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Cardstream

A flexible, white label payment gateway built for businesses that want to control the customer experience and brand their own merchant services.

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cardstream

What is Cardstream?

Cardstream is a UK-based independent payment gateway provider offering white label payment infrastructure to ISOs, PSPs, ISVs, SaaS platforms, and financial institutions. Unlike traditional acquirers or aggregators, Cardstream operates a partner first model, enabling resellers to fully brand, price, and manage their own payment solution.

With over 300 integrations and a vendor-neutral approach, Cardstream supports global card acceptance, tokenisation, fraud tools, and merchant onboarding, all from a single, customisable platform. For businesses that want to build or resell payments, Cardstream provides the backend infrastructure without competing for the end user relationship.

At Compare Card Fees, we work with ISOs, digital agencies, and software vendors to help evaluate white label options like Cardstream, including how to bundle merchant services and access preferred rates through our acquiring network.

Key Features of Cardstream

  • White label control
    Customise the payment gateway with your brand, logo, pricing model, and merchant communications, ideal for launching your own PSP or ISO offering.
  • Acquirer agnostic
    Unlike many gateways tied to a single bank, Cardstream supports connections to 30+ UK and international acquirers, giving resellers flexibility and leverage.
  • Hosted checkout & direct API
    Choose between quick start hosted payment pages or full developer APIs for building a fully integrated user experience.
  • Tokenisation and recurring billing
    Securely store card details for recurring or subscription payments, with PCI DSS Level 1 compliance.
  • Advanced fraud prevention
    3D Secure 2.2, AVS, CVV, velocity checks, and realtime rule based risk scoring come as standard.
  • Merchant onboarding platform
    Offer merchants a branded portal to submit applications, track approval status, and access reporting.
  • Gateway reporting tools
    Access transaction data, settlement reports, and customer behaviour analytics in a custom branded dashboard.
  • PCI compliance support
    Cardstream provides the tools and infrastructure needed for you and your merchants to maintain PCI compliance.

Who is Cardstream best for?

Cardnet is suitable for:

  • Independent Sales Organisations (ISOs) and Payment Facilitators
  • SaaS platforms that want to embed payments and increase revenue
  • Developers or agencies building payment tools for clients
  • Regulated financial businesses seeking private-label solutions

It is not ideal for:

  • Sole traders or micro businesses just looking to take basic payments
  • Merchants wanting a bundled acquirer + gateway package without integration

If you're unsure whether Cardstream is right for you, Compare Card Fees can help you assess partner pricing, acquirer relationships, and how it compares to alternatives like NMI or Acquired.com.

Cardstream Pricing & How We Help

Cardstream offers tiered, volume-based pricing to partners, which can then be marked up and resold under your own terms. Because it’s a white label platform, pricing is not published publicly and will vary based on your usage, partner type, and acquirer agreement. Typical pricing considerations include:

  • Gateway usage fees: Charged per transaction or per merchant/month
  • Acquirer fees: Set by the bank or MSP, often negotiated separately
  • Tokenisation, 3D Secure, and add ons: May incur additional fees per API call or transaction

At Compare Card Fees, we help PSPs and resellers compare Cardstream with similar white label gateways, understand total cost of ownership, and unlock better deals via our partner network of acquirers. We can also assist in pairing you with the right acquirer or tech stack to go to market faster.

Pros and Cons of Cardstream

PROS

Fully white label, acquirer neutral platform

Excellent for resellers, SaaS, and ISO business models

PCI-compliant infrastructure with full API suite

No interference with merchant relationships

Partner focused support and onboarding tools

Cons

Not suitable for direct to merchant use

Requires technical or operational resource to manage

Pricing varies by acquirer and usage

Not bundled with hardware or POS software out of the box

FAQs about Cardstream

What is Cardstream used for?

Cardstream is used by resellers, ISOs, SaaS companies, and fintechs to build and operate their own payment processing platforms. It provides gateway services without owning the merchant relationship.

Is Cardstream PCI compliant?

Yes. Cardstream is PCI DSS Level 1 certified and supports tokenisation, encryption, and secure APIs to reduce compliance scope for its partners.

Can Cardstream be rebranded?

Yes, the platform is fully white label. You can customise the merchant portal, checkout pages, reporting tools, and communication templates with your own brand.

Does Cardstream provide merchant accounts?

No, but it integrates with a wide range of acquiring banks. Compare Card Fees can help you find the right acquirer to use alongside Cardstream.

What types of businesses use Cardstream?

Primarily ISOs, SaaS platforms, software providers, and developers building their own merchant services or embedded payment experiences.

How do I price and resell Cardstream?

You’ll pay partner based wholesale rates and can set your own retail pricing for gateway usage, transaction fees, and services. Our team can help you model this competitively.

Is Cardstream good for subscription billing?

Yes, it supports tokenised card storage, recurring payments, and retry logic suitable for SaaS, memberships, and utilities.

Can I integrate Cardstream with ecommerce platforms?

Yes, it has plugins and APIs compatible with WooCommerce, Magento, PrestaShop, and custom integrations.

Is Cardstream only for UK businesses?

No. Cardstream supports global merchants and acquirers, although it’s based in the UK and most commonly used across UK and EU markets.

Can Compare Card Fees help me get started?

Yes, we can introduce you to Cardstream’s partner program, help you assess white label pricing, and connect you with acquiring banks to launch your own PSP or embedded payment solution.

Is Cardstream Right for Your Business?

Cardstream is an excellent choice for businesses that want to own the payment relationship, whether you're launching an ISO, building an embedded finance product, or offering payments within your SaaS.

With a white-label model, acquirer flexibility, and scalable infrastructure, it empowers UK based and global partners to grow revenue and control the payment experience. And with Compare Card Fees, you can gain access to better partner pricing, tailored acquirer recommendations, and strategic guidance to help you go to market confidently.

Still exploring options? Compare UK payment providers here to find the best fit for your business.

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