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Pricing Plan Update FAQs

Timings

When will the new pricing come into effect?

Our new pricing plans came into effect on the 6th July 2023 for new GoCardless customers. 

If you were an existing customer before this date, you were (or will be) notified at least 60 days before any changes to your plan are made. Please refer to this communication to find out about the date of the change. Alternatively, you can reach out to us at please reach out to our Support team. 

How long am I locked into a plan for?

Unless you signed a custom pricing agreement, you are on rolling monthly contracts. This means you will be able to change plans very easily and with little notice. You can find more information on our downgrade process here. For customers who signed a custom pricing agreement, the minimum term remains 12 months.

Does the change apply to payments created before but confirmed/payout out after the planned migration date?

We charge our fees when the payment is confirmed. This means that the change will be reflected for all payments confirmed after the migration date.

Is this going to affect my payouts?

This will not affect your payouts, our transaction fees will still be deducted from your payouts. If you select any Add-on, then these will be invoiced separately each month.

Will this change payment timings?

There will be no change to your payment timings. The payment timings remain dependent on the scheme the transaction takes place in.

Cost

Do you offer discounts for large transaction volumes?

Yes, in some instances we can offer custom pricing to businesses that have large transaction volumes. To find out more, please fill out this form and our Sales team will reach out to you to discuss this further.

What exchange rate does GoCardless use?

We use the ​real exchange rate powered by Wise​​​. It is considered to be the fairest exchange rate possible. Unlike banks and most money transfer providers, we don’t take a commission on top of this rate, and this service is simply covered by our international transaction fee, from the payments taken in your customers’ currencies.

Why is GoCardless changing its pricing structure?

GoCardless is committed to providing the best value possible for its customers. To this end, the team has carried out extensive research to offer pricing plans that best suits the needs of customers using the dashboard. With the new pricing plan structure, customers will be able to adjust their plan to suit the needs of their business with little hassle. Additionally, access to valuable features such as verified mandates and offline mandates will now be easier.

Are add-ons billed separately?

Add-ons are billed on a monthly basis. If multiple add-ons are selected, then these will be summed up in the monthly invoice.

How much is the new plan going to cost me?

Each plan is priced differently, with its own domestic and international transaction fees and caps. The price points will also vary depending on your account location. The full details can be found here. 

Are your prices likely to increase again in the near future?

We do not have any plans to change pricing in the near future. 

How will this benefit me?

  • There are no monthly fees to access Standard, Advanced and Pro plans.

  • You can now select option Add-ons for a separate monthly cost, which makes it easier for you to customise your plan.

  • You now have easier access to additional features such as Success+, Verified Mandates, and Protect+.

  • It is now easier to move between plans.

Can you show me a fee calculation example?

Please note: The fee calculation shown here is for UK payments. You can find an example of fee calculation for other countries by going to our pricing page and clicking on the i icon underneath the fee amount under each plan.

Collecting from your UK customers

Each plan is priced differently, with its own transaction fee and cap. For UK Bank debit transactions of £2,000 or more, we charge an additional 0.3% fee on the portion of transaction above the £2,000 threshold. Below are some examples of our current plan fees:

Example 1 - £10 transaction

Plan name

Standard plan

Transaction fee

1% + £0.20 ex VAT

Payment amount

£10

Transaction fee without VAT

£0.30

VAT (20%)

£0.06

Transaction fee inc VAT

£0.36


Example 2 - £1,000 transaction

Plan name

Advanced plan

Transaction fee

1.25% + £0.20 ex VAT

Payment amount

£1,000

Transaction fee without VAT

£5.00

VAT (20%)

£1.00

Transaction fee inc VAT

£6.00


Example 3 – £5,000 transaction

Plan name

Pro plan

Transaction fee

1.40% + £0.20 ex VAT

Payment amount

£5,000

Transaction fee without VAT

£5.60

High value transaction fee*

£9.00

Total fee ex VAT

£14.60

VAT (20%)

£2.92

Transaction fee inc VAT

£17.52


* High value transaction fee: An additional fee of 0.3% applies to UK Bank Debit payments above £ 2,000. The fee is applied to the portion above the £2000 threshold, in the example above it would be 0.3% x £3,000. Please note that there are no high-value transaction fees for Instant Bank Pay payments.

VAT

Why does GoCardless charge VAT on its fees?

This is not something that we have chosen to do, it is something that we have been instructed to do by HMRC. Please refer to the VAT FAQs for more information.

​​Why are you removing the VAT discount now?

If your business is registered in the UK: in 2020 we had to start charging VAT due to a change in HMRC guidance. At the time, to help support customers through the pandemic, we informed you that we would absorb the additional cost on a temporary basis. We have offered this to you for as long as possible, however it isn’t sustainable to continue to do so, therefore the discount will no longer apply once your account has moved onto its new pricing plan.

If your business is registered in France: in 2020 we had to start charging VAT to reflect EU case law. At the time, to help support customers through the pandemic, we informed you that we would absorb the additional cost on a temporary basis. We have offered this to you for as long as possible, however it isn’t sustainable to continue to do so, therefore the discount will no longer apply after your account has moved onto its new pricing plan.

I am exempt from VAT so why are you charging me?

If your business is registered in the UK: since April 2020 HMRC has charged GoCardless VAT on all transaction fees. This applies regardless of whether the business collecting the payment is VAT exempt or not. This is a HMRC decision and not something that we have any control over.

If your business is registered in France: the VAT treatment of supplies is a matter for the supplier and not the customer.  GoCardless is required under French VAT law to charge VAT on its fees (where applicable) - under French VAT law the VAT status of the recipient of the services has no impact on this.

Charity

Do you offer a pricing plan that is tailored to charities?

If you're a registered charity, then you’re eligible for our Charity Pricing plan. You can find more details here.

How will this affect my charity discount?

There will be no change to the charity discount already in place. If your GoCardless account is registered as a charity or non-profit, then our charity discount still applies and you will continue to receive a 25% discount on:

  • Transaction fees 

  • Transaction fee cap

I am a charity so why are you increasing my pricing?

All merchants will be moved to the new pricing structure regardless of their entity type. However, we are continuing to provide a 25% discount for all registered charities and non-profit organisations. Some of the new plan costs are very similar to current pricing; you can view the new pricing here. 

How can I change my business type to receive the charity discount?

To change your business type, you will need to reach out to our verification team at verification@gocardless.com. 

Please note: Charity pricing is not available to companies limited by guarantee without share capital registered on Companies House.

Migration

Can I change plans before migrating?

Yes, you are able to let us know about your preferred plan before the date communicated to you via email or letter. In the communication, there will be a link to a Pricing Plan Change Request form. Please note that if you choose to inform us of a different preferred plan after that date, it will be actioned in the next billing cycle and we are unable to refund any additional costs that may have been incurred in the interim. 

Can I move my existing customers to GoCardless?

Yes. There are a number of ways we can help with moving your customers to GoCardless, depending on your requirements. You can find more information in our Customer Migration article.

How can I bulk update my subscriptions to reflect the GoCardless fee change?

The GoCardless Product team is currently working on a solution to ensure updating subscriptions in bulk is hassle-free. For the time being, this is a manual process which can be followed here.

How can I move my business to another provider?

GoCardless has a process for your business to be able to move your customers away. This is detailed here.

Partner Integrations and Software

Can I use GoCardless with my existing software?

We have numerous pre-built integrations with partners across categories including accounting, membership management and subscription billing. Popular integrations include Xero, QuickBooks, Zuora, Recurly, TeamUp and Chargebee. See our full list of pre-built integrations here.

Will I need to add my GoCardless integrations again?

No, you do not need to add GoCardless integrations again. There will be no action needed on your end.

Will the app fee be changing?

The app fee is set by your partner, GoCardless has no control over this fee. We have not been made aware of any changes to the app fee but we would suggest reaching out to the partner to be sure. 

Features and Plans

How will I access the plans and the features included in them?

You will be able to access our pricing plans by selecting the preferred plan for your business.

The majority of the features will be automatically set up when you select which plan you choose to be on. There are some features that will need to be manually configured by you, however, we will provide you with guidance on how to complete these. Please note that whilst you can request to upgrade your plan at any time by simply notifying the GoCardless team, the update will come into effect the following month.*

*Please note that if you inform us after the first of the month we will not be able to refund any costs that you may have incurred in the interim. 

Can I change plans once I have signed up?

Yes. Our plans are flexible so that you can upgrade your plan as necessary when your business grows and your needs evolve. You can find more information on our downgrade process here.

Can I show my company branding throughout the payment process without redirecting my customers off my website?

Yes. With the custom checkout experience and payer notifications feature available on the Advanced and Pro plans, you can build your own payment pages and custom email notifications. This means that your customers will remain on your website without being redirected to GoCardless' hosted payment pages.

Can I have my business name on customer bank statements?

Yes, you can have your business name on your customer’s bank statement through any of the three plans, however, this is an add-on so you will be charged an additional monthly fee. This is only available for your domestic scheme, where your customer will see your business name on their bank statement, your international customers, however,  will still see GoCardless on their bank statements.

What are the main differences between Advanced and Pro plans?

The Advanced plan offers features such as Success+ and Verified Mandates. This is a great option for customers looking to improve the success rate of their transactions.

The Pro plan includes all the above as well as access to GoCardless Protect+. This is a fantastic choice for customers looking to reduce transaction loss along with improving the success rate of their transactions.

How do I start to set up Direct Debit mandates via paper or over the phone?

GoCardless has a Customer Hub for you to review this process; you can view how to set up a paper mandate here. If you have any further questions about this process, please email please reach out to our Support team.

Billing

Are there any changes to the way you bill me?

If you signed up after 19 November 2019, there are no current plans to change our billing process. 

Transaction fees are deducted at source, which means it is deducted from the payment before it is paid out to you. Add-on fees are billed via Direct Debit on a monthly basis, once they’re activated on your account.

Please note that if you have a custom pricing agreement your fees will not be deducted at source and your contract will outline how you are invoiced. You can find further billing details here.

I do not want the fees to be deducted from source, can you please still just invoice me?

We are unable to bill merchants who are not on custom pricing by invoice. For these, fees are deducted from funds before they are paid out. You can download a VAT invoice for the transaction fees from the GoCardless Dashboard. You can find the invoices by going to:

  • Settings

  • Scroll down to the billing section

  • Select the month you would like an invoice for and click ‘Request invoice’

International Payments

Do I need separate bank accounts to collect international payments?

No, you don’t need separate bank accounts for each currency. During our sign-up process, you will specify a single bank account as your home currency account, and all of your collected payments will be paid into that. If payments are collected in a currency that differs from your home scheme, they will be paid into your account after currency conversion. These transactions will be charged the international transaction fee. 

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