Accept our Cards and enjoy the backing of American Express
Benefit from our programs that support small businesses - we promote local businesses to our Cardmembers, at no extra cost to you.
Call 0800 339 911 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 18:00) or have us contact you to sign up.
When you accept American Express® Cards, we back you through:
Complimentary marketing to help send high-spending customers1 your way
Competitive and transparent pricing with no set up costs or hidden fees
Speedy payment options – get paid as quickly as one business day2
Tools and online support to help manage your business
Best in class solutions to help prevent fraud and disputes
Attract customers to your business.
We're bringing communities together in support of small businesses.
By accepting American Express, you could be a part of the Future Shop small4 campaigns dedicated to promoting local businesses to our Cardmembers.
Your business could be recommended to our Cardmembers through personalised email and featured in our American Express Map5 making it easy for them to find you. Cardmembers can also be eligible to receive statement credits for spending at your business, at no extra cost to you.
We know attracting customers is important to you all year round. That's why we promote small businesses to our Cardmembers throughout the year, not just during a Shop Small campaign. One of the many ways we've got your back.
Welcome exceptional customers who:
Spend more
American Express Cardmembers from the UK spend on average 3.2 times more annually compared to other credit and charge cards in the UK1.
Spend often
American Express Cardmembers from the UK spend on average 2.7 times more frequently compared to other credit and charge cardmembers in the UK1.
Competitive rates, without the guesswork.
As an American Express accepting Merchant, your rates are competitive, transparent and based on your industry and annual account activity. These rates are consistent across all our Credit and Charge Card products to help make acceptance simple6.
There are also no extra set up costs or additional monthly fees involved – you only pay when a customer uses their American Express Card.

We added over 207,830 new locations in the UK in the last two years3. Not one of them?
Call us at 0800 339 911 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 18:00) or have one of our Sales Representatives contact you.

1. Source: American Express internal data for UK Cardmembers compared to GlobalData Payment Card Analytics for all UK credit and charge cards 2020 - American Express local UK Cardmembers spend on average 3.2x more annually and 2.7x more frequently compared to the average credit and charge card in the UK.
2. Your payment plan is 1 business day from receipt by us of all relevant charge data from your terminal provider or payment service provider (PSP). Improved payment time is subject to our right to withhold payments in accordance with your Terms and Conditions for American Express Card Acceptance.
3. Based on American Express merchant locations set up between January 2020 and December 2021.
4. To find out more about Shop Small click here. Shop Small eligibility criteria:
- The business must be located in the United Kingdom (UK), which consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and includes islands such as the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, the Isles of Scilly, the Hebrides and the island groups of Orkney and Shetland and the self governing dependent territories of the Isle of Man and Channel Islands.
- The business must be a traditional “Brick and Mortar Establishments” business that deals with its customer face to face in premises that the business owns or rents.
- A Shop Small business must have at least one physical business location – up to a maximum of 30 locations – within the UK.
- Businesses must not be an airline, government agency, public administration organisation, charity, non-profit, trade association, shopping property management company, direct seller or political organisation or operating in industries that are deemed ineligible for Shop Small.
- Businesses that are part of a franchise brand are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- Businesses that have an online or mail order business are excluded.
- Eligible businesses who process American Express payments solely through a third-party processors and/or an affiliate programme are included.
- Shop Small is subject to change based on Covid restrictions.
Subject to American Express Shop Small terms and conditions. Refer to your American Express representative or call 0800 032 7216.
5. The American Express® Map is intended for general reference purposes only and does not represent a comprehensive list of all Card accepting merchants. Recommendations and other information included on the map are derived from internal American Express and third party data. Data is updated from time to time and may not be 100% accurate. American Express does not accept any responsibility or liability arising from any inaccuracies. You understand and agree that your use of the map is your choice and at your sole risk and that the map is provided ‘as is’ and ‘as available’. List of Card accepting merchants is updated monthly.
6. Your rate structure and other terms will be explained to you in full before set-up of your new merchant Account.
1. Source: American Express internal data for UK Cardmembers compared to GlobalData Payment Card Analytics for all UK credit and charge cards 2020 - American Express local UK Cardmembers spend on average 3.2x more annually and 2.7x more frequently compared to the average credit and charge card in the UK.
2. Your payment plan is 1 business day from receipt by us of all relevant charge data from your terminal provider or payment service provider (PSP). Improved payment time is subject to our right to withhold payments in accordance with your Terms and Conditions for American Express Card Acceptance.
3. Based on American Express merchant locations set up between January 2020 and December 2021.
4. To find out more about Shop Small click here. Shop Small eligibility criteria:
- The business must be located in the United Kingdom (UK), which consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and includes islands such as the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, the Isles of Scilly, the Hebrides and the island groups of Orkney and Shetland and the self governing dependent territories of the Isle of Man and Channel Islands.
- The business must be a traditional “Brick and Mortar Establishments” business that deals with its customer face to face in premises that the business owns or rents.
- A Shop Small business must have at least one physical business location – up to a maximum of 30 locations – within the UK.
- Businesses must not be an airline, government agency, public administration organisation, charity, non-profit, trade association, shopping property management company, direct seller or political organisation or operating in industries that are deemed ineligible for Shop Small.
- Businesses that are part of a franchise brand are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- Businesses that have an online or mail order business are excluded.
- Eligible businesses who process American Express payments solely through a third-party processors and/or an affiliate programme are included.
- Shop Small is subject to change based on Covid restrictions.
Subject to American Express Shop Small terms and conditions. Refer to your American Express representative or call 0800 032 7216.
5. The American Express® Map is intended for general reference purposes only and does not represent a comprehensive list of all Card accepting merchants. Recommendations and other information included on the map are derived from internal American Express and third party data. Data is updated from time to time and may not be 100% accurate. American Express does not accept any responsibility or liability arising from any inaccuracies. You understand and agree that your use of the map is your choice and at your sole risk and that the map is provided ‘as is’ and ‘as available’. List of Card accepting merchants is updated monthly.
6. Your rate structure and other terms will be explained to you in full before set-up of your new merchant Account.