Click to Pay is an online checkout protocol that lets customers pay on participating websites or apps with a single click, without manually entering their card details.

For businesses, Click to Pay reduces cart abandonment at checkout and integrates with existing card payment infrastructure, so no separate account or hardware are required.

Below, we’ll cover what businesses should know about Click to Pay: how it works, what makes it so secure, how to start accepting it as a payment method, and best practice for using it.

What's in this article?

• How does Click to Pay work?
  
• What is Click to Pay used for?
  
• Where is Click to Pay accepted?
  
• Benefits of accepting Click to Pay
  
• Click to Pay vs. other digital wallets
  
• Challenges associated with Click to Pay
  
• Click to Pay costs and fees
  
• Accepting Click to Pay as a payment method
  
• Click to Pay security features
  
• Click to Pay best practice
  
• How Stripe Payments can help
  

How does Click to Pay work?

Click to Pay streamlines online transactions by mimicking the simplicity and security of tapping a physical card at a checkout counter.

For a buyer, the checkout process is easy because it is passwordless and does not require them to type a 16-digit card number or fill out shipping fields. This is how it works:

1. Selection: The customer reaches the checkout page and clicks the universal Click to Pay icon.

2. Identification: If the customer is using a recognised device, their secure profile is pulled up instantly. If they are on a new device, they enter their registered email address or phone number.

3. Authentication: The customer inputs a one-time password (OTP) sent to their phone or email to securely unlock their profile.

4. Choice and Confirmation: The buyer selects their preferred card from their saved list and confirms the purchase. The transaction processes immediately.

While the user experiences a frictionless checkout, the merchant's payment gateway, the card networks, and the issuing banks carry out a highly secure multi-step verification dictated by the EMVCo SRC standard. EMVCo is a global technical body collectively owned by the world's major card networks, and Click to Pay operates as the consumer-facing execution of the EMVCo Secure Remote Commerce (SRC) standard. Here’s how the verification process works:

• Secure Initiation: When the customer triggers the Click to Pay prompt, a secure communication channel opens between the business’s payment gateway and the relevant card network's SRC system to request the user's profile.

• Tokenisation and Vault Retrieval: Once the user passes identity authentication via the OTP, the network retrieves a tokenised version of the customer's chosen card from a secure vault. This unique digital token replaces the sensitive primary account number (PAN), ensuring raw card details are never exposed to the merchant's servers or vulnerable to interception.

• Authorisation Request: The network routes the payment token along with a dynamic, transaction-specific security cryptogram to the customer's issuing bank or digital wallet provider.

• Verification and Settlement: The issuing bank verifies that the cryptogram is authentic and checks for sufficient funds. Once authorised, the bank sends a confirmation back through the network to the merchant's payment gateway, signaling a successful transaction. The business receives the funds (less any processing fees) within a set time frame.

What is Click to Pay used for?

Contactless payments are used globally for an ever-expanding range of transactions. Here are some common use cases where Click to Pay is quickly becoming the go-to payment mechanism:

• Online retail: A key driver of the growth in e-commerce is the convenience of not needing to enter card details for each purchase. According to one study, global mobile payments transaction volume reached $4.97 trillion in 2025.
  

• Subscription services: Subscription services such as streaming platforms, gym memberships, and software subscriptions use Click to Pay for recurring billing. This aligns with a broader trend: more than 4.3 people globally used mobile payments as of 2025.

• Food and beverage orders: Restaurants and food delivery services are increasingly adopting Click to Pay. This trend is reflected more broadly in markets such as China, where 600 million people use mobile payments at point of sale (POS), and in the US, where 65.6 million people used Apple Pay in 2025.

• Transportation services: Click to Pay is a popular option for rideshare apps and public transport ticketing systems.

• Digital content purchases: Customers are using Click to Pay for e-books, music downloads, and in-game items. This sector’s growth aligns with the global trend toward digital payments, as seen in the rising popularity of mobile payment apps such as PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle in the US. In 2025, Zelle supported $1.2 trillion in total transaction volume in the US, and Venmo reached $1.1 trillion. Globally, PayPal supported $1.79 trillion in total transaction volume.

• Charitable donations: Non-profits and fundraising platforms are increasingly integrating Click to Pay solutions into their giving platforms.

• Travel bookings: The travel industry, including flights, hotels, and car rentals, has embraced Click to Pay for its efficiency.

Where is Click to Pay accepted?

Click to Pay is widely accepted at thousands of participating online merchants across the United States and internationally. Consumers routinely encounter Click to Pay across several major industry verticals:

• Retail and e-commerce: Fashion brands, electronics marketplaces, and digital storefronts use Click to Pay to capture high-intent buyers without forcing them through tedious account-creation flows.

• Travel and hospitality: Major airlines, hotel booking engines, and car rental platforms rely on it to safely handle larger average order values while minimising mobile checkout friction.

• Food service and delivery: Quick-service restaurants, grocery applications, and localised delivery services use it to facilitate fast, secure orders.

• Ticketing and entertainment: Live concert platforms, sporting event sites, and digital media services use it to process massive influxes of rapid transactions during high-demand on-sale windows.

For digital businesses looking to join this ecosystem, the easiest implementation path is through a prebuilt payment form. Integrating Stripe Checkout allows merchants to instantly activate Click to Pay alongside a suite of optimised one-click payment options with minimal engineering overhead.

Benefits of accepting Click to Pay

Businesses that implement Click to Pay can enjoy several advantages. These include:

• Faster transaction speeds in specific sectors: The retail and food service industries greatly benefit from Click to Pay's fast transaction speeds, which can boost customer satisfaction while increasing the daily transaction volume in high-volume settings.

• Advanced security features: Click to Pay technology incorporates advanced security measures such as tokenisation and encryption. Tokenisation transforms sensitive data, such as credit card numbers, into a non-sensitive equivalent, known as a token. This ensures that the real card details are not exposed during transactions. Encryption also keeps data safe during transactions, protecting customer information from potential security breaches.

• Influence on conversion rates: The convenience that Click to Pay systems offer correlates with lower cart abandonment rates (when customers leave before completing a purchase). Since the average cart abandonment rate is as high as 70%, this is an important consideration. Simplifying the checkout experience can significantly decrease abandonment, allowing businesses to retain customers during the final stages of a purchase.

• Impact on customer experience: The popularity of mobile payment solutions such as Apple Pay underscores a growing customer preference for quick and effortless transactions.

• Data analysis: Click to Pay systems collect extensive information on purchasing patterns, which businesses can use to create tailored marketing strategies and product improvements.

• Global market expansion: The global nature of Click to Pay facilitates international transactions, supporting businesses that want to expand their market reach. The volume of cross-border transactions via digital payments is expected to reach US$200 trillion in 2026, reflecting the increasing importance of accommodating a global customer base.

• Reduction in the handling of cash: Shifting to electronic payments through Click to Pay reduces the costs and risks associated with cash management, including lower banking fees and a lower risk of physical theft or counterfeiting.

• Adaptability across business models: Click to Pay solutions empower businesses to tailor their payment experience towards meeting the needs and preferences of their customers.

• Technological integration and compatibility: Click to Pay technology easily integrates with existing POS systems and e-commerce platforms and is compatible with a range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers.

• No additional transaction fees: Because Click to Pay isn't considered its own payment method, there are no additional transaction fees for businesses.

Click to Pay vs. other digital wallets

While digital wallets all share the common goal of removing checkout friction and protecting card data, they approach the problem from different angles. Some are tied directly to specific physical hardware while others are anchored to standalone account balances. Click to Pay functions entirely as an open web utility.

Understanding these differences is crucial for businesses designing a conversion-optimised checkout and consumers looking for the right balance between convenience and security:

Challenges associated with Click to Pay

While Click to Pay offers benefits like reduced cart abandonment with no additional transaction fees for merchants, there are also some potential challenges that businesses should be aware of:

• Complex integrations: Integrating Click to Pay systems with existing payment infrastructures can be an intricate process, especially for businesses with legacy systems. This requires careful planning, and it may involve significant updates to hardware and software.

• Compliance and security risks: Staying compliant with evolving data security standards such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is key. Businesses must update their systems regularly to meet these standards, which can be resource-intensive. Additionally, the risk of data breaches is always present, so businesses must put in place strong security measures.

• Encouraging adoption and training staff: Familiarising your staff and customers with Click to Pay technology can involve extensive customer education campaigns and employee training to promote adoption and create a team that's prepared to help customers if they run into any issues.

• Cost implications: The initial setup and ongoing maintenance of Click to Pay systems can be costly. These costs can include investing in new hardware, upgrading software, and potentially paying the higher transaction fees associated with some digital payment methods.

• Technical maintenance and support: Ongoing technical support and maintenance are significant when accepting Click to Pay. Downtime or technical glitches can lead to lost sales and negatively impact customer experience – and your business's reputation.

• Fraud and chargeback management: While Click to Pay enhances security, it does not completely eliminate the risk of fraud and chargebacks. Businesses must implement and regularly update fraud detection and prevention mechanisms. Additionally, managing chargebacks requires dedicated resources and expertise.

• Reliable payment gateways: Using external payment gateways and processors means that any downtime or performance issues on their end can directly impact your business. It's important to have reliable payment gateways and put contingency plans into place in the event of outages.

• Cross-border transactions: While Click to Pay facilitates global transactions, dealing in multiple currencies and different transaction fees can still require a strong understanding of global payment systems.

• Customer privacy concerns: Any handling of sensitive customer data raises privacy concerns. Businesses must ensure they comply with data protection laws such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and are transparent with customers about how their data is used and stored.

• Scalable technology: As the business grows, the Click to Pay system must be able to scale accordingly. This involves continuous investment in technology to handle increased transaction volume and potential expansion into new markets.

• Interoperability with other systems: Click to Pay systems need to be interoperable with other business systems such as inventory management, customer relationship management (CRM), and accounting software. This can require custom solutions and prove technically demanding for businesses.

Click to Pay costs and fees

Click to Pay is free for customers. For businesses, fees associated with Click to Pay include the following:

General costs and fees

• Transaction fees: Most Click to Pay providers charge a per-transaction fee, which is typically a percentage of the transaction amount. This can vary based on the service provider.

• Setup fees: Some providers charge a one-time setup fee for activating Click to Pay on your website or app.

• Monthly fees: A small number of providers charge a monthly subscription fee for Click to Pay access, regardless of transaction volume.

• PCI DSS compliance fees: Businesses are responsible for making sure their systems comply with PCI DSS. This may involve additional costs for security audits and software solutions.

• Foreign transaction fees: If you accept payments from customers outside your home country, you may need to pay additional fees for currency conversion and international processing.

Costs and fees of using Click to Pay with Stripe

• Transaction fees: Stripe charges a 2.9% + 30¢ per-transaction fee for Click to Pay transactions.

• Setup fees: Stripe does not charge setup fees for Click to Pay with Standard plans.

• Monthly fees: Stripe does not charge any monthly fees for Click to Pay access.

• PCI DSS compliance fees: Stripe offers built-in PCI DSS compliance features, potentially reducing the need for additional compliance costs.

• Foreign transaction fees: Stripe charges a 1.5% fee for international payment methods, with an additional 1% fee for currency conversion.

Additional considerations

• Volume discounts: Some providers, including Stripe, offer volume discounts for businesses that process a high number of transactions.

• Integrations: Integrating Click to Pay with other platforms or services may involve additional fees.

• Chargeback fees: If a customer disputes a transaction, you may be charged a chargeback fee by the Click to Pay provider or your bank.

Tips for managing costs

• Negotiate with your Click to Pay provider: If you process a high volume of transactions, you may be able to negotiate lower transaction fees.

• Choose a provider with transparent pricing: Make sure you understand all the fees associated with Click to Pay before you choose a provider.

• Optimise your checkout process: A streamlined checkout process can help reduce cart abandonment and increase conversion rates, ultimately leading to more transactions and potentially lower fees.

• Consider other payment methods: For lower-value transactions, alternate methods such as ACH payments may be more cost-effective than Click to Pay.

Accepting Click to Pay as a payment method

Accepting Click to Pay requires minimal setup for businesses already using a payments provider like Stripe. You can embed Stripe Checkout directly into your website to handle the payments flow that customers experience.

But for businesses starting at square one, here’s how to set up a payment system that’s equipped to handle Click to Pay:

• Dive deep into the payment provider’s capabilities: Conduct an in-depth analysis of different payment providers, focusing on advanced features such as fraud detection algorithms, real-time analytics, and multicurrency support. This step is key for understanding how different providers can meet your business’s specific needs.

• Select and customise a payment gateway: Choose a payment gateway that offers extensive customisation options. Consider application programming interfaces (APIs) that allow for simple integration with your existing systems. For instance, Stripe provides a set of APIs that allow for a high degree of customisation and flexibility.

• Set up your merchant account: When setting up a merchant account with a provider, pay close attention to the terms of service—especially around transaction fees, chargeback policies, and settlement periods. Know whether the account can handle high-volume transactions and potentially scale as your business grows.

• Integrate an advanced POS system: If your business operates offline, integrate advanced POS systems that can process contactless payments. This might involve API integration for syncing sales data with your inventory management and accounting software.

• Invest in hardware for near-field communication (NFC) payments: For physical stores, invest in high-quality NFC-enabled card readers that offer speed and reliability. Make sure these devices are compatible with a wide range of contactless payment methods, including mobile wallets and wearable technology.

• Integrate online payment options with website infrastructure: Use comprehensive online payment integration tools, such as Stripe’s, to embed Click to Pay options into your e-commerce platform. With Stripe, this includes setting up Stripe Checkout or integrating Stripe’s payment processing into your existing checkout flow via Stripe.js and Stripe Elements.

• Conduct rigorous system testing: Perform extensive testing for transaction processing, security compliance (such as Secure Sockets Layer, or SSL, certificate implementation), and mobile responsiveness. Use Stripe’s test mode to simulate transactions without affecting your live data.

• Implement in-depth staff training and fraud prevention education: Provide detailed training for staff, focusing on processing transactions, handling NFC devices, and recognising potential fraudulent use. Use Stripe’s resources and documentation to educate your team on best practice in payment processing and security.

• Employ strategic customer communication: Develop a comprehensive strategy to inform customers about the new payment options. This can include in-store marketing, targeted email campaigns, and instructional content on how to use Click to Pay.

• Administer continuous compliance monitoring and security updates: Establish a routine for monitoring compliance with the latest security standards and regulations. For example, regularly update your Stripe integration to incorporate the latest security features and compliance updates.

• Implement ongoing system improvement and a customer feedback loop: Continue to seek customer feedback on the payment process and remain flexible in making adjustments. You can use Stripe’s ever-growing set of features to enhance the customer experience and make the payment process even faster.

Click to Pay security features

Click to Pay is more secure than traditional card-on-file checkout. Card details are never shared with the merchant. Instead, a tokenised digital identifier is used, meaning merchants have no sensitive card data to protect or lose.

The foundational security of Click to Pay is controlled by EMVCo, a global technical body owned by the world's major card networks. Click to Pay is the consumer-facing execution of the EMVCo Secure Remote Commerce (SRC) standard.

This shared security framework ensures that every participating network, payment gateway, and issuing bank enforces the same stringent cryptographic protections, uniform tokenisation rules, and secure data transmission protocols worldwide.

Here’s a closer look at Click to Pay’s security features and the technology that powers it:

• Tokenisation: This is the cornerstone of Click to Pay’s security. Instead of storing sensitive card information such as numbers and CVVs on merchant servers, Click to Pay replaces them with unique tokens. These tokens are generated and stored securely on a separate server that is inaccessible to businesses or potential hackers. When a transaction occurs, the token is sent to the payment network for authorisation, eliminating the risk of exposing card data.

• Encryption: All data transmitted between the customer, business, and payment network is encrypted using industry-standard algorithms such as Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.2 or higher. This means that even in the event that data is intercepted, it will remain unreadable.

• Fraud prevention: Click to Pay employs advanced fraud prevention tools to identify and block suspicious activity in real time. These tools include:

  • Machine learning: Analyses transaction patterns and customer behaviour to identify anomalies that could indicate fraudulent activity
    
  • Velocity checks: Monitors for unusually high transaction volumes from a single device or account
    
  • Geolocation verification: Checks if the location of the transaction matches the customer’s billing address
    
  • Device fingerprinting: Identifies unique characteristics of the device used for the transaction to prevent unauthorised access
    

• Compliance
  Click to Pay adheres to strict data security regulations such as PCI DSS, ensuring that all data is handled and stored securely. This lowers the risk of data breaches and compliance fines.

Secure user authentication

Click to Pay offers various secure user authentication methods, including:

• Biometric authentication: This method uses fingerprint or facial recognition for secure login and transaction confirmation.

• Two-factor authentication (2FA): This requires an additional verification step, such as a code sent to the customer’s phone, to authorise transactions.

• Secure password storage: This method turns passwords into an unintelligible series of numbers and letters (known as hashing) and adds random characters to a password (known as salting) to prevent unauthorised access.

Additional security features

• Token life span: Tokens are automatically deactivated after a certain period of inactivity, further reducing the risk of misuse.

• Minimal data: Click to Pay collects and stores only the minimum amount of data necessary for processing transactions to reduce the potential attack surface.

• Regular security audits: Click to Pay providers conduct regular security audits to identify and address potential vulnerabilities in the system.

Benefits of Click to Pay's security

• Reduced risk of fraud and data breaches: The multilayered security features make it significantly harder for attackers to steal sensitive information or conduct fraudulent transactions.

• Increased customer trust and confidence: Customers feel more secure knowing their data is protected when they use Click to Pay.

• Improved compliance: Adhering to strict data security regulations helps businesses avoid fines and reputational damage.

• Smoother checkout process: Secure user authentication methods such as biometrics can speed up the checkout process, improving customer experience even more.

Click to Pay best practices

As with any other payment method, your business’s success with Click to Pay will depend on how you implement and manage it. Here are some best practices around Click to Pay that will help you maximise benefits while limiting risks:

Streamlining the checkout

• Prepopulated forms: Autofill customer data for Click to Pay transactions to save time and avoid frustration.

• One-click checkout: Reward loyal customers with express checkout options, removing unnecessary steps and boosting conversion.

• Multidevice flexibility: Ensure the Click to Pay experience works across desktop, mobile, and in-app platforms.

Fortifying your system

• Layered tokenisation: Move beyond basic tokenisation. Explore dynamic solutions that constantly refresh tokens to minimise vulnerability even in a data breach.

• Real-time fraud analytics: Employ AI-powered fraud detection that analyses transaction patterns and device behaviour in real time, identifying and blocking suspicious activity before it impacts your business.

• Data minimisation: Store and process only the minimum necessary customer data, shrinking the attack surface.

Fuelling growth and engagement

• Targeted promotions: Incentivise adoption and drive usage with exclusive discounts or bonus points for using Click to Pay.

• Subscription optimisation: Integrate Click to Pay with your subscription model for effortless one-click renewals and automated billing to create a reliable revenue stream.

• Click-to-donate integration: Facilitate easy and secure donations through Click to Pay, boosting your brand’s image and engagement among donors while fostering social responsibility.

Measuring, adapting and thriving

• Track key metrics: Monitor Click to Pay adoption rates, transaction volumes, and customer feedback to identify areas for improvement.

• Prioritise security compliance: Implement end-to-end encryption, tokenisation, and multifactor authentication. Conduct regular audits and employ machine learning for anomaly detection.

• Relentless A/B testing: Continuously test different Click to Pay placements, messaging, and functionalities to maximise performance and refine your approach.

• Data-driven decision-making: Leverage Click to Pay data to personalise customer experiences and tailor your Click to Pay strategy for maximum impact on your long-term success.

• Optimise the customer experience: Design a clear, concise checkout process with as few steps as possible, and mobile compatibility to maximise convenience.

• Integrate Click to Pay with your systems: Use APIs to connect your payment system with other business systems for data consistency and real-time insights.

• Develop a fraud detection strategy: Implement multifactor authentication, employ machine learning for anomaly detection, and offer multiple payment methods for customer convenience.

• Ensure scalability and gather feedback: Choose a platform that scales with your growth, conduct stress tests, and actively solicit customer feedback to continuously improve your Click to Pay offerings.

• Prepare for technical issues: Develop a comprehensive incident response plan and train staff for basic troubleshooting to minimise downtime and keep your customers happy.

How Stripe Payments can help

Stripe Payments provides a unified, global payments solution that helps any business – from scaling startups to global enterprises – accept payments online, in person and around the world.

Stripe Payments can help you:

• Optimise your checkout experience: Create a frictionless customer experience and save thousands of engineering hours with prebuilt payment UIs, access to 125+ payment methods and Link, a wallet built by Stripe.
  
• Expand to new markets faster: Reach customers worldwide and reduce the complexity and cost of multicurrency management with cross-border payment options, available in 195 countries across 135+ currencies.
  
• Unify payments in person and online: Build a unified commerce experience across online and in-person channels to personalise interactions, reward loyalty and grow revenue.
  
• Improve payments performance: Increase revenue with a range of customisable, easy-to-configure payment tools, including no-code fraud protection and advanced capabilities to improve authorisation rates.
  
• Move faster with a flexible, reliable platform for growth: Build on a platform designed to scale with you, with 99.999% historical uptime and industry-leading reliability.
  

Learn more about how Stripe Payments can power your online and in-person payments or get started today.