What is a payment gateway? How online checkouts take cards
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
- 1Your card appears in your app
- 2Tap it to pay in a shop
- 3See every payment as it happens
A payment gateway is the technology that takes a customer's card details at an online checkout, secures them, and passes them on so the payment can be approved or declined. It's the online equivalent of a card machine.
What happens when a customer pays
- The customer enters their card details at checkout.
- The gateway encrypts them and sends them to the payment processor.
- The processor asks the card scheme and the customer's bank to approve it.
- The answer comes back through the gateway, and the checkout shows paid or declined.
Gateway, processor and acquirer
The gateway collects and protects the card details. The processor moves the payment messages. The acquiring bank receives the money for the business. Many providers bundle all three into one service.
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SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank. Accounts, cards and payments are powered by licensed partners.
Questions people ask
What is a payment processor?
The company that moves card payment messages.
What is a payment processor? →What is an acquiring bank?
The bank that receives card payments for a business.
What is an acquiring bank? →Read next
Spotted a mistake or something out of date? and we'll fix it. How our guides are made
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. Other companies named in this guide are reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.