Managing payments on your website or application can be tough.
Don’t you agree?
Well, with the integration of payment APIs & payment gateway APIs, you could make your life a lot easier to manage:
- credit card payments
- bank payments
- and even crypto payments.
In this post, we’ll go over some of the best APIs that can help you manage payments to make your life a lot less complicated.
What Are Payment APIs?
Payment APIs are APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) designed for managing payments.
They enable eCommerce sites to process:
- credit cards,
- track orders,
- and maintain customers lists.
In many instances, they can help protect merchants from fraud and information breaches.
They can also simplify regulatory compliance.
Payment APIs can integrate multiple payment sources and provide customers with a means of tracking their payments.
Many of them permit managing recurring subscriptions.
View the Best Payment APIs List
Similarly,
They can also be used for maintaining lists of clients.
The most common users of online payment systems online merchants.
Like who?
Publishers running blogs and selling for-pay newsletters and information may also make use of payment services.
Likewise,
Some APIs permit brick-and-mortar customers to take payments at a kiosk or by using an inexpensive smartphone attachment.
Before we dive in, let take a look at some important payment API definitions:
Important Terms
- Access Control – Systems for permitting only authorized users to view and/or change information.
- API – Application Programming Interface, a system of protocols used for accessing computing resources
- PAN – Primary Account Number, also known as a credit card number.
- PCI DSS – Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, a set of industry standards for credit card processors. Compliance is required in order to accept credit card payments.
- Token – A secret provided by a security system for authentication and verification purposes.
Related: Venmo API Alternatives
Enough talk, let’s jump right in.
Top Payment & Payment Gateway APIs for Developers
Here is a list of the top payment APIs we reviewed to manage payments:
1. Stripe API
Stripe is a highly-acclaimed service that allows vendors to accept payments online.
The Stripe payment API for developers gives access to methods for
- accepting payments,
- managing subscriptions,
- tracking user accounts,
- and sending invoices.
How To Get a Stripe API Key
- Log into Stripe.
- Navigate to API keys, under the Developer section.
- From here you can copy your public and secret keys
- Paste them into your application.
Important Stripe API Endpoints
Stripe.createAccount
– Create a user account.Stripe.getAccountBalance
– Get the balance of a user account.Stripe.getBalanceHistory
– Retrieve information on transactions made over a specific period of time.Stripe.getCustomerList
– Retrieve a list of customers that have made payments to you using Stripe.Stripe.getInvoiceList
– Retrieve a list of invoices.
Stripe API Pricing
Stripe charges U.S. customers with less than one million dollars per year in volume a fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per payment.
2. Noodlio Pay
Wouldn’t it be great if you could use the Stripe API without sinking a lot of costs into development?
Noodlio might be what you’re looking for.
Noodlio Pay is a simplified and streamlined wrapper for the Stripe API.
Important Noodlio Pay Endpoints
/charge/token
– Take a payment from a customer. Before it can be used, a credit card token must be created./tokens/create
– Verifies a customer’s credit card information and creates a token that can be used for taking a payment.
Noodlio Pay Pricing
Use of Noodlio on Mashape & RapidAPI is free & you can make unlimited requests.
3. Square API
Square API is an alternative to Stripe that is popular with small vendors with a physical storefront as well as an online presence.
Square has two major API divisions:
- Square Stand, which is used mainly for online payments,
- and Square Reader (can be used with Square’s ultraportable POS system), which interfaces with cell phones and other mobile devices.
How to Get a Square API key
- Create an account at squareup.com
- Log in to https://connect.squareup.com.
- Create a new application.
- Copy the application ID and application secret.
Important Square API Endpoints
SquareECommerce.chargeCard
– Charge a customer’s credit card.SquareECommerce.getCustomers
– Retrieve a list of customers.SquareECommerce.getTransactions
– Retrieve the transaction history.
Square API Pricing
Square charges 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
Comparing Stripe VS Square
Fees
Both Stripe and Square charge 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
Payments
Both companies accept credit card payments.
While Stripe accepts Bank Payments, Square does not.
Both companies do not accept cryptocurrency.
Serving Area
Both APIs can be used globally.
View the table below for full comparison details.
4. PayPal
PayPal is a popular payment system that allows storing credit card and bank account information on trusted servers and making payments without ever sharing financial credentials with clients.
The PayPal API allows taking payments from PayPal users.
Since you are not required to store credit card or bank account information on your server, it permits high-security payments on low-security websites and makes PCI compliance easier, even on low-cost or free tier cloud hosting.
How to Get a Paypal API Key
- Go to PayPal Developer Area.
- Log In or Sign up for an account.
- Open your Dashboard.
- Create an application.
- Retrieve your clientId and secret.
Important PayPal API Endpoints
Paypal.createPayment
– Take a payment from a customer. Note that the customer will be required to authorize the payment.Paypal.authorizeOrder
– Authorize a payment for an order.Paypal.createPlan
– Create a subscription plan to permit taking regular payments.
Square API Pricing
Paypal charges 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
Comparing Stripe VS PayPal
You can view the comparison between all the APIs below.
Fees
Both Stripe & PayPal charge 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
Payments
Both Stripe & PayPal accept credit card and bank payments
Both providers do not accept Cryptocurrency payments.
Serving Area
Both Stripe and Paypal can be used globally.
Which do you prefer? Let us know in the comments.
5. Adyen
Ayden is a credit card processor that hosts payment forms for sellers.
They accept numerous currencies and payment methods across every continent.
How to Get an Adyen API key
- Sign in to your account at https://ca-test.adyen.com/ca/ca/login.shtml.
- Your credentials can be found under your user settings.
Important Adyen API Endpoints
Adyen.authorise
– Place an authorization hold on a credit card.Adyen.cancelOrRefund
– Cancel a payment if it has not been made yet. If the payment has been made, refund the payment.
Adyen API Pricing
Ayden’s fees vary by the form of payment.
For popular cards such as Visa and Mastercard, the rates are in-line with Interchange rates, set by the credit card companies.
6. Paybook
Paybook Sync is an API that connects:
- bank accounts,
- government agency accounts,
- and utility accounts.
It aims to provide technology companies with a uniform interface for accessing financial data from multiple sources.
It also provides services for generating invoices, checking credit, and verifying identities.
How to Get a Paybook API Key
- Create an account on https://www.paybook.com.
- Add a profile at https://www.paybook.com/w/sync.
- Copy and paste your API key.
Important Paybook API Endpoints
Paybook.getAccounts
– Retrieve a list of a user’s accounts.Paybook.getTransactions
– Retrieve a user’s transaction history.
Paybook API Pricing
PayBook costs $50/month for end users and $250/month for resellers.
7. KeyPay
KeyPay is a payroll system that caters specifically to Australian businesses.
Important KeyPay API Endpoints
KeyPay.Add an employee
– Add a new employee to the system.KeyPay.Bulk insert timesheets
– Upload a batch of new timesheets.nraKeyPay.Approve leave request
– Approve an employee’s request for leave.
KeyPay API Pricing
KeyPay Standard costs $4.00 per employee per month.
KeyPay Plus is $6.00 per employee per month.
8. BIPS Invoice (By Coinify)
Wouldn’t it be great if there was an API that allowed you to accept cryptocurrency payments?
Meet BIPS Invoice, By Coinify.
BIPS formerly provided a service for taking Bitcoin payments.
It permitted developers to create online invoices.
Important BIPS Invoice API Endpoint
Invoice.Invoice
– Create a new Bitcoin invoice.
BIPS Invoice API Pricing
BIPS is currently owned by Coinify.
For the most up-to-date information on BIPS pricing, contacting Coinify directly.
9. PAYMILL
Paymill is an API for accepting credit card payments.
Catering to European businesses, it permits accepting payments from customers all over the globe.
Important PAYMILL API Endpoints
PAYMILL GmbH.client details
– Retrieve a client’s details.PAYMILL GmbH.create transaction
– Accept a payment from a previously created token or payment object.PAYMILL GmbH.create new subscription
– Create a new recurring subscription.
PAYMILL API Pricing
The service costs 2.95% + 0.28 EUR per transaction request.
Do you agree with our list? Comment below what you think is the best Payment API.
If you’re interested, take a look at our Payment API comparison:
Summary: Best Payment APIs
API | Cost | Accept Credit Cards | Accept Bank Payments | Accept Crypto Payments | Serving Area |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stripe | 2.9% + $0.30 | yes | yes | no | Worldwide |
Noodlio | 3.4% + $0.40 | yes | no | no | Worldwide |
Square | 2.9% + $0.30 | yes | no | no | Worldwide |
PayPal | 2.9% + $0.30 | yes | yes | no | Worldwide |
Ayden | varies (usually 2.9% + $0.30) | yes | yes | yes | Europe |
PayBook | $50/month | no | no | no | Latin America |
KeyPay | $4/employee | no | no | no | Australia |
BIPS Invoice | ?? | no | no | yes | Worldwide |
PayMill | 2.95% + 0.28 EUR | yes | no | no | Europe |
Peter Parker says
What about Venmo?
RapidAPI Staff says
Hi Peter,
Venmo is a great one. You can read more about it here: https://rapidapi.com/blog/directory/venmo/
Jack Jones says
If you are looking for the best payment processing software for your business then just for moon Invoice software. Which is best for Payment processing, Billing and accounting.