Top 5 Shopify payment gateways in the UK in 2025

If you’re a Shopify store in the UK, you need a payment gateway that can make checkout smooth, protect against fraud, and support the ways your customers prefer to pay. The gateway you select has a direct impact on conversion rates, settlement speed, and your ability to scale internationally.

This guide compares the top five Shopify payment gateways in 2025, runs through their features, and shows which businesses each is suited for.

What is a Shopify payment gateway?

A Shopify payment gateway is the service that connects your checkout with your customer’s chosen payment method and your bank account. It encrypts payment details, routes them securely, requests authorisation from the bank or card network, and ensures funds are settled into your account.

Within Shopify, gateways plug directly into your store so payments flow automatically through your checkout. Depending on the provider, this can be done via a built-in option like Shopify Payments, a third-party integration such as Airwallex or PayPal, or a custom API connection. 

That integration is what allows you to accept cards, wallets, BNPL services, and even Pay by Bank, while staying compliant with PCI DSS and Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) requirements in the UK.

Read more: Cash flow like a pro - your guide to third-party processors

What to check before you sign up

Focus on how well the gateway supports your business model and customer base. The most important factors include:

Transaction costs

Every payment gateway charges fees, usually a percentage of the transaction plus a fixed amount. On top of that, cross-border payments may include foreign exchange (FX) markups. For UK Shopify merchants, these costs add up quickly. A 2% FX fee on every sale to Europe can erase much of your margin. Look for transparent pricing and, where possible, like-for-like settlement in the currency of sale to reduce conversion costs.

Payment methods

Customers expect choice. A strong gateway supports major card networks such as Visa, Mastercard and American Express, digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal, and increasingly Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services such as Klarna or Clearpay. Some also support Pay by Bank through open banking in the UK. The more relevant options you offer, the fewer customers abandon checkout.

Settlement speed

How quickly you get paid affects your cash flow. Standard settlement windows are one to three business days, but some providers release funds the next day or even instantly. Faster access to revenue means you can reinvest in inventory, ads or operations without waiting.

Currency support

If you sell internationally, a gateway that handles multiple currencies is essential. Multi-currency checkout lets customers pay in their local currency, which improves trust and conversion. For you, settling in the same currency as the sale helps avoid costly FX markups and makes accounting cleaner.

Integration

Ease of integration with Shopify matters for both speed and flexibility. Shopify-native plugins allow quick setup with minimal coding, while APIs give developers the ability to customise checkout flows, add subscription logic, or link payments directly to accounting and ERP systems. Choose the level of control your business can support.

Fraud protection

Payments fraud is rising, and chargebacks can eat into revenue. A gateway should be PCI DSS compliant to ensure card data security, support 3D Secure for Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) in the UK, and ideally include AI-driven risk analysis to flag suspicious transactions in real time. Strong fraud controls protect both you and your customers while keeping checkout smooth.

Five quick questions to ask yourself

1. Does this gateway keep fees transparent across currencies and regions?

2. Will it support the payment methods my customers use most often?

3. How fast will payouts reach my business account?

4. Is it compliant with UK SCA and PCI DSS standards?

5. Will it scale with me if I expand to new markets?

The UK’s top 5 Shopify payment gateways in 2025

1. Airwallex  

Airwallex (that’s us) helps you sell across borders without being held back by high FX costs or slow payouts. It provides a complete global payments platform, with accounts, cards, transfers, and expenses all in one dashboard. That means lower costs, faster access to cash flow, and fewer systems to manage.

UK fees: ~1.30% + £0.20 per UK card transaction.

International fees: 2.40% + £0.20 for EEA/Amex, 3.15% + £0.20 for other international cards. Like-for-like settlement in supported currencies reduces FX costs significantly.

Settlement speed: Payouts usually land within one business day

Key features: Accepts 160+ local and global payment methods, direct Shopify plugin, FCA-regulated, built-in fraud prevention, competitive FX.

Best for: UK stores scaling into Europe, the US, and Asia; merchants who need multi-currency settlement and want to protect margins.

See Airwallex’s pricing plan and fee schedule in detail. 

2. Stripe  

Stripe is a favourite for developers and larger stores that want maximum control over checkout flows.

UK fees: 1.5% + £0.20 for standard UK cards, 1.9% + £0.20 for premium UK cards.

International fees: 3.25% + £0.20 per transaction, with a 2% currency conversion surcharge if applicable.

Settlement speed: 1–3 business days in the UK.

Key features: APIs for custom integrations, 135+ currencies supported, Apple Pay and Google Pay, Stripe Radar fraud detection.

3. Shopify Payments  

Shopify Payments is Shopify’s in-house gateway, which removes the need for third-party providers.

UK fees: From 1.6% + £0.25 to 2% + £0.25 depending on your Shopify plan.

International fees: Extra currency conversion charges apply when selling in other currencies.

Settlement speed: Around three business days in the UK.

Key features: Integrated into Shopify dashboard, supports Shop Pay one-click checkout, 100+ currencies supported.

Best for: UK SMEs that prioritise simplicity and want to avoid additional Shopify transaction fees.

4. PayPal  

PayPal is one of the most familiar names in online payments, which helps boost conversion rates with customers who trust the brand.

UK fees: 2.90% + £0.30 per transaction.

International fees: Around 4.19% + £0.30 per transaction, with currency conversion charges.

Settlement speed: Instant to PayPal balance, one to three business days to UK bank accounts.

Key features: PayPal Wallet, Pay in 3 instalments, one-click checkout, global buyer protection.

Best for: Shopify merchants who want to offer PayPal Wallet and tap into a broad global customer base.

5. Adyen  

Adyen is built for large enterprises with high transaction volumes and omnichannel needs.

UK fees: ~£0.11 fixed processing fee + variable percentage depending on card type.

International fees: Varies by payment method and market.

Settlement speed: Customisable, with options for fast payouts.

Key features: 150+ currencies, 100+ payment methods, omnichannel support (online, in-store, mobile), AI-driven fraud protection.

Best for: enterprise 

Other options worth considering:

Klarna: leading BNPL provider with Pay in 3 and Pay in 30-day options.

Square: unified in-store and online payments, strong for hybrid retailers.

Amazon Pay: streamlined checkout using Amazon customer accounts.

Why Airwallex is the smart choice for UK sellers

If you want to increase conversions, cut costs, and get paid faster, Airwallex helps you do all three.

With Airwallex, you get:

• High conversion rates by accepting 160+ payment methods with multi-currency checkout, so customers can pay in their local currency while you settle in GBP, EUR, USD, and more.

• Lower costs through like-for-like settlement that reduces FX markups, with transparent fees that let you keep more of every sale.

• Faster payouts with funds reaching you in as little as one business day, giving you quicker access to cash flow for stock, ads, or growth.

• Strong security with FCA regulation in the UK and PCI DSS Level 1 compliance to protect your business and customers.

• An all-in-one financial platform that also gives you global accounts, corporate cards, international transfers, and expense management in a single dashboard.

That’s why over 100,000 businesses worldwide trust Airwallex to process more than US$100 billion every year. If you want a gateway that grows with you, Airwallex is a smart choice for your Shopify store.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is based on our own online research in Q3 2025. Airwallex was not able to manually test each tool or provider. The information is provided for educational purposes only and a reader should consider the specific requirements of their business when evaluating providers. This research is reviewed annually. If you would like to request an update, feel free to contact us at [[email protected]]. This information doesn’t take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. 

FAQs

Which is the best Shopify payment gateway in the UK?

The best choice depends on your priorities: Airwallex for global expansion, Shopify Payments for simplicity, Stripe for flexibility, PayPal for customer recognition, and Adyen for enterprise scale.

How much do Shopify payment gateways cost?

Fees usually range from 1.3% to 3.5% per transaction, plus fixed charges. International sales may include FX markups.

How quickly are payouts settled?

Standard settlement times are one to three business days. Airwallex and Shopify Payments offer faster options.

Do Shopify stores need a payment gateway?

Yes. A gateway ensures secure, PCI DSS-compliant payment processing and enables you to accept cards, wallets, and alternative methods.

Can I use more than one gateway?

Yes. Many UK merchants enable multiple gateways (for example, Shopify Payments with PayPal and Klarna) to give customers more choice.

• stripe.com/gb/pricing

• shopify.com/uk/pricing

• paypal.com/uk/business/paypal-fees

• adyen.com/pricing