Does Sage Pay Accept Amex

If you are a UK business using or considering Sage Pay, now operating as Opayo, you may be wondering whether it supports American Express (Amex) payments. The answer is yes, Sage Pay does accept American Express, although merchants must ensure their accounts are set up correctly and that their payment systems are configured to process Amex transactions.

How Sage Pay and Opayo Work with American Express

Sage Pay, which rebranded as Opayo after being acquired by Elavon, continues to support a wide range of card types including Visa, Mastercard and American Express. When a customer pays with an Amex card, the transaction is processed through Opayo’s secure payment gateway in the same way as other major card brands.

However, depending on your account type and business category, you may need a specific merchant number or agreement to process Amex payments. This is because American Express operates its own payment network and manages separate rules, fee structures and settlement processes compared with Visa or Mastercard.

For most UK businesses using Opayo, Amex acceptance can be activated quickly once the appropriate account details are confirmed. Once active, transactions made with American Express are processed seamlessly alongside other card payments, appearing in your merchant dashboard just like any other transaction.

Setting Up Amex Acceptance

If you wish to start accepting American Express payments through Sage Pay or Opayo, the first step is to check whether your merchant account already includes Amex in its list of supported card types. If not, you can contact your account manager or Elavon’s customer support team to request activation.

Merchants who operate online may need to adjust their payment gateway settings to enable Amex acceptance. In some cases, businesses that use third party integrations or eCommerce platforms may have an option to tick or untick American Express as a supported card. For physical transactions, ensure your card terminals or point of sale devices are configured to accept Amex and are running the latest software updates.

Once Amex has been activated, you can begin processing transactions immediately. All card details are encrypted and transmitted securely, meeting PCI DSS Level 1 compliance standards. This ensures that both your business and your customers are protected during the transaction process.

Fees for Accepting American Express

Accepting American Express typically involves slightly different fee structures compared with Visa or Mastercard. Historically, Amex charged higher processing fees due to its rewards programmes and direct management of its network. However, in recent years, American Express has worked closely with payment processors like Elavon to make its fees more competitive and accessible to small and medium sized businesses.

Your specific transaction rate will depend on your business type, monthly turnover and agreement with Elavon. For many merchants, the difference in fees between Amex and other cards is now minimal. However, it is important to check your merchant statement to understand the applicable rates and how they affect your overall processing costs.

Settlement Times for Amex Transactions

When you accept American Express payments through Sage Pay or Opayo, settlement times may differ slightly from other cards. Amex transactions can sometimes take an extra day or two to appear in your business bank account. This is due to how American Express manages its authorisation and settlement processes separately from other networks.

Nonetheless, once set up correctly, funds are deposited securely and you will receive detailed transaction reporting through your Opayo merchant dashboard. The system allows you to track Amex sales, refunds and settlements in the same way as other payment types.

Benefits of Accepting American Express

One of the main advantages of accepting Amex is that it opens your business to a broader customer base. American Express cardholders are often loyal and have higher than average spending power. Many customers specifically look for merchants that display the American Express logo before deciding where to shop or dine.

Accepting Amex through Sage Pay or Opayo can therefore improve your reputation and increase customer satisfaction. Businesses in retail, hospitality and travel particularly benefit from offering American Express, as these sectors often attract premium customers who prefer the brand.

Another benefit of using Sage Pay or Opayo to accept Amex is that it consolidates all your payment processing under one provider. You do not need separate systems or additional hardware to manage Amex payments, which simplifies accounting and reconciliation. This unified system also means that fraud protection, chargeback management and reporting tools cover all card types in one place.

Security and Fraud Prevention

When you accept American Express payments through Sage Pay or Opayo, transactions are protected by the same advanced security systems that safeguard all other card payments. The platform uses end to end encryption and tokenisation to ensure that card data cannot be accessed or misused.

In addition, Opayo’s fraud prevention tools include 3D Secure authentication, Address Verification Service checks and real time monitoring for suspicious activity. American Express has its own fraud protection policies as well, providing extra reassurance for both merchants and customers. Together, these systems make accepting Amex through Opayo one of the safest ways to handle card payments in the UK.

Potential Considerations

While accepting American Express offers many benefits, there are a few considerations for businesses. Not all customers use Amex, so you should still offer a range of payment options such as Visa, Mastercard and digital wallets. The slightly higher fees for Amex transactions can impact margins for low value purchases, though this is often outweighed by the higher spending habits of Amex users.

It is also worth noting that if your business uses older Sage Pay integrations, you should confirm that they are compatible with Opayo’s current systems. Some older configurations may not automatically support American Express without a system update.

Finally, merchants should make sure that Amex acceptance is clearly displayed at their checkout, both online and in store. This helps customers know their preferred payment method is welcome and can encourage more transactions.

Comparison with Other Payment Providers

When compared to other major UK payment processors, Sage Pay and Opayo handle American Express acceptance more efficiently than many competitors. Some payment providers require a completely separate agreement with American Express, but Opayo simplifies the process by managing it directly through Elavon’s payment network.

This integrated structure allows for faster activation, better customer support and easier reconciliation. It also means that if you are already using Opayo for Visa and Mastercard, adding Amex involves minimal additional setup.

Conclusion

Yes, Sage Pay, now known as Opayo, accepts American Express. It is a reliable and secure way for UK businesses to process Amex payments alongside other card types. The setup process is straightforward, and once activated, Amex transactions are handled with the same security and efficiency as Visa and Mastercard.

By accepting American Express, you can attract a broader range of customers, boost sales and enhance your business’s credibility. While fees may vary, the overall benefits including higher value transactions and increased customer trust make adding Amex acceptance through Opayo a smart decision for most UK businesses.