If you run a UK business and are interested in collecting direct debit (Bacs) or recurring payments from your customers, the following companies can help get you setup.
Below we compare 20 different companies offering their services in the UK.
Sections
Featured: GoCardless
GoCardless is the current UK leader in processing Direct Debit payments for businesses. Here are just a few of the benefits they offer and fees they charge:
- GoCardless collects direct bank payments. Meaning no card fees.
- No monthly fee
- UK and eurozone: 1% + £/€ 0.20 per transaction (£/€ 4 max)
- International: 2% + £0.20 per transaction
- Flexible payments; collect on any day of the month.
- Automatic bank account verification checks to reduce failure rates.
- Real-time notification of failed or cancelled payments.
- Collect recurring and variable payments with Bank Debit
- Payment page with your logo
- Use the real exchange rate powered by Wise
- Success+ reduces failed payments
- Collect one-off payments
1. SmartDebit
The current Direct Debit Service leader with the highest industry Trustpilot score. They provide timely and efficient payment processing for utilities, insurers, IT providers, schools and colleges, charities and a range of other subscription businesses. A few of the services they offer include:
- Managed Direct Debit for organisations without a Service User Number.
- Bureau service for organisations who hold their own Service User Number.
- Cheque Processing and Imaging.
- Online Payments, no need for extensive integration work, and you don’t have to handle, transmit or store sensitive card details.
- Dynamic fees based on transaction volumes.
- Enterprise features as standard like a ring-fenced trust account, Your name appears on your customers’ bank statements, Paper to paperless sign-up and omnichannel support.
Learn more:
2. London & Zurich
London & Zurich make it easy to take control of your cashflow and improve customer retention, by using their Direct Debit Collection Facility. With over two decades of experience, learn about the Benefits below:
- Collect in your own Brand, with their Branded Direct Debit Facility
- Fully secure, cloud-based solution
- Add customers by mandates, telephone scripts or their online sign up solution
- Support variable and/or fixed direct debit collection values
- Ring fenced client bank accounts with cleared funds transferred within 2 days
- No collection value caps
- From only £29.99/month!
Learn more: Visit London & Zurich Website
3. AccessPay
AccessPay was created, with one simple mission; to transform the way business payments are sent and received. Here are a few of the services they offer:
- Cloud Direct Debit solutions are based on SaaS model with a fixed annual subscription fee on a one year rolling contract.
- Bacs Approved Bureau Solutions.
- Same Day Payments.
4. Eazy Collect
Eazy Collect cater to business start-ups, established corporates and national Plc’s. They claim to be the UK’s only Direct Debit provider that enables you to take Direct Debits via any sales channel on any device. This includes the following 8 options:
- Online Via Secure Portal
- Accept Direct Debit Payments via Website
- Add a Direct Debit Over the Phone
- Setup Direct Debit via Mobile App
- Add Direct Debits With Your Tablet
- Direct Debit via Your Own Systems
- File Upload Your Direct Debits
- Use Paper Forms to Add a Direct Debit
5. Adyen
The Adyen platform is the only solution that connects you directly to Visa, Mastercard, and all key payment methods globally, enabling businesses to accept payments and optimize growth across online, in-app, and in store. In terms of services they offer:
- Recurring payments in the UK from Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Paypal.
- SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) Direct Debit
- Recurring and subscription payments with key local payment methods such as Alipay, Giropay and iDEAL.
6. DFC (Debit Finance Collections)
DFC are a leading Direct Debit company with thousands of satisfied clients throughout the UK. They claim to offer a totally transparent service, with clear pricing and no hidden extras. Here are a few of their other benefits:
- Billing can be scheduled on a Weekly, Fortnightly, 4 Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, or Annual basis.
- Collections via text, online or over the phone.
- Compliant to Trading Standards and PCI, they hold a primary authority agreement.
7. Eazipay
They work with 1,600 individual businesses in the UK and have 20 years experience operating in the Direct Debit collections industry. The main benefits they offer are:
- A flat fee of only 40p per Direct Debit collection, no matter how large your collections are.
- Your funds will clear and be in your account within 3 working days.
- Your name will appear on your customer bank statements to promote your brand and lend a professional touch.
8. Rapidata
Rapidata has been supporting charities, not for profits and commercial companies with the collection, administration and processing of Direct Debit payments since it was founded in 1997. They offer:
- Direct Debit Manged Service
- eDirectDebit
- Online & Mobile Fundraising
9. Vindicia
Vindicia brings enterprise-class innovation to consumer-facing subscription billing to help companies acquire and retain more customers by making recurring payments seamless, secure and easy. They offer two main products:
- Vindicia® CashBox® a SaaS-based subscription billing platform.
- Vindicia® Select™ a cloud-based recurring payment solution that works to resolve failed payment transactions.
10. FastPay Ltd
FastPay offers a Facilities Management (FM) and Bacs Commercial Bureau service that collects Direct Debits on behalf of your business or organisation. Here are some of the benefits they offer:
- Process all your collections on the date of your choosing.
- Inform you of any bounced or cancelled Direct Debits as soon as they occur.
- Bounced payments can be automatically recharged and cancelled Direct Debits can be reinstated.
11. Debit Direct
Debit Direct claims to be able to help small business get set-up taking Direct Debit in only 48 hours. They also offer the following services and fees:
- Cash advance and business loans.
- Direct Debit by phone or online.
- Fees are 80p per collection plus £15/month
12. Worldpay
Worldpay is the UK’s leading payment processing company, offering everything from merchant accounts to PDQ machines. In addition to these services, they can also help you accept Direct Debit and recurring payments by offering the following services:
- Help accepting over 300 different types of payments from around the world including bank transfers, direct debits and eWallets.
- Recurring payment plans to automatically collect weekly, biweekly, or monthly payments from customers.
- Help with local card schemes, specific to certain markets such as UnionPay, ELV and Mister Cash.
Learn more: Worldpay Wesbsite
13. Clear Direct Debit
Clear Direct Debit makes it easy to collect Direct Debits. Whether through they’re accredited training and consultancy or outsourcing your bacs processing to their approved bureau. They offer the following services:
- Bacs Bureau for Direct Debit Collections
- Bacs Consultancy
- Direct Debit Training
14. allpay
allpay Limited focuses on bill payment services mostly to the public sector. Here are just of few of the services they offer:
- allpay can be set up face-to-face or over the phone.
- Alter payment amounts, dates and frequencies easily, providing your customers with the most convenient and simple way to make payments.
- Direct Debit Guarantee and security – provide your customers with peace of mind that their payments are collected safely and securely.
15. SmarterPay
SmarterPay is the BACS approved funds transfer solution from Data Interchange. They offer the following features:
- Bacs Direct Credit in addition to Bacs Direct Debit
- Can fully integrate with any accounting package or billing program.
- Account Validation, all bank account numbers and sort codes are validated and checked against BACS’ Industry Sort Code Database.
16. Secure Trading
Secure Trading is one of the world’s leading independent payment service providers and has been in business since 1997. While they do not offer Direct Debit services they do offer the following recurring payments solutions:
- Process transactions on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis.
- Manage recurring payments alongside one-off transactions through a single transaction tool, MyST.
- Recurring payments with Secure Trading does not involve the storage of any card details, so no need to worry about achieving PCI compliance.
17. Bottomline
Bottomline Technologies claims to be one of the largest direct debit providers in the UK and offer a range of payment solutions including:
- Can create Direct Debit Mandates, Payment Plans and one-off transactions to collect variable amounts, subscription payments and fixed fees.
- Comprehensive reporting and audit trails
- Regular, timely collections with reduced administration costs
High-Street Banks Direct Debit Services
In addition to the dedicated direct debit bureaus above, many high-street banks also offer Direct Debit services. Here are a few of the more popular options:
18. Natwest
Natwest Direct Debiting offer the following benefits and services:
- Once a Direct Debit is set up, payment is automatic.
- Variable Direct Debit instructions eliminate the need to obtain a new authority each time your organisation needs to change the amount or date of payment.
- Natwest can help with the whole process from developing the initial concept to finally testing your computer system.
Learn More: Natwest Merchant & Business Banking Services
19. Lloyds
Lloyds can help you set-up Bacs Direct which offers the following benefits:
- Improve cashflow as money is released and received on the same day.
- Reduce costs through less paperwork, postage and stationery.
- Eliminate book-keeping errors.
To learn more about BACS and Direct Debit please visit Bacs.co.uk and DirectDebit.co.uk.
And for more companies check out guide to: UK Merchant Account Providers & Card Payment Services
Please note that we have referral agreements with SmartDebit, London & Zurich and Worldpay. This means they pay us a commission if you sign-up with them. This comes at zero cost to you, but is something we feel we should make clear. The order of the listing above has been determined by search popularity in Google and does not reflect the size of the company or the quality of its products.