Sharfin designed and built our new website to enable us to accept online payments. The new website looks amazing and navigating around it so simple compared to what we had before. Sharfin and his team have always been available when we have required any technical support or assistance.
Competition website design for European operators
Live and taking card payments in 24 hours*. Competition websites built for European markets, with entry controls by country, terms for each market and EUR settlement through eCom Pay.
*Approval time depends on how quickly we receive your documents. Free website for trading businesses processing £5k a month or more through eCom Pay, with start-ups looked at case by case. Pay monthly from £50 otherwise.
Can competition businesses take card payments online?
Prize competition rules differ across Europe, so a European competition website needs entry controls by country, terms for each market and a payment provider that supports competition operators. eCom Pay works with UK and European competition websites with EUR settlement, and eCom Pro builds the site market by market.
24
hour approval*
150+
currencies processed
T+1
next working day settlement
0
rolling reserve
Want to open your competitions to Europe?
Prize competition rules differ by country, and a format that works in the UK may need changes elsewhere. Most operators either stay UK only or launch into Europe and hope. We help you get the format legal and the payments approved together, market by market.
- Website and payments application handled together, by one team
- Approved and taking payments in 24 hours* once your documents are in
- Next working day settlement with no rolling reserve, including specialist sectors
- Already declined or closed elsewhere? Tell us on the form, it changes nothing about how we build

What your competition website includes
Built as product features your customers use, and the features that keep your account healthy once you are live.
Entry controls by country
Entries accepted only from the markets you have cleared.
Terms for each market
Competition terms per country, in the local language where needed.
EUR and GBP checkout
Prices and settlement in EUR or GBP, from 150+ currencies processed.
Skill question and free entry
Built into every competition, logged per entry.
Draw records
Every draw, ticket cap and winner logged and exportable.
Migration from your current site
Entrants, orders and live competitions carried across.
Free, pay monthly or payments only for your competition business
Free for trading businesses above £5k a month in card revenue through eCom Pay, with start-ups looked at case by case. Pay monthly below it or for a custom build. Already have a site you like? Use our payments on their own.
Payments ready, vetted by our payments team
Before launch, the same people who handle your payments setup review your competition website and ask for any changes your business needs. Every business is looked at individually, which is why we never publish a checklist and never build to one. The site and the application go through together.
One form starts both your website build and your eCom Pay application.
Our payments team reviews the site as it is built, so nothing is left to chance at launch.
Approved and taking payments in 24 hours* once your documents are in. Next working day settlement, no rolling reserve.
Done all our website. It now accepts payments and it was very complex. Reachable at all sorts of odd hours, and had a very simple journey with sharfin. Highly recommend them and their expertise.
Sharfin was an absolute pro. Took time to really try to understand our needs and propose solutions which fit our budget and timescales. He made smart suggestions without being pushy but improving the plan so we didn't waste time or resources on things we don't need.
Every competition website we build is reviewed by the eCom Pay team before anything is submitted, so the pages a payment provider reads are right first time. That is why approval takes 24 hours once your documents are in, not weeks.
European competition website and payment questions
The questions founders ask before they apply, including the ones about Stripe, PayPal and Shopify Payments.
Can I use Stripe for a competition business?
Stripe restricts or reviews european competition businesses more closely under its terms, so many UK competition businesses use a specialist provider. eCom Pay works with european competition merchants. The setup is handled by experienced people, and approved accounts get next working day settlement with no rolling reserve.
Can I use Shopify Payments for a competition store?
Shopify Payments runs on Stripe, so the same terms apply. Shopify lets you add a third party payment gateway instead. eCom Pay connects to Shopify and WooCommerce, so competition businesses can take card payments with next working day settlement.
Which payment provider approves european competition businesses in the UK?
European competition is a specialist category that mainstream processors restrict or review closely. eCom Pay works with european competition businesses in the UK, with 150+ currencies and next working day settlement once approved.
My payment provider closed my competition account, what now?
Download your transaction and customer records first, then talk to a specialist. eCom Pay works with european competition businesses, the setup is handled by experienced people, and approved accounts get next working day settlement with no rolling reserve. eCom Pro can move your site across while you keep trading.
Can I run UK competitions in Europe?
Often, with changes. Rules differ by country, so we set entry controls by country, write terms for each market and help you get the format checked before you open entries. Take legal advice in each market you sell into.
Can I settle in EUR?
Yes. eCom Pay processes 150+ currencies, so European entries can be charged and settled in EUR.
How long does approval take?
Approved and taking payments in 24 hours* once we have your documents. The only thing that slows approval is how quickly the documents come back.
Is the competition website free?
Free for ecommerce businesses already trading and processing £5k a month or more in card revenue through eCom Pay. Start-ups are looked at case by case. Below that, pay monthly websites start at £50 a month plus VAT and include the same payments and review.
Skill based competition website design
Live and taking card payments in 24 hours*. Built with skill questions, free entry routes and draw records, for the UK, Ireland and Europe.
View Related sectorIreland competition website design
Live and taking card payments in 24 hours*. Competition websites for Irish entrants, with Ireland specific terms, entry controls and EUR settlement through eCom Pay.
View GuideSkill based competition rules in the UK
Platforms, policies and what happens between applying and taking your first payment.
Read the guideGet your competition website and payments approved together
One form. We build the site, our payments team reviews it, and eCom Pay approves your account. Approved and taking payments in 24 hours* once your documents are in.
*Approval time depends on how quickly we receive your documents.