Dojo vs Barclaycard
2026 ComparisonA lot of business owners stick with Barclaycard because they bank with Barclays and it feels safe. I get it. But "safe" does not always mean "good value". We have helped dozens of businesses switch from Barclaycard to Dojo, and every single one has saved money. Here is why.
You stuck with Barclaycard because you bank with Barclays and it felt like the safe choice. But you have been paying 1.6% on every transaction while the florist next door is paying 1.3% with Dojo. That is hundreds of pounds a year. And the last time you tried to call Barclaycard to query your bill, you spent 20 minutes in an automated phone loop and gave up. Sound familiar?
Quick Verdict
Barclaycard is a trusted name, no question. But their standard PAYG rate is 1.6% vs Dojo at 1.3% + 3p, they charge £4.80/month for PCI compliance (Dojo does not), and their contracts run 12-18 months. On £15k/month in card sales, switching to Dojo saves you about £40/month. That is nearly £500 a year, just sitting there.
See What You Would Save
Drag the slider to your monthly card turnover
Barclaycard
£175/mo
1.6% flat (PAYG) or bespoke
Dojo via CapExpand
£150/mo
1.3% + 3p
Your annual saving
£300/year
That is £25 back in your pocket every month
Illustrative only. Your exclusive rate through CapExpand may be even lower.
Switching Takes Less Than 48 Hours
No downtime. No hassle. We handle everything.
Get your quote
Tell us your monthly card turnover. We come back with your exclusive Dojo rate in minutes.
5 minWe handle the switch
We manage the application, chase your old provider for exit fees, and sort the paperwork.
24 hrsTerminal arrives
Your Dojo Go arrives next working day. Free delivery. Ready to go out of the box.
Next dayStart saving
Take your first payment. Money in your account tomorrow morning. 30-day no-commitment trial.
Day 1Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Dojo | Barclaycard |
|---|---|---|
| In-person transaction fee | 1.3% + 3p | 1.6% (PAYG) or bespoke |
| Monthly fee | £20/mo | From £15/mo (Flex) |
| Contract length | 30-day rolling or 12-month | 12-18 months (Flex/Touch) |
| PAYG option | Not available | Smartpay Anywhere (£29 one-off) |
| Settlement speed | Next day (inc. weekends) | Next day (before 7-9pm) |
| Exit fees | £0 | £0 (but contract lock-in) |
| UK support | 7-day, 8am-11pm | Mon-Fri business hours |
| Hardware | Dojo Go (4G + WiFi) | Flex (Bluetooth/WiFi/4G) |
| PCI compliance | Free if compliant | £4.80/mo PCI fee |
| Bank integration | Standalone | Barclays banking integration |
| Exit fee buy-out | Up to £3,000 | Not offered |
| Transaction speed | 58% faster than average (2-sec auth) | Standard |
| Platform uptime | 99.99% since Feb 2022 | Not published |
| QR code payments | Yes (bill split + Google Reviews) | Not available |
| Restaurant bookings | Full system + 800k diner app | Not available |
| Tipping on terminal | Built-in (businesses report 2,049% increase) | Standard |
| Tap to Pay on iPhone | Free, no extra hardware | Not available |
| EPOS integrations | 450+ partners | Limited |
| Google Reviews boost | Auto-prompt after QR payment | Not available |
| 30-day commitment-free trial | Yes | No (12-18 month contracts) |
| Data intelligence | 49M cardholder dataset + competitor benchmarking | Basic Barclaycard reports |
Why Businesses Choose Dojo
Dojo on Trustpilot
5,200+ reviews. 89-91% five-star. Replies to 93% of negatives within 24 hours.
A Londis franchisee switched to Dojo and saw a 20% revenue increase, plus 20 extra customers daily just from faster payment speeds reducing queue times. Their card machine has never gone down. They said: "We are guaranteed 48-hour replacement, so we will not lose a week's turnover due to a machine." That peace of mind is worth more than any bank name.
What Barclaycard customers flag most: Users often report being completely unable to get through to support, with automatic phone systems that loop endlessly. Card machine merchants specifically report failing security verification when trying to query or cancel their account, despite having all correct details. One merchant called 4 times and failed security each time. Software is widely described as outdated compared to providers like Dojo and Square.
Real Numbers: A Retail Business That Left Their Bank Provider (Real Dojo Client)
Based on a a retail business that left their bank provider (real dojo client) processing £15,000/month in card payments. A Dojo retail client reported eliminating £800/year in manual errors through integrated payments and saving hours on reconciliation..
With Barclaycard
Transaction fees (1.6%): £240 + Rental: £15/mo. PCI fee: £4.80/mo extra.
£255/month
With Dojo via CapExpand
Transaction fees (1.3% + 3p): £195 + Terminal: £20/mo. PCI included free.
£215/month
£0/year saved
The Verdict
Choose Dojo If:
- You want the lowest transaction rate without negotiating bespoke pricing
- Short contracts with no exit penalties matter to you
- Next-day settlement including weekends is valuable for cash flow
- You want 7-day UK phone support, not just weekday hours
- You are switching from Barclaycard and want exit fees covered (up to £3,000)
Choose Barclaycard If:
- You already bank with Barclays and want integrated banking and payments
- You want a no-contract PAYG reader (Smartpay Anywhere at £29 one-off)
- You process very high volumes (£100k+) and can negotiate bespoke rates below 1%
- You specifically need Barclays banking integration for reporting
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dojo cheaper than Barclaycard?+
Does Barclaycard have exit fees?+
Does Barclaycard charge PCI fees?+
Can I keep my Barclays business account and use Dojo?+
Why apply through CapExpand?+
Get Exclusive Dojo Rates Through CapExpand
As an authorised Dojo partner, we handle everything: application, setup, terminal delivery, and ongoing support. Our clients get access to exclusive rates and a dedicated point of contact.
30-day commitment-free trial · No contract lock-in (30-day rolling or 12-month options) · Terminal delivered next working day
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CapExpand also helps UK limited companies and LLPs access £5,000 to £1,000,000 in business funding through our panel of lenders. Merchant cash advances, revenue-based finance, term loans and more. No upfront fees, no obligation.
Get a funding quoteCompetitor rates sourced from the Barclaycard website and independent UK comparison sites, April 2026. Rates may vary by business type and volume. Dojo rates available exclusively through authorised partners like CapExpand. CapExpand is an authorised Dojo partner and does not sell other card machine brands. To get your personalised Dojo quote, apply through CapExpand.