Payment pages: all questions answered

Many online business owners invest resources in developing a compelling website to showcase their products or services. They keep tweaking, optimizing, and promoting it, hoping it will help them get their users to make a purchase. But all these efforts are most likely to fall flat if a business misses one crucial step in turning a viewer into a purchaser: the payment process. The fact that your customer reached the checkout doesn't imply a completed purchase. At this stage, your payment page plays a crucial role, enabling your business to accept customer payments efficiently and securely.

In today's article, we're about to learn more about payment pages, how to collect payment information from your customers, and how to make everything work like a clock.

What is a payment page?

The payment page is just that — a place on your website where your customer enters their payment data. Depending on your business type, the action that prompts a user to enter your payment page can vary from paying for a good or service to depositing money into their account, subscribing to your service, etc.

That's why the quality of the payment page significantly affects your conversion rate. With this in mind, the best practice is to provide a choice from multiple payment options. It minimizes the chance that you'll lose a sale because there wasn't a suitable payment option for a user. If a business offers a range of payment options, a customer can select a preferred one and enter the data needed for that method.

Remember that payment data is sensitive information. A payment page should be secure and protected against fraud, attacks, and leaks.

Once a user completes every step of a chosen payment flow (all steps of the transaction processing: data entry, verification, confirmation, etc.), they finally become a purchaser.

What kinds of payment pages are there?

The types of payment pages depend on the classification criteria. The most legitimate ways to break them into types are by integration option and the number of steps. Integration is an issue worth a closer look, so we'll get back to it in the final part of the article. For now, let's divide payment pages by size:

• One-step, or one-page, is when all the checkout process elements are displayed on a single page, and a user can enter their data in any particular order.
• Multi-step, or multi-page, is when the checkout process is broken down into several pages, meaning users have to enter their data or take actions gradually on each step to proceed to the next.

When considering integration options, you can choose to integrate payment pages directly into your website or use other methods, depending on your technical resources and business needs.

Given that a payment page is not necessarily a single page, many businesses and payment providers prefer to call it a checkout instead. We at Corefy also follow this approach, and our payment page solution is officially called checkout. With modern solutions, businesses can automatically generate payment pages or checkouts to streamline transactions and improve efficiency.

How to get a payment page to accept payments?

No surprise here — you can either create a payment page yourself or hire someone to do it for you. The first way is called in-house development, and the second means working with a third party. For payment pages, it can be an outsourcing company, a payment service provider (PSP), a payment gateway, or a platform, etc.

We suggest opting for in-house payment page creation if:

• Being completely in control of every step of your customer journey is a must for you.
• You have expertise or experience in developing payment products.
• Your business can boast a strong Development team.
• There are sufficient resources (time, money, capabilities, workforce, etc.).
• You can bear the costs, which might be significant.
• You want to enable advanced payment features tailored to your business and fully customize the payment experience on your own website.

In other cases, we believe it's better to rely on third-party professionals. They take the development hassles off your shoulders, providing you with a well-honed, secure self-hosted or hosted payment solution out of the box at a fair price. Frequently, businesses use a hosted payment page (HPP) through their payment gateway provider. Many providers now offer code-free or minimal-code options, making it easy to integrate payment pages into your own website or application without extensive development. Of course, it's essential to do your research before partnering with a third party to ensure they're best-in-class and trustworthy. As for the payment page, consider the following key factors.

What to look for in a payment page?

First and foremost, the solution must be compliant and secure. A provider should handle tokenization, end-to-end encryption, masking, and fraud protection for you. If you want a PSP to host your payment page, make sure they are PCI DSS certified. It proves that they provide a secure payment processing experience.

Another trust-related issue is the look of your payment page. Aside from being user-friendly and visually appealing, your payment page should be customized to match the look and feel of your website. This way, you'll seamlessly weave the checkout process into your customer journey, and users will feel safe knowing they're transacting on the right website. Look for providers that allow not only customizing the design but also configuring fields and buttons so that you can fulfil all your business needs.

It is also worthwhile to look for an optimized user experience. Avoiding all the unnecessary friction in the checkout process will positively impact your conversion rates. Start by revising all the fields a customer is supposed to fill in and see if there's something you can remove. Remember that on a payment page, a customer expects to pay fast and in a few clicks. They're not there to complete some questionnaires. For fields that must be there, it helps to have real-time validation in place.

Besides, as we've already mentioned, the best practice is to provide multiple payment methods. It shouldn't be a list with dozens of options, from cards to crypto and wallets. Analyze your target audience's preferences and select a reasonable number of payment methods your customers would actually use. If you run an international online business, take care of your foreign customers by adding local payment options, along with some of the most popular global ones. For this, your provider has to support payment page localization.

For clients who do not have a website, using a payment link is a convenient alternative to embedding payment pages directly. These links can be easily created and shared via email, SMS, or social media platforms to facilitate instant payments and expand your reach.

Last but not least, integration should be fast and straightforward. The payment services market is very competitive, so there are plenty of offerings that require a minimum time to start accepting payments online quickly and securely. There is also a range of integration options. Payment pages can power payments for growing businesses and marketplaces, offering scalability and advanced features to meet evolving needs. Let’s drill down into them.

Security and compliance considerations for payment pages

When it comes to accepting payments online, security and compliance are non-negotiable. Every time a customer enters their payment details on your checkout page, they trust your business to keep their sensitive payment information safe. That’s why choosing a secure, compliant payment solution is essential for any merchant looking to start accepting payments with confidence.

A hosted payment page is a popular choice for many merchants because it shifts much of the compliance responsibility to the payment service provider. With a hosted payment solution, the provider manages the collection and storage of payment details, ensuring that your page meets industry standards like PCI DSS. This not only protects your customers’ payment information but also reduces the compliance burden on your business, allowing you to focus on growth rather than regulatory headaches.

To further enhance security, many hosted payment pages offer advanced features such as tokenization, which replaces sensitive data with secure tokens, and two-factor authentication for an extra layer of protection. These measures help prevent fraud and payment data breaches, giving both you and your customers peace of mind.

By prioritizing security and compliance, you create a frictionless checkout experience that builds trust and encourages customers to complete their purchases. A secure payment page not only safeguards your business but also helps increase sales by providing a seamless, worry-free way for customers to pay. In today’s digital landscape, ensuring your payment page is both secure and compliant is a key step toward delivering a superior checkout experience and powering your business’s success.

Pricing and fees for payment pages

Understanding the pricing and fees associated with payment pages is crucial for any business planning to accept online payments. The cost structure can vary significantly depending on the payment service provider and the features you require. Some providers charge monthly fees for access to their hosted payment page or payment gateway, while others operate on a per-transaction basis, allowing you to pay only for what you use.

When evaluating options, consider all aspects of payment processing costs. This includes payment gateway fees, payment processor charges, and any additional costs for features like recurring payments or the ability to add custom fields to your checkout page. For example, some providers offer a flat rate per transaction, which can simplify budgeting, while others use tiered pricing based on your transaction volume or specific service needs.

A hosted payment page can help businesses save on development and maintenance costs, as the provider handles updates, security, and compliance. This makes it easier for merchants to start accepting payments online without the need for significant upfront investment or ongoing technical support.

Transparency is key — look for a payment service provider that clearly outlines all fees, so you can avoid unexpected charges and manage your payment processing expenses effectively. By choosing the right pricing model for your business, you can offer a seamless payment experience to your customers while keeping costs under control and supporting your growth.

Customization options for payment pages

Every business is unique, and your payment page should reflect that. Customization options allow you to tailor your checkout experience to match your brand, meet your operational needs, and provide a seamless journey for your customers. With the right hosted payment page, you can easily add custom fields to collect specific payment information, such as invoice numbers, customer IDs, or special instructions — ensuring you capture all the details you need for efficient payment processing.

Integration with your existing website is another key advantage. A well-designed payment page can be styled to match your site’s look and feel, creating a consistent and trustworthy experience for your customers. This not only enhances your brand but also helps reduce friction at checkout, making it easier for customers to pay and increasing the likelihood of a successful payment.

Offering a variety of payment methods is essential for maximizing sales. Modern payment pages support a wide range of options, including credit and debit cards, local payment methods, and popular digital wallets like Google Pay and Apple Pay. By enabling multiple payment methods, you cater to customer preferences and expand your reach to new markets.

Mobile optimization is also a must, allowing customers to pay conveniently from any device. With flexible customization options, you can quickly create a payment page that fits your business, helps you start accepting payments online, and delivers an outstanding customer experience—driving more sales and supporting your growth.

How to integrate a payment page?

Our blog explains the two basic kinds of checkouts based on integration type:

• Hosted — hosted payment page (HPP) is when a payment provider hosts a payment page for you. Hosted payment pages work by securely transferring payment data from the customer to the payment gateway, using encryption to protect sensitive information and ensuring real-time transaction authorization. A hosted checkout page usually implies quick and easy integration with minimal or even no development efforts on the merchant's side. Though you should remember that the entire checkout process is under the control of the company hosting your checkout, this solution fully equips you for online payment acceptance. There are multiple ways of hosted payment page (HPP) integration: flash (modal), embedded (iframe), and pay-by-link (redirect). If you use a hosted payment page (HPP), the maintenance and compliance burden on your business is minimal.
• Self-hosted — you handle the checkout process on your servers. This type is recommended for large, well-established businesses with their own development teams and PCI compliance certificates. With a self-hosted checkout, you're in complete control of your checkout process, but development and maintenance place a significant burden on your shoulders. Moreover, you'll have to comply with legislation and follow industry security standards, which is not easy. There are two ways to start using a self-hosted payment page: a complete API integration and building your own checkout using the provider's web components.

Here’s a table that summarises all the options.

If you still struggle to compare all the options, are unsure which solution is optimal, or have any other questions about payment pages, please get in touch with us. We'll gladly provide you with additional answers and showcase our Checkout solution. Chances are, it's precisely what you've been looking for!