Barclaycard Payments is the UK’s second-largest merchant acquirer, processing 8.7 billion card payments per year. Backed by Barclays PLC, it offers card machines from £16/month for contracted terminals plus a £29 pay-as-you-go reader – combining major-bank security with flexible hardware options.
We rate Barclaycard Payments 5.0 out of 10. The Smartpay Anywhere reader (£29, 1.6% flat, no contract) is a decent PAYG option, and high-volume businesses can negotiate competitive rates on contracted terminals. But a 1.3/5 Trustpilot score from 3,100+ reviews, opaque pricing on contracted products, and 18-month auto-renewing contracts are serious drawbacks that push most SMEs toward better alternatives.
This review covers Barclaycard’s card machines, pricing, contract terms, and the Brookfield partnership that’s reshaping ownership – plus why the customer service ratings are among the worst in the industry.
- Processes 8.7 billion transactions yearly - UK’s second-largest merchant acquirer backed by Barclays PLC’s financial strength
- Best for Barclays customers - Existing business banking clients benefit from integrated account management and reporting
- Complex pricing structures - Multiple fees and charges make total costs difficult to predict compared to flat-rate alternatives
- 30% higher than modern PSPs - Traditional acquiring model typically more expensive than Square, SumUp, or Stripe
- 500+ terminal options - Extensive hardware range covers all business types from small retailers to major enterprises
What Barclaycard Offers
Barclaycard provides card machines ranging from a £29 PAYG pocket reader to enterprise integrated POS. The UK’s second-largest acquirer with 24/7 fraud support and next-day settlement.
Barclaycard Payments sits within Barclays PLC and has been processing UK card payments for decades. In April 2025, Barclays announced a strategic partnership with Brookfield Asset Management – investing £400 million over three years to modernise the platform, with Brookfield having the option to acquire 70-80% ownership between years 3 and 7.
The brand stays as “Barclaycard Payments” and remains the sole payment provider for Barclays business customers for at least 10 years. For merchants, this means potential platform improvements but also ownership uncertainty – contracts signed today may be serviced by a partially Brookfield-owned entity before they expire.
Card Machines
Four products: Countertop (£16/mo), Portable (£18/mo), Smartpay Touch (£29/mo + £29 one-off), and Smartpay Anywhere (£29 one-off, no contract). Plus Connect+ Trinity for enterprise.
| Product | Monthly Cost | One-Off Cost | Transaction Rate | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Countertop | £16 + VAT | – | Custom (negotiated) | 18 months |
| Portable | £18 + VAT | – | Custom (negotiated) | 18 months |
| Smartpay Touch | £29 + VAT | £29 + VAT | 1.6% fixed (under £100K) | 12 months (£0 exit) |
| Smartpay Anywhere | £0 | £29 + VAT | 1.6% fixed (all cards) | None |
All devices accept contactless up to £100, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. The Countertop connects via Wi-Fi or Ethernet with RNIB-designed accessibility features (high contrast display, audio guidance). The Portable adds 4G SIM with 8-12 hour battery for tableside payments.
The Smartpay Touch (PAX A920) is the most capable – built-in printer, all-day battery, Smart SIM auto-connecting to the strongest network, and integration with TouchBistro. The Smartpay Anywhere is the PAYG option: a pocket reader paired to your phone, similar to SumUp or Square but at 1.6%.
Connect+ Trinity is the enterprise product – integrated countertop, portable, or mobile terminals with point-to-point encryption and multi-site device management. Quote-based, typically for £1M+/year businesses.
Pricing and Fees
PAYG rate is 1.6% fixed. Contracted terminal rates are negotiated – representative examples show debit at 0.7% + 3p and credit at 2.05% + 3p. Watch for setup fees (up to £150) and PCI charges.
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| PAYG rate (Smartpay Anywhere/Touch) | 1.6% fixed (all cards) |
| Debit card (contracted, representative) | 0.7% + 3p |
| Credit card (contracted, representative) | 2.05% + 3p |
| Setup fee (contracted terminals) | Up to £150 |
| PCI DSS management fee | £4.99-£9.99/month |
| Early termination (Countertop/Portable) | ~£7/remaining month per unit |
| Settlement | Next banking day |
The 1.6% PAYG rate is competitive but not the cheapest – SumUp charges 1.69% and Square 1.75%, but neither has a setup fee or PCI charge. High-volume merchants on contracted terminals can negotiate below 1.0% for debit cards – this is where Barclaycard’s value sits.
Watch for auto-renewal. Countertop and Portable contracts auto-renew at 18 months unless cancelled within the notice window. Miss it and you’re locked in again. Smartpay Touch and Smartpay Anywhere have no auto-renewal trap.
Customer Experience
1.3/5 on Trustpilot from 3,100+ reviews – among the worst in the UK payments industry. 24/7 fraud support is the one bright spot. General queries Mon-Fri only, no live chat.
This is Barclaycard’s biggest weakness. The 1.3/5 Trustpilot rating is not a marginal issue – it’s consistently poor across thousands of reviews. Common complaints include difficulty reaching support, slow dispute resolution, surprise fee increases on renewal, and frustrating cancellation processes.
24/7 phone support for technical issues and fraud is genuinely useful. But general customer service runs Mon-Fri 8am-6pm only, chargebacks Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, and there’s no live chat or email support. For a bank-backed provider serving millions of transactions, this is below par.
Compare this to Dojo (strong Trustpilot, 7-day support) or SumUp (4.4/5 Trustpilot). The gap is significant.
Pros and Cons
Major-bank backing and next-day settlement are genuine strengths. The 1.3/5 Trustpilot score, opaque pricing, and 18-month auto-renewing contracts make it hard to recommend for most SMEs.
Barclaycard vs Alternatives
The Smartpay Anywhere PAYG rate (1.6%) undercuts Square and SumUp, but the contracted terminals lack transparency. For most SMEs, modern alternatives offer better value and service.
| Provider | PAYG Rate | Entry Price | Contract | Trustpilot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barclaycard | 1.6% | £29 (Smartpay Anywhere) | None (PAYG) / 12-18 mo | 1.3/5 |
| SumUp | 1.69% | From £39 | None | 4.4/5 |
| Square | 1.75% | Free reader | None | 4.2/5 |
| Dojo | £39.99/mo all-in | From £79 | 12 months | 4.6/5 |
| Tide | 1.5% | Free reader | None | 4.2/5 |
Barclaycard’s 1.6% PAYG rate is lower than SumUp and Square – but the customer service gap is enormous. If you already bank with Barclays and process high volumes, the negotiated rates may justify the friction. For everyone else, SumUp, Square, or Tide offer better all-round experiences.
Our Verdict
We rate Barclaycard Payments 5.0/10 – a major-bank processor with competitive PAYG rates, but the worst customer service ratings in the UK payments industry undermine the proposition.
Major-bank backing and next-day settlement, but 1.3/5 Trustpilot and 18-month auto-renewing contracts make it hard to recommend for most SMEs
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Barclaycard Payments trades on the Barclays name, and for high-volume businesses that can negotiate custom rates, the economics can work – debit card processing from 0.7% is genuinely competitive. The 24/7 fraud and technical support adds peace of mind that smaller providers can’t match.
But a 1.3/5 Trustpilot rating from 3,100+ reviews isn’t a blip – it’s a pattern. The 18-month auto-renewing contracts, opaque pricing, phone-only support, and Brookfield ownership transition all add friction. For the majority of UK SMEs, modern providers offer lower costs, better service, and more transparency. For a full comparison, see our best card machines guide or compare payment processing costs.
