This page includes test card numbers and other information to make sure your integration works as planned. Test different flows and ensure everything is set up properly. When testing your integrations with Payline Data in Sandbox mode, you are prohibited from using real card numbers, but we can supply free credit card numbers, or test credit card numbers. As such, we provide a list of test card numbers that can be used to test various transaction and validation states.
Setting up an integrated payment platform?
Online shops and businesses encounter all sorts of scenarios. They are always on the double in servicing customers with different needs and payment methods. That’s why having a good application programming interface (API) can go a long way. This article will explore how an API supports your payment channels.
Choose the right API
An API is a software intermediary that connects two pieces of software and allows them to ‘communicate’. Many of the tools we use every day, from Uber to Facebook or credit card payment platforms, involve APIs. For eCommerce businesses, API is the bridge between the payment system to your other systems. When a customer makes a purchase, the API accepts the message and relays it to your other platforms. It can also pass on requests for information from your merchant platform to the customer at the checkout stage.
When you choose and adopt an API, you need to know whether it is user-friendly and whether it would fit your needs. Here are some key points to consider
API Topics
- Sandbox environment: A good API should allow you to test its compatibility with your business needs without using real data or making actual payments. With a sandbox environment, you should be able to customize your setup and test the system repeatedly while insulated from your platforms before adoption.
- Ease of use: A good API should present a clear and logical journey flow for users. The instructions should be clear, and integrating the API with your platform should take a minimal amount of steps.
- Documentation: Does the API provide any documentation and dashboards? Like all other platforms, a good API should provide you with insights and updates, as well as a clear record of your activities, so you’ll never miss anything important.
- Compatibility: Having code snippets in popular programming languages ready for cut-and-paste, such as Ruby, PHP, and Java, will significantly speed up your integration process.
- Support: What happens when you run into any trouble? Does the API platform have reliable customer service support? Can you contact them when you need them so they can solve your problem as quickly as possible? Also, it’s crucial to know whether your API can restrict data access or encrypt data so to not compromise on security.
- Communications: Can you get live updates on system outages or upgrades? A good API should inform you of any possible hiccups ahead so that you can prepare in advance.
- Payment models: Like choosing all other platforms, spend time to understand the pricing models and services provided in each package. Choose a package that suits your needs and is within your budget, so you won’t be paying more than you need to.
As you set up your API platform, you need to make sure you can integrate it with the rest of your system interfaces. It takes patience and testing to find the right API for you. Take your time so you won’t compromise on quality, security, and ease of use. Speak to our Payline representatives and see how our high-quality API services can help you.
Basic test card numbers
It is important to note that the correct test card numbers differ depending on which gateway you are using. For Payline specifically, schedule a call with our team, and a member of our sales team will go through the options, including test cards, if you were to partner with us.
Genuine card information cannot be used in test mode. Instead, use our test card numbers, valid expiration date in the future, and any random CVC number, to create a successful payment.
Have your test cards ready
Before settling on an API and making it live for payments, remember to test out different payment methods on their integration. For this, you will need test credit cards. A test card is a dummy credit card number that simulates a specific credit card. A test card number is only valid in a test environment, meaning any dummy payment you make won’t result in a real transaction.
Each API has a specific set of test cards for each payment method. For example, there are unique sets of test card numbers, CVC, and dates simulating Mastercard, Diners Club, American Express, and others. Depending on which cards are relevant to your business, take some time to try out different test cards to make sure they are compatible with your platforms: you think your customers use Visa predominantly, then remember to pay extra attention to visa test cards and try out different forms of test debits.
Besides credit cards, test credit cards can also simulate different scenarios, such as responses, errors, and customized payment requests. Say you want your customers to confirm payment or change of personal details with a one-time SMS password, you can test that with a specific test card. Alternatively, suppose you want to see whether your customers would handle a payment dispute or a payment decline. You can test that with a test card specifically designed for this scenario. Test out every possible scenario, so you’ll have a general idea of how to solve these issues.
Given there are so many things to test, it will surely take a lot of trials and errors to fine-tune your API before launching it. At Payline, we are always happy to walk you through the testing phase, as we work hard to make sure our APIs are fully integrable with your systems.
Pricing matters
When you choose your API, remember to compare different platforms on their price models and offerings. There are many options out there, but some work better than others. Ideally, you shouldn’t be paying extra for accessing more test credit card numbers and gateways, and you shouldn’t need to commit to a minimum payment or period. You should have access to all critical features in a sandbox environment, together with all the test credit cards you need. Also, check if you have access to reports and timely technical support, and all processes should take the least amount of time. The goal is to ensure the API matches all of your scenarios and platforms. Try out free credit card numbers to test with.
Our API services give you full customization and control over accepting payments within your mobile applications and software. We also offer a growing list of 175+ online shopping cart integrations, with a considerably lower price than our competitors. Speak with our representatives today and see how we can help you solve any payments you may have while saving time and money.
Integrated payment platform Solutions
- Payline Data
At Payline, we have our own gateway that entails its own API environment and test credit card numbers. Learn more here, where you will find more information as well as options to get in contact with our team. We can help you get free credit card numbers for testing purposes.
With Payline, your pricing is interchange +.4%, $.20/ transaction, and $20/month.
- Stripe
Stripe has extremely clean API information, to learn more, check out this page. The one downside is it is around .5% more expensive on the bottom line numbers compared to Payline.
- PayPal
PayPal has a very straight forward process to test their platform, with full instructions here. Similar to Stripe, it is more expensive than some of the other providers, but it is easy to test and set up.
