Amex merchant fees in the UK: which providers include Amex?
Most UK pay-as-you-go card machines charge American Express at the same rate as Visa and Mastercard: SumUp 1.69%, Square and Zettle 1.75%, and Dojo's 1.2% blended rate covers all cards for businesses with annual card turnover below £100,000. Lopay adds 1% for Amex and Revolut charges 1.7% + 2p, while American Express itself does not publish the rate it charges merchants who sign up directly.
Each rate read from the provider's own UK pricing page on 1 November 2026. In-person payments on UK consumer cards.
What do UK card machine providers charge for Amex?
| Provider | Visa / Mastercard rate | Amex rate | What the provider says |
|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp (pay as you go) | 1.69% | 1.69% | SumUp says the rate covers "all cards, including American Express". Source |
| SumUp Payments Plus (£19/month) | 0.99% | 1.69% | Amex, premium and international cards stay at 1.69% on this plan. Source |
| Square | 1.75% | 1.75% | Square says Visa, Mastercard and American Express are all charged at the same rate; non-UK cards add 1.5%. Source |
| Zettle | 1.75% | 1.75% | Zettle says the same rate applies to major cards, "even American Express". Source |
| Dojo (under £100,000 a year) | 1.2% | 1.2% | Dojo publishes a 1.2% all-in blended rate for all card transactions; above £100,000 a year the rate is a custom quote. Source |
| Revolut Business | 0.8% + 2p | 1.7% + 2p | UK consumer Amex cards; non-UK and commercial cards are 2.6% + 2p. Source |
| Lopay (Standard) | 0.99% | 1.99% | Lopay adds 1% for Amex, and another 1% each if the card is also international or corporate. Source |
| Tide | 1.5% + 5p | Not published | Tide prices its headline rates for domestic consumer debit cards only. Source |
| Flatpay | 1.49% | Not published | The terminal page says "all cards" but names only Visa and Mastercard. Source |
| American Express direct | n/a | Not published | Separate Amex agreement; rate set by industry and annual Amex volume. Source |
"Not published" means the provider's pricing page gives no Amex rate; ask for it in writing before you sign. Traditional acquirers such as Worldpay, Barclaycard and Lloyds Cardnet quote per business and publish no rate card, so they are not in the table. Compare them in our card machine rates table.
How much extra does Amex cost the £5,000 a month shop?
Take our house example: £5,000 a month on cards, of which £500 is paid on UK consumer Amex cards. The extra cost of that £500 over what the same sales would cost on Visa or Mastercard:
- SumUp (pay as you go): £0.00 (Amex is charged at the same 1.69%)
- SumUp Payments Plus (£19/month): £500 × (1.69% − 0.99%) = £3.50 a month
- Square: £0.00 (Amex is charged at the same 1.75%)
- Zettle: £0.00 (Amex is charged at the same 1.75%)
- Dojo (under £100,000 a year): £0.00 (Amex is charged at the same 1.2%)
- Revolut Business: £500 × (1.7% − 0.8%) = £4.50 a month
- Lopay (Standard): £500 × (1.99% − 0.99%) = £5.00 a month
- Tide: Amex rate not published, so the extra cost cannot be worked out
- Flatpay: Amex rate not published, so the extra cost cannot be worked out
So the worst published case here is £5.00 a month on Lopay, or £60.00 a year. Revolut's extra is £4.50. That is the price of taking Amex, and on most flat-rate readers it is nothing at all.
What are American Express merchant services?
American Express merchant services is Amex's own acceptance agreement, signed directly with Amex rather than through your card machine provider. Amex says your rate is based on your industry and annual Amex card activity, and you contact its team to find it out: the rate is not published. Amex calls its merchant fee the "Discount". Amex says there are no extra set-up costs or monthly account fees, and it pays most merchants within five business days of receiving the charges. The terms also list a £1.75 paper statement fee (Amex payments and reconciliation guide).
A direct agreement means a second contract, a second settlement and a second statement to reconcile. Sources: Amex merchant fees, small merchant terms.
Should you sign up with Amex directly or through your provider?
Through your provider, if it prices Amex at its normal rate. On SumUp, Square, Zettle or Dojo's published blended rate, Amex costs you nothing extra and settles with the rest of your takings, so a direct Amex agreement can only add paperwork. A direct agreement starts to make sense for larger businesses whose provider charges a premium for Amex, or who are on a custom quote that prices Amex separately; get Amex's rate in writing and compare it line by line with your provider's Amex price before signing.
Is accepting Amex worth it?
Yes, for almost every small business on a flat-rate reader. If your provider charges Amex at the same rate, refusing it saves you nothing and turns customers away. Even on Lopay the extra on £500 of Amex sales is £5.00 a month, a small price next to turning a paying customer away. The case for refusing Amex only stands up when you are on a custom-quoted contract that charges Amex well above your other cards, and then the better move is to renegotiate the contract.
Can you charge customers extra for paying by Amex?
Not on personal cards. Since 13 January 2018 UK businesses cannot charge consumers extra for paying by debit or credit card, and that includes Amex. Commercial (business) cards are outside the ban. Source: gov.uk.
Which card machine is cheapest if many customers pay by Amex?
A provider that prices Amex the same as other cards. Of the published rates, Dojo's 1.2% for businesses with annual card turnover below £100,000 is the lowest flat price that includes Amex, then SumUp at 1.69% and Square and Zettle at 1.75%. Dojo's terminal costs extra (from £149 upfront or £15/month), so run the sums in our SumUp alternatives ranking, which shows how an Amex share changes the order. For how card fees are built up, see interchange fees explained and card scheme fees.
On a custom-quoted contract already? Send us a statement through the free statement review and we will show you what you pay on Amex against your other cards.
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Accepting American Express: common questions
Does SumUp take Amex?
Yes. SumUp charges 1.69% on in-person payments with all cards, including American Express, on pay as you go. On Payments Plus (£19/month) domestic cards drop to 0.99% but Amex stays at 1.69%.
Does Square charge more for American Express?
No. Square says Visa, Mastercard and American Express are all charged at the same 1.75% in person. Cards issued outside the UK carry an extra 1.5%.
Is Amex more expensive than Visa for a UK merchant?
Only with some providers. SumUp, Square, Zettle and Dojo's published blended rate price Amex the same as Visa and Mastercard. Lopay adds 1% and Revolut charges 1.7% + 2p on UK consumer Amex against 0.8% + 2p on Visa and Mastercard. American Express does not publish the rate it charges merchants directly.
Can I charge customers extra for paying by Amex?
Not on personal cards. Since 13 January 2018 UK businesses cannot charge consumers extra for paying by debit or credit card, and that includes Amex. Commercial (business) cards are outside the ban.