Authorize.Net is a payment gateway that enables merchants like you to accept credit card and electronic check payments via Web sites, retail stores, mail order/telephone order (MOTO) call centers and mobile devices. In other words, Authorize.Net replaces the traditional credit card swipe machine you find in the physical retail world. We capture your customers’ payment data, including card number and expiration date, from your checkout form and securely communicate with the appropriate financial institutions for processing and automatic deposit into your merchant account.

See the "How it Works" Diagram for a step-by-step illustration of how Authorize.Net manages your credit card transactions.

Other entities besides Authorize.Net that you may encounter when processing transactions include your reseller or Merchant Service Provider (MSP) , and your processor .

Learn more
If you have an Authorize.Net account, but have not yet activated it, the Account Activation Guide (PDF) will walk you through the steps.

If you need help connecting to the Authorize.Net Payment Gateway, we suggest you review the Connection Methods Guide (PDF).

If you do not have an Authorize.Net Payment Gateway account and are interested in signing up for one, please contact us at 888-323-4289 for more information.

NEXT: Finding Answers >>