ClearAccept
ClearAccept is a UK-based embedded payment acceptance platform, wholly owned by ClearCourse, providing multi-channel card payments (online, card machines, virtual terminal, pay-by-link) integrated directly into 25+ ClearCourse software platforms serving 3,000+ SMB merchants across eight verticals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What ClearAccept does
ClearAccept Ltd is a UK-based, FCA-aligned embedded payment acceptance platform that operates as a subsidiary of ClearCourse Partnership Holdings Limited, a private technology group comprising 30+ software companies, 800+ employees and more than 20,000 end-clients. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in London, ClearAccept is distributed exclusively through 25+ ClearCourse software platforms across eight SMB verticals — automotive, hospitality, jobs and trades, medical and aesthetics, membership, retail, sport and leisure, and veterinary — serving 3,000+ merchants with £1bn+ in annual card processing volume and roughly £70m processed every month. Its core products are online payments (branded checkout, recurring billing, payment links), a card-machine portfolio spanning countertop, portable, mobile and Android terminals (Lane/3600, Move/5000, Link/2500, Axium DX8000) sourced from Ingenico/Worldline, a browser-based virtual terminal for card-not-present phone payments, and a pay-at-table restaurant workflow; these are wrapped by 24/7 fraud monitoring with in-house risk review and a Revenue Finance product (up to £1,000,000) powered by Liberis.
The underlying technology stack combines a unified software-embedded payments API across ClearCourse platforms, PCI DSS Level 1 and PSD2 SCA-compliant processing, and a merchant reporting portal (portal.clearaccept.com) backed by Bambora for acquiring, settlement and indirect-ISO merchant onboarding under a net-settlement model. ClearAccept monetises primarily through per-transaction processing fees, hardware margin on terminal sales, and affiliate commissions from Liberis for Revenue Finance referrals; pricing is not publicly disclosed and onboarding is supported by a direct sales team in addition to software-partner referrals. The company remains private, UK-only, and without disclosed external funding rounds.
ClearAccept firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ClearAccept
- Legal name
- ClearAccept Ltd
- Website
- https://clearaccept.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ClearAccept is a UK-based embedded payment acceptance platform, wholly owned by ClearCourse, providing multi-channel card payments (online, card machines, virtual terminal, pay-by-link) integrated directly into 25+ ClearCourse software platforms serving 3,000+ SMB merchants across eight verticals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ClearAccept industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Payment Processing Software
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232), Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (5223)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- A2A Checkout & Merchant Acceptance Solutions (FSAMAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- A2A Fraud, Risk & Authentication (FSAMAFAI), Open-Loop Prepaid Cards (Network-Branded) (FSAMANAA)
Keywords
Where ClearAccept is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
ClearAccept business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Personnel
Revenue model
- Payment Processing Fees: Transaction fees from processing card payments across all channels (online, in-person, phone). Net settlement model where transaction fees are deducted from sales prior to payout.
- Hardware Sales: Sale of card machines including countertop, portable, and mobile terminals
- Revenue Finance Partnership: Commission from Liberis for referrals to Revenue Finance product. ClearAccept Ltd receives commission following successful referral.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Net settlement model for all merchants |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
ClearAccept product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ClearAccept provides embedded payment acceptance for software companies, enabling businesses to accept card payments across online, in-person (via card machines), over-the-phone (virtual terminal), and via pay-by-link channels directly within their ClearCourse software platforms. The platform unifies reporting and reconciliation, eliminates double-keying, and includes 24/7 fraud monitoring, with optional Revenue Finance funding of up to £1,000,000 powered by Liberis.
Product overview
ClearAccept is an embedded multi-channel payment acceptance platform and part of ClearCourse, a UK-based technology group. The core offering is the ClearAccept integrated payments platform, which provides a unified overlay across ClearCourse's portfolio of 25+ software platforms spanning sectors including automotive, hospitality, medical/aesthetics, membership, retail, sport/leisure, veterinary, and jobs/trades. The platform's core products are Online Payments (e-commerce checkout), Card Machines (a range of countertop, portable, and mobile terminals including Lane/3600, Lane/3000, Move/5000, Link/2500, and Axium DX8000), Virtual Terminal (card-not-present over-the-phone payments), and Pay by Link (secure payment links via SMS/email). These are complemented by the Pay at Table restaurant solution (built on the Axium DX8000 Android machine), Fraud Monitoring (24/7 active anomaly detection on online and phone transactions — included as standard), and ClearAccept Revenue Finance (up to £1,000,000 in flexible business funding powered by Liberis). Merchants access the platform via the ClearAccept Merchant Portal (for direct merchants) or the Bambora Transaction Portal (for indirect/ISO merchants). All payment channels are integrated into the software platforms customers already use, enabling unified reporting and reconciliation across in-person, online, and phone payments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Online Payments Multi-channel online payments solution enabling UK businesses to accept credit and debit card payments via a branded checkout on websites, in apps, or through payment links. Supports recurring payments for subscriptions and invoices. PSD2 SCA compliant and PCI DSS Level 1 certified. Targeted at ClearCourse software customers across retail, membership, and online verticals.
- Card Machines Range of integrated card payment terminals (countertop, portable, mobile form factors) including the Lane/3600, Lane/3000, Move/5000, Link/2500, and Axium DX8000. All machines integrate with ClearCourse software, supporting chip-and-pin, contactless, and NFC payments.
- Lane/3600 Countertop Card Machine Integrated countertop card machine connecting directly to a till via Ethernet. Features 2.8" backlit LCD colour screen, PCI PTS 5.x certified, end-to-end encrypted. Designed for fixed-location retail businesses such as clothing stores, garden centres, and sports stadiums.
- Link/2500 Mobile Card Machine Compact integrated mobile card machine with Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. Weighs 155g with 2.4" colour screen, PCI PTS 4.x certified. Designed for on-the-road payments at markets, trade jobs, or customer sites.
- Axium DX8000 Android Card Machine Next-generation Android-powered touchscreen card machine with 6" HD+ colour display, built-in printer, 16GB Flash/2GB RAM, multiple connectivity options, PCI PTS 6.x certified. Available as standalone, Pay at Table, or fully integrated solutions.
- Move/5000 Portable Card Machine Portable card machine with built-in printer, rechargeable battery, Bluetooth/Ethernet/WiFi/mobile connectivity, 3.5" colour touchscreen and 16 keys. Designed for restaurants, retail, and garages requiring payments away from the till.
- Pay at Table Integrated restaurant payment solution using the Axium DX8000 Android card machine. Enables servers to take payments directly at the table, split bills, add tips, and print receipts without returning to the till. Supports light and dark mode.
- Virtual Terminal Browser-based virtual terminal embedded in ClearCourse software platforms that lets businesses take card payments over the phone. Data is encrypted and tokenised with PCI DSS compliance and managed alongside other ClearAccept channels.
- Pay by Link Payment link solution that lets businesses send a secure link via text or email so customers can complete card payments online. Supports goods sales, service payments, and outstanding balance collection.
- Fraud Monitoring 24/7 active fraud monitoring solution processing all online and over-the-phone transactions with anomaly detection; flagged transactions are reviewed by ClearAccept's Risk and Compliance team who may contact the merchant. Included as standard with the platform.
- ClearAccept Revenue Finance Business funding product powered by Liberis, providing flexible funding of up to £1,000,000 for ClearAccept customers. Repayments flex with card transaction revenue (a percentage of monthly card sales). No fixed monthly payments, no interest, and a single fixed fee. Merchants may receive funds within 24 hours of approval.
- ClearAccept Merchant Portal Online merchant reporting portal (portal.clearaccept.com) for direct ClearAccept merchants, providing real-time transaction monitoring, payout batch viewing, Excel data export, and bank account reconciliation. Supports multi-factor authentication via authenticator app or SMS OTP.
Quantifiable outcome
- Time savings: Payment processing reduced from 15 hours to under 2 hours
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ClearAccept
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
ClearAccept technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration24 records
AI capability1 record
Feature4 records
ClearAccept partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- BamboracoreBambora provides the acquiring and settlement services for ClearAccept merchants. Processes and settles transactions to nominated bank accounts. Provides merchant portal for transaction viewing and reconciliation.
- ClearCourseflagshipClearAccept is a subsidiary of ClearCourse, a UK-based technology group providing software and payments for SMEs. ClearAccept was created specifically to solve payment needs of ClearCourse software customers. Part of 30+ company group with 800+ employees and 20,000+ end-clients.
- IngenicocoreIngenico, part of Worldline, is the manufacturer of card terminals provided by ClearAccept. Ingenico provides the hardware including Lane/3600, Move/5000, and Link/2500 terminals with integrated TMS software.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ClearAccept competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tyl by NatWest: UK bank-affiliated payment acceptance provider offering card machines and integrated payments to SMBs. Comparable in UK market focus and integrated payment acceptance offerings.
- Stripe: Global payments infrastructure provider offering online checkout, in-person payments, and embedded finance APIs. Comparable on payment acceptance products and increasingly on embedded software payments plays.
- takepayments: UK-based SMB payment processor offering card machines, online payments, and pay-by-link. Directly comparable in UK SMB market, product mix, and partnership-led distribution.
- SumUp: European SMB-focused payment acceptance provider offering card readers, online payments, and point-of-sale solutions. Directly comparable to ClearAccept in target market (UK and European SMBs), product scope (multi-channel card acceptance), and channel-led go-to-market.
- Dojo: UK-focused SMB card payment acceptance provider offering card machines, online payments, and integrations with software platforms. Closest geographic peer with similar SMB and integrated-software positioning.
- SpotOn: US-based SMB software + payments provider combining POS, reservations, and payment processing across verticals (restaurants, retail, services). Strong analog for ClearAccept's vertical-SaaS-plus-payments model in a different geography.
- Zettle (PayPal): PayPal-owned SMB payment acceptance brand offering card readers, online checkout, and POS integrations. Directly comparable in product (card machines, online, virtual terminal) and target SMB customer base.
- Square (Block): Global SMB payments and software platform combining card acceptance, POS, and business software. Comparable to ClearAccept in serving SMB merchants with integrated payments + software across verticals.
Broad incumbents
- Adyen: Global unified payments platform serving large enterprises and platforms with omnichannel card acceptance and embedded finance. Comparable on multi-channel payment infrastructure though focused on larger merchants than ClearAccept.
- Worldpay (Fiserv): One of the largest global payment processors/acquirers offering card acceptance, online payments, and merchant services. Comparable as the incumbent acquirer ecosystem ClearAccept and its merchants operate within (ClearAccept itself uses Bambora/Worldline).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ClearAccept social profiles
Digital presenceClearAccept compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
ClearAccept financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ClearAccept leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
ClearAccept funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ClearAccept 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 ClearAccept
What does ClearAccept do?
ClearAccept provides embedded payment acceptance for software companies, enabling businesses to accept card payments across online, in-person (via card machines), over-the-phone (virtual terminal), and via pay-by-link channels directly within their ClearCourse software platforms. The platform unifies reporting and reconciliation, eliminates double-keying, and includes 24/7 fraud monitoring, with optional Revenue Finance funding of up to £1,000,000 powered by Liberis.
Is ClearAccept a public or private company?
ClearAccept is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was ClearAccept founded?
ClearAccept was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ClearAccept based?
ClearAccept is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does ClearAccept make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Payment Processing Fees are the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales and revenue Finance Partnership.
Who are ClearAccept's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tyl by NatWest, Stripe, takepayments, SumUp, Dojo, SpotOn, Zettle (PayPal) and Square (Block). Broad incumbents are Adyen and Worldpay (Fiserv).
Does ClearAccept have an API?
No public API is recorded for ClearAccept.
What industry is ClearAccept in?
ClearAccept's product category is Payment Processing Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMAFAF, A2A Checkout & Merchant Acceptance Solutions, with a secondary code of FSAMAFAI, A2A Fraud, Risk & Authentication. Its NAICS code is 52232 and its SIC code is 7372.