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Payments & Gateway

Everything you need to know about accepting payments, managing transactions, and configuring your gateway.

Once your Paayed account is verified and your payment gateway is active, you can start processing card payments immediately.

Online payments

Customers pay through your hosted checkout page, a payment link, or your API integration. Paayed supports Visa and Mastercard (debit and credit), Apple Pay, and Google Pay.

In-person payments

Use the Paayed A920 POS terminal to accept chip and PIN, contactless, and mobile wallet payments at your location.

Your first test

Before going live, process a test payment in sandbox mode to confirm your setup works. Go to Settings > API Keys and use the sandbox credentials with test card number 4242 4242 4242 4242.

Paayed supports the most widely used payment methods in the UK.

Card payments

  • Visa (debit and credit)
  • Mastercard (debit and credit)

Digital wallets

  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay
  • Samsung Pay (POS terminal only)

Payment channels

  • Online: Hosted checkout, payment links, API integration
  • In-person: POS terminal (chip and PIN, contactless, mobile wallets)
  • Invoice: Pay Now button on emailed invoices

Currency

All settlements are in GBP. Paayed accepts cards issued in any currency, with conversion handled by the card network at the standard wholesale rate.

Paayed charges a simple per-transaction fee with no monthly costs, setup fees, or hidden charges.

Fee structure

  • Online payments: 1.4% + 10p per transaction
  • In-person (POS) payments: 1.2% + 10p per transaction
  • Payment links: 1.4% + 10p per transaction

How fees are deducted

Fees are deducted automatically from each settlement. You receive the net amount (transaction value minus fees) in your bank account.

Refund fees

When you issue a refund, the original processing fee is not returned. The refunded amount is deducted from your next settlement.

Settlements are the transfers from your Paayed account to your bank account.

Standard schedule

Paayed settles on a T+1 basis. Transactions processed on a business day are deposited into your bank account the following business day.

Weekend and bank holidays

Transactions processed on Saturday and Sunday are batched together and settled on Monday. If Monday is a bank holiday, settlement occurs on Tuesday.

Viewing settlements

Go to Reports > Settlements to see each deposit with the date, gross amount, fees deducted, and net amount deposited.

Every payment processed through Paayed is recorded in your transaction history.

Accessing transactions

Go to Transactions in the main navigation. You see a list of all transactions with the date, amount, payment method, customer email, and status.

Filtering and search

Filter by date range, status (successful, failed, refunded), payment method, or amount. Use the search bar to find a specific transaction by ID or customer email.

Transaction details

Click any transaction to see the full details: card type, last four digits, authorisation code, fee breakdown, settlement status, and timeline of status changes.

You can refund a payment fully or partially from the Paayed dashboard.

Issuing a refund

  1. Go to Transactions
  2. Click the transaction you want to refund
  3. Click Refund
  4. Enter the refund amount (leave blank for a full refund)
  5. Click Confirm Refund

Refund timing

Refunds are processed immediately on Paayed’s side. The customer sees the refund on their statement within 5-10 business days, depending on their card issuer.

Void vs. refund

If the transaction has not yet settled, you can void it instead. A void cancels the transaction before the money moves, which is faster for the customer. After settlement, only a refund is possible.

The Paayed payment gateway connects your website or application to the card networks, securely processing payments in real time.

What the gateway does

  1. Encrypts the customer’s card details
  2. Sends the payment request to the card network (Visa/Mastercard)
  3. Receives the authorisation response
  4. Returns the result to your checkout page

Integration options

  • Hosted checkout: Redirect customers to a Paayed-hosted payment page. No code required.
  • Payment links: Share a link via email, SMS, or social media. No website needed.
  • API integration: Build a custom checkout experience using the Paayed API and client-side tokenisation.

Hosted checkout is the fastest way to start accepting payments online. Paayed hosts the payment page for you.

How it works

  1. Create a checkout session via the dashboard or API
  2. Customers are redirected to a secure Paayed payment page
  3. They enter their card details and complete the payment
  4. After payment, they are redirected back to your website

Customisation

The hosted checkout page displays your business name and logo. Set these in Settings > Business Profile.

Security

Because card details are entered on Paayed’s servers, your PCI compliance scope is minimised to the simplest level (SAQ A).

Payment links let you accept payments without a website. Create a link, share it, and get paid.

Creating a payment link

  1. Go to Payments > Payment Links
  2. Click Create Link
  3. Enter the amount, description, and optional expiry date
  4. Click Generate Link

Sharing

Copy the link and share it via email, SMS, WhatsApp, or social media. The customer clicks the link, enters their card details, and pays instantly.

Tracking

Each link has a unique ID. View all payment links and their status (active, paid, expired) in Payments > Payment Links.

The Paayed API lets you build a fully custom payment experience.

Getting started

  1. Get your API keys from Settings > API Keys
  2. Use the sandbox keys for testing
  3. Include Paayed.js on your checkout page for client-side card tokenisation
  4. Send payment requests from your server using the secret key

Key endpoints

  • POST /v1/payments: Process a payment
  • POST /v1/refunds: Issue a refund
  • GET /v1/transactions: List transactions
  • POST /v1/invoices: Create an invoice

Authentication

All requests require your secret API key in the Authorization header: Bearer sk_live_your_key.

Sandbox mode lets you test your integration without processing real payments.

Accessing sandbox

Go to Settings > API Keys and copy your Sandbox API keys. Use these in your integration instead of live keys.

Test card numbers

  • 4242 4242 4242 4242: Successful payment
  • 4000 0000 0000 0002: Card declined
  • 4000 0000 0000 3220: 3D Secure required

Use any future expiry date and any 3-digit CVV.

Sandbox dashboard

Sandbox transactions appear in your dashboard with a “Test” label. They do not affect your live data or trigger real charges.

Once you have tested your integration in sandbox mode, switching to live payments takes a few steps.

Pre-launch checklist

  1. KYC verification is approved (check Settings > Verification)
  2. Bank account is connected and verified
  3. Sandbox test transactions are successful
  4. Webhook URLs are configured for your live environment

Switching to live

Go to Settings > API Keys and copy your Live API key. Replace the sandbox key in your integration. No other code changes are required.

First live transaction

Process a small test payment with a real card to confirm everything works. Check that the transaction appears in your dashboard and that the settlement is scheduled correctly.

The Paayed A920 is an Android-based POS terminal for accepting in-person card payments.

Unboxing and setup

  1. Charge the terminal fully before first use
  2. Connect to Wi-Fi: tap Settings > Wi-Fi on the terminal
  3. The Paayed app comes pre-installed. Sign in with your Paayed credentials
  4. The terminal will sync with your account settings automatically

Accepting payments

Enter the payment amount on the terminal keypad, then ask the customer to tap, insert, or swipe their card. The terminal displays the result within seconds.

Connectivity

The A920 supports Wi-Fi and 4G SIM. For mobile use (markets, events, deliveries), insert a SIM card for cellular connectivity.

Receipts

The terminal has a built-in thermal printer for paper receipts. You can also send digital receipts via email or SMS from the terminal.

In-person payments are processed through the Paayed A920 POS terminal at a rate of 1.2% + 10p per transaction.

Payment methods accepted

  • Chip and PIN
  • Contactless tap (cards and wearables)
  • Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay
  • Manual card entry (for phone orders)

Processing a sale

  1. Enter the amount on the terminal
  2. Customer taps, inserts, or swipes their card
  3. Terminal displays “Approved” or “Declined”
  4. Receipt prints automatically (or sent digitally)

End-of-day

The terminal batches transactions automatically. All successful payments settle to your bank account on a T+1 cycle. You can view the day’s totals in Transactions on your dashboard.

The Paayed A920 terminal accepts all major contactless payment methods.

Supported wallets

  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay
  • Samsung Pay
  • Garmin Pay, Fitbit Pay, and other NFC wearables

Contactless limits

Standard contactless card payments have a £100 limit per transaction (set by UK card issuers). Mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) have no transaction limit because they use biometric authentication.

How it works

Enter the payment amount on the terminal. The customer holds their card, phone, or wearable near the NFC reader. The terminal confirms the payment in under two seconds.

Transactions can fail or be declined for several reasons. Understanding the decline codes helps you resolve issues quickly.

Common decline reasons

  • Insufficient funds: The cardholder does not have enough balance
  • Card expired: The card’s expiry date has passed
  • Incorrect CVV: The security code entered does not match
  • 3D Secure failed: The customer did not complete authentication
  • Issuer declined: The card-issuing bank blocked the transaction
  • Fraud screening: Paayed’s fraud rules flagged the transaction

Viewing failed transactions

Go to Transactions and filter by status Failed or Declined. Click any transaction to see the specific decline code and reason.

Retrying

Ask the customer to try a different card or payment method. Do not retry the same card repeatedly, as this can trigger additional fraud flags.

A chargeback occurs when a cardholder disputes a transaction with their bank. Paayed notifies you and guides you through the response process.

Chargeback notification

You receive an email and dashboard alert when a chargeback is filed. The notification includes the transaction details, dispute reason, and response deadline (typically 14 days).

Responding to a chargeback

  1. Go to Transactions > Disputes
  2. Click the disputed transaction
  3. Upload supporting evidence: receipts, delivery confirmation, customer correspondence, terms of service
  4. Submit your response before the deadline

Outcomes

The card issuer reviews your evidence and makes a decision. If the chargeback is reversed, the funds are returned to your account. If upheld, the disputed amount and a chargeback fee are deducted from your next settlement.

Prevention

Use clear billing descriptors, send receipts, enable 3D Secure, and keep records of all customer communications.

Paayed accepts payments from cards issued in any currency. The platform converts foreign transactions to GBP for settlement.

How conversion works

When a customer pays with a non-GBP card, the transaction is authorised in the card’s currency and converted to GBP at the prevailing exchange rate set by the card network (Visa or Mastercard).

Exchange rate

Paayed does not add a currency conversion markup. The exchange rate applied is the standard wholesale rate from the card network at the time of settlement.

Viewing currency details

Click any transaction to see the original currency, converted GBP amount, and exchange rate applied. This is useful for reconciling payments from international customers.

Recurring payments let you charge customers automatically on a schedule. This is ideal for subscriptions, memberships, or instalment plans.

Setting up recurring payments

  1. Go to Payments > Recurring
  2. Click Create Plan
  3. Set the amount, frequency (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually), and start date
  4. Add the customer’s card details or send them a link to enter their own

Managing subscriptions

View all active recurring plans in Payments > Recurring. You can pause, cancel, or update the amount for any plan. Customers receive email notifications before each charge.

Failed recurring payments

If a scheduled payment fails, Paayed retries automatically after 3 and 7 days. You receive a notification for each failed attempt. After two retries, the plan is paused and marked for review.

Paayed sends real-time notifications to keep you informed about payment activity.

Email notifications

  • Successful payment received
  • Refund processed
  • Chargeback filed
  • Settlement deposited
  • Failed payment attempt

Dashboard alerts

The bell icon in your dashboard shows unread alerts. Click to see recent activity and action items such as pending disputes or failed recurring payments.

Customising notifications

Go to Settings > Notifications to choose which events trigger email alerts. You can also add additional email recipients (e.g., your accountant or operations manager).

Webhooks

For automated systems, configure webhook URLs in Settings > Webhooks to receive JSON payloads for payment events in real time.

Paayed provides detailed reporting tools to help you track revenue, reconcile accounts, and prepare financial summaries.

Built-in reports

  • Daily summary: Total transactions, gross revenue, fees, and net settlements
  • Fee summary: Monthly breakdown of processing fees by payment method
  • Settlement report: Each settlement with included transactions
  • Refund report: All refunds issued within a date range

Exporting data

Click Export on any report or transaction list to download a CSV file. You can import this into Excel, Xero, QuickBooks, or any accounting software.

Scheduled reports

Go to Reports > Scheduled to set up automatic daily, weekly, or monthly reports delivered to your email.

Paayed is PCI DSS Level 1 certified, the highest level of payment security compliance.

Data protection

  • All card data is encrypted using TLS 1.2+ in transit
  • Card numbers are tokenised and never stored in plain text
  • Paayed’s servers are hosted in PCI-compliant UK data centres

3D Secure

3D Secure (Verified by Visa, Mastercard SecureCode) adds an extra authentication step for online payments. This reduces fraud and shifts chargeback liability to the card issuer for authenticated transactions.

Fraud screening

Every transaction passes through Paayed’s real-time fraud engine, which checks velocity, geolocation, card history, and configurable rules. Suspicious transactions are flagged or blocked automatically.

Your responsibility

Because Paayed handles all card data, your PCI compliance scope is minimised. If you use hosted checkout or payment links, you qualify for the simplest PCI self-assessment (SAQ A).