OFFICE: Payment Gateways
Connect and configure payment gateways in Unificus to process client payments securely.
What is a Payment Gateway?
A Payment Gateway is an eCommerce service that handles payment processing for online stores and physical retail locations. These gateways work by securely transferring transaction information between your Unificus platform, payment processors, and financial institutions.
You can set up a Payment Gateway to accept credit card payments. If you qualify, you may also enable ACH (direct bank transfers) through Stripe.
How do I connect my account to a Payment Gateway?
Go to Office > Gateways in your Unificus dashboard.
You’ll see available Payment Gateways ready to integrate. Select the Configure button next to your chosen gateway to begin the setup process.
You’re welcome to connect multiple Payment Gateways to your account.
Since some gateways don’t support Subscription Payments, you can filter results to show only compatible options. A search feature is also available to help you find specific gateways quickly. We’re continuously expanding our gateway options.
Learn more about Subscription Payments
During gateway setup, you can mark it as your Preferred Gateway.
This designation appears as an icon on the gateway’s card.
Selecting a Preferred Gateway streamlines the experience for your Clients—they won’t need to manually choose a gateway when saving a Stored Payment Method in their My Office Dashboard.
Learn more about Stored Payment Information
Learn more about My Office Dashboard
TIP: You must designate a Preferred Gateway. Your first configured gateway automatically becomes the Preferred Gateway.
How do I choose my Gateways?
If you plan to offer Subscription Payments, your options are limited to Stripe, Braintree, or Authorize.net. PayPal does not support recurring billing.
We maintain no exclusive partnerships or financial arrangements with any payment gateway provider. We don’t earn commissions on your choice, nor do we take a percentage of transactions processed through Unificus. We simply provide the infrastructure to connect you with the gateway of your choice, while the gateway handles all actual payment processing and fund transfers.
Stripe & Stripe ACH
This is an excellent choice for most users. The application and onboarding process are straightforward and quick. The platform is intuitive, fees are competitive, and trusted by major global companies.
Stripe works with both standard Invoice payments and Subscription Payments. Stripe (credit cards) and Stripe ACH (bank transfers) function as separate gateways, though you can use the same Stripe account and API keys for both.
Braintree
Braintree is another strong option for payment processing. The setup process is clear and uncomplicated, though it may take slightly longer than Stripe. Pricing is competitive, and the platform is backed by major enterprises worldwide.
Braintree supports both standard Invoice payments and Subscription Payments.
Authorize.net
Authorize.net is among the oldest and most established payment gateway providers. The application process is simple and fast, with approvals typically issued within an hour for eligible applicants.
Authorize.net handles both standard Invoice Payments and Subscription Payments.
Get Started with Authorize.net
PayPal
PayPal is a trusted industry leader, and most users already maintain a PayPal account. Depending on your Client’s location, they may complete transactions as a guest without a PayPal account.
PayPal works exclusively with standard Invoice payments. It cannot process Subscription Payments.
How do I set up Stripe as my Payment Gateway?
Once your Stripe account is created, configured, and approved for live transactions, log into both your Unificus account and your Stripe account.
In Unificus, click the Configure button for Stripe.
You’ll be asked to enter your Publishable Key and Secret Key from Stripe.
Paste these values into their corresponding fields, then click Save.
To find your API keys, log into your Stripe dashboard, navigate to the Developers menu, and select API keys.
Important: In Stripe, make sure to select the option for ‘Building your own integration’ rather than ‘Providing this key to another website’.
You can use the same Stripe account and keys for both the Stripe and Stripe ACH gateways—they operate as independent options in Unificus.
How do I set up Stripe ACH as my Payment Gateway?
After creating and verifying your Stripe account for live payments, ensure you’re logged into Unificus and Stripe.
Enter your Publishable Key and Secret Key from your Stripe account.
You can also customize the ACH Authorization Agreement text that your Clients will see.
Once you’ve pasted the values, click Save.
Find your API keys in your Stripe dashboard under Developers > API keys.
Plaid Integration
With a Plaid account, you can integrate it with Stripe to enable seamless bank account linking for your Clients. Rather than manually entering routing and account numbers, they simply authenticate through their bank’s website. This also eliminates the need for micro-deposit verification.
First, connect your Stripe account to Plaid. In Stripe, click Team Settings at the top, then select Integrations.
Click the Connect button for Stripe and follow the provided guidance.
You’ll need a paid Plaid account. After creating one, go to your dashboard and click Migrate to Production.
Approval typically takes several days. Once completed, you can link your Plaid account with Unificus.
In Plaid, navigate to Team Settings > Keys.
Copy the client_id value and paste it into the Client ID field in the Stripe ACH setup.
In the Secrets section, copy the Production value and use it for the Secret field.
IMPORTANT: Until your account is fully approved, you’ll only see Development and Sandbox keys, which won’t work for connecting to Unificus.
In Unificus, toggle Enable instant authentication via Plaid to ON.
Enter your Plaid Client ID and Secret Key.
How do I set up Braintree as my Payment Gateway?
After setting up your Braintree account and verifying it for live transactions, log into both your Unificus account and your Braintree account.
In Unificus, click the Configure button for Braintree.
You’ll need to provide your Merchant ID, Public Key, and Private Key.
Paste these values into the appropriate fields and click Save.
To locate your credentials in Braintree, click the “Cog” icon and select API.
Your required values appear in the Keys tab.
How do I set up Authorize.net as my Payment Gateway?
Log into your Authorize.net account and ensure you’re operating in LIVE mode.
Access your API Credentials & Keys from the Account tab.
Copy the required values.
In Unificus, click the Configure button for Authorize.net.
Enter your API Login ID and Transaction Key, and specify your Currency.
Paste the values and click Save.
Next, you need to adjust fraud detection settings in Authorize.net. From your account homepage, click Fraud Detection Suite under Tools.
Scroll to Transaction Settings and click Enhance AVS Handling Filter.
Set all options under General AVS Responses and Address and ZIP Code Responses to “Allow”. Leaving restrictions in place may cause payment errors for your Clients.
How do I set up PayPal as my Payment Gateway?
Once your PayPal account is created, configured, and approved for live payments, log into both Unificus and PayPal.
In Unificus, click the Configure button for PayPal.
You’ll need to enter your API Username, API Password, and API Signature.
Paste these values and click Save.
To find these credentials in PayPal, locate your NVP/SOAP/Classic API integration settings. The screenshots below guide you through accessing your API credentials.