What a payment processor is
A payment processor is a company licensed to move money from a buyer’s card to your account. Stripe, Square, Mollie and Adyen are all processors. They deal with the card networks, run fraud checks and pay out to your bank. Each processor decides for itself whether to accept you as a merchant, based on what you sell, what country you are in, and whether you have a registered business. Getting through that approval is usually the hard part of accepting cards.Getting set up
1
Pick a processor
See the comparison below. If you have a registered business and no particular preference, Stripe is a reasonable default.
2
Sign up with them directly
On the processor’s own website. They will ask for identity documents, business details and a bank account.
3
Wait for approval
Anything from minutes to several days. Some processors let you take payments while the review continues, and can reverse that decision later.
4
Connect the account to SellAuth
Add the payment method under Payment Methods and paste in the keys your processor gives you. Each processor has its own guide: Stripe, Square, PayPal.
5
Place a real test order
Buy something cheap from your own shop with a real card, then check that the order delivered and the payment appears in your processor dashboard.
Apple Pay and Google Pay
Apple Pay and Google Pay are wallets that store a card. The payment still runs through a processor, so you accept them by connecting a processor that supports them. Most processors do. Stripe, Square, Mollie, Skrill, Revolut Business, MONEI, Adyen, Lemon Squeezy, Pandabase, Whop, Shopify, VenPayr and OVGC Payments all support Apple Pay and Google Pay with no extra setup. SumUp supports them once you enable Hosted Checkout on the method. Authorize.Net, NMI, Overpay, Razorpay and Mercado Pago do not carry Apple Pay or Google Pay. Authorize.Net, NMI and Overpay take cards only, while Razorpay adds UPI and netbanking and Mercado Pago adds local Latin American methods. Choose one of the processors above if wallet payments matter to you. The wallet button only appears when the buyer’s device and browser support it, so an Apple Pay button missing on a Windows desktop is normal. Some processors also require you to verify your domain in their dashboard before Apple Pay works on a custom domain. If cards work but Apple Pay never appears on any device, check that setting.Which processor should I use
The full list, with what each one needs from you, is in Supported Payment Methods.
If you cannot get approved
Processors classify some categories as high risk, and digital goods, game-related products, account sales and subscriptions often fall into them. Declines, and closures a few weeks after approval, are common in this market. The decision belongs to the processor and SellAuth has no influence over it. Options when it happens:- Check the prohibited business list before applying. If your product is on it, the application will be rejected, and reapplying rarely changes the outcome.
- Try another processor. Underwriting standards vary a lot across the processors in the list above.
- Use crypto in the meantime. Crypto payments need no approval and forward straight to an address you control.
- Keep more than one method enabled. If your only processor freezes the account, your shop cannot take payments until it is resolved.
Common questions
Can SellAuth process the payment for me?
Can SellAuth process the payment for me?
No. SellAuth handles the storefront, checkout, delivery and orders, while the money moves through accounts you own. There is no SellAuth-held balance and no payout delay on our side.
Do I need a registered business?
Do I need a registered business?
For most card processors, yes, or at least a sole trader registration. Requirements differ by processor and by country, so check theirs. Crypto and custom methods have no such requirement.
What are the fees?
What are the fees?
Your processor sets them and charges you directly. SellAuth does not add a transaction fee on top. You can pass a cost on to buyers, or discount a cheaper method, using the percentage and fixed fee settings on each method.
How long until the money reaches my bank?
How long until the money reaches my bank?
Your processor’s payout schedule decides that, typically a couple of days. Check the payout settings in their dashboard.
Can I accept Apple Pay or Google Pay on its own?
Can I accept Apple Pay or Google Pay on its own?
No. Both are wallets that store a card, so they still need a processor behind them. Connect a processor that supports them and they appear automatically. See Apple Pay and Google Pay above.
Can I accept several card processors at once?
Can I accept several card processors at once?
Yes. Each one becomes its own button at checkout, and the others keep working if one account is frozen.
A buyer's card was declined. Was that SellAuth?
A buyer's card was declined. Was that SellAuth?
No. Declines come from the buyer’s bank or from the processor’s fraud rules, and the processor dashboard shows the reason. Offering a second payment method resolves most of them.
Next steps
Supported payment methods
Every processor, wallet and coin you can connect.
How checkout works
What buyers see, and what each order status means.
Crypto wallets and payouts
Accepting crypto without processor approval.
Refunds and chargebacks
What happens when a card payment goes wrong.