# Set up Shopify Payments or another payment provider

Level: Beginner. About 40 minutes. Plans: Not stated by Shopify; Shopify Payments depends on the country your business is in. Checked against Shopify's documentation on 2026-10-08.

**Short answer:** From your Shopify admin, go to **Settings** > **Payments** and click **Activate Shopify Payments** in the Shopify Payments section, then submit your details for verification [3]. Shopify Payments works only for businesses based in supported countries [1]. Otherwise, click **Choose a provider** to add a third-party provider, or add a manual method such as Bank Deposit [7][8].

## Before you start

You need at least one payment provider before customers can pay. Shopify gives you three routes: Shopify Payments, a third-party credit card provider, and manual methods such as Bank Deposit.

- **Country.** Shopify Payments is available only if your business is located in a supported country. Shopify lists 40, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Mexico and most EU countries. Your business type must also be eligible [1].
- **Security.** You must turn on two-step authentication for your account to use Shopify Payments [2]. Payouts may be held until it is on [3].
- **Owner only.** Only the store owner can activate Shopify Payments or add or change a third-party provider. Staff cannot [3][7].
- **Currency.** Choose your store currency before your first sale. After that, changing it needs Shopify Support [3].
- **Plans.** Shopify's Shopify Payments pages do not state which plans include it.

## Steps

1. **Open payment settings.** From your Shopify admin, go to **Settings** > **Payments** [3].
2. **Start Shopify Payments.** In the Shopify Payments section, click **Activate Shopify Payments** [3].
3. **Enter your personal details.** Provide your personal, address and identification details, then click **Next** [3].
4. **Enter your business details.** Provide your business information. Enter the phone number customers will see on their bank statement, then click **Next** [3].
5. **Confirm and submit.** Check your **Business type** and **Store details**, click **Confirm**, then click **Submit for verification**. If Shopify asks for documents, upload them only through the secure banners in your admin. Photograph ID in color, with all four borders visible. Review can take up to 24 hours [3].
6. **Connect your payout bank account.** After verification, go to **Settings** > **Payments**, click **Connect a bank account** in the Shopify Payments section, enter your bank details, and click **Save** [3].
7. **Set your statement names and cards.** In the Shopify Payments section, click **Manage**. In **Customer billing statement**, enter a **Statement name** (2 to 19 characters) and a **Phone number**. In the **Cards** section, select the cards you accept, then click **Save** [4].
8. **Run a test payment.** In **Manage**, go to the **Test mode** section, select **Enable test mode**, and click **Save**. Place an order on your store with test card 4242424242424242, any future expiry date, a two-word name and any 3-digit code. Turn test mode off when you finish [5].
9. **Or add a third-party provider.** In **Settings** > **Payments**: if Shopify Payments is active, click **Manage**, then **Switch to a third-party provider**. If it is not active, click **See all other providers**. If it is not available in your country, click **Choose a provider**. Select the provider, enter your account credentials, click **Activate**, then **Save** [7].
10. **Add manual methods if you need them.** In the **Payment providers** section, select Cash on Delivery (COD), Bank Deposit or Money Order. Fill in **Additional details** and **Payment instructions**, then activate it. For anything else, click **Create custom payment method** in **Manual payment methods** [8].

## Check your work

- Place a test order in test mode with 4242424242424242 and confirm it succeeds. Then try the declined card 4000000000000002 to see the failure message [5].
- Open **Settings** > **Payments** and confirm the right provider is active and test mode is off [5][7].
- For a manual method, place an order and check that your payment instructions show on the order confirmation screen [8].

## Common problems

- **"Shopify Payments isn't offered to me."** Your business is not in a supported country, or your business category is not supported. Use a third-party provider instead [1].
- **"My payouts are on hold."** Turn on two-step authentication for your account [3].
- **"I can't add a second card provider."** Only one credit card provider can be active at a time. Click **Choose another provider** to replace it [7].
- **"The provider I want isn't in the list."** Check that your store address in **Settings** > **General** matches the provider's region. Some buy now, pay later and regional methods, such as PayPal Express Checkout, sit under **Additional payment methods** instead [7].
- **"Why am I paying extra fees?"** Third-party transaction fees apply to every transaction through a third-party or alternate gateway. If Shopify Payments is your primary provider, PayPal transactions are exempt [6].
- **"My custom method name is rejected."** Bank Deposit, Cash on Delivery (COD) and Money Order are reserved names. Add those through the **Payment providers** section [8].

## Further reading

- The full list of supported countries [1].
- Payout name and payout email settings [4].

## Sources

1. [Shopify Payments supported countries and regions](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments/shopify-payments/supported-countries), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
2. [Setting up Shopify Payments](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments/shopify-payments/setting-up-shopify-payments), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
3. [Setting up your Shopify Payments account](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments/shopify-payments/onboarding/account-setup), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
4. [Configuring Shopify Payments](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments/shopify-payments/configuring-shopify-payments), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
5. [Testing Shopify Payments](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments/shopify-payments/testing-shopify-payments), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
6. [Third-party payment providers](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments/third-party-providers), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
7. [Configuring third-party payment providers](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments/third-party-providers/configuring-providers), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
8. [Manual payment methods](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments/manual-payments), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08

Source page: https://webmerchants.net/guides/set-up-payments