How we are funded
AcceptCard combines editorial and transactional content. We earn money four ways. None of them buy a higher ranking or a friendlier review verdict.
Revenue lines
- Affiliate (Awin). Direct sign-up partners on Awin: Tide, SumUp, Zettle, Square. We earn a fixed referral fee on completed sign-ups. Affiliate links are flagged inline.
- Direct programmes. Direct relationships with named processors and acquirers: SumUp, Square, Zettle, Stripe, Tide, Dojo. Same model as affiliate, just a direct relationship rather than via a network.
- Direct CPL with brokers. Where the right answer for a reader is an acquirer broker (Take Payments, Paymentsense, MerchantSavvy), we route the introduction and the broker pays a CPL on qualified leads.
- High-risk direct deals. Specialist acquirers for CBD, vape, adult, gambling and other high-risk categories (Trust Payments, Universe Payments, Acquired.com). Higher CPLs reflecting the category economics.
What money does not buy
- Position in a "best card machine for [trade]" listicle.
- Inclusion in a head-to-head comparison.
- The verdict in a single-terminal review.
- Removal of a critical finding once published.
- Exclusion of a competing acquirer from a switching guide.
Commission ranges by partner type (typical)
The acquirer pays AcceptCard either a one-off introduction fee (Cost Per Lead / Cost Per Acquisition) or a recurring rev-share on processed volume. Ranges below are typical for the UK card-payment broker market; exact figures vary per merchant deal.
| Partner type | Model | Typical UK range |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliate (Awin) | Fixed CPA on completed sign-up | £20 to £80 per signed merchant |
| Direct mainstream acquirer | CPL or revenue share | £40 to £250 CPA, or 5 to 15 bps revenue share for 12 months |
| Direct CPL with brokers | CPL on qualified lead | £50 to £300 per qualified introduction |
| High-risk specialists | CPL or rev share, higher for risk | £250 to £2,000 CPA depending on vertical (online gambling, dating, adult, CBD) |
| Online gateways | Revenue share or CPA | £40 to £150 CPA, or 3 to 10 bps revenue share |
| Bank acquirers | Bespoke CPL | £100 to £500 per qualified merchant introduction |
Source: AcceptCard partner agreements 2026 plus published UK card-payment industry benchmarks. Specific figures per merchant introduction not disclosed at signature level for commercial reasons; ranges above are honest.
Rate spreads and effective cost
Card payments pricing is famously confusing: blended rates, interchange-plus, IC++, monthly fees, terminal rental, PCI fees, chargeback fees. Our rule is to publish the publicly advertised rate alongside a typical effective cost for a representative SMB profile, so readers can compare like for like. This applies regardless of which partner pays us more.
Sister sites
Best Business Loans Ltd owns AcceptCard and three sister sites: BestBusinessLoans (loans editorial), FundBiz (specialty finance broker), MarketInvoice (invoice finance).
Auditing
The editorial-commercial split is audited internally each year. The audit checks listicle rankings against published methodology, review verdicts against the source data and test results, and whether any commercial conversation influenced a published change. Findings are summarised on this page in the year-end review.
Last reviewed: 26 April 2026.