SmarterPay
SmarterPay is an independent UK Bacs-approved payment technology company providing cloud-based Direct Debit management, Bacs submission and card payment solutions to charities, public sector bodies and enterprises. It processes over £28bn in Direct Debits annually for clients including British Gas, Torbay Council and CAFOD.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersKingston upon Hull, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What SmarterPay does
SmarterPay Limited is a privately held UK payment technology company founded in 2010 and headquartered in Kingston upon Hull, operating as an independent Bacs Approved Software and Bureau provider. Its platform centres on SmarterPay Cloud, a browser-based service for Direct Debit management (DDMS), Bacs Direct Credit submissions and card payment processing, alongside a legacy on-premise variant. Supporting modules include the Salesforce-managed package (V2 on AppExchange), Bureau Certificate Service (HSM-backed automated submission signing), Secure Signup (patent-pending open banking mandate verification), Confirmation of Payee (via PayPoint), Account Information Services (via Tink), File Utility and Direct Submitter, with native integrations into Salesforce, Financial Force, Stripe, Opayo/Elavon, Sage Accounts, Zuora, ENSEK, Aedon Accounting and Accounting Seed. The company is Bacs Approved, ISO 27001 certified and PCI DSS compliant, processing over £28 billion in Direct Debits annually for UK customers.
SmarterPay serves a vertically diversified UK customer base spanning charities and non-profits (CAFOD, Human Appeal, Springfield Nurseries), public sector (Torbay Council processing £410m annually), mid-market and enterprise (British Gas, Co-Op, Equifax, PRS PPL, Citation, Jackson Construction, Aquaid) and SMBs. GTM combines a sales-led direct team (Account Executives targeting CFOs, Finance Directors and Heads of Treasury), a Partner Manager developing the implementation partner ecosystem, AppExchange-led self-service discovery, and event-driven demand generation through London's Calling (Gold sponsor) and Open Banking Expo. Distribution is reinforced by certified implementation partners (Aedon Accounting, Cloud Galacticos, Data Interchange) and a marketing partnership with The Regular Payments Marketing Company.
Revenue is generated through a quote-based subscription model (monthly billing, workflow-based modular pricing) plus transaction fees on Direct Debits, Direct Credits and card payments, supplemented by professional services for implementation and Salesforce configuration and managed bureau services for organisations outsourcing Bacs submissions. The business is profitable and self-funded with no disclosed external investment.
SmarterPay firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SmarterPay
- Legal name
- SmarterPay Limited
- Website
- https://smarterpay.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SmarterPay is an independent UK Bacs-approved payment technology company providing cloud-based Direct Debit management, Bacs submission and card payment solutions to charities, public sector bodies and enterprises. It processes over £28bn in Direct Debits annually for clients including British Gas, Torbay Council and CAFOD.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SmarterPay industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Payment Processing Software
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232), Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320), Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (5223)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Recurring Billing & AutoPay Management (FSAMAJAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Integrated Payment Processors (PSP/Acquirer) (FSAMABAA), Payment Orchestration Platforms (FSAGABAA), Biller Direct EBPP Platforms (FSAMAJAA)
Keywords
Where SmarterPay is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kingston upon Hull
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
SmarterPay business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscription/BaaS Platform: Monthly subscription-based access to SmarterPay Cloud platform for Bacs submissions, Direct Debit management, and payment processing. Flexible workflow-based pricing with modular features.
- Transaction Processing: Transaction fees associated with processing Direct Debits, Direct Credits, and card payments through the platform.
- Professional Services: Implementation, configuration, and consulting services for custom integrations and Salesforce deployments. Includes training, onboarding support, and project management.
- Bureau Services: Bacs-approved bureau services including Bureau Certificate Service for automated submission signing, and full bureau arrangements for organisations without direct submission capability.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Custom subscription tiers based on transaction volume and feature requirements |
| Subscription | Monthly | Bureau services for Bacs submission outsourcing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
SmarterPay product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SmarterPay provides a cloud-based Bacs payment platform that enables UK businesses, charities, and public-sector organisations to organise, automate, and manage Direct Debit and Direct Credit processing, card payments, and open banking verification. Its core offering centres on the Direct Debit Management Solution (DDMS) and SmarterPay Cloud, with supporting modules for Salesforce integration, card payment gateway, Confirmation of Payee, and Bacs bureau services.
Product overview
SmarterPay offers a unified cloud-based payment platform focused on Bacs payment processing and Direct Debit automation for UK businesses. The core product portfolio centers on three main solutions: SmarterPay Cloud (cloud-based platform), SmarterPay On Premise (installed software), and the Direct Debit Management Solution (DDMS). Supporting modules include Card Payment Gateway, Open Banking Solutions with Secure Signup fraud prevention, Confirmation of Payee, File Utility, Direct Submitter, Bureau Services with Bureau Certificate Service, and Account Information Service. The company also offers a Salesforce Managed Package (V2) for CRM-integrated payment processing. All products are designed for UK payment schemes including Bacs Direct Credits, Direct Debits, and card payments, with integrations to Salesforce, Financial Force, Stripe, Opayo, Sage Accounts, Zuora, ENSEK, Aedon Accounting, Accounting Seed, Tink, PayPoint, and HubSpot CRM.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SmarterPay Cloud Fully hosted, cloud-based payment platform providing secure browser-based access to Bacs file submissions, Direct Debit Management, and card payment processing. Designed for UK businesses needing remote access and business continuity, with optional free trial.
- SmarterPay On Premise On-premise Bacs payment software for organisations that prefer installed infrastructure. Provides full audit trail, reporting options, bureau options, and industry-standard encryption with digital signatures for direct submissions.
- Direct Debit Management Solution (DDMS) AUDDIS-compliant Direct Debit management system covering the full mandate-to-collection lifecycle: paperless signup, branded notifications, modulus checking, automated Bacs submissions, auto account updates, and resubmission protocols. Sold as a standalone offering for organisations requiring Direct Debit automation.
- Bacs Approved Software / Direct Submitter Bacs-approved payment software enabling organisations to submit Direct Debit and Direct Credit files directly, accurately, and with complete control, with Bacs Bureau service for automated submissions and report handling.
- SmarterPay for Salesforce Managed Package V2 Salesforce AppExchange managed package enabling payment and collection process management directly within Salesforce. Supports one-off and recurring payments, Bacs report automation, refund processing, deferred payments, and multi-currency functionality.
- Bureau Services Bacs-approved outsourcing service for secure and compliant payment submissions, including the Bureau Certificate Service that automates scheduled Bacs file signing using HSM-backed keystore, with audit trails and cost-effective processing for organisations without direct submission capability.
- Card Payment Gateway Card payment processing module allowing businesses to take card payments via telephone (MOTO), payment links, and website integrations, connecting to preferred payment gateways including Opayo (Elavon).
- Confirmation of Payee Real-time payee account verification service enabling businesses to verify account details before payments are sent, reducing fraud and preventing misdirected payments. Integrated with PayPoint's CoP capability.
- Open Banking Solutions (Secure Signup + Account Information Service) Open banking payment capabilities including Account Information Services for verifying bank account ownership during Direct Debit signup, with patent-pending Secure Signup fraud prevention and Tink-powered AIS verification.
- File Utility Secure, automated bridge between customers' finance systems and SmarterPay Cloud, enabling file processing and transmission for Direct Debit and Direct Credit workflows.
- Opayo Elavon Charity Solution Integrated Salesforce payment solution for charities combining SmarterPay's DDMS with Opayo's flexible payment gateway, enabling card payments, online payments, Direct Debits and Direct Credits through a unified Salesforce platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- Processes over £28 billion worth of Direct Debits annually for UK businesses and charities
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use SmarterPay
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
SmarterPay technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
Feature7 records
SmarterPay partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and strategic.
- PayPointcoreIntegration of PayPoint's Confirmation of Payee (CoP) capability into SmarterPay's cloud-based payment workflows and API. Enables real-time payee account verification before payments, helping reduce fraud and prevent misdirected payments. Specifically designed for UK payments and regulatory requirements for high-volume operations.
- TinkcoreTink, a Visa Solution and market-leading open banking platform, provides Account Check product enhancing SmarterPay's Secure Signup Direct Debit setup process. Uses open banking AIS to verify bank account details and ownership, with customers redirected to online bank for identity verification.
- Aedon.AccountingcoreStrategic partnership revolutionising Direct Debit collection through integrated mandate process. Three key elements: simplified mandate setup, efficient 14-day advance collection run, and automated handling of failed payments through 'sales failure' transaction. SmarterPay Cloud automates decision-making for representing failed Direct Debits.
- SalesforcecoreLong-standing partnership since 2012 with dedicated managed package on Salesforce AppExchange (5-star rating). Enables payment collection and processing directly within Salesforce. Strategic partnership with Salesforce consultancy ecosystem including Zentso.
- The Regular Payments Marketing CompanysupportingMarketing partnership supporting SmarterPay's growth plans. Leverages 30+ years experience in marketing financial products including Direct Debit and Bacs Direct Credit, and deep understanding of financial marketing mix.
- Opayo (Elavon)coreCustomised and integrated Salesforce payment solution exclusively for charities. Combines SmarterPay's DDMS with Opayo's flexible payment gateway. Enables clients to take card payments, online payments, Direct Debits or Direct Credits through unified Salesforce platform.
- Data InterchangestrategicPartnership to deliver B2B and B2C order-to-cash service combining Data Interchange's EDI transmission capabilities with SmarterPay's secure payment solutions. Enables clients to connect, trade, and transact with businesses across the globe through integrated platform.
- Cloud GalacticossupportingSalesforce consultancy partner selected by Human Appeal to assist with CRM replacement and payment integration. Contributed to custom Salesforce implementation for charity sector.
- StripesupportingPayment gateway and processor integrated with Human Appeal's Salesforce solution for card payment processing, refunds, and bank reconciliation.
- Accounting SeedsupportingDedicated extension packages for Accounting Seed managed package enabling integrated Direct Debit management within Salesforce accounting environment.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SmarterPay competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- GoCardless: GoCardless is a leading global Direct Debit platform serving SMBs and enterprises with recurring payment collection. It is the most direct competitor to SmarterPay's core Direct Debit Management Solution and Bacs processing capabilities, though operating at significantly larger scale internationally.
- AccessPay: AccessPay provides cloud-based payment automation and Bacs/Direct Debit processing solutions for UK finance teams. It competes directly with SmarterPay Cloud in the mid-market and enterprise segments for treasury management and payment automation workflows.
- ClearAccept: ClearAccept is a UK payment platform offering Direct Debit, card payments, and open banking solutions to mid-market and enterprise customers. It competes directly with SmarterPay in Bacs processing and recurring payment automation for UK businesses.
Broad incumbents
- Bottomline Technologies: Bottomline is a larger, established payments technology provider offering Bacs/Direct Debit processing, payment automation, and fraud solutions to enterprise and financial institution customers. It represents a broader incumbent with overlapping capabilities in UK payment schemes.
- Stripe: Stripe offers Direct Debit (Bacs) processing as part of its global payment platform alongside card payments and Stripe Billing. It serves as a broader incumbent with significantly greater scale and product breadth than SmarterPay's Bacs-focused offering.
Emerging players
- TrueLayer: TrueLayer is a UK open banking platform providing Account Information Services and payment initiation. It overlaps with SmarterPay's Secure Signup and open banking capabilities, representing an emerging player that could compete in the bank-verified payment verification space.
- Token.io: Token.io provides open banking payment initiation and account information services in the UK and Europe. It competes in the open banking rails that SmarterPay integrates with via Tink, offering direct payment initiation as an alternative to traditional Direct Debit flows.
- Modulr: Modulr is a UK Payments-as-a-Service provider enabling embedded payments and banking-as-a-service via API. It represents an emerging player in the payment infrastructure layer adjacent to SmarterPay's Bacs and open banking services.
- Chargebee: Chargebee is a subscription billing and recurring payment management platform with Direct Debit (GoCardless integration) and card payment capabilities. It serves as an emerging player in the recurring billing automation space adjacent to SmarterPay's DDMS offering.
Others
- Sage Pay (Opayo): Opayo (formerly Sage Pay) is a UK payment gateway and card processor, and also a SmarterPay integration partner. It is an adjacent payments infrastructure provider rather than a direct competitor, but overlaps in the card payment processing module of SmarterPay's platform.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SmarterPay social profiles
Digital presenceSmarterPay compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
SmarterPay financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SmarterPay leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
SmarterPay funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SmarterPay 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 SmarterPay
What does SmarterPay do?
SmarterPay provides a cloud-based Bacs payment platform that enables UK businesses, charities, and public-sector organisations to organise, automate, and manage Direct Debit and Direct Credit processing, card payments, and open banking verification. Its core offering centres on the Direct Debit Management Solution (DDMS) and SmarterPay Cloud, with supporting modules for Salesforce integration, card payment gateway, Confirmation of Payee, and Bacs bureau services.
Is SmarterPay a public or private company?
SmarterPay is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SmarterPay founded?
SmarterPay was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SmarterPay based?
SmarterPay is headquartered in Kingston upon Hull, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does SmarterPay make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Subscription/BaaS Platform is the primary driver. The others are transaction Processing, professional Services and bureau Services.
Who are SmarterPay's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are GoCardless, AccessPay and ClearAccept. Broad incumbents are Bottomline Technologies and Stripe. Emerging players are TrueLayer, Token.io, Modulr and Chargebee. Sage Pay (Opayo) is listed as an others.
Does SmarterPay have an API?
Yes. SmarterPay offers a comprehensive open API that enables integration of Direct Debits/Credits and card payments into customer systems. The API supports features including Direct Debit set-up, mandates creation, payment plan scheduling, automated Bacs submissions, transaction level integration, resubmission protocols, and auto account updates. The API documentation is available at wiki.smarterpay.com, and the company offers SFTP connectivity options for automated file submissions. Developer documentation is at wiki.smarterpay.com/smarterpaycloud/api/gettingstarted.
What industry is SmarterPay in?
SmarterPay's product category is Payment Processing Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMAJAE, Recurring Billing & AutoPay Management, with a secondary code of FSAMABAA, Integrated Payment Processors (PSP/Acquirer). Its NAICS code is 52232 and its SIC code is 7372.