Payzone
Payzone, a Post Office Limited subsidiary, operates the UK's largest alternative bill-payment network across 24,000+ retailers and Post Office branches, processing 500M+ transactions annually for major utilities, mobile operators, transport providers and digital services via its Payzone Plus terminal.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersNorthwich, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Payzone does
Payzone is a UK bill-payment and top-up network operated as a trading division of Post Office Limited, providing cash and card payment services through 24,000+ independent convenience stores and Post Office branches across the United Kingdom. Founded in 1994, the company processes 500 million+ bill payment transactions annually on behalf of major utilities (British Gas, ScottishPower, E.ON Next, EDF, Utilita, OVO, Thames Water, Bulb), mobile network operators (EE, Vodafone, O2), transport providers, gaming platforms and emerging digital services (Amazon Top-Up). Following Post Office's acquisition of Payzone Bill Payments Limited, the service sits within the UK government-owned Post Office group, giving it a national brand association unmatched by privately owned bill-payment peers.
The core product is the Payzone Plus device, an all-in-one touchscreen terminal combining bill payment processing, card acceptance (contactless, chip & PIN, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay), and an integrated gas-card/electricity-key reader for utility top-ups. The device embeds third-party integrations including Jisp Scan & Save loyalty and Cashplus business banking as value-adds for retailers. Retailers pay a base rental of 99p per week for the standard terminal and £8.55 per week for Payzone Plus card acceptance, with pricing reported as approximately 95% lower than the main bill-payment competitor.
Payzone's revenue model combines weekly terminal rental fees, per-transaction commission on the volumes routed through the network, and card-acquiring processing fees. Distribution is via a channel-partner model in which retailers sign on as agents, with the sales team recruiting over the phone (0800 0566 015) and via web enquiry forms. End customers are split between general consumers needing local cash bill payment and a meaningful vulnerable/financially excluded segment that relies on cash budgeting and face-to-face service. The combination of a national Post Office branch estate, Post Office brand trust, ISO 27001/22301/9001/14001 certifications, and exclusive long-term utility supplier contracts (notably the post-2019 British Gas exclusivity) constitutes the company's central commercial moat.
Payzone firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Payzone
- Legal name
- Post Office Limited T/A Payzone
- Website
- https://payzone.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Payzone, a Post Office Limited subsidiary, operates the UK's largest alternative bill-payment network across 24,000+ retailers and Post Office branches, processing 500M+ transactions annually for major utilities, mobile operators, transport providers and digital services via its Payzone Plus terminal.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Payzone industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bill Payment & Top-Up Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bill Pay, Invoicing & Payables Platforms (BPAMAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Carrier Billing & Telco Mobile Money (FSAMAEAD)
Keywords
Where Payzone is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Northwich
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Payzone business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Retailer Commission: Payzone earns commission on every transaction processed through the Payzone terminal in retailer stores. Retailers also earn commission with every transaction, creating a mutual revenue share model.
- Terminal Rental Fees: Retailers pay weekly rental fees for the Payzone terminal device. Standard pricing starts at 99p per week plus VAT, significantly lower than competitors who charge around £10 per week.
- Card Payment Processing: Card acceptance services offered through Payzone Plus generate transaction fees. Card acceptance available for £8.55 per week, with competitive transaction rates for retailers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Weekly | Standard Payzone Terminal Rental |
| Subscription | Weekly | Payzone Plus Combined Service |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | No Additional Customer Fees |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Payzone product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Payzone operates a UK bill payment and top-up network of 24,000+ convenience stores and Post Office branches, letting consumers pay utility, water, rent and council tax bills, top up prepayment energy meters and mobile phones, and buy travel/gift cards. It supplies retailers with the Payzone Plus terminal that combines bill payment processing and card acceptance, earning commission and rental fees on transactions.
Product overview
Payzone is a bill payment and top-up services network operated by Post Office Limited, providing payment solutions across a network of over 24,000 convenience stores and Post Office branches in the UK. The core offering is the Payzone Bill Payments platform, which enables customers to pay utility bills, top up prepayment energy meters, make mobile phone top-ups, purchase SIM cards, pay rent and council tax, reload travel cards, collect parcels, and purchase gift cards. The flagship Payzone Plus device combines both bill payments and card acceptance in a single handheld terminal, with exclusive features including Jisp Scan & Save loyalty technology and Cashplus Business Banking. The network integrates with major UK energy providers (British Gas, E.ON Next, EDF, ScottishPower, OVO, Utilita, Bulb), mobile networks (O2, Vodafone, EE, Three, giffgaff, Lebara, Lyca, Tesco Mobile), water companies (Thames Water, United Utilities), gaming platforms (The Health Lottery, Lotto Social, PokerStars), transport operators (National Express, Transport for West Midlands, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport), and other services including Amazon Top Up, Post Office Payout, and Post Office EasyID identity verification.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Payzone Plus: All-in-one device combining bill payments and card acceptance functionality for retailers
- Post Office Payout
- Post Office EasyID
Products and services
- Payzone Bill Payments Core bill payment network enabling consumers to pay utility, water, rent and council tax bills, top up prepayment energy meters and mobile phones, buy SIM cards, reload travel cards, collect parcels and purchase gift cards at participating convenience stores and Post Office branches. Retailers earn commission on each transaction.
- Payzone Plus Device All-in-one handheld terminal combining bill payment processing and card acceptance in a single device, with integrated gas card and electricity key reader, touchscreen interface, faster transaction processing and improved Wi-Fi connectivity. For retailers wanting a unified payments solution.
- Card Acceptance Card payment processing built into the Payzone Plus device or offered separately via partner takepayments, supporting contactless, chip & PIN, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Android Pay with next-day settlement and short contracts. For retailers who need card payment capability.
- Post Office Payout Service enabling businesses and government organisations to make cash and energy top-up payments via single or batch vouchers redeemable at any Post Office branch; Payout NOW enables immediate voucher delivery via email or SMS. For refunds, settlements and discretionary awards.
- Post Office EasyID Digital identity verification app built on Yoti technology, accepted at Payzone retailers to let customers prove age and identity in-store or online via biometric authentication, reusable digital ID and QR code sharing. For age-restricted product purchases.
- Amazon Top Up Service allowing customers to add funds to their Amazon account with cash, debit card or cheque at any Payzone store, generating a PIN code receipt for online redemption. For consumers topping up Amazon balances in cash.
Quantifiable outcome
- 500 million+ bill payment transactions processed annually
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Payzone
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Payzone technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
Payzone partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.
- AmazoncoreAmazon top-up service allowing customers to add funds to their Amazon account with cash, debit card or cheque at Payzone stores. Generates receipt with PIN code for online redemption.
- UtilitacoreLong-term contract for Utilita bill payment solutions serving 800,000+ PAYG smart energy customers. Allows customers with smart meter cards, Talexus keys or Quantum cards to top up over the counter.
- JispstrategicExclusive loyalty technology partnership for Payzone Plus retailers. Jisp's Scan and Save technology enables retailers to create custom store promotions. Initially trialed in 100 stores before wider rollout to 2,000 Payzone Plus retailers.
- ScottishPowercoreLong-term contract for bill payments and smart meter top-ups. Serves 500,000+ prepayment customers who can pay bills at any Payzone store or Post Office branch using barcoded bills, prepayment keys or cards.
- E.ON NextcoreLong-term partnership for E.ON Next prepayment smart meter top-ups at Payzone stores and Post Office branches.
- Thames WatercoreBrand new long-term partnership allowing Thames Water customers to pay water bills at Payzone stores. Thames Water serves 15 million people across London and Thames Valley.
- British GascoreExclusive contract for British Gas bill payments and top-ups at Payzone and Post Office locations. Serves 1.8 million British Gas customers nationwide who were previously using PayPoint.
- Post OfficecorePayzone is a subsidiary of Post Office Limited. The partnership combines Payzone's retailer network and bill payment technology with Post Office's national branch network and brand trust. Together they provide bill payment and card acceptance services across 24,000+ locations.
- OVO EnergycorePartnership for electricity keys, gas cards and smart meter top-ups. OVO has over 4 million customers and was the first mainstream supplier to remove coal and nuclear from the fuel mix.
- takepaymentsstrategicCard acceptance partner for retailers who need standalone card payment services without bill payments. Offers portable, countertop and mobile card machines with over 55,000 businesses using their services.
- BulbminorEnergy supplier partnership for bill payment services.
- Utilita Energy HubsminorPhysical energy advice hubs providing face-to-face customer support. Payzone services available within these hubs for bill payments and top-ups.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Payzone competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- takepayments: takepayments is Payzone's card acceptance partner (55,000+ UK businesses) and a direct competitor in the UK SMB card acceptance market via countertop, portable, and mobile terminals. While takepayments does not offer bill payment, it competes for the same retailer's payment stack wallet share.
- PayPoint: PayPoint is Payzone's primary UK competitor, operating an analogous retail bill payment, top-up, and parcel network across convenience stores. The two compete head-to-head for energy supplier contracts (PayPoint previously held the British Gas contract, which Payzone won in 2019) and retailer relationships.
- Jisp: Jisp is Payzone Plus's exclusive loyalty technology partner (Scan & Save), serving the same UK independent retailer base with digital promotions, click & collect, and home delivery services. It is a co-dependent platform that could in principle expand into adjacent retailer services competing with Payzone.
- Cashplus: Cashplus provides business banking and prepaid card services to UK SMBs and is integrated into Payzone Plus as an exclusive banking partner. As a fintech serving similar small business customers, it represents both an embedded partner and a potential standalone competitor in retailer financial services.
- epay (Euronet Worldwide): Euronet's epay division is a global prepaid and bill payment processor serving retailers with mobile top-up, gift cards, and utility payments. It competes with Payzone in mobile top-up and prepaid services across the UK and Europe with comparable retailer-channel economics.
Emerging players
- SumUp: SumUp is a European SMB card acceptance and point-of-sale provider competing for Payzone's retailer customers on the card acceptance side. It does not offer bill payment but provides an alternative merchant services stack to independent retailers in the UK.
- OnePay: OnePay is a fintech offering cash-based digital payment services at retail points, including bill payment and e-commerce top-up (similar to Payzone's Amazon top-up service). It is a newer, narrower-scope competitor focused on the unbanked/cash-preferring consumer segment Payzone targets.
- Zilch: Zilch is a UK fintech offering buy-now-pay-later and consumer payment products. While not a direct bill-payment peer, it competes for the same UK consumer wallet share and could in time offer bill payment or top-up services adjacent to Payzone's consumer-facing proposition.
Broad incumbents
- Worldpay (FIS): Worldpay is a global payments processor with significant UK SMB merchant acquiring presence. It competes with Payzone's card acceptance offering (delivered via takepayments) and serves overlapping retailers, though it does not offer bill payment or retail top-up services.
- Post Office Limited: Post Office is Payzone's parent company and also a direct service provider offering bill payments and cash services through its branch network. Its branches augment Payzone's retail footprint, but it operates much more broadly across postal, banking, and government services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Payzone social profiles
Digital presencePayzone compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Payzone financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Payzone leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Payzone funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Payzone M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Payzone
What does Payzone do?
Payzone operates a UK bill payment and top-up network of 24,000+ convenience stores and Post Office branches, letting consumers pay utility, water, rent and council tax bills, top up prepayment energy meters and mobile phones, and buy travel/gift cards. It supplies retailers with the Payzone Plus terminal that combines bill payment processing and card acceptance, earning commission and rental fees on transactions.
Is Payzone a public or private company?
Payzone is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Payzone founded?
Payzone was founded in 1994. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Payzone based?
Payzone is headquartered in Northwich, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Payzone make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Retailer Commission is the primary driver. The others are terminal Rental Fees and card Payment Processing.
Who are Payzone's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are takepayments, PayPoint, Jisp, Cashplus and epay (Euronet Worldwide). Emerging players are SumUp, OnePay and Zilch. Broad incumbents are Worldpay (FIS) and Post Office Limited.
Does Payzone have an API?
No public API is recorded for Payzone.
What industry is Payzone in?
Payzone's product category is Bill Payment & Top-Up Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAFAF, Bill Pay, Invoicing & Payables Platforms, with a secondary code of FSAMAEAD, Carrier Billing & Telco Mobile Money.