How Online Payments Work

When a customer clicks “Buy” on your SamCart checkout page, several things happen behind the scenes. SamCart builds and manages your checkout experience — products, upsells, order bumps, subscriptions, and analytics. But SamCart doesn’t actually charge the customer’s card. That’s the job of the payment processor.

The payment processor (SamPay, Stripe, Braintree, etc.) is the company that charges your customer’s card, communicates with the card networks (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) and the customer’s bank, and deposits your funds (minus processing fees) into your bank account on a regular payout schedule.

In short: SamCart controls the sales experience, and the processor controls the money. Choosing the right processor affects which features you can use, how quickly you get paid, and what fees you’ll pay.

SamCart supports multiple payment processors so you can choose the best fit for your business. This guide covers what each processor offers, what SamCart features it supports, and when you might choose one over another.

SamPay — SamCart’s Built-In Processor (Recommended)

SamPay is SamCart’s own payment processor, built on Stripe’s infrastructure. It’s the only processor that gives you access to every SamCart feature — no exceptions. 

With SamPay, you get:

• Full access to 1-Click Upsells, Subscription Saver, and all selling features
• Buy Now Pay Later (Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay) to boost conversion on higher-ticket products
• Apple Pay & Google Pay for faster checkout
• Option for Instant Payouts right from the SamCart dashboard — get your money in minutes instead of days, for a small fee
• A built-in payouts dashboard so you can manage everything in one place
• Your relationship is with SamCart directly for any processing support

SamPay uses the same processing engine as Stripe, so you get the same reliability and security. If you’re setting up SamCart for the first time or considering a switch, SamPay is the simplest path to unlocking everything the platform can do. It is important to note that SamPay will not allow you to connect an existing Stripe account. It will require you to create a new Stripe account.

Note: Buy Now Pay Later (Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay) is not available on subscription products or free trial offers.

Stripe — Direct Connection

If you already have a Stripe account, you can connect it directly to SamCart. Stripe supports most core SamCart features, including 1-Click Upsells, subscriptions, Subscription Saver, and Buy Now Pay Later.

Stripe also offers instant payouts (for a fee) through Stripe’s own dashboard, and supports Apple Pay & Google Pay. The main difference from SamPay is that you’ll manage payouts through Stripe’s dashboard and support with processing will be handled directly with Stripe. When to consider Stripe: You already use Stripe across multiple platforms and want to keep everything consolidated in one Stripe account.

Braintree — PayPal’s Full-Stack Processor

Braintree is PayPal’s card processing platform. Braintree supports core selling features like 1-Click Upsells, subscriptions, and Subscription Saver.

However, Braintree does not support Buy Now Pay Later, has no instant payout option, and has a smaller integration ecosystem than Stripe. The dashboard and reporting tools are also less polished. You’ll need a PayPal Business account to sign up.

When to consider Braintree: You’re already using Braintree on other platforms and want to keep your processing consistent across your business.

Easy Pay Direct — High-Risk & Chargeback Specialist

Easy Pay Direct (EPD) is a merchant account provider that specializes in high-risk and high-volume businesses. EPD connects you to a network of banking partners and can set up redundant merchant accounts to protect against processor shutdowns.

EPD does not support Buy Now Pay Later, digital wallets, or instant payouts. Pricing is custom and not published; you’ll need to apply to get your rates.

When to consider EPD: Your business has high chargeback rates, processes high volume, or has been shut down by other processors and you need a specialist to stabilize your payment processing.

Authorize.net

Authorize.net can be used two ways with SamCart: as an all-in-one solution (gateway and processing bundled together), or as a gateway-only connection where you bring your own merchant account with negotiated bank rates.

The gateway-only option is worth considering if you already have a merchant account with favorable rates through your bank. Authorize.net supports core SamCart features but does not offer Buy Now Pay Later, digital wallets, or instant payouts. Feature support and reporting are less comprehensive than SamPay or Stripe.

When to consider Authorize.net: You have an existing merchant account with negotiated rates and want to use it with SamCart, or you need Authorize.net for compatibility with other parts of your business. It is important to note that your checkout pages will be required to included Billing Address when this is the connected processor.

PayPal — Additional Checkout Option

PayPal can be added alongside any other processor to give your customers an additional way to pay. Many buyers prefer PayPal, especially for higher-ticket purchases where they want buyer protection, and offering it can reduce checkout abandonment.

PayPal funds go to your PayPal balance, where you can transfer them to your bank instantly (for a fee) or for free in a few business days. PayPal supports subscriptions, payment plans, free trials, order bumps, and 1-Click Upsells.

When to consider PayPal: You want to give customers a familiar, trusted checkout option alongside your primary card processor. Even though PayPal fees can be higher than a traditional processor, in many cases the extra revenue generated by having it as an additional payment option outweighs additional fees.

SamCart Feature Compatibility

Not every processor supports every SamCart feature. The table below shows what’s available with each option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I’m new to SamCart. Which processor should I choose?

A: SamPay. It’s built into SamCart, gives you access to every feature, and our team can help if you run into any payment issues.

Q: I already use Stripe. Do I need to switch to SamPay?

A: You don’t have to. Stripe works well with SamCart and supports most features. The main things you’d gain by switching are the built-in payouts dashboard, SamCart’s direct support for payment issues, and guaranteed access to any future payments features.

Q: Can I use more than one processor?

A: Yes. PayPal can be added alongside any other processor to give customers an additional checkout option. You can also connect multiple card processors at the same time and use SamCart’s Payment Routing feature to control which processor handles which products. This is useful for spreading volume across processors, keeping a backup processor ready in case one goes down, or routing different product lines to different accounts. You assign processors at the product level — each product can be routed to a specific processor, while everything else flows through your default.

Q: What about Buy Now Pay Later?

A: BNPL (Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay) is available through SamPay and Stripe only. It’s a great option for higher-priced products. Note that BNPL is not compatible with subscription products or free trial offers.