Bacs Direct Debit or card: the best way for PTs to take payments
Most UK coaches take payments in two ways: by card and by Bacs Direct Debit. Each suits a different kind of payment. This guide compares them on cost, timing and reliability, and ends with a simple rule for which to use when.
How each one works
Card. The client enters their card once, and with their permission you can take later payments from it, such as a monthly package. A card payment is confirmed within seconds. Cards expire, are replaced when lost, and sometimes need the client to approve a payment with their bank.
Bacs Direct Debit. The client gives their sort code and account number and agrees to a Direct Debit instruction, known as a mandate. You can then collect from their bank account, after telling them the amount and date in advance. A bank account does not expire, so a Direct Debit can keep working for years. Payments take a few working days to clear, and a new mandate takes a few days to set up.
What each one costs
Fees depend on your payment provider. On Stripe’s standard pricing for UK businesses, when we checked on 9 October 2026:
- a standard UK card costs 1.5% plus 20p a payment, and premium and international cards cost more;
- a Bacs Direct Debit costs 1% a payment, capped at £4.
Here is what that means for some typical payments.
| Payment | Standard UK card | Bacs Direct Debit |
|---|---|---|
| £60 monthly class membership | £1.10 | £0.60 |
| £200 monthly PT package | £3.20 | £2.00 |
| £500 block of sessions | £7.70 | £4.00 |
The difference adds up. Take 50 members paying £60 a month: on standard UK cards the fees come to £55 a month, and on Direct Debit £30, a saving of £300 a year. Other Direct Debit providers, such as GoCardless, list prices of the same order.
How long each one takes
A card payment is confirmed straight away, so it suits anything booked and paid for there and then.
Bacs runs on a slower cycle. Stripe’s documentation says it takes 4 business days to confirm whether a Bacs payment has succeeded when the mandate is already in place, and 7 business days when a new mandate has to be set up first. So if a new client wants to start this week, take their first month by card and move them to Direct Debit from the second.
Which one fails less
Card payments fail when a card expires, is replaced after being lost, has no money behind it, or when the bank asks the client to approve the payment and they are not there to do it. Some card networks pass new card details on automatically, but not always.
Direct Debits avoid most of those problems, because a bank account does not expire. They fail when there is not enough money in the account on the day, or when the client cancels the Direct Debit with their bank. How to cut failed payments covers both.
The Direct Debit Guarantee
Every Direct Debit is covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee. If a payment is taken in error, such as the wrong amount, on the wrong date or after the client cancelled, the client’s bank refunds it straight away and claims the money back from you. Clear advance notice and accurate records are your best protection. With Stripe, Stripe sends the mandate confirmation and the advance notice emails that the scheme requires.
Card payments have their own protection for the cardholder: they can dispute a payment with their card issuer, which is known as a chargeback.
A simple rule
- Regular monthly payments, such as PT packages, coaching and class memberships: Bacs Direct Debit by default, with card as the alternative for clients who prefer it.
- One-off payments, such as single sessions, class drop-ins and blocks of sessions: card, because the payment is confirmed straight away and the place can be booked there and then.
- A first month that needs to start now: card, then Direct Debit from the second month.
Make sure the money is yours
Whichever you use, the money should land in your own account. With your own Stripe account, your clients pay you directly, Stripe pays out to your bank, and your business name appears on their statements. Avoid set-ups where a software company collects your clients’ money and passes it on later.
How Apogee handles it
In Apogee, monthly packages and class memberships default to Bacs Direct Debit, with card as the alternative, and single sessions, packs and drop-ins are paid by card. A new client who wants to start straight away can pay their first month by card.
Clients enter their details in Stripe’s own secure fields, so card and bank details never reach Apogee. Payments go straight into your own Stripe account, Apogee takes no cut, and you pay only Stripe’s fees. Apogee collects each payment itself on the client’s billing day, so there is no extra subscription billing charge on top. See how it works or try the demo.
