cases
What are the definition and types of recurring payments? Direct Debit or Credit, standing orders and CPA - what are they used for?
How to start accepting Direct Debit payments
Getting accepted on the Direct Debit scheme as a small business is not too complicated with these steps. Here's how to set up and manage it.
Wise (TransferWise) review: transparent, low-cost way to send money abroad
TransferWise is a cheap foreign money transfer service with transparent fees. How much does it cost compared to alternatives?
Which mobile wallets can a vendor accept on a contactless card machine?
Which contactless digital wallets can be tapped on a card terminal in the UK - and which should merchants accept? Find out how they differ.
Different types of mobile payments explained
What are all the different types of mobile payments used today? Our complete guide explains how, and where, each present-day mobile payment type works.
What is a contactless payment?
What's the meaning of contactless payment? We look at the definition, technology, options and how they work for all parties.
What is NFC? Near-field communication payments explained
Learn about the meaning and purpose of NFC. How does it function during a contactless payment? Here are the ins and outs of the technology.
QR code payments – what is it and how does it work?
How do QR codes work for payments? We define and explain QR code payments and discuss how merchants can accept it. Can it compete today?
Card payments for a small business: what are your options?
What are the card payment solutions available for small businesses? We list and explain in-person, online and remote card payments.
What are account-to-account payments? How do they work?
Account-to-account (A2A) payments are a cardless way to transfer money quickly, but what is it? How does it work for payers and merchants?
What are interchange++ fees? How does the pricing model work?
How does the interchange++ pricing model work? We break down the costs to a simple formula used globally by payment providers.
The ultimate overview of acquirers for face-to-face businesses in the UK
We explain the card processing cycle and list the acquirers, ISOs and aggregators that face-to-face businesses in the UK can pick from.
Why cash-only is more expensive than accepting cards
Cash businesses lose money directly and indirectly by avoiding cards. What are the costs of accepting cash, and how does it compare with cards?
How to accept payments without contact with the customer
How can merchants accept card payments while avoiding physical touch? We list remote payments and contactless methods with a card machine.
How can you accept cards when there’s no 3G or internet?
With no network connectivity like 3G, and no WiFi or internet, how do you take card payments? We give you the options - with or without a card machine.
What is legal tender in the UK?
What's the meaning of legal tender? We define the term, list the legal tenders in the UK and explain the rules for businesses and consumers.
Is it illegal to charge for card payments in the UK?
Are businesses allowed to add a surcharge on card transactions? What does the UK law say? See the rules and exceptions that merchants should follow.
SMS payments and charities
Charities have become important users of SMS payments, both to raise money and to give direct help. What are real-life examples of this?
How do SMS payments work for users?
Read about how text (SMS) payments work and the types of transactions they can be used for.
20 practical ways to recycle your old credit card
Millions of credit cards are in circulation, many of which are expiring every month. Instead of throwing them out, what other things could you do?
The bad press history of SMS payments
SMS payments had negative publicity in the press in the early years due to some unscrupulous behaviour, although this is not the case anymore.
How to block premium SMS messages, step by step
Receiving nuisance premium SMS messages? Here's the general step-by-step instructions for blocking premium text messages you're receiving by mistake.
How to accept Alipay and WeChat Pay in the UK
How can a business accept Alipay and WeChat Pay in the UK? Here's how the mobile wallets work, where to get it and how to set it up as a merchant.
How can I accept Bitcoin payments from customers?
If you're a business owner who wants to accept Bitcoin, here are some things you should know first. And what are the ways you can accept it?
What is digital money? Definition and types explained
What are examples of digital money? What does it even mean? We explain the types and how digital payments work and differ from physical money.
Preauthorisation – what is it and how does it work?
What is a pre-authorisation on a debit or credit card? Here's how it works, what it's for and how you can get the feature.
Top 10 tips for avoiding chargebacks
When chargebacks happen, it can cost merchants fees and time spent on extra admin. Here's how to spare your business the hassle of a chargeback.
What is a chargeback? How does it work?
What is a chargeback? How does it work for merchants and consumers? Learn about the meaning and process of debit and credit card chargebacks.
What is an all-in-one payment solution?
One-stop solutions for all your payment needs are increasingly common, but what does an all-in-one payment platform entail? How does it work?
Should you accept cash in your business? Pros and cons of card-only
More and more small businesses only accept cards, but is it wise to not accept cash? We list upsides and downsides to card-only.
Which credit and debit cards to accept in your small business
Card brands are aplenty - so which debit and credit cards should you accept? We discuss Visa, Amex, JCB and all others to consider for a terminal.
Should you accept cheques as a business?
Do you have to accept cheques as a business? Is it illegal to refuse them? We look at pros and cons of this traditional payment method.
Contactless mobile payments explained
There are now many ways to accept contactless payments with a smartphone. We explain the different mobile contactless solutions in the UK.
Google Wallet – should you accept it in your store?
When Google Wallet launched, it was marketed as the solution that would bring together the mobile phone and the wallet. How is that working out?
Which UK payment providers accept Apple Pay?
Which payment providers accept Apple Pay in the UK? How do you know if you're already accepting it? We also look at transaction limits and refunds.
Why should you introduce a card terminal for offering card payments?
We explore why some small businesses were previously wary of using card terminals, and how the market conditions have evolved for the better.
TransferWise vs. PayPal: what’s the cheapest service for foreign transfers?
Is PayPal or TransferWise best for foreign bank transfers? We compare fees to see which is cheapest and the best value.
What is PIN on glass? How it differs from PIN on COTS
How does PIN on glass work? We explain the PIN entry process compared with PIN on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices.
What is a merchant account? Do I need one for my business?
Do all businesses need a merchant account? What is it anyway? We explain the merchant account definition clearly - and a few alternatives to it.
What is a payment gateway? Here’s how it works
Payment gateways encrypt, forward and authorise card payments online, but how do they work?
Should I accept American Express? Things to consider
Should you accept Amex in your business? Let's consider reasons for and against it and how merchants can start accepting this global credit card.
Security of SMS Payments
SMS payments are incredibly secure. This is the main point you need to emphasise to your customers, to reassure them that any SMS payment transaction will be safe for them. When you come to ask for payments via SMS remind them that because the customer doesn't need to enter in [...]
Person to Person SMS Payments
Being able to transfer money directly from one mobile phone to another is the attraction of person to person SMS payments, particularly in countries such as India and Kenya where most people don't have access to banks, or in other countries such as Japan, to enable foreign workers to send [...]
What are Micropayments?
Micropayments are financial transactions that involve a very small sum of money. PayPal defines a micropayment as anything less than USD 12, whereas Visa classifies anything less than USD 20 as a micropayment. Traditionally it has been difficult, financially, to recoup the costs involved in processing micropayments. With SMS billing, [...]
Premium SMS – instant SMS payments for your website
SMS payment means using text messages to pay for products or services. Mobile phone users can send text messages to a predefined number with a certain text. The mobile phone carrier will then add the cost to the user's normal monthly bill or deduct it from the prepaid balance. [...]
What is the difference between an SMS gateway and an SMS payment gateway?
An SMS gateway is a facility to allow the sending and receiving of SMS messages. SMS gateways are maintained and operated by mobile phone operators. An SMS payment gateway is a piece of code, an application, installed onto a web page by a SMS payment provider to enable businesses to [...]
What are SMS payments?
SMS payments can work for large and small companies alike, as well as charities. Find out how you can use SMS payments and if there are any advantages.
What is card interchange?
How do interchange fees work? Who sets the rates? We explain how it works, and what it means to have blended and unblended card payment rates.
Chip and PIN technology
There can hardly be anyone in the UK who doesn't use a Chip and PIN machine on a regular basis. Any time you pop into your nearest shop and pay with a credit or debit card by giving your PIN code (personal identification number) to authorise the transaction you [...]