Our Take
3.0
NerdWallet rating
The bottom line:
Worldpay processes in-person and online payments for businesses in a range of industries. It can accept more than 300 payment methods, supports 126 currencies and offers 24/7 phone support. However, Worldpay isn't transparent about its pricing or plan details, which makes comparing it against the competition difficult.
Worldpay
Payment processing fees
N/A Quote-based.
Monthly fee
N/A Quote-based.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Accepts a wide variety of payment methods and currencies.
- Hundreds of POS integrations.
- 24/7 phone support.
Cons
- Lack of transparency.
Full Review
Worldpay is a merchant services provider for small businesses in the grocery, personal and professional services, retail, restaurant and food services industries. Worldpay is owned by Fidelity National Information Services Inc. (FIS), a global financial services provider, and is one of the largest payment processing companies in the U.S.
With Worldpay, you can process payments using stand-alone terminals, mobile terminals, smart terminals, point-of-sale systems, e-commerce platforms and payment gateways. Worldpay sells third-party hardware and offers a virtual terminal called OmniFlex that lets businesses accept card payments without hardware, whether online or in-store.
One of the provider’s biggest downsides is its lack of transparency around pricing and contract terms, which makes it challenging to weigh against competitors.
In addition to credit card processing, here are some of Worldpay’s other offerings, which are also quote-based:
- OmniShield Assure: A security platform that helps protect businesses from data breaches and fraudulent transactions, OmniShield Assure provides point-to-point encryption of customers’ credit card data and has tools to assist with PCI compliance.
- Worldpay iQ: This analytics and reporting tool tracks payment processing data and lets you view sales data reports and payment processing history. You can also manage transaction disputes within the iQ Now app on iOS and Android devices.
- StoreCard: Worldpay’s gift card implementation program can be integrated with your POS system and includes analytics and online reporting. It also lets you create digital promotions, automatic rewards and virtual gift cards.
Worldpay is best for businesses that:
- Want a customizable payments solution. Worldpay’s quote-based packages could be an ideal fit for larger, more established businesses that want a tailored payments solution. Plus, if you or someone in your business knows how to code and work with APIs, you can customize how your payments page looks.
- Don’t want to use proprietary hardware. Competitors that offer their own payment processing services and POS systems, like Clover, often require businesses to use proprietary hardware. This can limit your options if you have your eye on third-party card readers or terminals.
- Have international reach. Worldpay is best for companies that do business internationally and need a payments solution that supports a wide array of currencies.
Deciding factors
Payment processing model | Undisclosed. |
Payment processing fees | Quote-based. |
Monthly fee | Quote-based. |
Hardware cost | Varies based on third-party providers. |
Contract length | Three-year initial contract. |
Customer support | Worldpay offers email support and 24/7 phone support. There’s also a developer portal with documentation for merchants and partners, as well as a how-to video library. |
Where Worldpay stands out
Accepts a wide variety of payment methods and currencies
Worldpay credit card processing services allow small businesses to accept several payment types, including:
- Credit cards.
- Debit cards.
- Digital and mobile wallets, such as Apple Pay or Google Pay.
- Gift cards.
Additionally, it supports 126 currencies for companies doing business worldwide and lets you offer recurring payment options to customers.
Hundreds of integrations
Worldpay integrates with hundreds of POS systems, payment gateways, enterprise resource planning solutions and e-commerce platforms. Although the Worldpay website doesn’t offer a comprehensive list of integrations and technology partners, here are some of the available providers:
- Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento).
- Oracle.
- Ingenico.
- National Cash Register Co. (NCR).
24/7 customer support
While many competitors offer some type of phone support, it’s usually limited to working hours and/or weekdays. Worldpay stands out for its around-the-clock phone support every day of the year. There are different phone numbers for different types of support and teams, too. They include e-commerce, merchant activation, technical support and main customer service.
Where Worldpay falls short
Lack of transparency around pricing and product details
Worldpay doesn't provide upfront pricing — you have to contact the company by phone, email or online quote generator to get a quote based on your business’s information. Although this practice may not be uncommon for large payment processors, the lack of transparent pricing can make it difficult to compare the cost of Worldpay with other providers.
Similarly, Worldpay isn't clear about the cost of additional services like its security solution OmniShield Assure and its analytics iQ platform — and whether these are included as part of a standard credit card processing solution or whether they require extra fees.
Alternatives to Worldpay
To choose the best payment processor for your business, you’ll want to consider factors such as cost, industry, how you want to get paid and how you operate (online, in person, etc.). If you’re not sure Worldpay is right for you, consider these alternatives.
Helcim
Why we like it: Helcim is a more transparent merchant services provider that offers in-person and online payment options. Helcim uses interchange-plus pricing, which can vary based on many factors, but it's still more upfront than Worldpay about its payment processing fees. It’s also easier to get a read on hardware costs. In addition to payment processing, Helcim offers unlimited invoicing, a self-service customer portal and the option to set up an online store. Read our full Helcim review.
- Interchange plus 0.4% and 8 cents per in-person transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).
- Interchange plus 0.5% and 25 cents per online or manually keyed transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).
- 0.5% plus 25 cents for ACH payments (capped at $6).
Square
Why we like it: Square offers payment services based on a flat-rate processing model without a monthly subscription fee. Custom pricing is available for businesses that process more than $250,000 annually. The point-of-sale software is free, which isn’t the case for Worldpay, and you can set up an online store and send invoices for free, too. Read our full Square POS review.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
- 3.3% plus 30 cents for invoices.
Billie Anne Grigg, a freelance writer, contributed to this article.
Methodology
NerdWallet’s ratings of payment processing providers rewards companies whose products and services are priced well and work in a variety of payment scenarios, among other criteria.
Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including overall cost, hardware and software options, system capabilities, customer service, contract requirements and integrations. Learn more about how we rate payment processing providers.
These ratings are a guide, but fees, hardware, software and contract requirements can vary widely from business to business and provider to provider. We encourage you to shop around and compare several providers.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
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