GoCardless Alternatives: 10 Recurring Payment Options

Chasing late payments is miserable, which is why so many gyms, clubs, agencies and software firms collect automatically. The question is which method suits your customers and which provider handles it best for you.

The ten providers below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the provider's own website, read this week. If you're still invoicing manually, my guide to subscription billing features to look for is a useful checklist.

GoCardless alternatives at a glance

In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site names a free plan, a free version, a free account or open source software. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to start for free.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Access PaySuite	Direct Debit and payment services	UK Direct Debit with a bureau	Not stated
Adyen	Fintech platform for enterprises	Large multi-country businesses	Not stated
Chargebee	Billing and monetisation for SaaS and AI companies	SaaS billing with free trials and upgrades	Trial only
Dwolla	Bank payment infrastructure for platforms	US bank payments through an API	Not stated
London & Zurich	Direct Debit management and bureau service	Switching from another Direct Debit provider	Not stated
Mollie	Online and in-person payments platform	European online shops	Not stated
Paddle	Subscriptions, payments and tax for SaaS and apps	Software firms selling globally	Not stated
PayPal	Business payment solutions	Customers who already have an account	Not stated
Recurly	Subscription management and recurring billing	Consumer subscription brands	Not stated
Stripe Billing	Recurring payments and subscription billing	Developers building custom billing	Not stated

Ten GoCardless alternatives to compare

Access PaySuite

Best for: UK membership clubs, gyms and charities that want Direct Debit, SEPA and card payments from a specialist payments company.

Adyen

Best for: Large retailers and platforms that want payments, data and financial products on one global platform.

Chargebee

Best for: SaaS and AI companies that want subscription billing, self-serve checkout and in-app upgrades, with a free trial to test it.

Dwolla

Best for: US software platforms that want to move money by ACH bank transfer and instant payments through an API.

London & Zurich

Best for: UK businesses that want a bespoke Direct Debit bureau and help moving their mandates across from another provider.

Mollie

Best for: European ecommerce businesses that want online and in-person payments with many local payment methods.

Paddle

Best for: SaaS and mobile app companies that want subscriptions, payments and sales tax compliance handled for them.

PayPal

Best for: Small businesses whose customers already trust PayPal and want recurring payments without new bank details.

Recurly

Best for: Subscription brands that want to test offers such as trials, intro deals and coupons and reduce failed payments.

Stripe Billing

Best for: Online businesses with developer help that want flexible subscription and usage-based billing on top of card and bank payments.

Why customers trust Direct Debit

The Direct Debit Guarantee is a big reason UK customers are happy to sign a mandate. It says that if an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by the organisation or your bank or building society, you're entitled to a full and immediate refund from your bank or building society.

It also says customers can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by contacting their bank. If you're collecting from UK customers, any provider you move to should support the Guarantee and make cancellations and refunds easy to manage.

Direct Debit specialist or global billing platform?

UK Direct Debit specialists suit membership clubs, gyms, charities and local service firms whose customers all bank in the UK. They often offer bureau services and help moving existing mandates.

Global billing platforms suit software and online businesses selling to many countries. They handle cards, local payment methods, subscriptions and sometimes sales tax, but may be more than a local club needs.

Questions to ask before you switch provider

1. Can I move my existing Direct Debit mandates across?
2. Which payment methods do my customers prefer?
3. Does it support subscriptions, instalments or one-off collections?
4. How does it handle failed payments and retries?
5. Does it connect to my accounting software?
6. How are refunds and cancellations handled?

How to move recurring payments without losing customers

Ask your new provider whether it can move existing mandates across, because asking every customer to sign up again always loses a few. If a bulk move isn't possible, run both systems for a while and only move customers when their current cycle ends.

Write to customers before anything changes, explaining what they'll see on their bank statement and when. A new name on a statement with no warning is the fastest way to get payments cancelled, so a short, friendly email beforehand really matters.

For in-person card payments, our Square alternatives guide compares options.

Signs your recurring payments need attention

• You chase the same customers monthly. Automate collection.
• Failed payments go unnoticed. Turn on retries.
• Customers abroad can't pay easily. Add local methods.
• Bookkeeping doesn't match. Connect your accounts.

Do you make a recurring payments or Direct Debit service? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on choosing a GoCardless alternative

Follow your customers. If they're all UK households or members, a Direct Debit specialist is usually simpler. If they're spread across the world, a global platform that takes cards and local methods will collect more of what you're owed.

Then plan the move carefully, because asking every customer to sign up again loses some of them. For the wider payments picture, my guide on invoicing correctly as a sole trader is a good companion read.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to GoCardless?

It depends on where your customers are and how they like to pay. The list above is in no particular order.

Can I move my Direct Debits to another provider?

Some UK providers offer help moving mandates across. Ask before you switch so customers don't have to sign up again.

What is the Direct Debit Guarantee?

It says that if an error is made in a Direct Debit payment, the customer is entitled to a full and immediate refund from their bank.

Is Direct Debit better than card payments?

For regular UK collections it often fails less than cards. Global customers may prefer cards or local methods.

Which providers suit software companies?

Global billing platforms on this list focus on SaaS subscriptions, upgrades and tax.

Can I collect one-off payments as well?

Most providers support one-off collections alongside recurring ones. Check each provider's features.