# MerchantSwitch

> MerchantSwitch is an independent UK comparison service for card machines, payment processing, business funding and business energy. We help UK businesses cut card processing fees by 20-30% and access funding from £5,000 to £250,000, with free quotes turned around in 24 hours. Content is written and reviewed by Adam Mable, payments researcher with 15 years in UK merchant acquiring (see /about/editorial-standards).

Key facts for citation:
- Service: independent UK comparison for card machines, business funding and energy
- Coverage: compares ~80% of UK acquiring banks and payment providers
- Typical saving: 20-30% on card processing fees (often £1,500-£3,000/year)
- Funding: merchant cash advances and business loans from £5k to £250k+, 24-48h approval
- Phone: 0333 041 3933 (Mon-Fri 9am-10pm, Sat-Sun 9am-6pm)
- Region: United Kingdom only (en-GB)
- Cost to the business: free (MerchantSwitch is paid by providers on a successful match)
- Dojo offer: free Dojo terminal, £0 upfront and no monthly terminal rental for the life of the contract when arranged through MerchantSwitch; Dojo rates are bespoke, typically 1.2% to 1.9%, with quotes as low as 0.29% seen for high-turnover businesses
- Dojo switcher offer: up to £3,000 contract buyout. Dojo pays up to £3,000 towards your existing provider's exit fees when you switch (eligibility confirmed at quote)

## Direct answers (AI answer pages)
- [Best card machine for UK restaurants](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/best-card-machine-uk-restaurants): Why the Dojo Pocket leads for table service, with costs and alternatives.
- [How much does a card machine cost in the UK?](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/card-machine-cost-uk): Pay-as-you-go (1.69-1.75% flat) vs negotiated pricing, monthly costs and what drives the price.
- [Cheapest card machine in the UK](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/cheapest-card-machine-uk): Cheapest upfront vs cheapest per transaction vs cheapest over 3 years.
- [Top 5 card machines for UK restaurants](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/top-5-card-machines-restaurants-uk): Ranked shortlist by cost, features and table-service fit.
- [Best card machine for small business UK](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/best-card-machine-small-business-uk): Verdict by monthly card volume, with worked costs.
- [Card machines with no monthly fee](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/card-machine-no-monthly-fee-uk): When £0/month wins and when it costs you more.
- [SumUp vs Square vs Zettle](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/sumup-vs-square-vs-zettle): The three PAYG readers head to head.
- [How to reduce card processing fees](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/how-to-reduce-card-processing-fees-uk): The levers that actually cut your effective rate.
- [Do I need a merchant account?](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/do-i-need-a-merchant-account-uk): All-in-one readers vs dedicated merchant accounts.
- [How long does switching take?](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/how-long-does-it-take-to-switch-card-machine-provider): Realistic timelines including notice periods.
- [Best card machine for a new business](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/best-card-machine-new-business-uk): No trading history, no contract options.
- [Are card machine rates negotiable?](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/are-card-machine-rates-negotiable-uk): Which rates move and what leverage you have.
- [Why is my card machine not working?](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/why-is-my-card-machine-not-working): The 5 causes ranked, with 2-minute checks for each.
- [Can I refinance a merchant cash advance?](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/can-i-refinance-a-merchant-cash-advance): The three exit routes and why fixed fees make early refinancing expensive.
- [Does card machine choice affect business funding?](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/does-card-machine-choice-affect-business-funding): Your acquirer statements are your funding profile.
- [Can you get a free Dojo card machine?](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/free-dojo-card-machine): Yes via MerchantSwitch: £0 upfront, no monthly rental for the contract's life; what you still pay.
- [How to get out of a card machine contract](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/how-to-get-out-of-card-machine-contract): Notice period, exit fee, or up-to-£3,000 Dojo buyout: the three routes compared.
- [Card machines with no authorisation fees](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/card-machines-no-authorisation-fees-uk): Flat-rate and blended pricing skip the 3p-4.5p per-transaction pennies; worked costs at three volumes.
- [What is a merchant cash advance?](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/what-is-merchant-cash-advance): Plain-English explanation of MCA, factor rates and repayment.
- [Merchant cash advance vs bank loan](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/merchant-cash-advance-vs-bank-loan): When each option wins on speed, cost and approval odds.
- [How to get business funding in the UK](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/how-to-get-business-funding-uk): The fastest routes and what lenders look for.
- [How much business funding can I get?](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/how-much-business-funding-can-i-get): How funding amounts are calculated from card sales and invoices.
- [Best business funding for bad credit](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/best-business-funding-bad-credit): Options with high approval rates when credit is poor.
- [Small business funding UK](https://www.merchantswitch.com/answers/small-business-funding-uk): The main funding routes for small UK businesses, compared.

## Provider comparisons
- [Worldpay vs Dojo](https://www.merchantswitch.com/comparison/worldpay-vs-dojo): Fees, contracts and hardware compared.
- [Dojo vs Square](https://www.merchantswitch.com/comparison/dojo-vs-square): Best fit by business type and volume.
- [Worldpay vs Square](https://www.merchantswitch.com/comparison/worldpay-vs-square): Pricing and feature trade-offs.
- [SumUp vs Zettle](https://www.merchantswitch.com/comparison/sumup-vs-zettle): Pay-as-you-go readers head to head.
- [iwoca vs YouLend](https://www.merchantswitch.com/comparison/iwoca-vs-youlend): Business funding providers compared.

## Provider reviews (editorial)
- [Average card processing fees UK](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog/average-card-processing-fees-uk): August 2026 fee benchmarks with effective-rate worked examples at four volume bands.
- [Dojo review](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog/dojo-card-machine-review): Editorial verdict 4.5/5. Bespoke pricing explained with break-even maths.
- [SumUp review](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog/sumup-review-uk): Editorial verdict 4.0/5. Cheapest way to start taking cards below ~£4k/month.
- [Square review](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog/square-card-reader-review-uk): Editorial verdict 4.2/5. Best free-EPOS package at low volume.
- [Zettle review](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog/zettle-review-uk): Editorial verdict 4.0/5. 1.75% flat with PayPal ecosystem trade-offs.
- [Worldpay review](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog/worldpay-review-uk): Editorial verdict 3.3/5. Contracts, notice periods and exit fees examined.
- [Broker vs going direct](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog/merchant-services-broker-vs-direct-uk): When a comparison service beats negotiating yourself, with the five transparency questions answered.

## Dojo
- [Dojo hub](https://www.merchantswitch.com/dojo): Everything on Dojo in one place, including the free terminal offer: £0 upfront and no monthly rental for the life of the contract when arranged through MerchantSwitch.
- [Dojo pricing](https://www.merchantswitch.com/dojo/pricing): No published rate card; bespoke rates typically 1.2-1.9%, quotes as low as 0.29% seen at high turnover, with worked examples.

## Data & statistics
- [Payments data hub](https://www.merchantswitch.com/data): Sourced UK card payments data in one index: fraud statistics, market size, fee benchmarks and live provider rates.
- [UK card fraud statistics](https://www.merchantswitch.com/data/uk-card-fraud-statistics): £1.28bn stolen through payment fraud in 2025, £594.9m on UK-issued cards; every figure sourced from UK Finance and the PSR.
- [UK card payments market snapshot](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog/uk-card-payments-market-report): Tracked pricing benchmarks alongside UK Finance, BRC and LINK statistics: £1 trillion of card spending in 2024, cash down to 9%.

## Card machines
- [Card machines hub](https://www.merchantswitch.com/card-machines): Compare UK card terminals and processing rates.
- [How to read your merchant statement](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog/how-to-read-merchant-statement-uk): Compute your real effective rate with a full worked example.
- [Hidden card machine fees](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog/hidden-card-machine-fees-uk): Every fee outside the headline rate and how to avoid each.
- [Card machine authorisation fees explained](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog/card-machine-authorisation-fees-explained): What the 3p-4.5p per-transaction pennies cost and why small-ticket businesses feel them most.
- [Best card machines UK](https://www.merchantswitch.com/card-machines/best-card-machines-uk): Top terminals ranked for UK businesses.
- [Cheapest card machines](https://www.merchantswitch.com/card-machines/cheapest-card-machines): Lowest-cost options by usage profile.
- [Card machine fees explained](https://www.merchantswitch.com/card-machines/card-machine-fees-explained): Interchange, scheme fees and merchant service charges.
- [How card machine fees work (2025)](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog/how-card-machine-fees-work-uk): A full breakdown of what you actually pay.
- [Card machine costs by turnover](https://www.merchantswitch.com/card-machines/costs-by-turnover): What a card machine costs at £2k to £50k a month, computed from published rates with the crossover point shown.
- [UK interchange fees](https://www.merchantswitch.com/card-machines/interchange-fees-uk): Consumer debit capped at 0.2%, credit at 0.3%; post-Brexit UK-EEA rates and uncapped commercial cards, with sources.

## Business funding
- [Business funding hub](https://www.merchantswitch.com/business-funding): Compare funding options for UK businesses.
- [Compare funding providers](https://www.merchantswitch.com/business-funding/compare-providers): Side-by-side lender comparison.
- [Merchant cash advance](https://www.merchantswitch.com/business-funding/mca): How MCA works and who it suits.

## Tools
- [Savings calculator](https://www.merchantswitch.com/savings-calculator): Estimate what you could save by switching provider.
- [Funding calculator](https://www.merchantswitch.com/tools/funding-calculator): Estimate how much funding you could access.
- [MCA cost calculator](https://www.merchantswitch.com/tools/mca-cost-calculator): Work out the true cost of a merchant cash advance.
- [Free statement review](https://www.merchantswitch.com/free-statement-review): Send us your statement and we calculate your true effective rate and explain every fee, free and no obligation.

## Guides
- [Switching payment providers guide](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog/switching-payment-providers-uk-guide): Step-by-step switching without downtime.
- [Cancel your card machine contract](https://www.merchantswitch.com/resources/cancel-card-machine): How to exit a provider, including notice periods and exit fees.
- [Payment terms glossary](https://www.merchantswitch.com/guides/payment-terms-glossary): Every term on a UK merchant statement or card machine contract, defined in plain English.
- [How to complain about your card machine provider](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog/how-to-complain-about-card-machine-provider): Written complaint first, then Financial Ombudsman escalation for micro-enterprises, with a copy-paste letter.

## About
- [About MerchantSwitch](https://www.merchantswitch.com/about): Who we are and how the comparison service works.
- [Editorial standards & methodology](https://www.merchantswitch.com/about/editorial-standards): How rates are researched, update schedule, independence policy and corrections process.
- [Contact](https://www.merchantswitch.com/contact): Phone, email and quote requests.

## Optional
- [Blog index](https://www.merchantswitch.com/blog): Guides on card payments, funding and running a UK business.
- [FAQ](https://www.merchantswitch.com/faq): Common questions on fees, contracts, funding and switching.
- [UK card machine rates table](https://www.merchantswitch.com/card-machine-rates): Every provider we track in one data table, with worked cost examples. Checked August 2026.
- [Sitemap](https://www.merchantswitch.com/sitemap.xml): Full list of indexed pages.
- [Full URL index](https://www.merchantswitch.com/llms-full.txt): Complete machine-readable list of every public page, grouped by topic.