Updated February 2026

The Best Stripe Alternative for UK Small Businesses

Tired of Stripe's poor customer support (1.3/5 Trustpilot) and developer-only focus? Lopay offers the UK's lowest rates at 0.79% flat (or 0.39% via Visa cashback), better support, and 4.7/5 Trustpilot rating.

0.79%
Lopay Rate
4.7/5
Trustpilot
£0
Monthly Fee

Why UK Businesses Are Leaving Stripe

Stripe is powerful for developers, but small businesses face these challenges:

Terrible Customer Support

Stripe has a shocking 1.3/5 Trustpilot rating. Thousands of complaints about email-only support, slow responses, and sudden account suspensions.

Developer-First, Not SMB-Friendly

Stripe is built for developers and tech companies. Small businesses without technical teams struggle with setup, integrations, and troubleshooting.

No Low-Fee Option

Stripe charges 1.5% + £0.20 per transaction. On £10,000/month, that's £170 vs Lopay's £79 (or £0 with Visa card).

Stripe: A Fair Review

What Stripe Does Well

Powerful API for developers

Excellent documentation and tools

Global payment support (135+ currencies)

Advanced fraud detection

Where Stripe Falls Short

1.3/5 Trustpilot rating (worst in industry)

Email-only support with slow responses

Requires technical knowledge to set up

No cashback fee reduction available

Bottom line: Stripe is excellent for developers building custom payment flows. But for UK small businesses wanting simple in-person payments, the pricing is complex and support can be slow. Lopay offers straightforward 0.79% flat fees with instant setup — no coding required.

Stripe vs Lopay: Side-by-Side Comparison

FeatureStripeLopay
UK Card Fee1.5% + £0.200.79% flat (or 0.39% via Visa cashback)
EU Card Fee2.5% + £0.200.79% flat (or 0.39% via Visa cashback)
Monthly Fee£0£0
ContractNoneNone
Trustpilot Rating1.3/5 ⭐4.7/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Customer SupportEmail only (slow)Phone + Email (fast)
Setup DifficultyTechnical (requires dev)Simple (5 minutes)
0% Fee OptionNoYes (Visa card)
Monthly Cost (£10K volume)£170£79 (or £0 with Visa card)
Annual Savings vs Stripe-£1,092 - £2,040

Calculate Your Savings

See how much you'd save by switching from Stripe to Lopay

£10,000
Stripe Fees
£170.00
per month
Lopay Fees
£79.00
per month
You Save
£91.00
per month
Annual Savings with Lopay
£1092.00
Or £2040.00 with our free Visa card (the UK's lowest fees from 0.39%)

Why UK Businesses Choose Lopay Over Stripe

4.7/5 vs 1.3/5 Rating

Lopay has the highest Trustpilot rating in the UK (4.7/5). Stripe has the worst (1.3/5). The difference is night and day.

Real Customer Support

Phone and email support with fast response times. No more waiting days for email replies like with Stripe.

UK-Based Team
UK's Lowest Fees from 0.39%

Use our free Visa expense card and get 0.39% effective rate via Visa cashback on processing fees. The only processor in the UK offering the UK's lowest fees from just 0.39%.

Exclusive to Lopay

Ready to Get Better Support & Save £2,040/Year?

Join 30,000+ UK businesses who switched from Stripe to Lopay for better rates and actual customer support.

No technical setup
Real support team
Setup in 5 minutes