Best Payment Gateways for Online Dating Sites for UK Based Businesses

Payment Gateways
1

Hello, I’m planning to launch online dating site and I’m looking for UK based payment gateway who accept dating sites. I’ve been searching but can’t find any definite answer. Tried Google search, AI search and nothing gives me definite answer. After my search I’ve collected following details:

1) Authorize.net
They allow but not for the UK based businesses, they only accept USA and Canadian businesses.

2) Stripe
I’ve been reading their policy on this topic and it is still in grey area, some say they accept while other say it doesn’t. I know from my personal experience that Stripe are PITA when it comes to the restricted categories. They keep restricting my account because there is mention of a country which is under USA banned list.

3) Paypal
Same situation as Stripe.

I don’t want to risk my Stripe and Paypal accounts as I them for my main business.

Can anyone suggest if there are any good Payment gateways for the UK businesses who accept online dating sites. Please reply only if you have used them successfully.

6 Likes
2

That is good decision not to mess with Stripe and Paypal as they are real pain when it comes to restricted categories which, unfortunately, include online dating.

I, personally, haven’t used any payment gateway for online dating site and that too which accepts UK businesses but I know that it is going to be some pain for you. Good luck mate! keep us updated if you come across any working solution.

3

Go to various UK based online dating sites, create account and check which payment gateways they are using. Contact them directly and go from there.

1 Like
4

Good idea but it is is time waste tbh. Why it is so freaking pain to get a decent online payment gateway for dating sites? After all there are hundreds of such sites and I’m sure there must be many UK based businesses owning few of them?

5

It is pain because it is considered to be high risk like gambling. Dating world is full with scammers so they carry risk hence not all payment gateways accept such high risk businesses such as dating or gambling easily. You need to make efforts, it ain’t going to be easy for sure. I know that it may be easier for Americans as they invented payment gateways.

6

All the dodgy businessess have been and are still controlled by mafia, they don’t want average joes like us to milk profit hence the control.

7

Why don’t you launch app on Apple Appstore and Google Play store? You don’t have to worry about payment gateways.

1 Like
8

Yes, I’ll launch mobile apps eventually but can’t reply on appstores alone. I’ll have to build web site anyways.

9

Apple are not accepting any new dating apps unless you can convince them that your app is unique.

10

Are you serious?? Why? Do you have any reference for this?

11

Just Google search and you will find. I’m afraid Google play may also reject app unless it is unique.

12

All these payment gateway providers who accept high risk industries such as online dating, adult or gambling only entertain big corporation only. Unless you are a big corporation, you will not have any luck getting a decent payment gateway for online dating sites. Top that up with the fact that if you are a UK based business you will struggle even further. UK based payment gateway providers are royal pain in the ass.

13

Few months back I was also trying to get a payment gateway integrated for my online dating site which I built myself. I approached few providers in the UK, few of them reply but none of them accepted. They also wanted to see my revenue which was 0 at that moment. It was a chicken and egg situation, they wanted to see steady revenue and I wanted to get payment gateway to start earning some money. It went nowhere and I’ve to give up the dating site.

As others have suggested you will struggle unless you are a big corporation.

14

Hello All,
I’m Hiten Patel from Gujarat, India. I have an idea to build a niche dating site and mobile app. I want to know which Indian payment gateways accept dating sites. Please help. Thanks.

15

Why don’t you start with a white label dating site, they will probably already have a payment gateway integrated or will connect you with some.

16

I was thinking of that route but it didn’t work out for me. I hate white label solution, they all suck. I already have business idea and I know what I want to do with my dating site. None of my requirements can be satisfied with any white label solution.

You may be correct in saying that they may come with a payment gateway integrated which is a plus but I would rather avoid them

17

I contacted one European based payment gateway which does support online dating sites and they came back asking me to send them loads of documents, personal ID and address proof etc. I’m not feeling comfortable with that, should I send them these documents?

18

Nothing wrong in sending these documents by email. Some banks are still stuck in 90s. I just wonder what their API will look like if they can’t build one page on their website allowing you to upload all such documents? I hope they have a website don’t they?

All these payment gateway providers, for online dating or otherwise, will need these documents and you will have to provide them in one way or another.

What is the name of this payment gateway provider?

19

Ok, yes they do have a website that’s how I found them.

It is a European provider. Don’t want to write their name to give them free publicity.

20

Couple of years back I was also looking for a payment gateway for my new dating site. First I started a free dating site then decided to make it paid. I explored all avenues from the UK and foreign based payment gateway providers but couldn’t get any. If you Google search you will find their pages clearly writing that they accept dating sites but when you contact them they refuse to accept sighting the reason that your business is not appropriate. WTF! I gave up finally.