In 2020, on Black Friday day, more than 45% of sales had been conducted through mobile devices. The figure is impressive, and it is 10% higher than last year's results. So, it's time to think about mobile payment system integration.
And although customers have already appreciated all the benefits mobile devices provide them with, a lot of sellers still have no idea that the gadget can be the simplest solution for payments, which would successfully replace the cash register, banking terminal, and analytics systems.
Of course, you should get enough information on how to integrate with payment gateways... don't worry, we'll cover the matter at great length!
How to Integrate a Payment Gateway in Your App?
Technological development and progress have affected many areas, and m-commerce is no exception. But before we discuss innovation in the payments industry, let's take a look at what your selling product is.
It’s important because in-app purchases are the concern of AppStore and Google Play, which are engaged in payment processing themselves. In addition, large technology companies (Facebook, Wargaming, etc.) have their own billing systems too.
In all other cases (say, when it comes to electronic payments for physical goods), one should think about an intermediary. And payment gateways can become this intermediary.
In general, the task can be implemented in different ways, the most popular of which are the following two options:
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the implementation of the payment process directly within your mobile application, when you ask the user to input his card details;
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the user transfers to the intermediary's service, which is able to accept payments. It is this system that processes the user's confidential data (payment information), which you then receive in encrypted form. So you can be sure that everything went well (to be precise, the user's order has been fully paid).
Discussing these options, we should mention the need to provide a PCI-DSS compliant.
PCI-DSS is a set of security rules, which each application must strictly follow to be considered reliable. That’s why the safest app is the second case we’ve described, when you're transferring your user to another program so that he can make his card payments (i.e., protecting user information isn't your concern). On the other hand, if your application offers a checkout stage (your platform asks the user to enter their card details), the requirements go up significantly. You must ensure that your service is immune to all sorts of hacker attacks, which means the user data is secure.
Each intermediary has its own method of processing data and different conditions to cooperate with a client (with you!). And it's up to you to decide what kind of app payment gateway to prefer. Of course, this is an important issue, because a reliable service will help you avoid a number of troubles associated with obtaining the PCI-DSS certificate (believe us, the whole process can be very time-consuming). Besides, most of them provide the opportunity to create attractive forms of payment, which will aid you to design your app really nicely. The last factor also matters, given that the appealing program appearance positively affects your app's popularity.
We guess you are interested in how to implement a payment gateway in the Android application (or in the iOS app), right?. Let's consider each case separately.
3 Top Mobile App Payment Gateways
Okay, what payment gateways are in high demand today and why? Let's compare mobile payment systems!
#1. PayPal
Undoubtedly, PayPal payments are very popular, and the brand itself is one of the market leaders. The name “PayPal” is widely heard, even among those who have not dealt with electronic payments yet... this alone indicates the high status of the brand! And this status is deserved: PayPal is available almost all over the world and accepts payments in a variety of currencies (about 26 types!). The result is obvious: the service successfully processes 5-10 million payments on a daily basis, and this number, characterizing the multitude of PayPal clients, keeps growing. Not so bad, right?
PayPal is rightly proud of its reputation as a reliable provider of efficient gateway services. Among its useful features, one can list receiving checks through your phone's camera and split payments support. Besides, PayPal gives a very simple way of invoicing and offers easy-to-use reporting functionality to control your financial business practice.
Leaders such as Google Play, eBay, and Telstra believe in the reliability of PayPal and are willing to use its services. Well, they’ve made a good choice, and we are fain to acknowledge that PayPal grants excellent payment solutions.
Of course, PayPal doesn't act out of pure generosity (and why should it?) and charges a certain fee for each successful transaction (2.9% + 30 cents at the time of writing). Though, companies processing more than $ 30K monthly can expect to reduce this rate.
© PayPal.com
PayPal details what you should do in order to take full advantage of its solution.
#2. Stripe
If PayPal doesn't cover all your needs (although it's hard to imagine why, since it's a cool payment gateway provider and one of the market leaders), consider Stripe.
Stripe, too, belongs to the top solutions and allows you to create and manage a payment gateway for mobile apps. Its advantages include support for a large number of currencies (even Bitcoins are on the list!) and an easy-to-use API (which developers do love).
The payment gateway integration in iOS, © Stripe.com
Stripe has one more significant excellence which distinguishes it from other mobile payment systems (PayPal, among others), namely: the ability to transfer data of the credit card to a new payment gateway you have chosen. Moreover, it supports Apple/Android Pay, recurring billing, and can integrate Social media payments. And, if desired, you’re able to organize the proper monthly reporting on your financial practice.
Of course, let's not forget about the rate that is 2.9% (+ 30 cents) per transmission. Alas, you cannot avoid spending money…
Nevertheless, by choosing these payment gateway services, you will undoubtedly save yourself from unnecessary trouble.
The mobile payment gateway for Android, © Stripe.com
By the way, Twitter and Facebook have chosen Stripe too! It says a lot, doesn't it? If you’re impressed and want to learn more on the matter, feel free to look at the full guide. It’ll explain to you how to add this payment gateway in android apps. As to integrating payment gateway in iOS apps, these pages might help you.
#3. Braintree
Braintree belongs to the PayPal company (it was bought in 2013) and rightfully remains among the best mobile app payment gateways. It provides a complex multifunctional service covering more than 40 countries all over the world. A great many well-known companies have chosen this very solution to implement mobile credit card payment integration (we can name Airbnb and Uber, and that’s not bad, right?).
Braintree is especially proud of its fast operation: it’s capable of processing credit card payments in 2 days (instead of the usual 7-day period, which Stripe offers). Also, the company offers an easy payment system (only a few clicks are required!) and the most effective security service that protects against all types of fraud.
Developers are fond of Braintree either, for it supports six programming languages and allows carrying out the payment gateway integration in mobile applications in the shortest time. Of course, the less effort is spent, the better!
Braintree’s rate is 2.9% (+ about 30 cents) per transmission made (when the first $50,000 has been processed).
Visit this page to know all the details including those that explain the payment gateway integration.
We have listed the largest players in the market, but there are other options - lesser-known, but also reliable, with good payment capabilities:
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PayPal Here. The system is linked to the PayPal wallet. The fee for one payment is 2.7%. Among the new features, we should mention integration with the Beacon protocol and support for Bluetooth devices.
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Dwolla has a great many excellent features, such as the possibility to process thousands of mobile payments at the same time. Though, you have to know that here we’re dealing with a payment gateway to the merchant account (since you need to access one in order to make a payment). The commission is 25 cents per operation.
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EziDebit is a good service when it comes to both small organizations and large companies and offers a really clear and transparent payment solution. It is aimed at simplifying the process of mobile commerce and does not have a fixed pricing system, the price depends on the services provided.
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Zooz is famous for its user-friendly interface and fast transactions. In addition, the service has taken care of both consumers and developers so that they could spend a minimum of time on app payment gateway integration. Therefore, we can safely say that Zooz is a developer-friendly payment system.
Of course, you can choose something different if you want to. However, it raises the next question, namely...
What to Consider When Choosing the Simplest Solution for Payments?
So, what to focus on when selecting online payment gateway services?
Your Market
First of all, it is necessary to understand which markets the company will operate in and which mobile phone payment systems the users of the particular country prefer.
The average preferences:
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The USA. Americans prefer to pay using:
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credit/debit card (2Checkout, Braintree, Simplify Commerce, Stripe, Authorize.Net, WorldPay, SagePay, Optimal Payments)
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PayPal
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Canada. Payment methods preferred by Canadians:
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bank card (2Checkout, Braintree, Simplify Commerce, Stripe, Authorize.Net, WorldPay, SagePay, Netbanx, Moneris)
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PayPal
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prepaid card
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Germany. We now proceed to the European payment systems:
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invoices (PayPal, Klarna, Payone, Invoice Payment, Ingenico)
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ELV (Sofort, перевод SEPA, Payone, Hipay, PayPal, Paymill, Skrill, Ingenico, Postfinance)
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digital methods (PayPal, Skrill, Payone, Paymill, Ingenico, Sofort)
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bank debit - Amazon Payments
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bank debit - credit card (Paymill, Payone, PayPal, Ingenico, Hipay, Postfinance, Saferpay, Skrill)
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France:
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credit/debit card bank card (Atos, CM-CIC, Paybox, Stripe, Ingenico, SagePay, Authorize.net, Skrill)
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Paypal
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Norway:
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cr./deb. bank card (SagePay, Skrill)
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BankAccess (a bank transfer service available in most banks in Norway)
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other options for payments in mobile apps
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Italy:
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cr./deb. card and prepaid card Visa / MasterCard (Worldpay, Banca Intesa San Paolo, CartaSi, SagePay, Optimal Payments, etc)
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Paypal
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other options (such as PostePay and PaysafeCard).
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Spain. Here comes more examples of the European payment systems:
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cr./deb. card (Santander, BBVA, La Caixa, ING Direct, Bankinter, Sabadell, Bankia, Banco Popular, Worldline, SagePay, Paythunder, Ingenico, Skrill)
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Paypal
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credit/debit card cash on delivery
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This is not a complete list, but the essence is clear to you. Before building a mobile payment system integration, analyze your market and conduct desk research in order to find out the best option.
The interface customization
The payment page should be an integral part of the application. So, when creating the payment services screen, remember about the design style of your application - every detail should look organically and harmoniously.
But to implement the idea, you have to opt for the payment gateway for mobile apps which provides the ability to customize the interface. Users like custom payment forms, so you may have a great result, namely, - higher conversions.
Extra features
We mean everything that can come to your mind: regular and bulk payments, the possibility to deal with bitcoins, legal support, etc.
Protection against fraud
Internet and fraud are almost synonymous nowadays. Therefore, a good protection system from illegal actions is a must-have condition of successful mobile credit card payment integration.
The reputation of the company
The reputation of the company, which you’ve hired to fulfill the task and supplement your mobile app with a payment gateway also plays a significant role. The reputation is affected by:
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longevity. How long has the company been in the market?
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reviews. If you've heard negative feedback about one of the mobile phone payment systems, think carefully before choosing it.
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big (maybe, famous!) clients.
The process of payment gateway integration in the mobile application should be extra simple and intuitive. Your task is to offer a user-friendly digital solution aimed at making electronic payments for physical goods
Factors to be taken into account
By implementing payment gateways, you need to consider some important factors to ensure that the result justifies your expectations.
#1. One should take into account the differences between mobile devices and desktops
A developer must understand not only psychology but also the physiology of the buyer: when a person holds a smartphone in one hand, he should be able to operate his mobile device with just a thumb.
Don’t forget about it when integrating online payment systems. A payment page should be simplified as much as possible.
#2. Do not overload
You also need to think about how to create a mobile payment app, which works really fast. Yes, app download speed matters a good deal. If the payment screen is too "heavy", the user can lose his patience and leave your program by choosing another resource.
#3. Give the buyer the necessary payment information
Do not forget to inform a user about the payment processing stage, as the process of its verification and authorization takes time.
In case of an error during the mobile app payment, explain to the shopper its reasons, whether it is an incorrectly filled payment form, lack of funds on the card, or any other problem. In addition, it is also advisable to recommend ways to solve it: you can offer the user to choose another payment method, try to pay later, contact support, etc.
#4. Security information is really important
Today almost every smartphone is a storehouse of vital data about its owner. Actually, that's why the PCI-DSS standard has been created. Indicate the information proving that you have taken care of the security problem and protected the details of your clients’ bank cards.
All of the above items will lead to an improved user experience.
Summary
By 2022, the global volume of mobile payments will have significantly exceeded $ 1 trillion. Buyers and businesses already have all the tools to make a smartphone a common device to manage electronic payments for physical goods. If you are ready to follow the trend, remember:
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determine the method of payment;
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choose the best ratio of quality and cost of the service;
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contact your service provider and get the necessary tools to implement the payment gateway integration in the iOS (or Android) app;
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find developers to implement the tools provided. If you have chosen a reliable developer-friendly payment system, your contractors won't have any problems bringing your idea to life;
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inform customers about payment options they have.
In our work, during the mobile payment app development, we always resort to the methods optimal for the client. We know what should be paid attention to first and which factors are important to consider.
