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What is a Payment Gateway? - Definition & Meaning

Learn what a payment gateway is, how Stripe and Mollie process payments, and why secure integration is essential for e-commerce and SaaS.

A payment gateway is a service that processes online payments between customer and merchant. It authorizes transactions, communicates with payment networks (card schemes, iDEAL), and handles the money flow. Developers integrate via APIs.

What is What is a Payment Gateway? - Definition & Meaning?

A payment gateway is a service that processes online payments between customer and merchant. It authorizes transactions, communicates with payment networks (card schemes, iDEAL), and handles the money flow. Developers integrate via APIs.

How does What is a Payment Gateway? - Definition & Meaning work technically?

Flow: customer pays, gateway validates, sends to processor. PCI DSS: do not store card data. Stripe, Mollie, Adyen. Support: one-time, subscriptions, webhooks.

How does MG Software apply What is a Payment Gateway? - Definition & Meaning in practice?

MG Software integrates Stripe and Mollie in e-commerce and SaaS projects. We use Stripe Elements or hosted checkout for PCI-compliant payments, webhooks for order status, and Stripe Billing for recurring payments. No credit card data in our database.

What are some examples of What is a Payment Gateway? - Definition & Meaning?

  • An online store with Mollie checkout: customer chooses iDEAL, is redirected to bank, and receives webhook on success.
  • A SaaS with Stripe Subscriptions: monthly billing, upgrade/downgrade, and prorations handled automatically.
  • A marketplace using Stripe Connect to split payments between platform and sellers.

Related terms

apisaascybersecurityrest api

Further reading

Knowledge BaseWhat is an API? - Definition & MeaningWhat is DevOps? - Definition & MeaningPayment Integration Examples - Inspiration & Best PracticesBest Payment Platforms & Tools 2026

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Frequently asked questions

If you process or store credit card data, yes. The simplest route: use a payment gateway with hosted checkout (Stripe Checkout, Mollie) so card data never reaches your system.
Mollie has strong iDEAL/bancontact integration and local trust. Stripe is global and has better subscription tooling. Both are solid choices; choose based on region and use case.
Verify the signature (Stripe and Mollie sign payloads), use idempotency keys, and process asynchronously. Always log for debugging and audits.

Do I need to be PCI DSS compliant?

If you process or store credit card data, yes. The simplest route: use a payment gateway with hosted checkout (Stripe Checkout, Mollie) so card data never reaches your system.

Stripe or Mollie for Dutch customers?

Mollie has strong iDEAL/bancontact integration and local trust. Stripe is global and has better subscription tooling. Both are solid choices; choose based on region and use case.

How do I process webhooks securely?

Verify the signature (Stripe and Mollie sign payloads), use idempotency keys, and process asynchronously. Always log for debugging and audits.

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