Key points
- Interchange (0.2% debit / 0.3% credit) is regulated and non-negotiable
- Scheme fees are small individually but accumulate — read the extras
- Only the acquirer's margin is fully negotiable
- Commercial and non-EU cards cost materially more to accept
Interchange
Paid to the card-issuing bank. Regulated in the UK/EU at 0.2% for debit and 0.3% for consumer credit; commercial cards and non-EU cards cost significantly more.
Scheme fees
Paid to Visa and Mastercard. Small in isolation, but they add up with cross-border, secure-checkout and high-risk assessment charges.
Acquirer margin
Paid to your payment provider. This is the only fully negotiable part of the fee stack.
Worked example
A £50 UK consumer debit-card transaction costs roughly 10p interchange + a few pence scheme + your provider's margin. Total: usually 40–70p.
Ready to compare?
Get a tailored card payments quote in minutes.
Answer a few short questions and we'll match you with UK-regulated providers — no obligation, no phone spam.
Start your comparison
