If I want to integrate online payment system into website, what's the best way to do it?

Y Gao
4 replies
Should I use existing payment gateway like stripe, or I should build it from scratch? What are pro and cons?

Replies

Stefan Morris
Definitely use an existing payment gateway unless you are looking to become an expert in that field, then building out your own would be recommended but beware of the repercussions of things going wrong. Stripe is really good - I'm currently using it on my project. I tried using Paypal, but their documentation is a complete mess. Using an existing payment gateway pros: - Leveraging tech from experienced leader in the industry - Support from provider - Brand visibility/recognition from your users (aids in confidence in using your payment system) - Large community for support/help - Accountability largely moves to the provider Cons: - it typically costs money - less control
Liam Xu
Use an existing payment gateway for sure. The most important thing for the payment gateway is not about technology, it's the security and the interaction with banks or credit card companies. Doing something like this is not for a small or inexperienced team. Just compare the rate and choose the payment service provider that suits your need the best, it's about the only plan for most companies.
Bertha Kgokong
Oh no, do not try to build it from scratch - the security requirements and certifications will take you a long time to get through and it is not worth the effort. There are a lot of existing gateways that are designed to integrate to websites, the fees are not that bad - 2% or so, and you can pass that to the client on your product cost. I find Paypal to be the easiest to integrate, internationally . . . not limited to certain geographies.
Victor David
At first, I wanted to use PayPal, but as @stefan_morris has pointed out, their docs aren't that great - and I won't get into their policies. Now I'm using Stripe. They have an amazing doc set with examples - if you're logged in at the time - that are custom tailored for you, the logged in user. Plus a great dashboard. As others have pointed out, I don't think this is the arena to make your own. Payment trust is a huge factor when it comes to people completing the check out.