Cardinity

What is Cardinity

Cardinity is an all-in-one online payment service provider based in Lithuania. It is licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of the Republic of Lithuania, making it a reliable choice for businesses operating within the European Union. The company functions as a payment gateway, a merchant account provider, and an acquiring bank, combining all necessary services to process online card payments into a single solution. This allows online businesses, from e-shops to mobile applications, to accept major credit and debit card payments from customers all over the world. Cardinity focuses on providing a secure and direct payment process that is invisible to the end customer, ensuring a smooth checkout experience on the merchant's website.

Cardinity Features

Cardinity offers a range of features designed to facilitate online transactions for merchants.

• Global Card Processing: Accept payments from major credit and debit cards like Visa and Mastercard from customers anywhere in the world.
• Multi-Currency Support: Process transactions in all major currencies, which helps to reach a global customer base and reduce conversion fees for buyers.
• Subscription Billing: Set up and manage recurring payments for subscription-based services. You can create different plans and charge customers automatically on a periodic basis.
• One-Click Payments: Offer returning customers a fast checkout experience. Card details are securely stored, allowing them to pay with a single click.
• High-Level Security: Cardinity is a certified PCI-DSS Level 1 Service Provider, the highest level of security in the payment industry. It provides essential security tools to protect all transactions.
• Direct Integration: The payment process is integrated directly into your website or app. Customers are not redirected to another page to complete their payment, which increases trust and conversion rates.
• Simple Pricing: The pricing model is transparent, with no setup or monthly fees. Merchants only pay a fee per successful transaction.
• Developer-Friendly Tools: Provides ready-to-install modules for popular e-commerce platforms, SDK libraries for custom systems, and clear API documentation for easy integration.

Cardinity Pricing Plans

Cardinity operates on a volume-based pricing model rather than fixed monthly plans. The transaction fee is determined by the merchant's monthly online sales volume. This structure is designed to be scalable, offering lower rates as the business grows and processes more transactions.

• Low Volume Tier: This is for new or small businesses with a lower monthly sales volume. It has the standard transaction rate.
• Medium Volume Tier: For growing businesses that process a significant amount of sales each month. This tier receives a discounted transaction rate.
• High Volume Tier: Aimed at large enterprises and high-volume merchants. This tier offers custom, highly competitive pricing based on their substantial sales volume.

There are no setup fees, monthly fees, or other hidden charges associated with any of these tiers.

Cardinity Free Plan

Cardinity does not have a traditional free plan with limited features. Instead, it offers a pay-as-you-go model that is free to set up. There are no setup fees, no monthly fees, and no hidden costs. You can open a merchant account for free and will only be charged a percentage-based fee on successful transactions. This makes it a cost-effective option for businesses of all sizes, as you only pay when you make a sale.

How to use Cardinity

Getting started with Cardinity is a straightforward process for any online business.

1. Sign Up: First, you need to visit the Cardinity website and fill out the online application to open a merchant account.
2. Submit Documents: You will be required to provide necessary business documents for the Know Your Customer (KYC) verification process.
3. Account Approval: Once your application and documents are reviewed and approved, your merchant account will be activated.
4. Integration: Choose your integration method. You can use a ready-made plugin for popular e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce or Magento. For custom websites or applications, your developer can use the provided SDKs and API.
5. Start Accepting Payments: After integration, you can immediately start accepting credit and debit card payments directly on your website.
6. Manage Funds: All processed funds are transferred to your merchant account and can be managed or withdrawn to your business bank account.

Pros and Cons of Cardinity

Pros:

• All-in-One Solution: Combines a payment gateway and merchant account, simplifying the payment setup process.
• Transparent Pricing: No monthly or setup fees, you only pay for successful transactions.
• Seamless Checkout: Customers pay directly on your site without being redirected, which can improve conversion rates.
• Strong Security: PCI-DSS Level 1 compliance ensures high security for all transactions.
• Good for EU Businesses: As a Lithuanian-based and regulated entity, it is well-suited for businesses operating in the European market.

Cons:

• Geographic Focus: Primarily focused on the European market, which may be less ideal for businesses with a large customer base in other regions like North America.
• Limited Payment Methods: Focuses mainly on Visa and Mastercard payments, with less support for alternative payment methods compared to some competitors.
• Onboarding Process: The verification process can require detailed documentation and may take some time to complete.

Cardinity Integrations

Cardinity provides several integration options to connect with e-commerce platforms and custom systems. They offer ready-to-install modules for many popular shopping carts.

• WooCommerce Integration: A dedicated plugin allows for easy integration with WordPress e-commerce sites.
• PrestaShop Integration: Merchants using PrestaShop can install a module to enable Cardinity payments.
• Magento Integration: Offers an extension for both Magento 1 and Magento 2 platforms.
• OpenCart Integration: A simple module is available for websites built on OpenCart.
• Shopware Integration: Provides a plugin for the Shopware e-commerce system.

For custom-built websites and applications, Cardinity offers SDKs and a comprehensive API.

Cardinity Alternatives

• Stripe: A global payment processor known for its powerful and flexible API. It is a top choice for developers and supports a wider range of payment methods and currencies.
• PayPal: A globally recognized payment platform that is very easy for customers to use. However, it often redirects users to its own site for payment and can have higher fees.
• Adyen: A unified commerce platform popular with large, international enterprises. It offers a single system for online, in-app, and in-store payments.
• Braintree: A PayPal service that offers a similar all-in-one solution to Stripe and Cardinity. It provides a merchant account and payment gateway and is popular among tech companies.

Cardinity API

Yes, Cardinity provides a comprehensive RESTful API for developers who need to create custom payment integrations. The API allows you to process payments, create subscriptions, and manage transactions directly from your application.

To get started, you must first register for a Cardinity merchant account. Once your account is approved, you will find your API keys and credentials in your merchant dashboard. The official developer documentation provides detailed guides, code samples, and a testing environment (sandbox) to build and test your integration before going live.

Here is a basic cURL example for creating a payment:

curl https://api.cardinity.com/v1/payments \
  -u {your_api_key}:{your_api_secret} \
  -d amount=49.99 \
  -d currency=EUR \
  -d country=LT \
  -d payment_method=card \
  -d payment_instrument[pan]=... \
  -d payment_instrument[exp_year]=... \
  -d payment_instrument[exp_month]=... \
  -d payment_instrument[cvc]=...

Cardinity Affiliate Program

Cardinity offers a partner program for developers, web agencies, and platform providers who wish to integrate Cardinity's payment solutions for their clients. While a public affiliate program with fixed commission rates is not prominently advertised, they encourage partnerships. To join, it is best to contact their business development or support team directly through their website. You can discuss referral opportunities, integration partnerships, or becoming an influencer for their service. They typically work with partners on a case-by-case basis to establish a mutually beneficial arrangement.