Payment Gateways

4009 February 11, 2025

Overview

WooCommerce is supported by a wide range of payment service providers, giving you flexibility in how you accept donations. The official WooCommerce store alone offers 69 payment gateways, which you can explore here: WooCommerce Payment Gateways.

The exact setup and features of each payment method depend on the service provider. To maximize donation potential, we recommend enabling as many payment methods as possible while keeping transaction fees low.

How to Add a Payment Gateway

To add a payment gateway in WooCommerce:

  1. Install and activate a payment gateway plugin. You can install an additional WooCommerce extension from the WooCommerce Marketplace or WordPress Plugin Directory.
  2. Navigate to WooCommerce > Settings > Payments in your WordPress dashboard.
  3. Select the payment gateway you wish to enable and click Set up.
  4. Enter the required credentials, such as API keys and merchant details.
  5. Configure additional settings like transaction fees, currency options, and refund policies.
  6. Save changes and test the integration.

Testing Payment Gateways in Sandbox Mode

Before accepting real donations, it’s important to test your payment gateways in sandbox mode. Most gateways provide a sandbox or test mode for simulating transactions without real money transfers.

To enable sandbox mode:

  • Stripe: Enable test mode from the Stripe Dashboard and use test API keys.
  • PayPal: Sign up for a PayPal Developer account and use sandbox credentials.
  • Razorpay: Activate test mode in the Razorpay dashboard and use test credentials.

Always process a few test transactions to ensure proper functionality before going live.

Recommended Payment Gateways

Here is a selection of commonly used payment gateways, along with their key advantages and considerations:

Stripe

  • Supports a wide range of payment methods, including:
    • Credit & debit cards
    • Digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay)
    • Bank debits & transfers
    • Bank redirects
  • Pros: Easy to set up, widely accepted.
  • Cons: Some transaction fees are higher compared to competitors.

PayPal

  • One of the most widely used online payment methods globally.
  • Pros: High market penetration, trusted by donors.
  • Cons: Higher transaction fees compared to other gateways.

Bank Transfer

  • A traditional method where donations are transferred directly from the donor’s bank account.
  • Pros: Very low transaction costs.
  • Cons: Requires manual reconciliation and may increase accounting workload.

Revolut

  • Offers credit card payments at competitive rates in the European Union.
  • Pros: Unbeatable pricing in the EU market.
  • Cons: Limited availability outside Europe.

Razorpay

  • A popular payment gateway in India.
  • Pros: Well-optimized for Indian payment methods.
  • Cons: Primarily focused on the Indian market.

Check Payment

  • A traditional payment method still preferred by some donors, particularly in the United States.
  • Pros: Familiar and trusted by certain donor demographics.
  • Cons: Processing checks is slow and expensive.

SEPA Direct Debit

  • A common payment method in the Eurozone that allows automatic withdrawals from donor bank accounts.
  • Pros: Low transaction fees.
  • Cons: Payments can be reversed up to 8 weeks after processing.

Conclusion

Selecting the right payment gateways is crucial for optimizing donation acceptance while minimizing costs. Consider using a combination of widely accepted methods like Stripe, PayPal, and bank transfers while also exploring region-specific options like Razorpay for India or SEPA for Europe. Keeping transaction fees low ensures that more of each donation reaches its intended purpose.

Always test your payment gateways before going live to avoid transaction errors and ensure a seamless donation experience for your donors.