Best Payment Gateways for UK Charities in 2026: Honest Comparisons

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Accepting online donations is now essential for UK charities, but the gateway you choose quietly shapes how much of every pound actually reaches your cause. Get it wrong and you lose money to transaction fees, Gift Aid processing charges, and voluntary-contribution prompts your donors never asked for.

Below you will find honest comparisons of 8 payment gateways, with fees in £, Gift Aid handling scores, and UK-specific guidance, so you can pick the right one for your charity's size and goals.

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In this article:

• How we evaluated and selected these payment gateways

• Payment gateways for UK charities: top picks

• Best payment gateways for UK charities at a glance

• 1. Zeffy: 100% free payment gateway for UK charities

• 2. PayPal: the trusted checkout brand donors already know

• 3. Stripe: flexible infrastructure for developer-led charities

• 4. GoCardless: the UK's Direct Debit specialist for regular giving

• 5. GoodBox: contactless donation hardware for UK events

• 6. SumUp and Zettle: card readers for fetes, door collections, and community events

• 7. Adyen: multi-currency processing for large international charities

• 8. Worldpay: legacy enterprise gateway for established UK charities

• Additional payment solutions worth considering

• What is a payment gateway?

• Payment gateway vs payment processor: what's the difference?

• How Gift Aid changes the payment gateway question in the UK

• How UK charities can reduce payment processing fees

• Fee impact: what you actually pay at £50k, £100k, and £250k raised

• How to choose the best payment gateway for your charity

• Final thoughts on online donation payment processing for UK charities

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How we evaluated and selected these payment gateways

Not all payment gateways are created equal. For charities operating on tight budgets, the wrong choice can quietly drain thousands of pounds in fees each year. To make this list genuinely useful, we applied a structured evaluation framework rather than ranking platforms by brand recognition or advertising relationships. Here is exactly what we measured and why.

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Our 8-point evaluation criteria

1. Fee transparency and true cost of use

We looked beyond headline transaction rates to calculate all-in costs: monthly platform fees, payout fees, chargeback fees, currency conversion markups, and any fees specific to charitable donation forms. A platform advertising "1.5% + 20p" may cost significantly more once regular giving fees, Gift Aid processing charges, and payout schedules are factored in.

2. Charity-specific discounts and programmes

We verified which platforms offer documented charity pricing, including eligibility requirements, application processes, and whether discounts apply automatically or require manual approval. Platforms with vague "contact us for charity pricing" policies were scored lower than those with published, accessible rates.

3. PCI DSS compliance and UK GDPR fit

Payment Card Industry compliance protects donors' card data. We noted each gateway's PCI compliance level (SAQ A through SAQ D) and whether the platform handles compliance on behalf of the charity or passes that burden back to the organisation. We also assessed whether the platform is UK GDPR-compliant and handles supporter data under a documented lawful basis per ICO guidance, since UK charities are routinely asked "Are you GDPR compliant?" by supporters before adopting a new platform.

4. Native charity features

We evaluated whether the platform was built for charities or adapted from a general e-commerce base. Key features scored include: donation forms, regular giving, Gift Aid declaration capture, event ticketing, and supporter management integrations.

5. Integration ecosystem

We counted verified integrations with UK charity CRMs (Beacon, Donorfy, ChurchSuite, Salesforce NPSP Power of Us, Access Charity CRM), email platforms, and accounting tools. Broader integration support reduces manual data entry and total operational cost.

6. User review scores (G2 and Capterra)

We aggregated weighted scores from G2 and Capterra, filtering specifically for charity and not-for-profit reviewer segments where available. Volume of reviews was weighted alongside average score to avoid platforms with strong ratings from a small, potentially skewed sample.

7. Support accessibility

We assessed whether charities, particularly small organisations without dedicated finance staff, can access live support, and how responsive platforms are to disputes, donor refund requests, and onboarding questions.

8. Gift Aid handling

Does the platform capture a compliant Gift Aid declaration (full name, home address, charity name, and taxpayer confirmation), submit claims to HMRC Charities Online, and support the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) on small cash and contactless donations? Platforms that do not handle Gift Aid natively leave a 25% donation uplift on the table. Source: HMRC Gift Aid guidance and Code of Fundraising Practice (effective 1 November 2025).

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How platforms were ranked

Platforms were scored across all eight criteria and ranked with UK charity use cases as the primary lens. A platform that excels for e-commerce but offers nothing specifically for charitable giving or Gift Aid received a lower position regardless of general market reputation. Opinionated verdicts throughout this article reflect the specific charity context where each platform performs strongest, whether that is small grassroots organisations, high-volume campaigns, or international fundraising.

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Payment gateways for UK charities: top picks

• 1. Zeffy: the only truly free all-in-one donation platform for UK charities

• 2. PayPal: the trusted checkout brand donors already know

• 3. Stripe: flexible infrastructure for developer-led charities

• 4. GoCardless: the UK's Direct Debit specialist for regular giving

• 5. GoodBox: contactless donation hardware built for UK events

• 6. SumUp and Zettle: card readers for fetes, door collections, and community events

• 7. Adyen: multi-currency processing for large international charities

• 8. Worldpay: legacy enterprise gateway for established UK organisations

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Best payment gateways for UK charities at a glance

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1. Zeffy: 100% free payment gateway for UK charities

Overview

G2 Rating: 4.9

Capterra Rating: 4.8

Who it works best for: Any UK registered charity, community group, CIC, or PTA that wants to keep 100% of donations and consolidate fundraising, event ticketing, memberships, raffles, and auctions in one free platform. Particularly strong for small-to-mid UK charities (£10k to £500k income) currently stitching together JustGiving, Ticket Tailor, Crowdfunder, and a CRM. The zero-fee model removes the silent drain that compounds quickly at scale.

Zeffy is a zero-fee payment platform built exclusively for charitable organisations. It processes donations, membership fees, event ticket sales, and regular giving programmes without charging your charity a single penny. Every pound your supporters give goes directly to your cause.

Zeffy stands out on G2 and Capterra as the highest-rated platform among small charity teams. Users consistently highlight the zero-fee model alongside the extra capabilities: supporter management, event tools, Gift Aid declaration handling, and a free tap-to-pay system for events that works directly from your phone without a card reader.

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Standout features

• 100% free end-to-end fundraising platform, no platform fee and no transaction fee

• Native Gift Aid declaration capture and HMRC Charities Online claim handling

• In-person tap-to-pay from your phone, no card reader required

• Accepts all major credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay

• Quick withdrawals of online donations

• One-time and regular giving options

• Registered under UK GDPR and PECR, with supporter data handled under a documented lawful basis

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Price and fees

100% free. No payment processing fee, no platform fee, no hidden charges, and no voluntary-contribution prompt that embarrasses your donation page.

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What do users say?

The best thing about Zeffy is that it allows the total donation to go to our small nonprofit, and we share this fact so that our donors can feel good about giving. Also, I like that I can export the data record of all our donations, which has allowed me to build a donor database. , Mary T

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2. PayPal: the trusted checkout brand donors already know

Overview

G2 Rating: 4.4

Capterra Rating: 4.7

Who it works best for: Charities that need a well-known, instantly recognisable payment option at checkout. A solid fit for organisations whose donors expect PayPal as a payment method, including faith communities and alumni associations with older supporter bases who prefer familiar payment options.

PayPal is a familiar name, making it approachable for donors and staff alike. It offers a payment processor called Payflow, available as a standalone gateway for organisations already using other card processors. Payflow Link is a free checkout hosted by PayPal. Payflow Pro adds checkout customisation with a monthly fee, letting you offer PayPal Credit options on your own site. Both include built-in fraud protection.

With strong user ratings reflecting familiarity and broad reach, PayPal may be ideal for charities prioritising donor convenience and brand recognition, even if transaction fees are higher than some alternatives. Note that PayPal is a payment button, not a full fundraising platform: Gift Aid automation, event ticketing, and supporter management require separate tools.

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Standout features

• Hosted and customisable gateway options

• Built-in fraud protection

• Accepts PayPal, PayPal Credit, and major credit cards

• Compatible with most payment processors

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Price and fees

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What do users say?

PayPal is the oldest and largest fintech-like company in the world. It has many 3rd party sites where you can use it to pay. It's very flexible considering implementation. Also PayPal has very good customer support which can take care of any problem the client may approach. , Mateusz L

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3. Stripe: flexible infrastructure for developer-led charities

Overview

G2 Rating: 4.3

Capterra Rating: 4.6

Who it works best for: Tech-savvy charities with developer capacity that want to build a custom, integrated donation experience across online and in-person channels. Also a strong fit for organisations already enrolled in Google for Nonprofits, since Stripe integrates natively with Google Pay and underpins many UK charity tech stacks.

Stripe is a prominent payment service provider best known for its developer-first infrastructure, and it also offers a full payment gateway. Stripe Terminal integrates with in-person payment solutions so you can track all offline and online transactions in one place, making it easier to report donations across channels.

Stripe's extensive APIs let you tailor your payment gateway to your exact needs. Smaller teams without dedicated developers may find the technical setup demanding. Stripe runs a UK charity discount programme: verify the current rate at stripe.com/en-gb before quoting a figure internally, as rates are updated periodically. Zeffy runs on Stripe's infrastructure, meaning UK charities using Zeffy access Stripe's processing capability at zero cost. See how UK charities use Stripe for more detail.

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Standout features

• Extensive developer tools and APIs

• Supports multiple currencies and payment types

• Online and in-person integration via Stripe Terminal

• UK charity discount programme (verify current rate at stripe.com/en-gb)

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Price and fees

Stripe's standard UK card rate is 1.5% + 20p per transaction. Stripe operates a nonprofit discount programme for eligible charities that process the majority of their donation payments on the platform. Verify the current UK charity rate directly at stripe.com/en-gb before publishing internally. With Zeffy, UK charities access Stripe's infrastructure at no cost, as Zeffy covers all fees.

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What do users say?

Not only is their system intuitive, but the customer service agents ACTUALLY like to help you! No fake smiles over the phone or loud exhaling and strained voices... NEVER have I experienced this with Stripe. They have a beautiful online system, they have happy employees. , Nayeli

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4. GoCardless: the UK's Direct Debit specialist for regular giving

Overview

G2 Rating: 4.4

Capterra Rating: 4.5

Who it works best for: Charities that want to grow a sustainable regular-giving programme. Direct Debit accounts for approximately 31% of all UK charity donations, making it the single largest UK giving mechanism. GoCardless is the simplest way for a small charity to accept Direct Debit without going through a Bacs bureau, and it integrates with the CRMs and fundraising platforms your charity is likely already using.

GoCardless is the UK leader in Direct Debit for charities. Almost every major UK fundraising platform (Enthuse, Donorfy, Beacon, ChurchSuite) integrates GoCardless under the hood, so switching your regular giving to Direct Debit does not necessarily mean switching everything else. Its newer Instant Bank Pay product supports one-off Open Banking donations for donors who prefer not to use a card.

The key limitation: Direct Debit is ideal for regular monthly gifts but less suited to spontaneous one-off donations, where card or digital wallet payments remain the default. You will still need a card-accepting gateway alongside GoCardless for event ticketing, merchandise, and one-off campaigns.

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Standout features

• UK Direct Debit market leader, used by Enthuse, Donorfy, Beacon, and ChurchSuite

• 25% charity discount available on standard rates

• Per-transaction fee capped at £2, protecting you on large gifts

• Instant Bank Pay for one-off Open Banking donations

• Straightforward setup without a Bacs bureau

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Price and fees

1% + 20p per transaction, capped at £2 per payment. A 25% charity discount is available, bringing the effective rate to approximately 0.75% + 15p, capped at £1.50. Verify the current UK charity offer at gocardless.com before committing.

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What do users say?

GoCardless has simplified our monthly donor management enormously. The Direct Debit infrastructure is rock-solid and the charity discount makes it genuinely affordable for a small team. , Paul, charity finance manager (Capterra)

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5. GoodBox: contactless donation hardware for UK events

Overview

G2 Rating: N/A

Capterra Rating: N/A

Who it works best for: Churches, museums, visitor attractions, street fundraisers, and event-based charities that need dedicated contactless donation devices. GoodBox directly solves the "cash is dying at events" problem that many UK charity VoC interviews highlight, with dedicated GBx tap-to-donate units purpose-built for in-person giving.

GoodBox is a UK-founded company providing contactless donation hardware (GBx devices) and donation apps for in-person giving. Its devices are used by churches, museums, visitor attractions, and street fundraising teams across the UK. For organisations that rely on in-person collections rather than online campaigns, GoodBox removes the friction of a volunteer manually taking card details or a supporter having to find a card reader. See the Zeffy vs GoodBox compare page for current UK fees (verified 2026-06-19).

The honest comparison with Zeffy: GoodBox provides dedicated hardware you buy or rent, with per-transaction fees on top. Zeffy's free tap-to-pay works from any phone with no card reader and no hardware cost. For charities that run very high-volume in-person collections and want a purpose-built device, GoodBox is the specialist choice.

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Standout features

• Purpose-built GBx contactless donation devices for UK venues and events

• Donation apps compatible with phones and tablets

• Used by churches, museums, and major UK street fundraising programmes

• UK-founded, with UK-focused customer support

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Price and fees

Device cost (purchase or rental) plus a per-transaction fee. See the Zeffy vs GoodBox compare page for current UK rates (fee-verified 2026-06-19).

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What do users say?

The GoodBox device made our church collection completely cashless overnight. Congregation members who hadn't been carrying cash for years were suddenly able to give again. , Verified user, church community (GoodBox customer reference)

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6. SumUp and Zettle: card readers for fetes, door collections, and community events

Overview

G2 Rating: 4.2

Capterra Rating: 4.1

Who it works best for: Volunteer-led charities, village hall committees, PTAs, and community groups that need an affordable card reader for one-off events. SumUp and Zettle are the standard kit at UK charity shops, fetes, and church door collections. They are positional tools, not full fundraising platforms, but they matter because this is what your volunteers are already using at events.

SumUp and Zettle (owned by PayPal) are point-of-sale card reader services widely used across UK community fundraising. They accept contactless, chip and PIN, and Apple/Google Pay. For a village fete stall or a door collection where a volunteer needs to take a payment quickly without a laptop, these are the practical first choice. They do not process Gift Aid, have no donor management, and require separate reconciliation, so they work best as a supplementary tool alongside a dedicated donation platform.

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Standout features

• Low-cost card readers, widely available

• Accepts contactless, chip and PIN, Apple Pay, and Google Pay

• No monthly subscription on entry plans

• Simple setup for volunteers with no technical background

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Price and fees

SumUp charges 1.69% per in-person card transaction (verify current UK rates at sumup.com before committing; rates are updated periodically). Zettle rates vary by plan; verify at zettle.com. Neither platform offers a dedicated charity discount programme.

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What do users say?

We use SumUp at every event and it just works. Donors who haven't carried cash in years can still give at the door. The setup takes minutes and any volunteer can use it. , Willis M (Capterra)

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7. Adyen: multi-currency processing for large international charities

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Overview

G2 Rating: 3.3

Capterra Rating: 4.9

Who it works best for: Charities with international supporters who want to donate in their native currency. Particularly strong for DEC member organisations, global faith bodies, and humanitarian charities that regularly accept donations from donors across multiple countries and currencies.

Adyen is a Netherlands-headquartered financial technology platform with payment gateway functionality that supports international payments. It offers dynamic currency conversion at checkout across 36 different currencies, allowing international supporters to pay in their own currency. Integration into your website is straightforward. Adyen's high Capterra rating reflects its value to international charities accepting multi-currency donations.

Reviewers on G2 caution that its complex pricing and feature set may overwhelm smaller domestic teams or organisations without a dedicated finance staff member to manage it. For UK-only charities accepting only sterling donations, Adyen is significant overkill; Stripe or GoCardless will be more cost-effective and simpler to manage.

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Standout features

• Dynamic currency conversion across 36 currencies

• Unified in-person and online payments

• Risk and fraud management tools

• Straightforward website integration

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Price and fees

Adyen charges a fixed processing fee per transaction plus a variable fee determined by the payment method. Fees are typically charged in the transaction currency. Verify current rates at adyen.com/en-gb before committing; do not assume the US published rate applies to UK sterling transactions.

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What do users say?

Adyen is very good for international merchants and the excellent customer service is very pleasing. Adyen does not have setup or application fees that attracts everyone. , Thomas A

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8. Worldpay: legacy enterprise gateway for established UK charities

Overview

G2 Rating: 3.1

Capterra Rating: 3.5

Who it works best for: Mid-to-large established UK charities on multi-year contracts processing significant annual card volume, typically above £250k. Worldpay is the UK's largest card acquirer by market share and is already embedded in many larger charity payment stacks. It is not the right choice for small or emerging charities.

Worldpay (part of FIS) is the UK's biggest card acquirer and has served large UK charities for decades. If your organisation already has a Worldpay contract, the enterprise-grade support and deep integration with UK card networks may make it worth keeping. For charities starting from scratch or reviewing their gateway, Worldpay's complexity, monthly minimums, multi-year contracts, and opaque charity pricing are significant drawbacks compared to newer alternatives.

The honest assessment: Worldpay is built for volume and enterprise complexity, not for a volunteer-run PTA or a community charity with a £50k annual income. Smaller charities should look at Zeffy, Stripe, or GoCardless first.

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Standout features

• UK's largest card acquirer by market share

• Enterprise-grade support

• Deep integration with UK card networks and banking infrastructure

• Suitable for large organisations with high annual card volume

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Price and fees

Pricing is on application. Worldpay uses interchange-plus pricing with monthly minimums and PCI DSS compliance fees. Verify the current UK charity offer directly with a Worldpay representative; do not commit without a full breakdown of all monthly and annual charges.

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What do users say?

Elavon has the best rates for nonprofit long-time customers, any time an issue has arisen contacting customer service is a breeze. , Stevie C.

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Additional payment solutions worth considering

The eight platforms above cover the strongest options across most UK charity use cases. Several other solutions appear regularly in UK charity conversations and deserve a mention.

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Square UK

Square is a well-known point-of-sale option that many small charities already use for in-person events, cake sales, and merchandise stalls. In the UK, Square charges 1.75% per in-person card transaction (verify current UK rates at squareup.com/gb before committing). Square does not offer a dedicated charity pricing programme, but its ease of use and free card reader make it accessible for volunteer-run organisations that need a quick in-person solution. It is not built for donation management or regular giving, so it works best as a supplementary tool rather than a primary fundraising platform.

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Beacon Payments and Donorfy integrated processing

If your charity already uses Beacon or Donorfy as its CRM, using their native payment integration keeps supporter records in sync without manual export. Beacon includes native Gift Aid claim submission to HMRC Charities Online, which is a meaningful differentiator for charities already on the platform. This is not a standalone gateway recommendation for organisations starting from scratch, but a practical consolidation choice for charities already invested in the UK CRM ecosystem.

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What is a payment gateway?

A payment gateway is a technology that collects, verifies, and securely transmits payment information between the charity, the donor, and the payment processor. It serves as a bridge between all parties in a transaction, enabling the exchange of information to facilitate online payments.

A point-of-sale terminal in a physical shop checks the card chip to determine whether the debit or credit card is valid. An online payment gateway does the same thing digitally, assessing whether a payment is legitimate before funds move.

Investing in a payment gateway is essential if you want to accept donations online. A payment gateway will securely validate your supporters' payment details, confirming funds are available. It performs fraud checks and encrypts sensitive information, such as card numbers, as it passes from the donor to the payment processor. The processor then facilitates the transaction and transfers funds from your supporter's account to yours.

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How does a payment gateway work?

Here is a quick run-down of how payment processing works from the donor's first click to the funds landing in your account.

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Step 1: supporter starts the donation process

When supporters are ready to donate, they enter their credit or debit card information on the charity's donation page.

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Step 2: encryption of the data

The payment gateway securely encrypts this payment information and sends it to the payment processor.

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Step 3: authorisation request

The payment processor receives the payment information from the gateway and forwards it to the supporter's bank. It requests authorisation for the transaction.

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Step 4: authorisation process

The supporter's bank verifies the payment data and confirms whether sufficient funds exist. It approves or declines the transaction and sends that response to the payment processor.

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Step 5: authorisation response

The payment processor shares the bank's response with the payment gateway, indicating whether the transaction is approved or declined.

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Step 6: transaction result

Based on the authorisation response, the payment gateway notifies the organisation and supporter of the transaction status.

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Step 7: settlement of funds

If approved, the payment gateway processes the payment and facilitates the fund transfer. It moves the amount from supporters to a merchant's acquiring bank, which temporarily holds it before sending it to the charity's bank account.

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Payment gateway vs payment processor: what's the difference?

Although often used interchangeably, payment gateways and payment processors have meaningful differences. A payment gateway sends a supporter's card information to a payment processor, which uses that data to communicate with the supporter's bank and merchant accounts.

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How Gift Aid changes the payment gateway question in the UK

For UK charities, choosing a payment gateway is not just a question of transaction fees. Gift Aid means the right gateway decision is worth far more than any fee saving.

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The Gift Aid mechanism

When a UK taxpayer donates to your charity and signs a Gift Aid declaration, HMRC lets your charity reclaim 25p for every £1 they give. A £100 donation becomes £125 to your charity at no extra cost to the donor. This uplift is delivered by HMRC via the Charities Online service, and it requires a valid Gift Aid declaration capturing the donor's full name, home address, charity name, and confirmation that they are a UK taxpayer who has paid sufficient tax to cover the claim.

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The gateway question is bigger than the transaction fee

The question is not simply "what is the card processing rate" but "does this gateway capture a valid Gift Aid declaration and submit the claim to HMRC Charities Online?" A gateway that saves you 0.5% in transaction fees but requires manual Gift Aid processing, or charges a fee on the reclaimed amount, may cost you far more in staff time or lost income.

Some UK platforms, including JustGiving, charge a percentage of the reclaimed Gift Aid value as a processing fee (typically around 5%). On a charity claiming Gift Aid on £90,000 of eligible donations, that 5% fee costs approximately £1,125 in Gift Aid processing charges alone. Zeffy does not charge a Gift Aid processing fee.

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Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS)

GASDS allows charities to claim a 25% top-up on small cash and contactless donations of £30 or less, without a written Gift Aid declaration. The annual cap is £8,000 in eligible small donations per tax year (yielding a £2,000 top-up), matched to your charity's Gift Aid claim history. Your charity must have been HMRC-recognised for at least two complete tax years to be eligible. Verify current GASDS rules at gov.uk/donating-to-charity/gift-aid.

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What Gift Aid does not apply to

Gift Aid does not apply to payment for goods or services, including event ticket prices, raffle entries, auction lots at fair value, or membership fees that confer benefits. It also does not apply to donations from companies, or to donors who have not paid sufficient UK Income or Capital Gains Tax in the year. Source: HMRC.

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How UK charities can reduce payment processing fees

Payment processing fees are one of the most overlooked costs in charity budgeting. A 1.9% + 20p fee sounds small until you calculate what it costs on a £100k fundraising year. Here is what you can actually do.

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Use a free platform

The most direct path to keeping every pound you raise is choosing a platform that charges charities nothing. Zeffy covers all transaction fees. You never receive a deduction from your donation total. For charities raising £50k, £100k, or £250k per year, the savings are significant. See the fee impact table below for estimated figures.

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Claim Gift Aid on every eligible donation

Gift Aid adds 25p per £1 from HMRC at no cost to the donor. On £100,000 raised from UK taxpayers with a 90% Gift Aid claim rate, that is an extra £22,500 to your charity, larger than any fee saving on this list. Use GASDS to top up cash and contactless donations of £30 or less (up to £8,000 annual cap, 25% top-up). Source: HMRC Gift Aid guidance.

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Move regular giving to Direct Debit via GoCardless

Card processing fees compound on every monthly gift. Direct Debit via GoCardless is typically cheaper: 1% + 20p capped at £2 per payment, with a 25% charity discount available. For a supporter giving £25 monthly, the fee with the charity discount is approximately £0.34 per transaction, compared to around £0.58 under a standard 1.5% + 20p card rate.

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Access Google for Nonprofits via TechSoup UK validation

Google for Nonprofits is available to UK-registered charities via TechSoup UK validation. It unlocks Google Ad Grants (up to £10,000 per month in Google Search advertising), Google Workspace at no charge, and other tools that reduce your overall cost of fundraising and donor acquisition.

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Verify Stripe UK's charity offer

Stripe operates a charity discount programme for eligible UK organisations that process the majority of their donation payments on the platform. Verify the current UK charity rate at stripe.com/en-gb before quoting a figure; rates are updated periodically.

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Ask donors to cover the processing fee at checkout

Many platforms let you offer donors the option to cover transaction fees. When donors opt in, your charity receives the full donation amount. This does not reduce fees themselves but shifts the cost to supporters who are often willing to cover it when asked clearly. Keep the ask transparent and default-off: UK supporters are sensitive to tip-style prompts, as Money Saving Expert's sustained coverage of JustGiving's ~17% suggested voluntary-contribution prompt demonstrates. A transparent opt-in is very different from a pre-ticked default.

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Fee impact: what you actually pay at £50k, £100k, and £250k raised

Abstract percentages do not tell the full story. Below are estimated fee costs at three common annual fundraising volumes, using published UK rates. Calculations assume an average donation of £50 and apply to card transactions only. All figures are estimates; verify current rates with each provider before budgeting.

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These estimates use the following assumptions. The per-transaction fixed fee (20p or 15p) multiplies by the number of individual donations, not just the total volume. A charity receiving 1,000 donations of £50 pays far more in fixed per-transaction charges than one receiving 100 donations of £500 at the same total volume. GoCardless figures reflect the 25% charity discount (0.75% + 15p, capped at £1.50). JustGiving figures include the 1.9% + 20p card rate plus an estimated 5% Gift Aid processing fee on donations eligible for Gift Aid at a 90% claim rate; the ~17% voluntary-contribution prompt is additional to these figures and is not included. Worldpay and SumUp/Zettle rates are on application or vary; verify before budgeting. Adyen rates vary by currency and payment method.

The Gift Aid perspective: On £100,000 raised with a 90% Gift Aid claim rate, your charity can receive an additional £22,500 from HMRC at no cost to your donors. That single line item is larger than the total processing fees of every paid gateway on this list at that volume. The gateway you choose should handle Gift Aid natively, not as a paid add-on.

The bottom line: for most charities raising under £250k annually, Zeffy's zero-fee model saves thousands of pounds per year compared to every paid alternative. Those savings go directly to your mission.

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How to choose the best payment gateway for your charity

While you will find a variety of payment gateways on the market, not all are designed for the same purposes. The right payment gateway is essential for giving your supporters a smooth donation experience and ensuring they continue to support your charity. Here are the key features to weigh when making your decision.

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1. Security and UK regulatory fit

When collecting online donations or funds, protecting your donors' personal and financial information is non-negotiable. Donors will not complete a transaction if they do not trust your donation page.

Look for a payment gateway that is PCI compliant, detects and prevents fraud, and offers tokenisation, encryption, and 3D Secure (3DS) authentication. Confirm the gateway is UK GDPR-compliant and handles donor data under a lawful basis (consent or legitimate interest, per ICO guidance). UK charities are routinely asked "Are you GDPR compliant?" by supporters before they will adopt a new platform.

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2. Donor experience

Make sure your donors can complete a gift without friction. You do not want a supporter filling out a donation form only to find their preferred payment method is not accepted.

Pick a gateway that accepts various electronic payments beyond credit and debit cards: PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and bank transfers should all be available on your donation page.

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3. Hosted vs self-hosted

A hosted payment gateway redirects donors to a separate website for payment processing. That handoff can hurt conversion rates and removes your control over the checkout experience.

Zeffy operates as a hosted gateway solution, managing the transaction process on its platform. This ensures security and compliance without requiring charities to handle sensitive payment data directly.

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4. Payment processing fees for charities

Understanding the fee structure is essential. Most payment gateways charge a transaction fee that compounds quickly at scale. Compare full payment platforms for UK charities to see how full platforms compare to standalone gateways.

Zeffy covers the entire transaction fee. There are no hidden charges, ensuring you receive 100% of donations without any deductions.

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5. Integrations with your existing tools

Select a payment processor that integrates with your website or donation form and connects to your existing fundraising software and accounting tools. When you receive funds, that information should automatically update in your bookkeeping system without manual entry.

Look for gateways that offer SDKs, APIs, and plugins, and confirm integrations with your CRM (Beacon, Donorfy, ChurchSuite, or Salesforce NPSP) and email platform.

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6. Trust signals for UK donors

UK donors look for the Fundraising Regulator badge, a registered charity number from the Charity Commission, OSCR, or CCNI, and Gift Aid handling before they will complete a donation. Your gateway's checkout should allow you to display these trust signals, not hide behind an off-domain hosted page that reads as a payment processor rather than your charity.

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Final thoughts on online donation payment processing for UK charities

Selecting the right payment gateway is important for charities to process donations efficiently while minimising expenses. Every gateway on this list offers distinct features suited to different needs, from transaction fees and security to integration capabilities and charity-specific tools.

By carefully assessing your requirements, you can select a gateway that fits your budget and supports your fundraising. The right gateway should simplify the donation process, giving donors a smooth experience and giving your team effective fund management tools.

Gift Aid is the factor that changes the calculation for UK charities. The platform you choose should handle Gift Aid declarations natively and submit claims to HMRC Charities Online without charging a fee on the reclaimed amount. On that measure, Zeffy stands out: truly free service, no platform fee, no transaction fee, no voluntary-contribution prompt, and native Gift Aid handling, ensuring your charity receives the full benefit of every pound raised.

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