Is VRP better than direct debit?

VRP settles in seconds, gives the customer limits they control in their bank app, and confirms each payment immediately. Direct debit is batch-based and widely accepted. In 2026, VRP is limited to certain sectors in the UK, while Direct Debit still processes billions of payments a year.

Where VRP is stronger

• Speed: funds arrive in seconds, not days.
• Certainty: the merchant knows at once whether the payment succeeded.
• Control: the customer sets limits and can revoke consent in the banking app.
• Flexibility: amounts and timing can vary within limits.

Where direct debit is stronger

• Reach: almost every bank account supports it, and customers know it.
• Maturity: established processes, guarantees and tooling for billers.
• Coverage: usable for nearly any type of recurring bill.

Trade-offs

Direct debit payments can fail days later for insufficient funds, which complicates collections. VRP reduces that uncertainty, but its availability depends on the scheme, the sector and the customer's bank.

A realistic view

For now, most billers will run both: direct debit for broad coverage and VRP where it is available and customers prefer it.

What it means for payment operators

For you, supporting several recurring rails lets your merchants choose per customer and per market. Recurring payment infrastructure with retry policies and clear status tracking makes it practical to run them side by side.