Top-5 Payment Service Providers for Startups

Choosing a Payment Service Provider (PSP) is an important step for startups to easily accept and process online transactions. However, with the wide range of options and the constant emergence of new players in the industry, it can be difficult to know which solution will best complement your business.

Learn more about payment service providers (PSPs) in our article here.

Finscanner took its top choices on the market and broke down the pros and cons to help you make an informed decision. Although the companies below have some differences in their services, they all act as excellent financial intermediaries. One can find additional information by diving into the company profiles at the Finscanner marketplace.

Please note: These recommendations are in no particular order of preference. The indicated score rating of the company is not the main criteria by which the current list was formed. However, its importance should not be underestimated. The score consists of a combination of the following components: TrustPilot score, general pricing of the services, social media presence, the popularity of the service, onboarding difficulty, and support quality.

1. Acquiring.com

Founded in 2014, Acquiring.com is an EU merchant acquirer solution of the Trust Payments Group, which offers a full range of payment technologies. The group holds an Authorised Payment Institution (API) license from the UK FCA, the license from the Malta Financial Service Authority (MFSA), Principal Memberships with Visa and Mastercard, as well as seven money transmission and gaming vendor licenses in the US.

✅ Pros: Flexible account configuration, a wide range of payment options, broad partnerships
❌ Cons: Slow onboarding, no fully open pricing information

Products & Services: Online Payments, Mobile Solutions, Instore POS, Merchant
Account, Custom Financial Reporting, Loyalty Program
Security: Fraud Check & 3D Secure 2, Authentication with 3D Secure 2.1
High-risk client category: Yes
Used by: APS Bank Partners, Paytriot Payments, CoinLoan, Yourpay, Kyte Consultants, Verdi Media Ltd, etc
Fees: Risk Premium Fee (Forex, Crypto, etc) – £50/month

2. BigWallet Payments

Founded in 2019, BigWallet is a licensed payment institution supervised by the Central Bank of Cyprus, which offers merchant accounts and payment processing to businesses. It aims to handle any scale of processing required by a startup or an established company.

✅ Pros: Supports over 20 acquirers and card processors
❌ Cons: EU-based merchants only, communication only via "fill in the form"

Products & Services: Merchant Account, Global Acquiring, Payout (Visa Direct, SEPA, SWIFT), Cashier, Merchant Referral Program
Security: PCI DSS level 1 compliant
High-risk client category: Yes in part
Used by: N/a
Fees: From 0.9%

3. ZotaPay

Founded in 2015, ZotaPay is a Tel Aviv financial technology company, which offers a wide range of alternative payment solutions and local payment methods worldwide. It has created a Startup Club to support new businesses and, after 3 months of reliable processing, it helps them apply to top-tier banks.

✅ Pros: Connected to 1000+ financial institutions and banks, active in 150 countries, low fees
❌ Cons: Poor customer support

Products & Services: Customizable Checkout, Accept Payments, Mobile Payments, Customized Invoices, Full-Featured Global Payment Gateway, Cashier, Virtual Terminal, Wallet
Security: 3D Secure authentication, PCI certified level 1
High-risk client category: Yes in part
Used by: N/a
Fees: From $25/month

4. Decta Ltd

Founded in 2015, Decta is a London-based payment processing company, which offers acquiring, issuing, and payment processing solutions. Whether it be banks, Payment Services Providers, or online merchants, It aims to support all possible customer project requirements in the automation of payments and operations.

✅ Pros: Good customer sentiment
❌ Cons: Difficult onboarding, no pricing information

Products & Services: Online Payment Acquiring, White Label Payment Gateway, White-Label Card Issuing & Processing Services
Security: 3D Secure V1 & V2, PCI DSS certified
High-risk client category: Yes
Used by: Novatti, Paysend, Mycom, TeslaPay
Fees: Vary depending on the risk category. Learn more here.

5. Payver Ltd

Founded in 2019, Payver is a UK-based small electronic money institution with a prime focus on offering innovative payment processing solutions and merchant accounts worldwide.

✅ Pros: N/a
❌ Cons: Focused product range, no pricing information

Products & Services: Business Accounts, Merchant Accounts, Payment Gateways, App
Security: PCI certified level 1
High-risk client category: Yes
Used by: N/a
Fees: N/a

Find more payment service providers at the Finscanner Marketplace and explore all the benefits for your business!

Still have questions? Feel free to contact us directly today!