- 17 hours ago
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To accept payments online, choose your payment methods, set up a merchant account through a PSP or bank and connect a payment gateway to your site. If you already have an eCommerce website, the setup is even faster since the checkout infrastructure is already in place. Wix supports 100+ payment providers including credit cards, digital wallets and BNPL helping businesses sell online and accept payments through the methods their customers prefer.
This guide covers each step you need to know about how to accept payments online, from payment methods and gateways to security compliance and going live.
Learn more: What is Wix Payments?
TL;DR: how to accept payments online
Knowing how to accept payments online is essential for any business that wants to reduce checkout friction, offer preferred payment methods and turn website visitors into paying customers. The steps below walk you through everything from choosing payment methods to going live with online payments.
Step | What to do |
1. Choose a payment method | Decide between credit cards, digital wallets, BNPL based on your customers. |
2. Set up a merchant account | Open one through a PSP or directly with your bank. |
3. Pick a payment gateway | Choose a hosted gateway, API integration or an all-in-one platform. |
4. Integrate with your site | Use plugins, native tools or a developer API to add checkout. |
5. Secure your process | Enable SSL, PCI compliance, fraud protection. |
6. Test and launch | Run test transactions before accepting real payments. |
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How to accept payments online in 6 steps
Accepting payments online involves a few moving parts. Each step builds on the last.
01. Choose which payment methods to offer
Your first decision is which payment methods to offer customers. Credit and debit cards remain the most widely used payment option and are essential for most businesses. Digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal have become a standard part of the checkout experience, especially for mobile shoppers. If you sell higher-priced products or services, buy now, pay later (BNPL) options can help increase conversions and average order value. Choosing the right mix of payment methods is a key part of eCommerce payment processing, as it directly impacts checkout completion rates, customer satisfaction and revenue.
02. Set up a merchant account
A merchant account is a type of account that enables businesses to accept card payments online. When a customer makes a purchase, the funds are processed before being transferred to your business bank account. Businesses typically get a merchant account in one of two ways.
Going directly through a bank can offer more control and potentially lower fees at high transaction volumes, but it often involves underwriting, credit checks and a longer approval process. Working with a payment service provider (PSP) is typically faster and simpler, with payment processing and merchant account services bundled into one solution. Many eCommerce platforms, including Wix, simplify merchant account setup through integrated payment solutions, helping businesses start accepting payments more quickly.
03. Choose a payment gateway
A payment gateway is the technology that securely moves payment data between your website and the payment processor.
There are three main gateway types. A hosted gateway redirects customers to a third-party payment page. It's simple to set up, but it takes shoppers off your site. An API or embedded gateway keeps the checkout on your site, giving you more control over the customer experience. An all-in-one solution bundles the gateway, merchant account and processor into a single platform. For many small businesses, these integrated online payment solutions are the easiest way to start accepting payments online.
04. Integrate payments into your website
Once you've chosen a payment provider, the next step is integrating payments into your website so customers can complete purchases. The integration process varies depending on your setup. If you use a plugin-based platform, most payment providers offer ready-made plugins that require minimal configuration. If you're building a custom website, you'll typically integrate payments using the provider's API. If you create an online store with an all-in-one platform, payments are often built in from the start, eliminating the need for additional integration.
For businesses selling across borders, Wix also supports multilingual online stores, multi-currency payments and automated tax calculations to help simplify global eCommerce operations.
Expert insight from Nir Zohar, President at Wix:
"Every site runs on Wix’s proven infrastructure, with advanced commerce, payments, SEO and GEO, accessibility and scalability built in by default. As AI evolves and new standards emerge, Wix absorbs the underlying complexity so users can focus on creating and running their business, not managing the machinery behind it."
05. Secure your payment process
Security is both a legal requirement and a trust signal for your customers. Any business accepting card payments must comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). This covers how cardholder data is processed, transmitted and protected. Most reputable payment providers and eCommerce platforms simplify PCI DSS compliance by managing much of the underlying security infrastructure. Wix, for example, runs on enterprise-grade infrastructure designed to support high-traffic stores, secure transactions and reliable eCommerce performance at scale.
Beyond compliance, strong online payment security measures help protect both your business and your customers. Make sure your site uses SSL/TLS encryption (your URL should start with https://). Look for a gateway that supports tokenization, which replaces card data with a secure token so sensitive details are never stored on your server. Additional tools such as address verification (AVS), card verification value (CVV) checks and 3D Secure authentication provide extra layers of protection against fraud.
Learn more about eCommerce website security.
06. Test and optimize your checkout
Before going live, run test transactions across every payment method you offer. Check the experience on both desktop and mobile devices. Make sure confirmation emails are sent correctly, failed payments display clear error messages and the checkout flow works smoothly on smaller screens. If you also sell in person, confirm that your point-of-sale system is connected and synced with your online inventory.
After launch, continue monitoring your eCommerce checkout performance and abandonment rates. Offering guest checkout, reducing form fields and enabling autofill are all proven ways to streamline the customer experience. If mobile users are dropping off or customers are abandoning their carts at a specific stage, your checkout analytics can help identify where improvements are needed.
Did you know? Wix combines ease of use with advanced eCommerce capabilities, including abandoned cart recovery, customizable checkout workflows and enterprise-grade infrastructure that help businesses improve eCommerce checkout performance and drive more conversions.
How to accept payments online with Wix
Wix Payments is Wix's built-in payment processor with no third-party integration needed.
01. Find the right payment provider
Wix supports 100+ payment providers worldwide. For most merchants, Wix Payments is the simplest starting point. If Wix Payments isn't available in your country, providers like PayPal and Stripe are supported as alternatives.
02. Set up Wix Payments
In your site dashboard go to Getting Paid then Connect & Setup. Select Accept Credit/Debit Cards with Wix and choose your payment methods. Complete your business and bank account details to receive payouts. In the US the standard processing fee is 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction for credit and debit cards with no separate Wix transaction fee on top.
03. Accept in-person payments
For physical or on-the-go selling, Wix POS lets you manage online and in-store sales from one place with inventory, orders and payouts all synced in your dashboard. Wix integrates online stores with in-person point-of-sale systems, enabling merchants to manage both eCommerce and physical store operations from a single platform. For hardware options, see POS hardware.
04. Manage your payments
All transactions, refunds, chargebacks and payouts are handled from the same Wix dashboard regardless of payment provider. Wix provides merchants with payments, instant payouts, a business debit card and access to capital from a single dashboard. Wix supports scalable eCommerce operations as a high-performance commerce platform that serves businesses from small online stores to high-revenue brands.
Expert insight from Adi Avraham, senior SEO growth at Wix:
"I always tell small business owners they don’t need a massive budget to sell online. Wix’s eCommerce features give you everything from inventory management to payment options in one place."
Learn more:
How to accept payments online FAQ
What is the easiest way to accept payments online?
The easiest way to accept payments online is through payment links. Payment providers such as Stripe, PayPal, and Wix Payments allow businesses to generate a secure payment link that can be shared via email, social media, SMS or messaging apps without building a full eCommerce website.
Is it safe to accept payments online?
Yes, when you're using the right tools. PCI DSS compliance is the baseline. Any reputable payment provider handles this. On top of that, SSL/TLS encryption protects data in transit, plus tokenization makes sure card details are never stored directly on your server.
What is the best platform to accept online payments?
The best platform to accept online payments depends on your business needs, but leading options include Wix Payments, Stripe and PayPal. When choosing a payment platform, consider factors such as transaction fees, supported payment methods, security features, ease of setup and international payment support.
