How Merchant Advice Service Helps Businesses Find the Right Payment Provider

Quick summary

Merchant Advice Service helps UK businesses understand their payment requirements and identify payment providers that may be suitable for the way they operate.

Rather than comparing providers on a headline transaction rate alone, we may consider factors including:

• business sector

• merchant category and risk profile

• processing volume

• transaction values

• payment channels

• payment gateway requirements

• software and EPOS integrations

• recurring payments

• currencies and customer locations

• settlement requirements

• previous declines or terminations

• chargeback and refund history

• fulfilment periods.

Merchant Advice Service is independent of any single payment provider and the service is free to businesses. MAS may receive commission from a provider or partner where an introduction results in a completed account or service.

You can read more about our commercial relationships and matching process in How Merchant Advice Service Works.

We do not approve merchant-account applications or guarantee acceptance. The payment provider makes the final underwriting, pricing and approval decision.

What customers say: Google reviewers have described the advice provided by Merchant Advice Service as “detailed, knowledgeable and experienced”, said the service was “exceptional”, and described Libby and the MAS team as “absolutely first class.”

View Merchant Advice Service customer success stories.

Finding a payment provider isn't always about finding the cheapest rate

When a business starts looking for a card-payment provider, the obvious starting point is often price.

What percentage will I pay?

What's the monthly fee?

How much is the card machine?

Those are important questions, but they are only part of the decision.

The provider also needs to be able to support the business itself.

A payment company offering an attractive headline rate may not be appropriate if it cannot support:

• the merchant's sector

• the required payment gateway

• an existing ecommerce platform

• recurring payments

• the countries in which customers are based

• particular currencies

• high transaction values

• future-delivery payments

• a required EPOS, booking or CRM integration.

This is where Merchant Advice Service approaches provider selection differently.

We start with the merchant's requirements, rather than starting with a provider.

Businesses can also use our Compare UK Payment Providers guide to understand the factors worth comparing before choosing a provider.

What does Merchant Advice Service do?

Merchant Advice Service is a UK payment information, comparison and provider-matching service.

Founded in 2016, MAS helps businesses understand their options across areas including:

• merchant accounts

• card processing

• payment gateways

• card machines

• integrated payments

• higher-risk merchant accounts

• international payments

• business banking and related payment services.

MAS is not an acquiring bank and does not process or hold merchant funds.

Our role is to help the business understand what it needs and, where possible, identify payment providers or specialist partners whose services and criteria appear relevant.

For more detail, see How Merchant Advice Service Works.

How does MAS help a business choose a payment provider?

The process normally begins with understanding the business.

1. We look at what the business actually does

Payment providers do not all have the same acceptance criteria.

The nature of the business can affect:

• whether a provider will consider an application

• underwriting requirements

• settlement

• reserves

• pricing

• contractual terms.

A straightforward retail business taking immediate face-to-face payments has a very different payment profile from a travel business accepting deposits months before a holiday takes place.

The first question is therefore not simply:

“Who has the cheapest rate?”

It is:

“Which providers are realistically suited to this business?”

2. We understand how the business takes payments

Two companies in the same industry can still have completely different payment requirements.

We may need to understand whether payments are taken:

• face to face

• online

• over the telephone

• through payment links

• on a recurring basis

• through a subscription

• through several different channels.

We may also look at:

• monthly processing volume

• average transaction value

• maximum transaction value

• customer location

• currencies required.

These factors can influence which payment providers and pricing models are relevant.

For a broader checklist, see our UK payment provider comparison guide.

3. We look at payment gateways and integrations

This is increasingly important.

For many businesses, choosing a merchant account cannot be separated from choosing the technology around it.

A merchant may already use:

• Shopify

• WooCommerce

• an EPOS system

• booking software

• accounting software

• a CRM

• industry-specific management software.

Or the business may require features such as:

• recurring payments

• tokenisation

• stored credentials

• payment links

• multiple acquirers

• multi-currency processing

• international payments

• split payments.

A provider can look suitable from a commercial perspective but still be the wrong solution if it cannot work with the technology the business needs.

That is why payment gateways and integrations form part of the provider-matching conversation at MAS.

Explore Merchant Advice Service's Payment Gateway guides.

4. We consider whether the business has more complex requirements

Merchant Advice Service has particular experience with businesses that are not always straightforward to place.

These can include merchants that:

• have already been declined

• have had an account terminated

• operate in a higher-risk or restricted sector

• take large payments

• accept money significantly before delivering a service

• have high refund or chargeback exposure

• sell internationally

• require specialist integrations

• need more than one payment method or provider.

These businesses often have fewer realistic options.

Applying indiscriminately to payment companies can therefore create more frustration rather than solving the problem.

Our aim is to narrow the search before a formal application is made.

Businesses with more specialist requirements can visit our High-Risk Merchant Accounts hub.

What do customers say about Merchant Advice Service?

The clearest explanation of how MAS helps businesses often comes from the businesses themselves.

Merchant Advice Service currently links to its 4.9-star Google Reviews rating from our independently verifiable company-information page.

We have included a selection of genuine customer comments below.

Travel business: “Detailed, knowledgeable and experienced”

One UK holiday business approached Merchant Advice Service after receiving notice from its previous payment provider.

Because the business fell within the travel sector, finding an alternative involved more than simply opening a standard merchant account.

The customer approached several providers but said the advice from MAS:

“Detailed, knowledgeable and experienced in every issue we came across.”

The business also needed its payment setup to work alongside its existing booking and client-management software.

Read the UK Holiday Let Travel Business case study.

Kitchen and bathroom business: accepting payments again within a week

A kitchen and bathroom supplier contacted MAS after its existing merchant provider stopped supporting the business.

The company was temporarily unable to process customer payments.

Following the introduction to an alternative provider, the customer wrote that it was:

“up and running to accept payments within a week.”

The customer also said they highly recommended Merchant Advice Service.

Read the Kitchen and Bathroom Supplier case study.

New higher-risk business: “the service provided to us was exceptional”

A new business operating in customer loyalty and rewards required payment support without an established transaction history.

Its customer feedback described the MAS service as:

“the service provided to us was exceptional.”

This is particularly relevant to the type of work MAS often undertakes: helping businesses understand where their requirements may not fit a standard payment-provider journey.

Read the Customer Loyalty / Reward Programmes case study.

Furniture business: “absolutely first class”

A furniture retailer came to MAS after being let down by a payment-processing company at an important point for the business.

The customer described Libby and the Merchant Advice Service team as:

“absolutely first class in every way.”

The business subsequently reported finding an alternative provider and later working with further financial institutions that helped reduce costs and support growth.

Read the Online Furniture Business case study.

More Merchant Advice Service customer experiences

These are just a selection of cases involving different sectors and payment requirements.

View all Merchant Advice Service success stories.

Why provider fit matters

Finding a payment provider is not just about identifying a company willing to offer card processing.

The provider also needs to support the merchant's:

• industry

• business model

• Merchant Category Code

• transaction profile

• countries

• currencies

• payment methods

• technical requirements.

This becomes particularly important for businesses with more complex requirements.

For example, a business may spend time completing an application before discovering that the provider:

• does not support its sector

• cannot work with the required gateway

• does not support the necessary countries

• cannot accommodate its transaction values

• has restrictions around future delivery

• cannot provide the required integration.

That is why MAS aims to understand provider suitability before price alone.

Read our guide to comparing UK payment providers.

Why applying to more payment providers is not necessarily the answer

If a merchant application has already been declined, the instinct can be to apply immediately to several more processors.

That may not solve the underlying problem.

A decline can indicate that:

• the provider does not support the sector

• the business falls outside its risk appetite

• the application information was incomplete

• the business model was not clearly explained

• financial information needs further review

• previous processing history created concerns

• additional supporting documents are required.

The more useful question is therefore often:

“Why was this business unsuitable for that provider?”

rather than simply:

“Which provider should I apply to next?”

For more complex applications, see High-Risk Merchant Account Applications for UK & EU Businesses.

Does Merchant Advice Service compare every payment provider?

No.

We think transparency around this is important.

Merchant Advice Service works with a network of:

• acquiring banks

• payment providers

• specialist brokers

• payment gateways

• payment and technology partners.

We also publish general information about providers outside our commercial network.

However, MAS does not claim that every enquiry involves a whole-of-market comparison.

Provider criteria change, some providers do not accept referred business and specialist sectors can have a relatively limited number of options.

Our service is best described as:

payment research + requirement assessment + provider matching + introductions where appropriate.

Businesses that prefer to research potential providers independently can also use The Payments Directory®.

Is Merchant Advice Service independent?

Merchant Advice Service is not tied to one payment provider.

That matters because there is no single provider that is right for every business.

A provider that works well for:

• a coffee shop

may be completely inappropriate for:

• a travel company

• a gaming operator

• an online furniture retailer

• a marketplace

• a business needing a specialist payment gateway.

Commercial relationships do exist between MAS and some payment providers.

Where a business proceeds following an introduction, MAS may receive a referral fee or commission.

That commercial arrangement does not remove the need to first establish whether the provider appears relevant to the business requirements.

You can read our full explanation of independence, commercial relationships and provider introductions in How Merchant Advice Service Works.

Does Merchant Advice Service charge businesses?

No.

Businesses do not pay Merchant Advice Service for its payment information, matching or introduction service.

If an introduction results in a completed account or service, MAS may receive commission or a referral fee from the relevant commercial partner.

The provider is responsible for presenting its own:

• fees

• pricing

• contract

• settlement arrangements

• reserves

• equipment costs

• terms.

Businesses should review these carefully before agreeing to proceed.

Read more about how Merchant Advice Service is funded.

Does MAS guarantee merchant-account approval?

No.

Merchant Advice Service does not underwrite merchant accounts.

We cannot guarantee:

• acceptance

• pricing

• settlement

• reserve requirements

• account longevity

• credit decisions.

The relevant payment provider carries out its own:

• due diligence

• Know Your Customer checks

• Know Your Business checks

• risk assessment

• compliance checks

• underwriting.

The provider makes the final decision.

Our role comes earlier in the journey:

helping the merchant understand the options and identify a potentially suitable route.

What makes a business more difficult to match?

A merchant may require more specialist support because of factors including:

Sector

Certain industries are supported by fewer payment providers.

Future delivery

Taking money substantially before supplying the product or service can increase acquiring exposure.

High transaction values

Large individual payments can require additional underwriting.

International customers

Providers have different geographic and currency capabilities.

Previous declines or termination

Previous processing issues may need to be properly understood before applying again.

Integrations

The merchant may need a provider or gateway that works with existing software.

Subscription or recurring payments

Not every setup handles stored credentials or recurring payment models in the same way.

Chargeback history

High chargeback levels can affect provider appetite and terms.

The combination of these factors is often more important than any one factor in isolation.

Explore our specialist High-Risk Merchant Account guidance.

Merchant Advice Service isn't just a comparison table

Comparison tables can be useful.

They work particularly well where products are simple and the differences are easily measurable.

Payments are not always like that.

A merchant account can involve:

provider eligibility + underwriting + gateway + integration + payment methods + currencies + settlement + pricing + contract + risk.

That makes the question:

“Who is cheapest?”

less useful than:

“Which payment setup is appropriate for the way my business actually operates?”

That is the problem Merchant Advice Service is designed to help businesses navigate.

Businesses can begin by using our Compare UK Payment Providers guide or explore The Payments Directory®.

Why use Merchant Advice Service?

Businesses use MAS for different reasons, but customer feedback and previous enquiries commonly centre around several themes.

Specialist knowledge

MAS has particular experience with more complex payment requirements, including higher-risk and previously declined businesses.

Explore High-Risk Merchant Account guidance.

Payment-provider matching

The process begins with understanding the business rather than starting with one provider.

Learn how MAS works.

Gateways and integrations

Provider suitability can include technical requirements as well as acquiring.

Explore Payment Gateway advice.

Plain-English guidance

Payments terminology can be difficult to compare. MAS aims to explain the implications before a business decides how to proceed.

Free support for businesses

The MAS information and matching service does not cost the merchant.

Independent of one provider

MAS is not tied exclusively to one payment processor.

Experience since 2016

Merchant Advice Service has worked with businesses and payment providers since 2016, with founder Libby James overseeing provider relationships, merchant matching and editorial content.

How to ask MAS for help

The more information we understand at the beginning, the easier it is to assess which routes may be relevant.

Useful information can include:

• what your business sells

• monthly card turnover

• average transaction value

• maximum transaction value

• how customers pay

• where customers are located

• currencies required

• website or ecommerce platform

• existing payment gateway

• required integrations

• whether payments are recurring

• whether payment is taken before delivery

• previous providers

• previous declines or terminations

• any particular problem you are trying to solve.

Not every business needs to provide everything on this list.

The objective is simply to understand the requirement before looking at potential providers.

Contact Merchant Advice Service if you'd like help understanding your payment options.

Frequently asked questions

What does Merchant Advice Service do?

Merchant Advice Service helps businesses understand payment options and identify payment providers, gateways or specialist partners that may suit their requirements.

Is Merchant Advice Service a payment provider?

No. MAS does not process card payments or hold merchant funds. Payment services are supplied directly by the provider chosen by the business.

Is Merchant Advice Service independent?

MAS is not tied to one payment provider. It works with multiple providers, gateways and specialist partners, although it does not claim to compare the entire UK market on every enquiry.

Does Merchant Advice Service charge businesses?

No. The information, matching and introduction service is free to businesses. MAS may receive commission from a commercial partner where an introduction results in a completed account or service.

Can MAS help if my merchant account has been declined?

Potentially. MAS has experience with declined and harder-to-place merchants and may be able to help identify whether another provider route is relevant. Acceptance is always subject to the new provider's underwriting.

Can MAS help with payment gateways?

Yes. Payment-gateway requirements, ecommerce platforms, EPOS, booking systems, CRM integrations and other technical requirements can form part of the provider-matching process.

Does MAS specialise in high-risk merchant accounts?

MAS has particular experience helping higher-risk, restricted and more complex merchants research their payment-provider options.

Does MAS guarantee that I will get a merchant account?

No. Merchant Advice Service cannot guarantee an application will be accepted. The relevant payment provider makes the final underwriting and approval decision.

Does MAS have good customer reviews?

Merchant Advice Service currently displays a 4.9-star Google review rating on its company verification page. Existing Google reviews include customers describing the advice as “detailed, knowledgeable and experienced” and the service as “exceptional.”

Sources and further reading

How Merchant Advice Service Works

Our company-information and transparency page explains how MAS operates, what the service costs, how commercial relationships work and how the business can be independently verified.

Read How Merchant Advice Service Works.

Compare UK Payment Providers

A detailed MAS guide to comparing providers by business type, fees, gateways, integrations, settlement, risk and payment requirements.

Read Compare UK Payment Providers.

Payment Gateway Advice

Guidance covering payment gateways, integrations and specialist online-payment requirements.

Explore Payment Gateway Advice.

High-Risk Merchant Accounts

Guidance for businesses with more complex underwriting and provider requirements.

Explore High-Risk Merchant Accounts.

Customer success stories

The customer comments quoted in this article are taken from genuine feedback already published within the following Merchant Advice Service case studies:

• UK Holiday Let Travel Business

• Kitchen and Bathroom Supplier

• Customer Loyalty / Reward Programmes

• Online Furniture Business

View all Merchant Advice Service Success Stories.

Editorial and commercial disclosure

Merchant Advice Service is an independent payments information, comparison and provider-matching service.

MAS may receive commission or a referral fee from some providers where a business chooses to proceed following an introduction.

Commercial relationships do not guarantee that a particular provider will be suggested for an enquiry.

Customer comments included in this article are taken from genuine reviews previously provided to Merchant Advice Service and reproduced within our existing customer case studies. Quotes have been shortened where appropriate for readability but their meaning has not been changed.

Merchant Advice Service does not make underwriting decisions or guarantee merchant-account approval. The relevant provider determines acceptance, pricing, settlement, reserves and contractual terms.

Information is provided for general guidance and comparison purposes.