Mobile applications have assimilated into everyone’s daily life. Due to the consistent increase in mobile phone usage throughout the world, more people are expected to download apps. There were around 3.5 million applications on the Google Play Store as of the first quarter of 2021. Apple’s App Store has around 2.2 million apps. Mobile phone usage now extends beyond the simple call- and text-based communication. There is no denying that the mobile app revolution has had a significant influence on our lives. To assist you in turning your app idea into a reality, a variety of businesses provide iOS and Android development services. The COVID-19 pandemic’s effects have caused an extraordinary increase in mobile app usage. 

However, the epidemic may have merely radically changed adoption patterns while reviving mobile usage for tasks usually associated with PCs or other digital devices. Nowadays, consumers all around the world make purchases on the fly. Integration of payment gateways is crucial if you want your company or organization to benefit from the app market. 

Payment Gateway: What is it?

Payment gateway technology enables businesses to accept consumer payments made using debit or credit cards. Payment gateways are crucial components of the current digital economy. By enabling users to use their credit and debit card information to make safe payments, these systems remove the risks associated with online shopping. Unlike today’s complex systems that gather and validate PIN numbers, signatures and other data for merchant transactions, the initial payment gateways were straightforward card-reading machines. The term “payment gateway” includes the actual card-reading hardware used in physical stores and the internet payment processing gateways used by online retailers. It also includes phone-based payments made using QR codes or Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.

The Operation of a Payment Gateway:

Technologies for payment gateways are evolving quickly to keep up with changing customer preferences and technological capabilities. The signature stage is being replaced with a personal identification number (PIN) immediately inserted into the payment gateway hardware as a result of advancements in chip technology. Today, cellphones are used as payment devices instead of credit cards for contactless payments. Whether a payment gateway is an online payment portal or an in-store gateway, the architecture will vary.

Ways to include a payment gateway into an Android or iOS application:

  • It’s crucial to choose a certain payment gateway before starting the integration procedure. The kind of payment gateway is heavily influenced by a number of variables, including the size of the firm, the industry, and geographic elements like the target nation.
  • Once your application sends a request to the server, get a client token. Given all the best practices, creating a fresh token when an app is launched is essential. It enables initializing the SDK with authorisation and configuration details.
  • With sensitive credentials & information like the merchant ID, and public and private keys, QA engineers and testers will examine the flawless operation of the payment gateway interface.
  • Installing PCI-DSS compliant certificates will raise the degree of security. The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol offers complete security for customers’ and merchants’ sensitive and important data.
  • The server must be set up with a one-time payment mechanism when completing a transaction. You transfer the client’s card information to the server after receiving it, and the server utilizes it to complete the transaction.

Best Practices for Mobile Payment Gateway Integration:

In essence, merchant accounts act as your company’s online bank account and take payments online. They often keep sales revenue in your app before transferring it to your primary corporate bank account. When using a payment gateway system, your supplier verifies transactions before sending them to your merchant account. Different banks provide the ability to open a merchant account sponsored by the bank and connected with payment gateways. Alternatively, you may use services that enable merchant accounts and provide clients with an all-in-one solution for credit card payments. It is imperative to abide by Play Store or App Store regulations if you intend to offer your goods or services via mobile. For iOS developers, there are rules, and Google has created an API specifically for Android developers. Use mobile payment gateway providers if you’re selling tangible things. You need PCI DSS certification if you deal with financial data. PCI DSS certification is, therefore, a challenging verification process. The first step is to ensure that the information system that stores the customers’ credit card information complies with PCI DSS rules at all times.

Wrapping up:

It’s crucial to collaborate with a reputable and top mobile app development business that specialises in iOS and Android mobile apps if you intend to implement a payment gateway into your mobile application.