Best B2B Payment Solutions for UK businesses

B2B payment solutions handle the way businesses pay and get paid by other businesses, from invoicing suppliers and settling contractor fees to collecting payments from customers.

Accepting B2B payments in the UK typically means offering bank transfers, card payments, direct debits, or digital invoicing, often across multiple currencies if you trade internationally. The payment service provider (PSP) you choose determines how smoothly all of this works, what it costs, and how much manual admin your finance team has to deal with.

This guide compares six widely used PSPs in the UK, breaks down their fees and features for business payments, and explains what to look for when making your decision. We also share how Wise Business lets you hold local accounts, enabling you to send, receive and accept payments globally.

💡 Learn more about Wise Business

What are B2B payments?

B2B payments, short for business-to-business payments, are financial transactions between two companies. They cover everything from paying a supplier for raw materials to settling a freelancer's invoice or transferring funds to an overseas distributor.

Unlike consumer payments, B2B transactions tend to involve larger sums, longer payment terms (often 30, 60, or 90 days), and more complex approval workflows. The global B2B payments market was valued at approximately $187 trillion in total transaction value in 2025, with projected growth to $224 trillion by 2030.¹

In the UK specifically, digital adoption in B2B payments is widespread. However, much of this activity still flows through lower-margin channels like bank transfers and instant payments.² For UK businesses, understanding the available payment rails and their trade-offs is essential.

How to accept B2B payments

Collecting payments from other businesses requires the right setup. Here are the main options:

• Bank transfer (BACS or Faster Payments): Share your sort code and account number on invoices. This is the simplest approach for domestic payments.
• Direct Debit: Set up a Direct Debit facility through your provider or a bureau service. You'll need a Service User Number (SUN )¹³ and mandates from each payer.
• Card payments: Accept business credit or debit cards through a payment gateway. Useful for smaller transactions, though processing fees (typically 1.5–3%) can add up.
• Online payment platforms: Services like PayPal or Wise let you accept payments in multiple currencies, often with lower fees than bank transfers for international transactions.

The right mix depends on your transaction volumes, whether you deal with international clients, and how much control you need over payment timing.

How to choose the right B2B payment method

There's no single payment method that works for every situation. The right choice depends on several factors:

• Urgency: need same-day settlement? CHAPS or Faster Payments. 74% of Wise Business transfers settle in 20 seconds and 95% in less than half a day. Can it wait? BACS is more cost-effective.
• Transaction size: high-value payments suit CHAPS. Routine payments under £1m work well via Faster Payments or BACS.
• Frequency: regular, predictable payments are ideal for Direct Debit or automated BACS runs.
• Geography: domestic-only businesses can rely on UK payment rails. International traders may benefit from multi-currency accounts offered by Wise Business or specialist providers.
• Cost sensitivity: compare the total cost, including fees, exchange rate markups, and staff time, not just the headline transfer charge.

Many businesses use a combination of methods. A typical setup might include BACS for payroll, Faster Payments for urgent supplier invoices, and a multi-currency account for international payments.

6 B2B payment solutions in the UK

Here's a closer look at six widely used PSPs for UK businesses, along with their key features and pricing.

1. PayPal

PayPal remains one of the most recognised payment brands globally. For UK businesses, it offers a straightforward way to accept online payments without a traditional merchant account. Here are some of PayPal’s features¹⁴

• Domestic transaction fee: 2.9% + £0.30 per transaction (standard commercial rate)
• Card-funded payments (guest checkout): 1.2% + £0.30
• International fee: Additional 1.29%–1.99% on top of domestic rates
• QR code payments: 1.5% + £0.10 (above £10.01)
• Setup/monthly fees: None
• Currencies: 25+ supported¹⁵

PayPal's main advantage is brand recognition and buyer trust. Many UK consumers already have PayPal accounts, which can reduce checkout friction. The Advanced Checkout option also allows direct card processing at 1.2% + £0.30 for domestic cards.

However, PayPal's standard rates are among the higher options for domestic card payments, and its currency conversion markup can add up for international sellers.

2. Wise Business

If your UK business sends or receives money domestically and internationally, from paying suppliers, receiving client payments in foreign currencies, or tasks like payroll across countries, Wise Business offers a multi-currency account designed for cross-border operations.

With a Wise Business account, you can:

• Set up local account details (only with Wise Business Advanced) in 40+ currencies such as GBP, EUR, USD, or AUD. Receive payments without setting up a legal entity, complex paperwork, or international wire fees. Let customers pay you in their local currency. No conversion fees.
• Generate professional invoices with an embedded pay button to process payments easily. Download or send them directly to your customer.
• Send payment links via email or text, or include them in invoices, to your customers so they'll pay by bank transfer.
• Get paid in 19+ currencies through the Swift network. This lets you earn in AUD, NZD, SGD, SEK, NOK, DKK, PLN, HKD, CHF, CZK, JPY, HUF, BGN, AED, RON, UGX, ZAR, CNY, and ILS.
• Withdraw your earnings from Amazon, Etsy, Stripe and more.
• Create your unique payment link and QR code to get paid repeatedly (only with Wise Business Advanced). Enjoy no fees when customers use Wise to send payments via Quick Pay.
• If you are in the EEA or the UK, you can get paid by card.
• Connect to accounting software like Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent

You can open a Wise Business account for just a one-time fee of £50 (Advanced plan) or for free (Essential plan), with no monthly subscription.

Soon, Wise will launch a payment gateway that will process card payments from your customers. And for the international money management side of your business, it can sit alongside your PSP to handle cross-border transfers and multi-currency operations.

Disclaimer: Card payment acceptance for new Wise Business customers is currently unavailable.

💡 Learn more about Wise Business

3. Airwallex

Airwallex positions itself as a financial platform for businesses operating across borders. It's authorised by the FCA as an Electronic Money Institution¹⁶ and offers multi-currency accounts alongside payment acceptance.

• Account plans: Explore (£0–£19/month), Grow (£49/month), Accelerate (£999/month)¹⁷
• Domestic transfers: Free https://www.airwallex.com/uk/pricing¹⁷
• Domestic Card-funded payments: 1.30% + £0.20 for UK cards; 2.40% + £0.20 for EEA cards¹⁷
• FX rate: 0.5%–1% above interbank rate¹⁷
• Payment acceptance: 160+ payment methods via online gateway¹⁷
• Integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, Xero, QuickBooks¹⁸
• Multi-currency accounts: 20+ currencies with local bank details¹⁹

Airwallex is a strong option for ecommerce businesses selling internationally. Its online payment gateway supports local payment methods across multiple markets, and its like-for-like settlement feature lets you collect and pay out in the same currency, avoiding unnecessary conversions.

It's less suited to businesses that only trade domestically or need in-person card terminals.

4. Worldpay

Worldpay (now GlobalPayments) powers over 6 million merchants²⁰, handling the majority of card transactions in the country. It offers both in-person and online payment processing with bespoke pricing for most businesses.

• Card fees for terminal payment: Debit cards: 0.468% + 2.5p per transaction, Credit cards: 0.914% + 2.5p per transaction, Commercial cards: 2.003 % + 2.5p per transaction²¹
• Contract: Typically 18+ months for POS terminals²¹
• eCommerce fixed rate: 1.3% + 20p (consumer cards), 2.9% + 20p (commercial cards)²²
• POS terminal (counter top card machine): From £10month-£22.5/month²³ per terminal

Worldpay's scale means it can offer competitive rates for higher-turnover businesses, and its IC+ pricing model gives larger merchants full transparency on interchange, scheme fees, and acquirer markup.

For smaller businesses, the fixed eCommerce rates (no monthly fee, no minimum charge) provide a simpler entry point. The main drawback is contract length — POS terminal agreements typically run 18 months or longer.²³

5. Revolut Business

Revolut Business combines a business account with payment acceptance tools, expense management, and multi-currency wallets.

• Plans: Basic (£10/month), Grow (£30/month), Scale (£90/month), Enterprise (custom)²⁴
• FX rate: 0% markup up to plan limit, then 0.6% above
• Payment gateway: Accept payments in 35 currencies²⁵
• 24 hour settlement²⁶
• Card payments: Accepts Visa and Mastercard²⁷
• In-person fees: 0.8%+£0.02²⁷
• Online fees: 1% + £0.20²⁸
• Integrations: Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Slack

Revolut works well for businesses that want a single platform for banking, payments, and expense management. With Revolut you can accept contactless, chip, pin in-person or online payments from Maestro, MasterCard, American Express, Visa, Google Pay and Apple Pay.

6. Payoneer

Payoneer specialises in cross-border payments and marketplace payouts. It's particularly popular with businesses that sell on platforms like Amazon, eBay, Fiverr, and Upwork. Some of Payoneer’s fees are²⁹

• Account fee: $29.95/year (waived if you receive $6,000+ annually)
• Receiving via marketplace: Free (fees set by marketplace)
• Receiving in local currency (GBP in UK): Free
• Receiving in other currencies: 1-4%
• Currency conversion: 0.5% between Payoneer balances
• Withdrawal to UK bank (GBP): £1.50 flat fee (up to £50,000/month)
• Card: Mastercard with $29.95/year fee; up to 3.5% on currency conversions

Payoneer's strength is its marketplace integration network. It connects directly to over 2,000 platforms.³⁰ For UK sellers receiving payouts from international marketplaces, it offers a straightforward way to consolidate earnings.

For general business payments outside the marketplace ecosystem, Payoneer's fees can be higher than alternatives, particularly for currency conversions (3.5%)³² and payments to non-Payoneer recipients.

Automating B2B payments and reconciliation

Manual payment management becomes unsustainable as transaction volumes grow. Most modern PSPs offer tools to reduce admin:

• Accounting integrations: Xero, QuickBooks, and Sage connections for automatic reconciliation
• Batch payments: send multiple payments in one go (useful for supplier or contractor payouts)
• Recurring billing: set up subscriptions and repeat invoices
• API access: build custom workflows for high-volume or complex payment needs

Airwallex and Revolut Business offer the broadest automation toolkits among these providers. PayPal and Payoneer provide accounting integrations but more limited API capabilities for custom workflows.

Manage payments the smart way, with Wise Business

If you want a simple and cost-effective way to manage global payments, check out Wise Business. Open an account and you can start accepting payments in multiple currencies, from customers and clients all over the world. There are lots of ways to get paid with Wise Business. Either send a payment link, invoice or a QR code to your customers, and let Wise handle the rest - ensuring timely payments and an improved cash flow.

This streamlined approach eliminates the technical challenges and time-consuming setup associated with traditional payment gateways, allowing you to focus on what truly matters: growing your business. For easy B2B payments, you can create local account details (only with Wise Business Advanced) in 8+ currencies - so that clients can pay you in their own currencies.

Once the payment is done, you can manage multiple currencies effortlessly, all in one account. Enhance your customer relationships and support your company’s global expansion with Wise Business, a payment solution that prioritises simplicity and efficiency.

With Wise Business, you can:

• 🌍 Send money to 140+ countries at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees and no sneaky exchange rate markups (product availability varies by region)
• 📥 Receive payments in 24 currencies and counting
• 💵 Get local account details for 8+ currencies, including USD and EUR, to let your customers pay in a currency they know and trust - convenience for them and peace of mind for you
• 💰 Hold money in 40+ currencies
• 🔁 Convert currencies anytime at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees
• ⚡ Use the batch payments tool to create and send up to 1,000 payments in a single transfer
• 👥 Run payroll and make international payments for up to 1,000 employees all over the world - including paying suppliers using local payment methods like ACH, SEPA, and Faster Payments
• 💳 Get business debit cards with 0.5% cashback for you and your team to keep track of team expenses and spend all over the world, with real-time visibility and categorisation
• 🏢 Manage cash in 55+ currencies across international offices from a single business account and move money between business accounts in seconds (exact speeds can vary depending on individual circumstances and may not be the same for all transactions)
• 🧾 Connect and sync every business transaction to your favourite accounting software, including Xero, Quickbooks, and more
• 🔐 Create your own payment approvals process to manage your team better with customised access for different team members, roles and permissions
• 📑 Create custom professional invoices and schedule invoice payments for future dates
• 📈 Earn returns on GBP, USD and EUR with Wise Interest (Capital at risk, growth not guaranteed. Your money is at risk if governments default or interest rates go negative. Visit https://wise.com/gb/interest/ to find out more)
• 🔗 Create payment links and QR codes to get paid easily (Card payment acceptance for new Wise Business customers is currently unavailable. Payment methods subject to eligibility and availability.)
• ⚙️ Automate payouts with the Wise API (comes with 24/7 customer support, a sandbox account to test integrations, API tokens, and clear documents on how to implement and make the most of our API)

Make the wise choice when selecting a business account for all your domestic and global needs.

Be Smart, Get Wise.

Register for Wise Business ✍️

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Investments can fluctuate, and your capital is at risk. Interest is offered by Wise Assets UK Ltd, a subsidiary of Wise Payments Ltd. Wise Assets UK Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority with registration number 839689. When facilitating access to Wise investment products, Wise Payments Ltd acts as an Introducer Appointed Representative of Wise Assets UK Ltd. Please be aware that we do not offer investment advice, and you may be liable for taxes on any earnings. If you're uncertain, we urge you to seek professional advice. To find out more about the Funds, visit our website.

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*Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.

Sources used:

1. B2B Payments Market Report: Size, Trends, Forecasts 2025-30 | Juniper Research
2. The 2025 McKinsey Global Payments Report: Competing systems, contested outcomes McKinsey
3. Direct Debit | bacs.co.uk
4. What is Bacs? Guide to Bacs payments | Starling Bank
5. DMBM200210 - Payment processing and accounting: payment methods: direct debit - HMRC internal manual | GOV.UK
6. Bacs Payment System processing calendar 2026 | bacs.co.uk
7. What Is Faster Payments And How Do They Work? | HSBC
8. Transaction limits | Pay.UK
9. Faster Payment System | Pay.UK
10. Faster Payments and CHAPs | Royal Bank of Scotland
11. CHAPS | Bank of England
12. How to Wire Money | Banking | Chase
13. Bacs Payments | Business | Lloyds Bank
14. PayPal Merchant Fees - Seller Fees | PayPal UK
15. List of Countries and Currencies | PayPal Global
16. How is Airwallex licensed and regulated? | Airwallex
17. Plans & Pricing | Airwallex Official Site
18. Software Integrations | Airwallex
19. Airwallex: Trusted Global Payments & Financial Platform | Airwallex
20. Company Information | Global Payments
21. Worldpay 360 - Advanced EPOS Systems for Business | WorldPay
22. Worldpay eCommerce: Online Payment Processing | WorldPay
23. Countertop Card Machine for Small Business | Worldpay
24. Business Account Pricing | Revolut Business
25. Payment Gateway - Accept Payments Easily | Low Fees and Fast Settlement | Revolut
26. Accept Payments | Online And In-Person | Revolut Business
27. Accept payments with Revolut Business | Pricing & fees — get low rates and great conversion | Revolut Business
28. Business Account - Manage Your Finances | Revolut Business
29. Low fees. No hidden costs | Payoneer
30. Get paid from global marketplaces & companies | Payoneer
31. Cross border fee | Payoneer

Sources last checked: 23rd April 2026