Worldpay: A Comprehensive Analysis of Fees, Contract, and Customer Feedback

We take our role in providing guidance and education regarding the card payment industry very seriously. At our own expense, we have vigorously defended our right to continue expose unethical and predatory practices in the industry, successfully defeating every attempt to silence us. However, fending off frivolous lawsuits is costly. To sustain these efforts, one of the ways we generate revenue is through affiliate partnerships with ethical providers. This means that some of our outgoing links connect business owners to trustworthy, low-cost payment processors, which is what most of our readers seek. We see this revenue channel as a win-win-win for everyone involved. Business owners find good processors, processors get good clients, and we are able to continue to provide a valuable service to the small business community. We also recommend and link to many services that do not compensate us. Our priority is to guide you to the best solutions for your needs, regardless of potential revenue. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us.

All mentions of rate and fee costs are estimations based on publicly available information and client feedback. Actual costs may vary based on a variety of factors unique to your business.

WorldPay

Rating
F
1/5
full starempty starempty starempty starempty star

Pros and Cons of WorldPay

Pros

Supports numerous currencies
Multiple payment options
Broad network support

Cons

Three-year contract
Pricing transparency issues
Potential cancellation fees
High customer complaints
Dated pricing practices

Overview

In this review of Worldpay, a major direct processor with a strong presence in the UK and Europe, we’ll give a detailed look at their services. We’ll cover their rates, fees, contract terms, and common complaints, along with reviews from industry experts and employees. We’ll also discuss Worldpay’s history of acquisitions, including their takeover by Vantiv and Fidelity National Information Services, and the recent spin-off in 2023.

We’ll explore the range of services Worldpay offers, serving small and medium businesses as well as large enterprises, and highlight their partnership with Masabi for public transit payments. This review also covers controversies, such as customer complaints and lawsuits about overcharging and misleading practices.

We’ll analyze Worldpay’s customer support and online ratings to give insights into their service quality. Finally, we’ll present a balanced view of the pros and cons of using Worldpay, helping readers make informed decisions about their payment processing needs.

About WorldPay

Screen Capture of WorldPay Homepage
Worldpay Homepage

Worldpay is a very large direct processor with an international presence in 40 countries, with a primary focus on the U.K. and Europe. Founded in the UK in 1989 under the name “Streamline“, the company’s name was changed to Worldpay a few years later. In 2001, Worldpay began to offer U.S. merchant accounts in Atlanta, Georgia. Shortly after, the company was bought by The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and rebranded as RBS Worldpay. In 2010, RBS sold its controlling interest in the company and RBS Worldpay was rebranded back to just “Worldpay.”

Majority Stake Ownership of Worldpay

In 2017, Vantiv acquired Worldpay for $10 billion. The combined entity has since assumed Worldpay’s name and begun to consolidate its sub-brands into Worldpay. Less than two years later in March of 2019, Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. announced its agreement to purchase Worldpay for $35 billion. The Fidelity acquisition became finalized on July 31, 2019. 2023 saw an announcement that FIS would spin off Worldpay. Additionally, Worldpay put this note on their website: “As of 06th March 2023, Worldpay Online Payments Gateway (WPOP) has been decommissioned. After this date you will not be able to transact any MOTO, eCom and recurring payments.”

In late 2023, major fintech company FIS sold its majority stake in Worldpay to private equity firm GTCR in a huge $18.5 billion deal.

Products & Merchant Services

Payment Processing

Worldpay handles major debit and credit card transactions for a variety of business types. For small and medium businesses, their offerings include POS systems, EMV terminals, the (link unavailable) payment gateway, digital and mobile wallets, FastAccess funding, comprehensive security features, gift card solutions, and data analysis tools. Enterprise-level businesses benefit from additional B2C and B2B e-commerce solutions. Worldpay supports over 300 different payment methods.

Collaboration for Public Transit Payments

Worldpay has partnered with Masabi, a transit ticketing technology company, to develop fare payment platforms for public transportation systems.

Online Payment Service

Worldpay provides an online payment service accessible through both mobile and desktop platforms, allowing users to transfer money securely.

3DS Flex for eCommerce

Worldpay’s 3DS Flex feature is designed to enhance issuer approvals for transactions affected by PSD2 regulations and reduce checkout friction by supporting a variety of authentication methods.

Customer Reviews & Sentiment

Understanding Worldpay’s Customer Feedback

Worldpay, a prominent player in the payment processing industry, has garnered attention for its high volume of customer complaints found across various online platforms. The criticism predominantly revolves around unexpected fees, cumbersome cancellation processes involving hefty fees, and deceptive sales tactics. Additionally, there are notable concerns about fund-holds, which might prompt businesses to seek services from a high-risk specialist instead.

Efforts in Addressing Customer Dissatisfaction

While Worldpay representatives have engaged with some publicly filed complaints, the effectiveness and consistency of these resolutions remain unclear. The brand’s connection with resellers complicates the attribution of certain complaints, contributing to a mixed overall perception of the company’s customer service capabilities. Despite this, the prevalent issues have influenced a “C” rating due to the uniformity of customer grievances.

Exploring Worldpay’s Customer Support Infrastructure

Worldpay extends multiple customer service channels, including phone and email support. Despite this breadth of options, customer feedback suggests these channels may not meet the high standards set by leading payment processors in terms of effectiveness and responsiveness.

Industry Scores & User Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
PaymentPop1.1
BBB Rating1
Trustpilot Rating4.6
SiteJabber Rating1.1
Average Rating2.23

PaymentPop Rating for Worldpay

Negative Feedback

The fees they charge are more than ridiculous. We were switching to a new POS system and were finishing up with the payments from our old POS system so we were not charging very much on this account anymore. Our fees we more than double of what we were collecting. I would not recommend World Pay for credit card processing to my worst enemy. They charge way to much for the service they provide. Please save your money and go anywhere else but World Pay for your credit card processing.

Positive Feedback

We hear a lot about WorldPay but we use them through our website as part of a service they made with the designers Booking Online Ltd, and we haven’t really experienced any issues. Once it was set up, it worked, and it’s been reliable since.

Worldpay BBB Rating

Worldpay has an average customer review rating of 1/5 stars on BBB based on 35 customer reviews. The company has received 168 complaints closed in the last 3 years, with 60 complaints closed in the last 12 months. Common themes in the reviews and complaints include issues with billing, charges for inactive services, and difficulties in getting refunds or responses from the company.

Negative Feedback

My terminal stop working in the last 3 months and I was unable to resolve the issue. When I told Worldpay that I was closing my account they not only charged me for the 3 months of unused credit card machine world pay charged my $400 disconnect fee for not giving the 30 day notice.

Positive Feedback

There are no positive reviews published about Worldpay on the BBB website.

Trustpilot Rating for Worldpay

Worldpay has an average customer review rating of 4.6 stars on Trustpilot based on 8,086 customer reviews. The distribution of ratings is as follows: 64% 5-star, 4% 4-star, 1% 3-star, 2% 2-star, and 29% 1-star. This indicates a majority of positive feedback, with a significant portion of negative reviews as well.

Negative Feedback

A company that enables online criminal outfits to swindle customers. As long as they get their commission fee they couldn’t care less if innocent people get robbed. I will never use any website that uses them as a processor. NEVER.

Good at selling you a service but it went wrong from there We eventually gave up on them and tried to return our terminal What a fiasco Had to ring up for a return label It never arrived Five calls and still waiting They have managed to send us threatening emails about charging is nearly £400 for not returning the terminal. Can’t ask to speak to a manager Avoid this company like the plague. We had problems with billing and the invoices and reports are incomprehensible

Positive Feedback

Getting a card machine with WorldPay was a much better experience than I’ve had with other suppliers. It was quicker, simpler, and Alex was very helpful in going through the necessary information.

I carnt be more pleased with the service that I’ve been given. Very competitive prices. Holly Reed made everything so simple to understand. Would highly recommend worldpay

SiteJabber Rating Analysis

WorldPay has a rating of 1.1 stars on SiteJabber, based on 39 customer reviews. The majority of customers express dissatisfaction, frequently mentioning issues with customer service. WorldPay ranks 180th among payment processing sites. The common themes in the reviews include poor customer service, billing issues, and difficulty in canceling services.

Negative Feedback

I wish I could give them no stars. For the crazy amount of money they charge, WorldPay’s customer service is the worst. It seems like they are in the stone age when it comes to technology. My nonprofit changed bank accounts so we had to contact a lot of different vendors, and all went smooth until we contacted WorldPay. It took five phone calls and two emails, and the issue is still not resolved. Do not feed this beast.
– Review from February 27th, 2023

Scam, do not use this company. Terrible services, billed me for months without knowing. No services were used, and they did not ever contact me in any way due to my account being what I thought was closed. 10 months of fees and annual fees, only to be told they were not in the wrong. They had my contact and email info incorrect as to why I never heard from them. Save yourself the frustration and loss of your hard-earned money and shop elsewhere. Zero star.
– Review from March 16th, 2023

Positive Feedback

Was a bit worried about the payment process, bit all good. The website just looks strange somehow, nothing to worry about.
– Review from July 25th, 2023

Source: SiteJabber

Processing Rates & Fees

A Wide Range of Contract Terms

Worldpay advertises rates of 2.90% plus $0.30 for swiped transactions and 3.30% plus $0.30 for keyed transactions, with a slightly lower qualified rate at 2.70% plus $0.30. However, reports suggest that businesses may encounter higher rates and longer service agreements when signing up directly with Worldpay rather than through a reseller. Resellers often offer better deals due to pricing and contract flexibility.

Three-Year Standard Contract

Businesses considering a Worldpay merchant account should carefully review the contract, typically spanning three years with automatic one-year renewals unless a 90-day notice is provided. The contract includes an early termination fee of up to $295. Additionally, Worldpay charges a monthly PCI Compliance fee ranging from $15 to $25, above industry averages. Clients may also incur a $69 annual fee for IRS 1099 reporting. Equipment leases, offered through ISOs, range from 12 to 48 months with monthly charges based on credit score. Lessees have the option to purchase equipment at lease end. Business owners can explore our list of the best merchant services.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

Worldpay promotes its virtual terminal and payment gateway services for B2B and B2C sales, although pricing remains undisclosed. Additional fees such as gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and transaction rates are common for these services.

Comparatively High Prices

The potential for high cancellation fees, auto-renewing contracts, and elevated compliance fees negatively impact Worldpay’s rating in affordability and hinder its status as a competitive merchant account provider.

WorldPay ecommerce solutions Worldpay’s diverse e-commerce and in-person payment solutions

Lawsuits & Legal History

Worldpay has encountered legal disputes, notably a $52 million settlement in 2017 over alleged overcharging. Further complicating its legal landscape, in 2019, Worldpay faced a class-action lawsuit challenging the transparency and fairness of a significant acquisition by Fidelity National Information Services. Additionally, the company settled for $15 million in response to accusations of fee misrepresentation. Recent legal actions include allegations related to fund holding and discriminatory practices, underscoring ongoing legal and operational challenges.

Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

A Global Sales Force

Worldpay markets its services both directly with its own inside sales staff and indirectly using independent sales agents, resellers, and sub-ISOs. This is a common strategy for the industry and usually leads to a moderate amount of complaints. In this case, we are able to locate hundreds of negative Worldpay reviews that describe nondisclosure or misrepresentation of fees by sales agents. These complaints cite all varieties of unexpected charges, including undisclosed termination penalties, higher-than-quoted rates, and unexpected monthly costs. If you suspect that you are being charged undisclosed fees, we recommend seeking a fee reduction analysis from an independent third party.

No Tricky Advertising

We found no uses of misleading advertising or rate quoting in the company’s official materials. This compares favorably to our list of best credit card processors. Given Worldpay’s complaint volume and the regularity with which these complaints have been posted, however, we have assigned the company a “C” rating in this section.

WorldPay Competitors

Compare WorldPay to competitors that earned top marks.

Bottom Line

Worldpay, a major global credit card processing provider, falls short of expectations. It is marred by a prevalence of junk fees, non-transparent rates, and numerous complaints pointing to predatory and unethical policies. The significant volume of negative feedback reveals a troubling pattern that tarnishes Worldpay’s reputation and makes it challenging to endorse as a top choice.

To make informed decisions, business owners should consider reading our article, “How to Select the Best Merchant Account,” before partnering with any provider. For now, merchants may find more transparent, customer-focused service by exploring top-rated merchant account providers.

Read Actual User Reviews

All user reviews have been moved to our partner, PaymentPop.com

Contact WorldPay

Contact & Customer Support
CEO and PresidentCharles Drucker
Headquarters8500 Governors Hill Drive, Symmes Township, OH
Worldpay Contact Center(866) 622-2390­
Customer Service & Technical Support(888) 208-7231
Support for Former Element Merchants(866) 435-3636
Support for Former NPC Merchants/Worldpay Integrated Payments(800) 846-4472
eCommerce Merchant Support(844) 843-6111
Merchant Activation Team (MAT)(866) 622-2907
Worldpay EFT(800) 278-6888
Worldpay Credit(800) 422-0733
Additional Support ChannelsOnline Support Form
Websitefisglobal.com/en/merchant-solutions-worldpay