Professional Services Guide

Best Payment Processors for UK Professional Services

Compare fees, invoicing features, and payment options from the top processors for consultants, agencies, and service providers.

What Professional Businesses Should Look For

Transaction Fees

For retail stores with high transaction volumes, even a 0.5% difference in fees can save thousands annually. Lopay's 0.79% rate saves £90/month vs 1.69% on £10K sales.

POS Features

Consider if you need inventory management, employee management, or customer loyalty programs. Square and Zettle offer comprehensive POS, while Lopay and SumUp focus on payments.

Hardware Quality

Reliable card readers are essential for retail. Look for fast contactless payments, long battery life, and durability. SumUp and Zettle have excellent hardware reputations.

Professional Payment Processor Comparison

Best Value

Lopay

Cost-conscious retailers with high volume

4.7Trustpilot
Transaction Fee
0.39%
Monthly Fee: £0
Pros
Lowest UK rate
No monthly fees
Fast payouts
Cons
•
Newer provider
•
Limited POS integrations
Full Review

SumUp

Small retailers & market traders

4.6Trustpilot
Transaction Fee
1.69%
Monthly Fee: £0
Pros
Popular in UK retail
Simple setup
Good card readers
Cons
•
Higher rate than Lopay
•
Limited reporting
Full Review

Square

Retailers needing full POS system

4.5Trustpilot
Transaction Fee
2.6%
Monthly Fee: £0
Pros
Comprehensive POS
Inventory management
24/7 support
Cons
•
Higher fees
•
Can hold funds
Full Review

Zettle

Mobile & pop-up retailers

4.5Trustpilot
Transaction Fee
1.75%
Monthly Fee: £0
Pros
PayPal integration
Good hardware
Easy to use
Cons
•
Limited features
•
Average support
Full Review

Real Cost Comparison for Professional

Monthly SalesLopay (0.79%)SumUp (1.69%)Square (2.6%)Your Savings
£5,000£39.50£84.50£130£45-90/mo
£10,000£79£169£260£90-181/mo
£20,000£158£338£520£180-362/mo
£50,000£395£845£1,300£450-905/mo

Example: A consultancy processing £30,000/month in invoice payments would save £630-810 per month (£7,560-9,720 per year) by switching from Square to Lopay.

Find Your Perfect Payment Processor

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