Payment Gateway Options?

[shaneaj]

I'm looking to integrate a third party payment processing capability into a new online service I'm helping to create. One option is to build our own payment gateway from the ground up... not really an ideal solution. The other option is to partner with someone who has a robust existing gateway solution. This partner would need to be willing to work with us (we would want to skin the gateway and build our own UI that integrates with the rest of our service), and presumably enact a revenue share. We expect that revenues would ramp somewhat slowly over the next 6-12 months, but could easily ramp exponentially thereafter.

Ability to process credit and debit cards is essential. Ideally the solution would enable a customer to use their own mercahnt account if they have one, or would be able to offer a hybrid solution (inc. merchant account) if the customer does not have their own.

ACH transactions will need to be part of the product offering in the near term, although not necessarily as an initial product feature.

Ability to do things such as schedule payments, authorize repeat payments for a set amount or within certain pre-specifed limits, etc. are all HIGHLY desireable.

Anyone know of any payment gateways that might be a good fit for us? We're familiar with the usual suspects (e.g., cybersource, authorize.net, etc) at a high level, but I have no idea if any of them have a history / the capability and desire to work with someone else as a strategic partner who would simply skin their gateway....

Thanks in advance for any ideas!!!

Shane

[Corey Bryant]

Chances are, it would be better to build it from the ground up. With the right team, it would take you about 6 months to build it.

Most offer an API which you can integrate into a website and that can be customizable, but that is about it.

[shaneaj]

Hi Corey,

Thanks for your feedback. Can you offer any more details? To build a gateway from the ground up, does one have to create individual connections to all the different credit card networks, the ACH network (? individual banks), etc., or is there some sort of consolidated approach that can make this easier. If perchance you know of any sort of documentation / reference that could provide an overview of requirements / challenges, that would be fantiastic! Thanks again, Shane

[CapitalGuy]

I'd suggest you use Authorize.net for the gateway while learning what you're going to run into along the way for when you get your homegrown gateway produced. Authorize.net has the invisible passthrough you're looking for. But, they're so established in the industry, they've been through everything. So, you could learn a lot from how their system works and apply it to your own rather than starting with a blank slate.

[Corey Bryant]

Well you would need to connect to some of the transaction processors (First Data/KKR, Nova, etc). These transaction processors aid in the process.

LinkPoint, Payflow, Authorize.net/Cybersource each have some great resources and some of the gateways also offer a lot of features at no additional costs. Take a look at Payflow's feature list. Now compare it with LinkPoint and Authorize.net/Cybersource.

Figure out what you want to offer, what you can charge for and what you think the gateways need to have.

For documentation, you will also need to know what the issuing banks require. Some issuing banks will want you to pass-through more (detailed) information.