Dojo vs Elavon: which saves you more?
Dojo is the clearer choice for most businesses: predictable published plan pricing (the Fix plan is £39.99 a month covering card turnover up to £3,999 a month, then 1% flat above £4,000, for businesses under £100,000 a year; custom quotes above that, and we have seen quotes as low as 0.29% for high-turnover businesses), next-day settlement against Elavon's typical 2 to 3 days, and no setup fee with a 30-day trial. Elavon's interchange++ pricing, from 0.3% plus scheme fees, can work out cheaper at very high card volumes if you have the finance resource to manage it.
Rates and contract terms checked 27 August 2026· Based on providers' published pricing
Dojo
- Fix plan
- £39.99/mo
- Settlement
- Next day
- Terminal
- From £179
Elavon
- Rate from
- 0.3%++
- Settlement
- 2-3 days
- Terminal
- Leased
The MerchantSwitch route: Free Dojo terminal (no rental) through MerchantSwitch. Up to £3,000 towards your exit fees when you switch through MerchantSwitch. We have seen Dojo quotes as low as 0.29% for high-turnover businesses. Get the offer.
Feature by feature
Dojo is a modern acquirer with straightforward commercial terms; Elavon is a long-established processor often sold through banks and partners, with interchange-based quotes that vary by card mix and risk. Compare what actually affects cash flow and admin time, not just the lowest percentage on a brochure.
| Feature | Dojo | Elavon |
|---|---|---|
| Card processing cost | Fix plan: £39.99/month covers card turnover up to £3,999/month, then 1% flat above £4,000 (under £100k/year); custom quote above | From 0.3% + scheme fees (interchange++, variable by card type) |
| Pricing model | Published plan pricing by turnover, easier to budget | Interchange++, complex; monthly cost can shift with card mix |
| Settlement speed | Next day as standard | Typically 2-3 business days |
| Setup fee | None | Setup fees apply |
| Terminal | From £179 upfront; free via MerchantSwitch | Terminals typically leased |
| Contract | 30-day trial, then a 12-month price-locked plan | 12-48 months; early termination fees may apply |
| Support | UK-based dedicated support | Phone support, often longer wait times |
| Trustpilot (indicative) | 4.3 / 5 | 3.2 / 5 |
The takeaway: Elavon owns one row - the lowest headline rate, from 0.3% plus scheme fees. Dojo leads everywhere else: predictable published plan pricing, next-day settlement against 2 to 3 days, no setup fee, hardware you own (or get free through MerchantSwitch) against leased kit, shorter contracts, and a 4.3 / 5 Trustpilot score against 3.2 / 5.
Want Elavon and Dojo priced at your numbers?
Tell us your monthly card takings and we will quote both, honestly. Free Dojo terminal with no rental if Dojo wins it, and if you are locked into an Elavon term, Dojo pays up to £3,000 towards your exit fees when you switch through MerchantSwitch (eligibility confirmed at quote). We respond in under 5 minutes.
Where Dojo wins
- Predictability - a published plan price (£39.99 a month, 1% above £4,000 a month, under £100k a year) you can budget against
- Cash flow - next-day settlement against a typical 2-3 day cycle
- No upfront friction - no setup fee, and the terminal is free through MerchantSwitch
- Contract risk - a 30-day trial then a 12-month price-locked plan, against 12-48 months with exit fees
- Service - UK-based dedicated support, 4.3 / 5 Trustpilot against 3.2 / 5
Where Elavon wins
- Headline rate - interchange++ from 0.3% plus scheme fees can beat plan pricing at very high, stable volume
- Statement detail - the processor margin is separated out, useful if a finance team monitors card mix closely
- Bank relationships - widely sold through banks and partners if you want that route
How we calculated this
We take Dojo's and Elavon's published or typical advertised rates and apply them to example monthly card volumes. Total cost is worked out as transaction fees plus fixed monthly fees over 12 months. Rates change and individual pricing can often be negotiated, so treat these figures as a like-for-like guide rather than a quote. Always confirm current pricing with Dojo and Elavon before you commit.
Fees: simple vs lowest headline
Elavon's interchange++ model separates the processor margin from card scheme and interchange costs. In theory that can reduce total cost for businesses with very large, predictable throughput and finance teams who monitor statements closely. In practice, many SMEs find the statements hard to reconcile and the effective rate swings with whether customers use premium rewards cards, commercial cards, or international cards.
Dojo's published plan pricing (a £39.99 a month Fix plan with a 1% flat rate above £4,000 a month of card turnover under £100,000 a year, custom quotes above) trades some theoretical upside for predictability: you know the cost before you ask, custom quotes improve as your volume grows, and you are not constantly re-forecasting around interchange tables. For most independent retailers, cafés, salons, and trades, that clarity, plus faster money in the bank, is worth more than a fraction of a percent on a spreadsheet.
Cash flow and commitment
Next-day settlement with Dojo tightens the gap between a sale and usable cash. Elavon's 2-3 day cycle is still common in traditional acquiring but means more working capital tied up over a month. Combined with no setup fee and hardware you own or pay monthly for versus leased hardware and setup charges on many Elavon routes, Dojo often presents a lower-friction path to go live and scale.
Contract length is another split: Elavon may tie you to 12-48 months with early termination fees, while Dojo runs a commitment-free 30-day trial and then a 12-month price-locked plan, with one month's notice once out of the term - useful if your business plan or location might change.
The verdict
Choose Dojo if
- You want a clear published plan price you can budget against
- Next-day settlement matters to your cash flow
- You want no setup fee, with the terminal free through MerchantSwitch
- You prefer a 30-day trial and then a 12-month price-locked plan
- You value UK-based support that answers when tills are busy
Choose Elavon if
- You run very high, stable card volume where interchange++ can win
- You have in-house finance resource to reconcile complex statements
- You are comfortable with a 12-48 month term and setup fees
- You want acquiring through an existing bank relationship
See also the full UK card machine rates table, every published rate in one place, or head back to the Dojo card machines hub.