What is a Payment Gateway on Shopify & How Does It Work?

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A Shopify store can have the best products, seamless navigation, and a great marketing strategy, but without a reliable payment gateway, sales can slip away at the final step—checkout. A complex or inaccurate payment process results in abandoned carts, lost revenue, and diminished customer trust.

With 5.23 million Shopify stores across the globe, companies have to be meticulous when selecting a payment gateway that enables smooth transactions, rapid settlements, and accepts various payment options. An appropriate selection can result in increased conversion rates, lower operational expenses, and a hassle-free customer experience.

This guide will break down everything Shopify merchants need to know about payment gateways and which solution offers the best experience for Indian businesses.

What is a Payment Gateway?

A payment gateway is a platform that makes online payments easy by securely transferring their customers’ payment details from the buyer and the merchant to the financial institutions.

Payment Gateways on Shopify

A Shopify store without a payment gateway is as good as a physical store without a checkout counter. The payment gateway takes care of processing the customer payments securely and making sure that the money finds its way to your business account without any delays.

How a Payment Gateway Works

Customer Checkout: A buyer selects products, adds them to the cart, and proceeds to checkout.
Payment Details Submission: The customer chooses a mode of payment – online (different payment modes like credit/debit card, UPI, EMI, BNPL, wallets, etc.) or COD (if available)—and then enters the payment details.
Data Encryption & Transmission: The payment gateway encrypts the details and sends them to the acquiring bank.
Authorisation Process: The bank verifies the transaction and checks for fraud risks.
Approval & Fund Transfer: Once approved, the payment is deducted from the customer’s account and credited to the merchant.
Order Confirmation: Shopify updates the order status, and the business receives payment according to the settlement cycle.

Why Your Payment Gateway Choice Directly Impacts Revenue

Lower processing fees reduce operational costs, increasing overall profit margins.
High failure rate means higher leaked revenue
A wider range of payment options (UPI, BNPL, Wallets, EMI, International payments, etc.) ensures more customers can complete their purchases.
Secure transactions prevent fraud and chargebacks, protecting both the business and its customers.
Faster settlements mean improved cash flow, allowing businesses to reinvest funds quickly.
Developer-friendly solution means scope of more customisations for seamless shopping experience
Compatibility with other Shopify App store plugins affecting payments is also important for frictionless optimisation

Shopify’s Built-in Payment Gateway: What You Need to Know About Shopify Payments

For Shopify merchants, Shopify Payments is the default payment gateway. While it offers native integration and a simplified setup, it comes with major limitations that restrict its usability for many businesses.

What is Shopify Payments?

Shopify Payments is Shopify’s in-house payment processing solution, designed to eliminate the need for third-party providers. It allows merchants to accept card payments, digital wallets, and Shop Pay transactions without additional integrations.

However, Shopify Payments is not available in India, which means Indian merchants must rely on third-party payment gateways to accept online payments.

Key Features of Shopify Payments:

No extra transaction fees if used as the default processor.
Accepts credit/debit cards, digital wallets, and Shop Pay.
Smoother checkout process, keeping the customer on the Shopify website.
Support for multiple currencies enables businesses to accept payments in other currencies.
AVS (Address Verification System) and CVV checks as fraud prevention tools.

Shopify Payment Limitations:

Limited Availability: Available in only 23 countries, not India.
Limited Payment Instruments: Doesn’t support UPI, BNPL, EMI, or Indian wallets.
Slow Settlement: Transactions are settled in 3-5 business days.
Strict Policy of Compliance: Shopify can retain funds or withhold payout if the transactions are deemed to be high-risk.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Integrate a Payment Gateway on Shopify

Choosing the right payment gateway is important for ensuring smooth transactions, timely settlements, and a hassle-free checkout experience. Here’s how you can integrate a payment gateway with your Shopify store.

Setting Up Shopify Payments (For Eligible Merchants)
- Go to Shopify Admin > Settings > Payments.
- Click Activate Shopify Payments and provide business details.
- Link a bank account to receive payouts.
- Enable multi-currency support to accept international payments.

Adding a Third-Party Payment Gateway Like Cashfree Payments
- Navigate to Shopify Admin > Settings > Payments > Add Payment Provider.
- Select Cashfree Payments from the list.
- Enter your Merchant ID, API Keys, and Secret Key (available on Cashfree’s dashboard).
- Enable multiple payment modes, including UPI, EMI, BNPL, and NetBanking.
- Test transactions to ensure everything functions smoothly.

(Note: To find out who is eligible to set up Shopify Payments, please refer to Shopify’s eligibility documentation.)

Why Cashfree Payments is the Best Payment Gateway for Shopify in India

As Shopify Payments is not available in India, Shopify merchants require a speedy, secure, and affordable payment gateway. Cashfree Payments is the most efficient Shopify payment gateway in India that provides a rich-featured, affordable, and hassle-free integration experience.

The following are the unique advantages of using Cashfree’s Shopify Payment Gateway:

Speediest Settlements to Sustain Cash Flow: In contrast to Shopify Payments, which has a 3-5 day payout processing time, Cashfree Payments provides T+2 settlements, so businesses receive their revenue sooner. For businesses that require even faster access to funds, instant settlement is also provided.

180+ Payment Methods for Increased Conversions: Shopify Payments does not support UPI, EMI, BNPL, and local wallets that are a major necessity for Indian consumers. Providing many payment options, companies can lower cart abandonment and enhance customer experience. Cashfree Payments offers:
- UPI support for real-time, mobile-first payments.
- Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) to boost high-value sales.
- EMI options for flexible customer financing.
- Digital wallets & NetBanking to cater to a broad audience.
- International card support for cross-border transactions.

Smooth Integration with Shopify: The Cashfree Payments gateway is Shopify-optimised for a seamless setup in a few clicks. Businesses can quickly integrate their account, set up payment modes, and begin processing transactions without requiring heavy coding or longer wait times. With the faster KYC verification and onboarding process, merchants can go live on the payment gateway much faster, addressing the major concern of delayed activations.

AI-Powered Fraud Protection for Safe Transactions: Security is always a priority for any business operating online. Cashfree Payments is equipped with AI-based fraud protection, real-time transaction tracking, and PCI-DSS compliance. This guarantees each payment is secure and risk-free from chargebacks or fraudulent payments.

Multi-Currency Support for Global Expansion: For global-expanding businesses, Cashfree Payments facilitates payment in several international currencies so customers can pay in their chosen currency. The payments are then automatically settled in Indian Rupees for hassle-free cross-border sales.

Powering Your Shopify Store with the Right Payment Gateway

The success of a Shopify store is not only selling wonderful products, but it also relies on how efficiently and securely payments are processed. A slow payment gateway or an inefficient one results in delayed settlements, excessive transaction charges, and lost business due to failed transactions. Shopify Payments is offered with fewer payment methods, slower payouts, and geographical limitations, and hence, the platform is not for India-based merchants.

In order to boost revenues and enhance customer experience, enterprises require an elastic, quicker, and cost-effective solution. Cashfree Payments provides T+2 settlements, the widest payment mode coverage, and lower charges, hence the preferred option for Indian Shopify merchants. Now is the right time to enhance your payment system and liberate higher conversions.

FAQs:

Is Shopify Payments available in India?

No, Shopify Payments is not available in India. Shopify merchants in India must integrate a third-party payment gateway like Cashfree Payments.

How do I add a third-party payment gateway like Cashfree to my Shopify store?

You can integrate Cashfree Payments in Shopify Admin > Settings > Payments > Add Payment Provider and enter your Merchant ID, API Keys, and Secret Key from Cashfree’s dashboard.

What are the benefits of using Cashfree Payments on Shopify?

Cashfree Payments offers T+2 settlements, instant payouts, lower transaction fees, and 180+ payment options, including UPI, EMI, BNPL, and NetBanking, ensuring a seamless checkout experience.

Can I accept international payments on Shopify using Cashfree?

Yes, Cashfree Payments supports multi-currency transactions, allowing international customers to pay in their preferred currency while settling payments in INR, making global sales effortless for Indian merchants.

How long does it take to receive payments on Shopify using Cashfree Payments?

Cashfree Payments offers T+2 settlements, where T is the date of the transaction, meaning funds are credited within two business days.