Elavon vs Worldpay for UK businesses

Overview

We compare the two for a UK business taking card payments in person, online or both, using the figures each publishes as of October 2026. Both also sell in the US, but we found no published Worldpay US pricing or US merchant terms, so a UK comparison is the only one we can check line by line. Every rate, fee and term in the tables is a UK figure. Both companies publish a card-payments summary that the Payment Systems Regulator requires, built from your annual card turnover, and both call it indicative. For a business taking about £50,000 a year with average sales of £21 to £30, Worldpay's summary is cheaper on personal debit cards (0.6% + 4.5p in person, against Elavon's 0.90% to 0.92% + 4p). Elavon's is cheaper on personal credit cards (1.00% to 1.02% + 4p, against 1.4% + 4.5p) and on business debit cards. Worldpay's standard monthly charges are lower on every line: terminal hire, gateway, PCI fee and monthly minimum. Its summary also settles in 24 hours, against Elavon's 48; Elavon sells next-day payment as a paid upgrade. Elavon also sells packaged plans with cheaper terminal hire than its summary, from £15 a month with rates from 0.99% on personal cards. Both let a business with fewer than 10 staff and under €2 million turnover end the processing agreement on a month's notice. Terminal hire is where you get tied in: Elavon's default minimum hire in its terms is 36 months, though its plans page lists a 12-month contract, and Worldpay's is 18. Elavon belongs to U.S. Bancorp. Worldpay has been owned by Global Payments since 12 January 2026 and is moving to the Global Payments brand. Payment Review grades Worldpay C+ and Elavon C-.

Key Takeaways

• ✓It depends on how your customers pay. On each company's regulator-required price summary at £50,000 a year, Worldpay is cheaper on personal debit cards (0.6% + 4.5p in person against 0.90% to 0.92% + 4p). Elavon is cheaper on personal credit (1.00% to 1.02% + 4p against 1.4% + 4.5p) and business debit cards (about 1.4% against 2.5%).
• ✓Worldpay's standard summary has lower fixed costs. Terminal hire is £20 a month against £26, the gateway is included against £25, the PCI fee is £5 against £6 and the monthly minimum is £15 against £30. Settlement takes 24 hours against 48, though Elavon sells next-day payment as a paid upgrade. All of these are indicative.
• ✓Elavon's packaged plans cut the terminal cost below its own summary: Business Booster charges £15 or £18 a month for a terminal, with rates from 0.99% on personal Visa and Mastercard cards, and Elavon says it is best for £40,000 to £200,000 a year in card sales. That rate is above Worldpay's 0.6% summary rate for in-person debit. Elavon's plans page lists a 12-month contract on every plan, while its Start Simple page says "no long-term contract".
• ✓Small businesses can leave either processing agreement on a month's notice. Elavon may charge its costs if you leave within six months. Hired terminals are the real commitment: Elavon's default minimum hire in its terms is 36 months (its plans page lists a 12-month contract) and Worldpay's is 18, and leaving early means paying the remaining rentals.
• ✓Ownership: Elavon is a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Bank, part of U.S. Bancorp. Global Payments completed its purchase of Worldpay on 12 January 2026, and Worldpay's UK site now carries a "Worldpay is now Global Payments" logo.