Elavon Merchant Accounts Review 2026: Fees, Features, Pros & Cons for UK Businesses Quick answer
Elavon is a global merchant account provider and payment processor owned by U.S. Bank, offering card machines, online payments, phone payments, payment gateways, currency solutions, security tools and merchant services for UK businesses.
Elavon is best suited to established SMEs, retail, hospitality, e-commerce businesses and companies trading internationally that need a full merchant account rather than a simple flat-rate card reader.
Elavon is going to be less suitable for micro-businesses, occasional sellers or sole traders that want very simple pricing, no monthly fees and no long-term commitment… We think those businesses may prefer simpler alternatives such as Square, SumUp, Zettle, LoPay or PayPal POS.
Elavon now publishes some UK plan examples, including a £19 upfront Elavon Mobile card reader with no monthly rental fee, and its pricing page states that businesses can compare plans for mobile, in-store and online payments. However, full merchant account costs can still vary by business type, turnover and payment method.
Best for: established SMEs, retail, hospitality, e-commerce, international payments and businesses needing a full merchant accountLess for: ve ry small sellers wanting simple pay-as-you-go pricingPricing style : plan-based and quote-based, depending on card machines, online payments, gateway use and merchant service charges
Compare Elavon Merchant Account Quotes & Save Up To 40%
Contents
Benefits of Elavon
Downsides of Elavon
Elavon Fees and Pricing
What Does Elavon Offer?
Our Verdict on Elavon
How do we work?
Transparent, impartial, and data‑driven reviews made by a team of expert humans, never AI generated – here’s exactly how Compare Your Business Costs helps you find the best deals from trusted UK providers: click here
Authored by: Ally Cox (Business Technology & B2B Services Specialist 10+ Years’ Experience)
Reviewed by: James Ward (Telecoms Specialist, 12+ Years Experience)
Last Updated: May 2026
Elavon at a Glance
Feature
Best for
Established SMEs, hospitality, retail, e-commerce and international businesses
Parent company
U.S. Bank
Main services
Card machines, merchant accounts, online payments, phone payments, payment gateway, fraud tools and currency solutions
Card reader option
Elavon Mobile, currently listed with £19 upfront cost and no monthly rental fee
Online payments
Payment gateway, Pay by Link, currency conversion, fraud protection and PCI compliance
Pricing style
Published plan examples plus quote-based merchant pricing
Main strength
Full payment infrastructure for in-person, online and international payments
Main drawback
More complex than flat-rate card reader providers
Best alternatives
Worldpay, Lloyds Cardnet, Tyl by NatWest, takepayments, Stripe, Square, SumUp and PayPal POS
Key Takeaways
Elavon is a full merchant account and payment processing provider, not just a card reader company.
Elavon is owned by U.S. Bank and supports businesses taking payments in-store, online, over the phone and internationally.
Elavon’s UK site lists Elavon Mobile with no monthly rental fee and a £19 upfront card reader cost.
Elavon’s online payment gateway includes online payments, currency conversion, Pay by Link, fraud protection and PCI compliance.
Elavon’s pricing page says businesses can compare plans for mobile, in-store and online payment needs, but larger or more complex businesses may still need a tailored quote.
Independent fee guides still flag possible additional costs such as terminal rental, payment gateway fees, PCI DSS fees, minimum monthly service charges, authorisation fees and chargeback fees, so it is important to check the full quote before signing.
Elavon UK currently has a 4-star Trustpilot profile with more than 6,400 reviews, although customer experiences are mixed.
Elavon is usually a better fit for established businesses than micro-merchants wanting the simplest pay-as-you-go card reader.
Is Elavon Right For Your Business?
Elavon will suit you if…
You may want to compare alternatives if…
You need a full merchant account
You only need a basic card reader
You take in-person and online payments
You want simple flat-rate pricing
You sell internationally
You only take occasional payments
You need payment gateway tools
You want no monthly costs at all
You want Pay by Link, online and phone payments
You want instant self-service setup
You process regular card payments
You are a very low-volume sole trader
You need fraud tools and PCI support
You do not want to compare quote-based fees
Our verdic
Benefits of the Elavon Merchant Accounts Full merchant account provider
Elavon is a full merchant services provider, making it more suitable for established businesses than simple pay-as-you-go card readers.
In-person, online and phone payments
Elavon supports multiple payment channels, which is useful for businesses selling through physical premises, websites, invoices, bookings or remote payments.
Mobile card reader option
Elavon Mobile gives businesses a lower-entry card reader route, currently listed with a £19 upfront cost and no monthly rental fee.
Strong online payment tools
Elavon Payment Gateway includes online payments, currency conversion, Pay by Link, fraud protection and PCI compliance.
Security and PCI support
Elavon’s Start Simple page includes automatic enrolment into its data-security programme, although businesses must prove PCI DSS compliance within 90 days to avoid non-compliance fees.
Good fit for international businesses
Elavon’s payment infrastructure is well suited to businesses that need international, online or multi-channel payment options.
What Does Elavon Offer? Card machines and in-person payments
Elavon offers face-to-face payment solutions including mobile, portable, around-the-store and countertop card machine options. Its UK site lists options such as SmartPOS, Elavon Mobile and other terminal types for different business settings.
Best for:
shops
cafés
restaurants
salons
hotels
service businesses
mobile businesses
hospitality venues
Pros
Multiple card machine options
Suitable for mobile and fixed-location payments
Good for established SMEs
Can support in-person payment growth
Cons
Costs vary by package
Some setups may involve monthly terminal fees
Contract and PCI terms need checking carefully
Online payments and payment gateway
Elavon Payment Gateway supports online payments, currency conversion, Pay by Link, fraud protection and PCI compliance. This makes Elavon more suitable for businesses that need more than just a card machine.
Best for:
e-commerce businesses
online retailers
subscription businesses
businesses taking deposits
companies selling in person and online
Pros
Supports online checkout
Pay by Link available
Fraud protection tools
PCI compliance support
Useful for businesses with multiple sales channels
Cons
Gateway fees may apply
Setup can be more involved than basic payment links
Online-first businesses should still compare Stripe, Shopify Payments, Worldpay and PayPal
Phone payments and remote payments
Elavon can support businesses taking payments over the phone or remotely, depending on the product setup.
Best for:
hotels
clinics
restaurants
service businesses
booking-based businesses
mail order and telephone order payments
Pros
Useful for taking deposits
Good for remote customer payments
Complements card machines and online payments
Cons
Fees may differ from in-person payments
Businesses need to follow security and PCI requirements
Not needed by every small business
Currency solutions and international payments
Elavon is particularly relevant for businesses that serve overseas customers or trade internationally. Its site highlights currency conversion as part of its online payment gateway offer.
Best for:
hotels
tourism businesses
e-commerce sellers
international retailers
businesses serving overseas customers
Pros
Useful for international customers
Supports cross-border payment needs
Stronger than basic card readers for international sales
Cons
Not necessary for local-only businesses
Currency conversion terms and fees need checking
Can add complexity to payment setup
Elavon vs Competitors
Provider Pricing style Best for Main drawback
Elavon
Plan-based / quote-based
Established SMEs, international sellers and businesses needing merchant services
Pricing and contract terms need careful checking
Worldpay
Tailored pricing / contract-based
Established businesses wanting in-person and online payments
Contract terms and quote-based pricing
Lloyds Cardnet
Quote-based
Lloyds customers and established SMEs
Pricing can be less transparent
Tyl by NatWest
Published rates for some businesses; custom rates for others
SMEs wanting bank-backed payments
Card machine contract may apply
takepayments
Tailored quote
SMEs wanting support and card machine options
Quote needed
Stripe
Flat-rate / developer-led
Online-first businesses and platforms
More technical for in-person payments
Square
Flat-rate
Small businesses and POS tools
Not always cheapest at higher turnover
SumUp
Flat-rate
Sole traders and simple card payments
Our verdict
How to Purc hase Elavon
You can find the latest information on their products via their website here
Our verdict on Elavon merchant accounts Elavon is a strong merchant account provider for UK businesses that need more than a basic card reader, so is incredibly relevant for established SMEs, hospitality businesses, retailers, e-commerce companies and international sellers that need card machines, online payments, phone payments, fraud tools, PCI support and currency solutions.
Its biggest strengths are international payment capability, broad merchant services, payment gateway features, currency tools and security infrastructure. Its main drawbacks are pricing complexity, potential extra fees and lower suitability for very small sellers.
Choose Elavon if:
you want a full merchant account provider
you take regular card payments
you sell in person and online
you need multi-currency or international payment tools
you want payment gateway and fraud features
you are happy to compare a detailed quote
Consider alternatives if:
you only need a basic card reader
you want simple flat-rate pricing
you want no monthly cost at all
you take occasional payments
you want instant self-service setup
you are a very low-volume sole trader
Overall, Elavon is best for businesses that need scalable merchant services. Smaller businesses should compare Elavon against Square, SumUp, LoPay, Zettle and PayPal POS before signing.
FAQs Is Elavon a merchant account provider?
Yes. Elavon is a full merchant account provider and payment processor offering card machines, online payments, phone payments, payment gateway services, fraud tools and currency options.
Who owns Elavon?
Elavon is owned by U.S. Bank.
How much does Elavon cost?
Elavon’s costs depend on how you take payments. Its UK site currently lists Elavon Mobile with a £19 upfront card reader cost and no monthly rental fee, while other merchant account and payment gateway costs may depend on your business setup.
Does Elavon publish pricing?
Yes, Elavon publishes some UK plan examples and card reader information, but full merchant account costs may still depend on turnover, transaction volume, card mix, payment channels and contract terms.
Does Elavon charge PCI fees?
Elavon’s Start Simple page says businesses are automatically enrolled into the data-security programme, and that non-compliance fees apply if PCI DSS compliance is not proven within 90 days of signup.
Is Elavon good for small businesses?
Elavon can suit established small businesses that take regular payments or need online and international payment tools. Very small or occasional sellers may prefer Square, SumUp, LoPay, Zettle or PayPal POS.
Does Elavon support online payments?
Yes. Elavon Payment Gateway supports online payments, currency conversion, Pay by Link, fraud protection and PCI compliance.
Does Elavon support international payments?
Yes. Elavon is a strong option to compare for businesses that need international payment support, currency conversion or multi-channel payment services.
Is Elavon cheaper than Worldpay?
It depends on your business, transaction volume, card types, terminal needs and contract. Both Elavon and Worldpay can involve tailored pricing, so comparing quotes is the safest way to decide.
What are the best Elavon alternatives?
The main Elavon alternatives include Worldpay, Lloyds Cardnet, Tyl by NatWest, takepayments, Stripe, Square, SumUp, LoPay, Zettle and PayPal POS.
Related Merchant Account Guides If you’re researching merchant accounts and card payment processing, the guides below explore specific providers, use cases, costs and common questions in more detail.
Merchant Account Basics & FAQs
Understand how merchant accounts work and what to expect before signing up:
Major UK Merchant Account Providers
Detailed reviews of leading UK merchant account providers and acquirers:
Payment Providers & Alternatives
Explore pay-as-you-go and hybrid payment providers often compared with merchant accounts:
Card Payments, EPOS & POS Context
Learn how merchant accounts fit into wider payment and EPOS setups:
Next Step: Compare Merchant Accounts
If you want tailored pricing based on your turnover, industry and risk profile, use our comparison tool to review UK merchant account providers side by side.
👉 Compare merchant accounts →
Hi, I’m Ally Cox , a senior copywriter and blogger at CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk, the UK’s trusted platform for comparing business services.over a decade of experience in the B2B sector, I specialise in simplifying complex topics like leased lines, VoIP, business energy, HR and payroll solutions, accounting software, and EPOS systems .HR, copywriting, and business operations- from clocking-in systems to card machines and office technology .informed, confident decisions when choosing products and services that improve efficiency and save money.
