Handepay vs takepayments UK 2026: Fees, Features & Which to Choose

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Handepay and takepayments are two of the UK's most widely used card payment providers for small and medium-sized businesses, both operating on traditional merchant account contracts rather than pay-as-you-go pricing. Handepay tends to suit established businesses that want competitive interchange-plus rates and direct UK-based support, while takepayments appeals to retailers and hospitality businesses that need flexible terminal options and an all-in-one point-of-sale experience. Both require a contract commitment, so comparing their fees and terms carefully before signing is essential.

Handepay vs takepayments: Fee Comparison

What is Handepay?

Handepay is a UK merchant services provider founded in 2009 and based in Haydock, Merseyside. The company acts as an introducer and reseller for acquiring bank partners, offering card terminals, virtual terminals, and online payment processing to small and medium-sized UK businesses. Handepay is well known for its price-match guarantee and its focus on transparent interchange-plus pricing, which means your transaction fee tracks the underlying wholesale card cost rather than a single blended rate. The company serves tens of thousands of UK merchants across retail, hospitality, and service sectors.

Handepay's main products include countertop, portable, and mobile card machines, as well as a pay-by-link product and a virtual terminal for telephone payments. Contracts run most commonly for 36 months, and terminal rental is included within the monthly agreement. Customer support is handled by a UK-based team seven days a week. For a full breakdown of Handepay's pricing and product range, see the Handepay review on Compare Card Fees.

What is takepayments?

takepayments is a UK-based card payment provider founded in 2016 and headquartered in Leeds. The company targets small businesses and sole traders, offering a range of chip-and-PIN terminals, mobile card readers, and an integrated EPOS system called takepaymentsplus. Unlike some newer providers, takepayments uses a contract-based merchant account model rather than aggregated processing, which typically means more stable accounts for businesses with higher volumes. The company has grown rapidly and now serves over 80,000 UK businesses according to its own published figures.

takepayments offers countertop, portable, and GPRS mobile terminals, alongside a pay-by-link product and a virtual terminal for card-not-present payments. Its takepaymentsplus EPOS system includes stock management, reporting, and table management features aimed squarely at hospitality businesses. Contracts typically run for 24 to 36 months, and all hardware is rented rather than purchased outright. For a full breakdown of takepayments' pricing and product range, see the takepayments review on Compare Card Fees.

Handepay vs takepayments: Features Compared

Payment Methods Accepted

Both providers accept all major card schemes: Visa, Mastercard, and Maestro as standard, plus American Express if set up separately. Contactless payments up to £100 are supported on all current terminals from both providers. Apple Pay and Google Pay are accepted on NFC-enabled terminals across both ranges. Neither provider natively supports cryptocurrency payments or buy now, pay later at the point of sale.

Hardware and Terminals

Handepay offers three main terminal types: a countertop unit for fixed tills, a portable model that connects via Bluetooth to a base unit, and a mobile GPRS terminal for businesses that trade away from a fixed location. All terminals are supplied on a rental basis within the contract. takepayments offers a similar three-tier range, but its standout product is the takepaymentsplus Android-based EPOS terminal, which runs full point-of-sale software on a touchscreen device. For hospitality businesses that need table management or stock tracking built into the terminal, takepayments has a clear hardware advantage.

Integrations

Handepay's integration options are relatively limited compared to cloud-based providers. The virtual terminal connects to most major accounting packages, but deep API integrations are not Handepay's core offering. takepayments has a broader set of software integrations through its takepaymentsplus platform, including compatibility with several popular EPOS and hospitality management systems. Neither provider matches the depth of integrations available from Stripe or Adyen, so businesses with complex tech stacks should verify compatibility before committing.

International Support

Both Handepay and takepayments are primarily designed for UK businesses accepting payments in pounds sterling. Neither provider is built for multi-currency settlement or cross-border e-commerce in the way that Adyen or Worldpay are. International cards such as US Visa or Mastercard are accepted at the terminal, but the merchant is charged a higher interchange fee for those transactions. Businesses with significant overseas customer bases or multi-currency needs will find both providers limiting.

Fraud Tools and Security

Both providers are PCI DSS compliant and include 3D Secure on card-not-present transactions as standard. Handepay includes PCI compliance support within its service package, though some merchants report being charged an additional PCI non-compliance fee if they fail to complete the annual self-assessment questionnaire. takepayments similarly includes PCI DSS compliance assistance but may charge a monthly fee if compliance is not maintained. Neither provider offers advanced machine-learning fraud scoring of the kind built into Stripe Radar or Adyen's RevenueProtect.

Customer Support

Handepay provides UK-based telephone support seven days a week, which is a genuine strength for businesses that need help outside standard office hours. takepayments offers telephone and email support, also with UK-based agents. Both companies have mixed reviews online regarding how quickly complaints are resolved, particularly around billing disputes and contract exit fees. Independent review platforms show both providers sitting at broadly similar satisfaction scores, with terminal replacement speed being a common positive for both.

Pros and Cons

Handepay Pros and Cons

Pros

• Interchange-plus pricing is available, which is more transparent than blended rates and can save high-volume merchants a meaningful amount potentially £80 £150 per month at £30,000 monthly turnover compared to a typical blended rate
• UK-based customer support available seven days a week, including evenings
• Price-match guarantee means you can negotiate using competitor quotes
• Wide range of terminal types including a mobile GPRS unit for market traders and field service businesses
• Next business day settlement in most cases

Cons

• Contracts run up to 48 months and early termination fees can be several hundred pounds this is one of the most common complaints from Handepay customers on review platforms
• The pricing structure is not published openly online; you must request a quote, which makes upfront comparison harder
• Limited e-commerce and integration capability compared to dedicated online payment providers like Stripe or Opayo
• Some merchants report unexpected PCI non-compliance fees added to monthly bills if the annual questionnaire is not completed on time

takepayments Pros and Cons

Pros

• takepaymentsplus EPOS system combines payments and point-of-sale software in one device, which removes the need for a separate till for many small retailers and cafes
• Strong offering for hospitality businesses table management and stock tracking are built into the EPOS product
• UK-based support team with telephone and email channels
• Pay-by-link and virtual terminal included for businesses that also take phone or online orders
• Serves over 80,000 UK businesses, indicating a stable and established operation

Cons

• Transaction rates are not published publicly and must be negotiated, making it difficult to assess value without going through the sales process
• Contract lock-in periods of 24 36 months with early termination charges are a significant commitment for newer businesses
• Monthly terminal rental fees apply on top of transaction fees, so total costs can be higher than they first appear
• The EPOS system, whilst useful, is not as customisable as standalone EPOS solutions from dedicated providers

Which is Better For...?

Small Retail Businesses

For a small retail business processing between £5,000 and £15,000 a month, takepayments has the edge if you want an integrated till and payment system in one device. The takepaymentsplus terminal removes the cost of a separate EPOS system, which can save £30 £80 a month compared to running a standalone till alongside a separate card machine. Handepay is the better choice if you already have a till system and simply need competitive card processing rates.

Hospitality Businesses

takepayments is the stronger fit for cafes, restaurants, and pubs. The table management and stock tracking features built into takepaymentsplus are genuinely useful for hospitality operations. Handepay can serve hospitality businesses well on pricing, but it does not offer the same integrated EPOS depth. If your business has multiple terminals and needs floor-level reporting, takepayments is the more practical choice.

High Volume Merchants

Businesses processing over £20,000 a month should prioritise the transaction rate above all else. Handepay's interchange-plus pricing model gives larger merchants a clearer view of their true processing cost and can produce lower effective rates than blended pricing. At £50,000 monthly card turnover, even a 0.2 percentage point difference in rate saves £100 a month. Use the Compare Card Fees comparison tool to get quotes from both providers and compare the total monthly cost at your actual volume.

Mobile and Field-Based Businesses

Handepay's GPRS mobile terminal is a solid choice for tradespeople, market traders, and mobile service businesses. takepayments also offers a mobile terminal, but its strongest products are designed for fixed locations. For a business that takes most payments on the road, Handepay's mobile offering is slightly more established. That said, both providers charge terminal rental even for mobile units, so it is worth checking whether a pay-as-you-go provider like SumUp would be cheaper at lower monthly volumes.

Our Verdict

Handepay and takepayments are well-matched providers for UK businesses that are ready to commit to a contract and want a genuine merchant account rather than an aggregated service. Handepay's main strength is pricing transparency through interchange-plus, which rewards higher-volume merchants. takepayments' main strength is its EPOS integration, which makes it the more practical choice for retail and hospitality businesses that want payments and point-of-sale in one place.

The honest caveat for both is that contract length and early termination fees carry real financial risk, particularly for newer businesses whose volumes may change. Neither provider is suitable for businesses that want flexibility to leave without penalty. If you are processing under £5,000 a month, a pay-as-you-go provider may cost less overall even after accounting for higher per-transaction rates.

The best way to decide is to get itemised quotes from both providers and compare the total monthly cost at your actual card turnover. Compare Card Fees is a free, independent advisory service that has helped UK businesses find better card payment deals since 2012. Use the merchant services comparison tool to get quotes from Handepay, takepayments, and other UK providers in one place.