What Is Authorize.net?

Authorize.net is a payment gateway owned by Visa that lets businesses securely accept credit card and electronic payments online. When a customer pays, the gateway authorizes the card, captures the funds, and settles the payment into the merchant's bank account. It serves eCommerce stores, subscription businesses, and other card-not-present merchants of every size.

One key distinction up front: Authorize.net is a payment gateway, not a merchant account — to process payments through it, your business still needs a merchant account behind the gateway. That distinction matters most for high-risk merchants, and it's where PayKings comes in.

How Does the Authorize.net Payment Gateway Work?

The Authorize.net payment gateway simplifies online payment processing into three steps, approving or declining each transaction within seconds — a major advantage over slower, traditional payment processing.

• Step 1: Authorization. Authorize.net checks that the customer's card is valid and has ample funds, then approves or declines the transaction almost instantly.
• Step 2: Capture. Money is captured from the customer's bank, placing a hold on the funds.
• Step 3: Settlement. Settlement occurs, transferring the money from the customer's bank to the merchant's bank.

Merchants using Authorize.net also gain access to a virtual dashboard, protected by a secure login. This dashboard allows control over every aspect of the payment gateway, including:

• Activating selected features
• Reviewing orders
• Tracking inventory with low inventory alerts
• Using a convenient invoice numbering system

Authorize.net Gateway Features

Many merchants shorthand the platform as the AuthNet gateway, and its feature set explains its staying power. Authorize.net offers various tools for high-risk merchants:

• Order tracking and management of sales, payments, and inventory
• Safe storage of customer payment data for future transactions
• Recurring billing options for subscription-based sales
• Easy gateway integration for WooCommerce (WordPress plugin)
• Support for numerous world currencies
• A card reader for processing payments at trade shows and markets

Online credit card processing is the gateway's core job. Authorize.net enables merchants to conduct online credit card processing globally, accepting major card brands and numerous world currencies so customers can pay from virtually anywhere. Every transaction — domestic or international — runs through the same fast authorization, capture, and settlement flow described above.

Authorize.net Sandbox

The Authorize.net sandbox and test credit card features allow merchants to:

• Develop and test their website or software integration with the API
• Make fake transactions, including refunds
• Catch bugs in the API integration before going live

Authorize.net also offers 24/7 customer support for gateway processing issues and API integration assistance.

Is Authorize.net Safe?

Yes — Authorize.net is a safe, secure payment gateway. It's owned by Visa, one of the world's largest payment networks, and it protects merchants and their customers with multiple layers of security:

• Encrypted data. User and transaction data is encrypted from checkout through settlement.
• Secure customer data storage. Customer payment details are stored on Authorize.net's secure servers, not yours, for safe repeat and recurring billing.
• Continuous security updates. The gateway is updated constantly to stay ahead of emerging threats.
• Card-not-present fraud prevention. Built-in screening helps flag and block suspicious eCommerce transactions in seconds — before they turn into chargebacks.

Because online payments happen without a physical card present, that last layer is especially valuable for eCommerce merchants, and it's a big part of why high-risk businesses gravitate toward the gateway.

Is Authorize.net PCI Compliant?

Yes. Authorize.net complies with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) — the security requirements every business that stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data must meet.

For merchants, this matters in two ways. First, transactions processed through the gateway are handled in a PCI compliant environment. Second, because Authorize.net encrypts and stores customer payment data on its own secure servers, sensitive card numbers never need to live on your website or database — which significantly reduces your own PCI compliance scope. You still have PCI obligations as a merchant, but a compliant gateway makes meeting them far simpler.

Is Authorize.net a Payment Processor or a Payment Gateway?

Authorize.net is a payment gateway, not a payment processor — and the difference matters when you're setting up payment processing for your business:

• Payment gateway: the technology that securely captures payment data at checkout and transmits it for approval. This is what Authorize.net provides.
• Payment processor: the company that moves the money, communicating between the card networks, the customer's issuing bank, and your bank.
• Merchant account: the account where settled funds land before being deposited into your business bank account.

You need all three to accept card payments online. Authorize.net supplies the gateway, but it has to be paired with a processing relationship and merchant account behind it. For businesses in hard-to-place industries, that back end needs to be built for elevated risk — a high-risk payment gateway setup connected to a merchant account from a provider that understands your industry.

Authorize.net for High-Risk Merchant Accounts

Authorize.net leads the high-risk payment gateway industry, having approved and facilitated over one billion dollars in payments. Unlike traditional processors such as Stripe and PayPal, Authorize.net accepts the risks associated with high-risk industries, helping merchants avoid the sudden account denials and terminations common elsewhere. Its expertise in high-risk industry regulations and established relationships with leading credit card issuers make it a natural gateway choice for hard-to-place businesses.

The catch: the gateway alone isn't enough. High-risk businesses also need a high-risk merchant account from a provider willing to underwrite their industry. PayKings, a reseller partner of Authorize.net, delivers both sides of that equation:

• Competitive rates for high-risk gateway solutions
• High-risk merchant account approvals in as little as 48 hours
• Setup of the ideal high-risk payment gateway account for your business
• Seamless integration of the gateway into your website
• Expertise in finding solutions across high-risk industries with specific regulatory needs

PayKings works with Authorize.net to provide protected, future-proof payment gateway solutions for high-risk businesses.

How to Start Accepting Payments Through Authorize.net

Getting live on the Authorize.net gateway comes down to four steps:

• Step 1: Apply for a merchant account. The gateway needs a merchant account behind it. High-risk businesses should apply through a high-risk specialist — PayKings can secure approvals in as little as 48 hours.
• Step 2: Set up the gateway. Once your merchant account is approved, your Authorize.net gateway account is configured and connected to it.
• Step 3: Integrate with your website. Use the WooCommerce plugin for WordPress stores or connect through the API, and test everything with the Authorize.net sandbox before launch.
• Step 4: Go live. Start accepting credit card payments online, with the virtual dashboard tracking every order, payment, and settlement.

Ready to start accepting payments? Apply for a high-risk merchant account with PayKings and get an Authorize.net gateway solution matched to your industry.