Przelewy24, often referred to as Przelewy, is a Polish payment processor known for its wide range of online payment solutions for businesses. Since it was established in 2004, it has become a preferred online payment method in Poland.

This platform integrates with more than 165 banks in Poland, allowing for a variety of payment options including bank transfers, credit and debit card transactions, text message payments, and prepaid cards. The integration with such a large number of banks facilitates real-time transfers, a preferred choice in Poland due to their security and efficiency.

We’ll cover what businesses need to know about incorporating Przelewy24 into their payments strategy, including what it’s best used for, how it works, and what it costs.

What’s in this article?

• Where is Przelewy24 used?
  
• Who uses Przelewy24?
  
• How does Przelewy24 work?
  
• Benefits of accepting Przelewy24
  
• Przelewy24 security measures
  
• Accepting Przelewy24 as a payment method
  

Where is Przelewy24 used?

There's a preference for bank transfers in Poland, where the average online banking customer made six transfers in the last quarter of 2022. This has contributed to Przelewy24's success, as it is integrated with more than 165 Polish banks. Here's a more detailed look at how this payment-method aggregator fits into – and reflects – the financial landscape in Poland:

• Credit card penetration and payment diversity: Credit card usage in Poland is relatively low, accounting for just 9% of point-of-sale (POS) payments in 2022. Przelewy24's array of payment options, which include credit and debit cards, mobile payments and digital wallets, cater to this unique market.

• E-commerce growth in Poland: The e-commerce market in Poland has seen rapid growth, with a value of 110 billion zloty (PLN) in 2022. That number is expected to rise to 150 billion PLN by 2027. This growth necessitates efficient online payment solutions – a gap that Przelewy24 fills effectively.

• Businesses adopting online payments: Many Polish businesses have adapted to online payment methods, reflecting the global rise of e-commerce and digital transactions. A report from the National Bank of Poland shows that 49,000 businesses accepted online card payments in the second half of 2022 – a 6% increase from the first half of 2022. Przelewy24, with its wide range of services, addresses these businesses' evolving needs.

• Regulatory compliance and customer trust: Compliance with security standards is important in Poland. Przelewy24 adheres to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and uses SSL encryption to help build customer trust.

• International transactions and currency support: With Polish businesses increasingly reaching global markets, the need for multi-currency support has grown. Przelewy24 offers transaction capabilities in multiple currencies.

• Brand recognition and market positioning: Over 91% of online customers in Poland recognise the Przelewy brand. This high level of brand awareness contributes significantly to its market dominance in the country.

Who uses Przelewy24?

Businesses

• Large e-commerce businesses: Allegro, a major online platform in Poland, relies on Przelewy24 to process millions of transactions daily, providing its vast customer base with safe, secure payments.

• Small and medium-sized online stores: From clothing boutiques to home improvement retailers, several smaller e-commerce businesses use Przelewy24's affordable and user-friendly platform to accept payments.

• Travel and tourism: Hotels, airlines and travel agencies use Przelewy24's efficient platform to process bookings and payments from international customers.

• Subscription services: Przelewy24's recurring-payment functionality is ideal for businesses with subscription models, such as streaming services, software providers and gyms. In Poland, Spotify Premium is integrated with Przelewy24 for recurring subscription payments.

• Non-profit organisations: Przelewy24 offers special rates and features for non-profits, allowing them to collect donations and manage fundraising campaigns effectively. The Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy, a major Polish charity, uses Przelewy24 to facilitate online donations, simplifying the giving process for millions of supporters.

Customers

• Digital natives: Przelewy24's user-friendly interface and mobile-first approach resonates with young, tech-savvy individuals who value convenience and security. Gaming platforms such as G2A rely heavily on Przelewy24 for in-app purchases, catering to the digital natives of younger generations.

• Security-conscious customers: Przelewy24's fraud-prevention measures and PCI DSS compliance reassure security-minded customers who prioritise protecting their data. Lawyers, accountants and other professionals trust Przelewy24's secure online payments for collecting fees and managing invoices.

• Customers on a budget: Przelewy24's competitive transaction fees and numerous payment options (including bank transfers, digital wallets and BLIK) attract customers who track their budgets closely. Families in Poland appreciate Przelewy24's focus on bank transfers and its competitive fees, making household expenses like online grocery shopping and regular bills a bit more affordable.

• Residents in rural areas: Przelewy24's extensive network of banks makes it accessible to customers in remote areas. Residents in smaller towns use Przelewy24 to make and receive online payments easily, without having to visit a branch of a major bank.

How it's used

• One-off purchases: Przelewy24 facilitates secure and instant payments for online shopping, electronic ticket sales and other one-off transactions. Ticketmaster Poland uses Przelewy24's integration with BLIK for quick and convenient ticket purchases. Large electronics retailers, such as MediaMarkt Poland, offer Przelewy24's one-click checkout option to boost conversion rates and speed up the checkout process for customers.

• Recurring payments: Businesses can set up automatic billing and subscription management through Przelewy24, paving the way for consistently on-time payments.

• Donations and crowdfunding: Przelewy24's secure donation platform allows non-profits and individuals to raise funds online with ease and transparency.

• Micropayments and in-app purchases: Przelewy24's micropayment functionality makes it ideal for monetising mobile apps and games with small but frequent transactions.

How does Przelewy24 work?

At a basic level, Przelewy24 works largely like most other bank transfer networks. Here's a rundown of what the experience looks like for both businesses and customers:

For businesses

• Integration: Przelewy24 offers multiple integrations, from ready-made plugins for popular platforms including WooCommerce and Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) to APIs for custom development. This flexibility works well for businesses of all sizes and levels of technical resources.

• Account setup: Setting up a Przelewy24 merchant account is simple. Businesses simply provide basic information, choose their preferred payment methods (e.g. bank transfers, digital wallets like PayU and BLIK, and card payments) and define their settlement schedule.

• Initiating a transaction: When a customer reaches the checkout and chooses Przelewy24, the business sends a transaction data packet containing the order details, total amount due and chosen payment method to Przelewy24's secure servers. This packet is encrypted using industry-standard protocols to keep sensitive information safe.

• Payment processing: Przelewy24 acts as a trusted intermediary, directing the customer to their chosen payment method's secure interface. This could be a bank login portal, a digital wallet or even a BLIK code-generation screen. Behind the scenes, Przelewy24 communicates with the chosen payment processor to facilitate authentication and payment authorisation. This can involve multi-factor authentication, dynamic passwords or biometric verification, depending on the chosen method.

• Settlement and notification: Upon successful payment, Przelewy24 captures the funds and sends real-time transaction confirmation to both the business and customer. This confirmation includes details such as the order number, amount paid and payment method used. Depending on the chosen settlement schedule, the funds are then transferred to the business's bank account in one to two working days. Przelewy24 offers flexible settlement options, including daily, weekly or even instant settlements for high-volume businesses.

Additional features for businesses

• Subscription management: Przelewy24 automates recurring billing for subscriptions and memberships, taking the hassle out of managing recurring payments.

• Advanced fraud prevention: Przelewy24's specialised fraud-detection systems employ machine learning and behavioural analysis to identify and block fraudulent transactions before they occur. Businesses can customise the system's sensitivity to strike the right balance between security and low-friction transactions.

• Detailed reporting and analytics: The company provides comprehensive reports and analytics for insights into payment performance, customer behaviour and fraud trends. This data empowers businesses to make informed decisions and optimise their e-commerce operations.

For customers

• Selecting Przelewy24: At checkout, customers see Przelewy24 as a familiar payment option. Its user-friendly interface and number of supported payment methods make it an attractive choice.

• Choosing a payment method: Przelewy24 presents a clear and concise menu of available payment options, which include bank transfers, traditional card payments and popular digital wallets, such as PayU and BLIK.

• Completing the payment: Customers remain within their chosen payment method's secure environment throughout the process. Sensitive financial data is not passed on to Przelewy24 or the business. Bank logins, digital wallet PINs or BLIK codes are used for authentication and authorisation.

• Payment confirmation: Upon successful payment, customers receive immediate confirmation on screen and often via email or an SMS notification.

Additional benefits for customers

• Convenience: Przelewy24's payment options cut down on the need to remember a host of passwords or enter lengthy card details. The checkout process is efficient, reducing friction and potentially increasing purchase completion rates.

• Security: Przelewy24 prioritises security with PCI DSS compliance, advanced fraud prevention measures and secure data transmission protocols.

• Transparency: Real-time transaction confirmation and detailed payment information keep customers informed and in control throughout the payment process.

Benefits of accepting Przelewy24

Przelewy generally offers many of the same advantages of other bank transfer networks, along with some unique benefits based on the particular nature of payments in Poland, including:

Reaching more potential customers

• Expands the customer base: Przelewy24 integrates with popular e-commerce platforms and online stores and is Poland's third-most recognisable payment brand. This large reach significantly expands a company's potential customer pool.

• Boosts conversion rates: Przelewy24's one-click checkout feature can increase conversion rates by minimising checkout friction and encouraging faster purchases.

• Taps into mobile payments: Mobile banking users conducted more than 160 million transactions in Poland in the first half of 2019, with money transfers and BLIK payments making up the majority of transactions. Przelewy24's integration with these methods captures this lucrative, mobile-first market segment.

Improved efficiency and savings

• Streamlines payment processing: Przelewy24 automates transaction processing, eliminating manual entry tasks and reducing errors. This saves valuable time and resources for businesses.

• Reduces transaction fees: Przelewy24 offers competitive transaction fees that are often lower than traditional bank transfer charges, especially for smaller transactions.

• Faster settlements: Businesses can choose instant settlements for faster access to their funds, improving cash flow management.

Enhanced security and fraud prevention

• Advanced fraud detection: Przelewy24's fraud-prevention system relies on machine learning and real-time analysis to detect and block fraudulent transactions, protecting businesses from financial losses.
  
• Chargeback protection: Przelewy24 offers chargeback protection to help minimise the time and fees associated with resolution.
  

Higher customer satisfaction

• Convenience and choice: Przelewy24 offers a wide range of payment methods that appeal to customer preferences, increasing customer satisfaction.

• Transparency and real-time updates: Customers receive immediate confirmation of successful payments and detailed transaction information, enhancing trust and transparency.

• Strong security: Przelewy24's focus on data security and fraud prevention makes certain that customers' financial information is protected, fostering loyalty among its customers.

Przelewy24 security measures

Here's an overview of some of the security features in the Przelewy24 system:

PCI DSS compliance

Przelewy24 adheres to the European Union's stringent PCI DSS – a global benchmark for secure card data handling. This mandates:

• Data encryption: All sensitive data, including card numbers and CVVs, are encrypted in transit and at rest using industry-standard algorithms, such as AES-256.

• Regular security audits: Independent security auditors assess Przelewy24's infrastructure and processes regularly to ensure ongoing compliance.

• Restricted access: Access to sensitive data is strictly limited and monitored, with multi-factor authentication and strong password policies in place.

Advanced fraud prevention

Przelewy24 goes beyond basic efforts to detect and deter fraud. It utilises a multi-layered approach that includes:

• Machine learning: Complex algorithms analyse transaction data in real time, identifying suspicious patterns and anomalies indicative of fraud.

• Velocity checks: Transactions exceeding pre-defined thresholds in terms of frequency or amounts trigger immediate scrutiny.

• Device fingerprinting: Unique identifiers track devices used for transactions, helping identify and block known fraudulent activities.

• Blacklist and whitelist management: Przelewy24 maintains updated lists of known fraudulent IP addresses and suspicious accounts to prevent future attempts.

Secure payment flow

Przelewy24 ensures secure communication throughout the payment process:

• Secure sockets layer (SSL) encryption: Data exchange between Przelewy24 and payment processors is encrypted using SSL/TLS protocols to keep sensitive information safe.

• Tokenisation: Sensitive card data is never stored directly on Przelewy24's servers. Instead, secure tokens are used for future transactions, minimising the risk of data breaches.

• 3D Secure: Przelewy24 supports 3D Secure protocols, which require additional authentication (e.g. passwords and one-off codes) from cardholders for added security.

Data security and privacy

Przelewy24 prioritises data protection with:

• Data minimisation: Only important data is collected and stored for processing transactions, minimising the attack surface for potential threats.

• Data anonymisation: Sensitive data such as card numbers are anonymised before storage, further reducing the risk of exposure.

• Transparent privacy policy: Przelewy24 clearly outlines its data collection and processing practices in compliance with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other privacy regulations.

Continuous monitoring and improvement

Przelewy24's security measures are not static. They are continuously adapted to meet the challenges of ever-changing cybersecurity threats:

• Threat intelligence: Przelewy24 collaborates with security experts and industry partners to stay up to date with emerging fraud trends and update its systems accordingly.

• Regular penetration testing: Independent security experts conduct penetration tests to identify and address potential vulnerabilities in Przelewy24's infrastructure.

• Incident response plan: Przelewy24 has a well-defined incident response plan to address any security breaches swiftly and minimise potential damage.

Accepting Przelewy24 as a payment method

To start accepting Przelewy24 payments, businesses need to follow a set of requirements for a smooth transaction process. These requirements are designed to facilitate the transfer of payments between customers and sellers and to support numerous payment methods. Here's a closer look at what's needed:

• Online banking access: The primary requirement for using Przelewy24 is having access to online banking. As Przelewy24 is a service linked to all major banks in Poland, it facilitates the transfer of payments through these banks. This makes it important for businesses to have online banking capabilities to manage and process these transactions effectively.

• Business registration and documentation: Businesses need to complete a registration process with Przelewy24. This typically involves submitting business registration documents to verify the legitimacy of the business. These documents are necessary to establish a formal relationship between the business and Przelewy24.

• Technical integration: For Przelewy24 payments to work well, businesses must integrate the service with their online platforms. This can be done using various tools and plugins provided by Przelewy24 that are compatible with popular e-commerce platforms, such as WooCommerce, Adobe Commerce and PrestaShop. Technical documentation and mobile libraries are also available to help with this integration process.

• Complying with regulations: Businesses must understand and comply with the rules and regulations set by Przelewy24. This includes adhering to guidelines related to split-payment mechanisms, so that the data provided in the transfer form matches the details of the invoice issued by the business. Following these rules is important for the payment service to function properly.

• Transaction and service fee structure: Understanding the fee structure for transactions is also important for businesses. Przelewy24 charges a competitive fee for successful transactions, with no monthly fees, making it a cost-effective choice for many businesses.

• Customer service and support: Businesses should be prepared to offer customer service and support for transactions made with Przelewy24. This includes handling questions and resolving any issues that may arise during the payment process.

• Security standards compliance: Przelewy24 meets the requirements of the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Information Security Management System standard. Businesses should verify that their systems are secure and follow these standards to protect sensitive customer and transaction data.

Accepting Przelewy24 payments with Stripe

For Poland-based businesses

• Enable Przelewy24 in Stripe: First, you need to enable Przelewy24 as a payment method in your Stripe account. This can be done by navigating to Settings → Payment methods in your Stripe Dashboard.

• Currency settings: Check that your business's currency is set to euro (EUR) or Polish zloty (PLN), as these are the currencies that Przelewy24 supports.

• Integration: You'll need to integrate Przelewy24 with your online platform. This involves adding 'p24' to the list of paymentmethodtypes when creating a new Checkout Session in Stripe.

• Compliance with terms: It's important to read and comply with the Terms of Use and the P24 Addendum provided by Stripe.

For businesses outside Poland

Stripe account in a supported location: Your Stripe account should be set up in one of the supported countries, which include the United States, Canada, Australia and several countries in Europe.

• Enable Przelewy24: Enable Przelewy24 in the Stripe Dashboard under Settings → Payment methods.

• Currency requirements: The business's currency should be set to EUR or PLN, and all line items in a transaction must be in the same currency.

General considerations

• Transaction flow: Customers will choose Przelewy24 at checkout, be redirected to their bank via Przelewy24, authenticate their payment and then be redirected back to the business's site.

• Refunds and disputes: Przelewy24 payments can be refunded for up to 180 days after the transaction. However, there's a low risk of disputes, as customers authenticate payments with their banks.

• No recurring payments: Przelewy24 does not currently support recurring subscription plans with Stripe.