Best Payment Gateway Providers: Full Guide and Comparison (2026)

What is a payment gateway?

A payment gateway is the technology that connects a merchant's checkout to the payment processing infrastructure. It encrypts card data and routes the transaction request to the card network and acquiring bank. The authorisation result returns to the merchant in real time.

Every online payment passes through a gateway. In-person payments use the same authorisation flow, with the terminal acting as the gateway for card-present transactions. The gateway does not hold funds or assume liability for transactions. It is the technical bridge between the customer and the payment processor.

Find out more in our complete payment gateway guide.

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Key features to look for in a payment gateway

Pricing model

Most gateways charge either flat-rate fees or interchange-plus pricing. Flat rate charges a fixed percentage per transaction regardless of card type. Interchange-plus passes the actual interchange rate to the merchant with a markup on top. For businesses processing significant volume,  volume-based pricing delivers lower costs. Confirm whether monthly minimums or setup fees apply.

Supported payment methods

At minimum, a gateway should support Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. In the UK and Europe, Apple Pay and Google Pay account for a growing share of online transactions. For cross-border commerce, support for local payment methods (SEPA, iDEAL, Bancontact) and multicurrency processing is important. For platforms and marketplaces, split payment support is a core requirement.

PSD2 and Strong Customer Authentication

UK and European businesses must comply with PSD2. Your gateway must support 3D Secure 2.0 for Strong Customer Authentication. This applies stepped-up verification for higher-risk transactions whilst keeping low-risk checkouts straightforward. Confirm your gateway handles SCA exemption logic automatically, as manual management at scale is not viable.

PCI DSS compliance

Businesses processing over six million card transactions annually must hold PCI DSS Level 1 certification. Confirm which level of certification your gateway holds and how much compliance responsibility it transfers to you. Hosted gateways handle most of this on your behalf. API integrations require more work from your team.

Settlement speed

Standard settlement is typically one to two business days. Some providers offer next-day or same-day settlement. For marketplaces, seller payout speed matters as much as merchant settlement. Delays in seller payments affect platform retention and trust.

Integration options

Evaluate whether the gateway offers a hosted page, embeddable components, or a full API. Platforms wanting a fully branded experience need white-label integration capability. Confirm the gateway integrates with your existing ecommerce platform, POS system, or software stack.

Support quality

Integration support and ongoing account management vary significantly between providers. Enterprise gateways typically route queries through ticketing systems with no dedicated point of contact. For businesses with complex payment flows, direct access to a named account manager matters from initial integration through to scaling.

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Best payment gateway providers (2026)

Ryft

Ryft provides payment gateway infrastructure for businesses, platforms, and marketplaces across the UK and Europe. Online, in-person, and in-app payments are unified under a single integration with consolidated reporting across all channels.

FCA Licence covers payment processing under a single regulated framework for UK and European operations. PCI DSS Level 1 certification and PSD2 compliance with automated Strong Customer Authentication apply across all transaction types. Volume-based pricing reduces costs as transaction volumes grow, with businesses reporting up to 70% savings compared to flat-rate providers.

For platforms and marketplaces, Ryft includes split payment functionality, automated seller onboarding, and escrow capability within the standard integration. 24/7 UK-based support provides a dedicated point of contact from integration through to scaling.

Best suited for: UK and European businesses, marketplaces, and platforms needing FCA-licensed gateway infrastructure with split payments, omnichannel capability, and dedicated support.

Stripe

Stripe is the most widely adopted payment gateway for developer-led businesses globally. Extensive API documentation, low-code integration options, and support for 135+ currencies make it the default starting point for many businesses. Stripe supports Apple Pay, Google Pay, and a broad range of local payment methods for international commerce. Stripe Connect extends the platform to support marketplace and multi-party payment flows. Support is primarily self-service through documentation, with ticket-based escalation for issues.

Best suited for: Developer-led businesses and startups prioritising fast integration and global payment method coverage.

Adyen

Adyen provides payment gateway and acquiring infrastructure for enterprise businesses operating across multiple regions. It supports 250+ payment methods globally and processes transactions for major retail, marketplace, and platform operators.

Adyen's global acquiring network allows local processing in numerous markets, improving authorisation rates and reducing cross-border fees.  

Best suited for: Enterprise businesses processing high volumes across multiple international markets with dedicated technical teams.

PayPal

PayPal provides payment gateway services with broad brand recognition that reduces checkout friction for consumer-facing businesses. Its 400 million active accounts globally make it a common payment method expectation for ecommerce customers.

PayPal for Marketplaces extends the platform to support multi-party payment flows. Integration is fast and requires minimal technical resource. Support is primarily email-based.

Best suited for: Consumer-facing businesses where PayPal brand recognition improves conversion rates despite higher processing costs.

Mollie

Mollie is a European payment service provider serving over 250,000 businesses across the UK and Europe. It is particularly strong for European market coverage, supporting iDEAL, Giropay, Bancontact, and SEPA alongside standard card acceptance.

Integration is available via API, no-code payment links, and hosted checkout. Mollie Connect supports platform and marketplace payment flows.

Best suited for: SMEs and growing businesses selling across Europe that need straightforward local payment method support alongside card acceptance.

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Why choose Ryft as your Payment Service Provider

Ryft is a leading Payment Services Provider (PSP) that specialises in marketplace payment solutions, ensuring full compliance and offering 24/7 support from humans. Using Ryft, businesses can accept payments anywhere, automate split payments, onboard sellers, set up delayed payments and recurring billing, earn commission from payment escrow, and much more.  

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