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Sofort for API only

Add Sofort to an existing API-only integration.

Accept Sofort payments using our APIs, and build your own payment form to have full control over the look and feel of your checkout page.

Before you begin

These instructions explain how to add Sofort to your existing API-only integration. The API-only integration works the same way for all payment methods. If you haven't done this integration yet, refer to our API-only integration guide.

Before starting your Sofort integration:

  1. Make sure that you have set up your back end implementation.
  2. Add Sofort in your test Customer Area.

Build your payment form for Sofort

Include Sofort in the list of available payment methods. You don't need to collect any information from the shopper in your payment form.

We provide logos for Sofort which you can use on your payment form. For more information, refer to Downloading logos.

If you are using the /paymentMethods request to show available payment methods to the shopper, specify in your request one of the following combinations of countryCode and amount.currency:

Country countryCode amount.currency
Austria AT EUR
Belgium BE EUR
Germany DE EUR
Spain ES EUR
Switzerland CH CHF
The Netherlands NL EUR

The /paymentMethods response contains paymentMethod.type: directEbanking.

We provide logos for Sofort which you can use on your payment form. For more information, refer to Downloading logos.

Make a payment

In your /payments request, specify:

Parameter Required Description
paymentMethod.type -white_check_mark- Set this to directEbanking.
returnUrl -white_check_mark- URL to where the shopper should be redirected back to after they complete the payment.
countryCode The shopper's country in a two-letter country code format. Include this in the request for a better shopper experience. When the shopper is redirected to Sofort's website, the country will be automatically selected from the dropdown list.
shopperLocale The language that the Sofort page should be rendered in. The page can be the country's language (for example, nl-NL for the Netherlands) or in en-US.

Here is how you would make a payment request for 10 EUR for a shopper in the Netherlands, with the Sofort page rendered in US English.

The /payments response contains an action object with the information needed to redirect the shopper.

Handle the redirect

  1. To complete the payment, redirect the shopper to the action.url returned in the /payments response.

When using the HTTP GET method:
For security reasons, when displaying the redirect in the app, we recommend that you use SFSafariViewController for iOS or Chrome Custom Tabs for Android, instead of WebView objects. Also refer to the security best practices for WebView.

  1. After the shopper is redirected back to your website, check the payment result by making a POST /payments/details request, specifying:

    • details: Object that contains the URL-decoded redirectResult returned when the shopper was redirected back to your site.

You receive a response containing:

  • resultCode: Use this to present the result to your shopper.

  • pspReference: Our unique identifier for the transaction.

Present the payment result

Use the  resultCode that you received in the /payments/details response to present the payment result to your shopper.

The resultCode values you can receive for Sofort are:

resultCode Description Action to take
Authorised The shopper completed their payment, and it has been sent to the bank for processing. In most cases, this means that you will receive the funds.
For information on exceptions, refer to Chargebacks.		 Inform the shopper that the payment has been successful.
Cancelled The shopper cancelled the payment while on their bank's website. Ask the shopper whether they want to continue with the order, or ask them to select a different payment method.
Error There was an error when the payment was being processed. Inform the shopper that there was an error processing their payment. The response contains a refusalReason, indicating the cause of the error.
Pending or
Received		 The shopper has completed the payment but the final result is not yet known. Inform the shopper that you've received their order, and are waiting for the payment to be completed.
You will receive the final result of the payment in an AUTHORISATION webhook.
Refused The payment was refused by the shopper's bank. Ask the shopper to try the payment again using a different payment method.

If the shopper failed to return to your website or app, wait for webhooks to know the outcome of the payment:

eventCode success field Description Action to take
AUTHORISATION false The transaction failed. Cancel the order and inform the shopper that the payment failed.
AUTHORISATION true The shopper successfully completed the payment. Inform the shopper that the payment has been successful and proceed with the order.

Recurring payments

We support recurring transactions for Sofort through SEPA Direct Debit. To make recurring payments, you need to:

  1. Create a shopper token.
  2. Use the token to make future payments for the shopper.

Create a token

We strongly recommend that you request explicit permission from the shopper if you intend to make recurring SEPA payments. Being transparent about the payment schedule and the charged amount reduces the risk of chargebacks.

To create a token, include in your /payments request:

  • storePaymentMethod: true
  • shopperReference: Your unique identifier for the shopper (minimum length three characters).

When the payment has been settled, you receive a webhook containing:

  • eventCode: RECURRING_CONTRACT
  • originalReference: The pspReference of the initial payment.
  • pspReference: This is the token that you need to make recurring payments for this shopper.

Make sure that your server is able to receive RECURRING_CONTRACT as part of your standard webhooks. You can enable the RECURRING_CONTRACT event code in the webhook settings page.

Make a payment with a token

To make a payment with the token, include in your /payments request:

  • paymentMethod.storedPaymentMethodId: The pspReference from the RECURRING_CONTRACT.

You can also get this value by using the /listRecurringDetails endpoint.

  • shopperReference: The unique shopper identifier that you specified when creating the token.
  • shopperInteraction: ContAuth.
  • recurringProcessingModel: Subscription or UnscheduledCardOnFile.

For more information about the shopperInteraction and recurringProcessingModel fields, refer to Recurring transaction types.

Chargebacks

In rare scenarios (around 0.2% of all cases), it's possible that you do not receive the funds even after receiving a successful AUTHORISATION webhook. The successful AUTHORISATION webhook means that the payment has passed the verifications that the issuer and Sofort run on the shopper account, and that the bank transfer was initiated successfully. However, the payment can still fail for the following reasons:

  • The shopper cancelled the transaction. Banks in some countries (including Germany) allow shoppers to cancel bank transfers until midnight of the day of the transaction. In Switzerland, banks are required by law to allow shoppers to reverse bank transfers for 48 hours.
  • Some banks process transactions with a delay and do not block the funds for an authorized Sofort payment. For example, if the shopper completes a Sofort payment on a Saturday, the bank might only process it on Monday. If the shopper has withdrawn sufficient funds in the meantime, the payment will fail.

In these cases, Adyen is not informed that the transaction failed. We also don't know whether the bank might still process it later.

On our side, the status of the payment is SentForSettle until we receive the funds. You can check the status of the payment in your Customer Area.

If we have not received the funds after 8 calendar days, the status of the payment becomes Settled, then Chargeback, and you receive a CHARGEBACK webhook.

You cannot defend against Sofort chargebacks.

In case we receive the money after this point, you receive a CHARGEBACK_REVERSED webhook.

Test and go live

Sofort does not have a specialized test environment. This means that you are redirected to the Sofort live environment even when making a payment from the Adyen test environment.

You can test successful and cancelled payments in EUR for Sofort. For other scenarios, use real payment details and small amounts in your live environment.

Test a successful payment

To test your integration, use the following details: 

Bank Name Account Number Country PIN TAN
DemoBank Use any value DE Use any value Follow the instructions

Using a different bank name (live data) will initiate a real payment. This payment will not be transferred to your account, and is therefore lost. It is not possible to reverse or refund this payment.

  1. Set the paymentMethod type to directEbanking. This redirects you to the Sofort page.
  2. Under Bank name, select Demo Bank, then Next.
  3. Enter any test login details for Account number and PIN, and select Next.
  4. Select an account, then Next.
  5. Enter any test TAN and select Next.
  6. To check the status of your test payment, go to your test Customer Area > Transactions > Payments.

Test a cancelled payment

  1. Set the paymentMethod type to directEbanking. This redirects you to the Sofort page.
  2. Under Bank name, select Demo Bank.
  3. Select Next.
  4. Select the icon.
  5. Select Cancel payment.
  6. To check the status of your test payment, go to your test Customer Area > Transactions > Payments.

Go live

To accept live Sofort payments, you must submit a request for Sofort in your live Customer Area.

See also