Stripe vs GoCardless vs Braintree -- UK Payment Processing (2026)
Stripe is ClickMasters default for UK card payments: best developer experience, PCI-DSS SAQ-A with Stripe Elements, broadest UK payment methods (cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, BACS Direct Debit). GoCardless is right for UK Direct Debit and Variable Recurring Payments (VRP -- Open Banking). Braintree is legacy for new UK builds. Payment processor choice affects UK PCI-DSS scope, FCA Consumer Duty payment accessibility, and UK GDPR data processing.
| Factor | Stripe | GoCardless | Braintree (PayPal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCI-DSS scope | SAQ-A with Stripe Elements -- simplest | No card -- Direct Debit not PCI scope | SAQ-A with Braintree.js |
| UK Direct Debit (BACS) | Stripe BACS -- available | BEST -- Direct Debit specialist | Not standard |
| Variable Recurring Payments (VRP) | Stripe Link -- limited | BEST -- GoCardless VRP market leader | Not available |
| Consumer Duty payment access | Apple Pay, Google Pay -- maximum accessibility | Direct Debit -- accessible, no card needed | Major payment methods |
| UK card fees | 1.4% + 20p (UK cards) | No card -- BACS 1% + 20p (cap GBP4) | 1.9% + 30p -- higher |
| Marketplace payments | BEST -- Stripe Connect | Not suitable | Braintree marketplace -- less common |
| Subscription billing | Stripe Billing -- excellent | Excellent for Direct Debit | Adequate |
| Developer experience | BEST -- documentation, SDKs, testing | Very good -- Direct Debit focused | Adequate |
| ClickMasters default | All card + Apple Pay / Google Pay | UK Direct Debit + VRP + subscriptions | Legacy projects only |
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