API vs CHECKOUTPAGE

ClaPay supports two primary ways of processing payments:

• Tunnel : API (server-to-server)
• Tunnel : CHECKOUTPAGE (Checkout/redirect flow)

This guide explains the difference between them and how to use API mode in your integrations.

🔁 API Tunnel Mode

The API tunnel allows direct payment processing from your backend. This is ideal for platforms that want to handle the payment experience programmatically.

✅ Use Case

• MERCHANT (Deposit)
• CASHIN (Withdrawal)
• Ideal for apps with built-in payment flows

🧾 Request Payload Parameters to be add to the classic payload

Field	Required	Description
operator_otp	Yes	OTP if required by the operator
tunnel	Yes	Should be set to "API"

note

Some operators require OTP upfront, others don’t.

🧪 Sample Request

{
  ...
  "tunnel": "API"
}

🔁 CHECKOUTPAGE Tunnel Mode

The CHECKOUTPAGE Mode allows you to redirect your users to a secure ClaPay hosted page where they can complete payments easily and safely.

This is the quickest way to integrate payments without managing any UI components or compliance yourself.

✅ Why Use CHECKOUTPAGE?

• No front-end development required.
• Safe & secure environment for users to pay.
• Mobile-friendly experience.
• Ideal for MVPs or websites that need a fast payment setup.

🔧 How It Works

1. Send a request to ClaPay’s payment initialization endpoint.
2. Set "tunnel": "CHECKOUTPAGE" in your payload.
3. Receive a payment_url in the response.
4. Redirect your customer to this URL.
5. ClaPay handles the rest: payment input, confirmation, redirection.

📤 Sample Request

{
  ...
  "tunnel": "CHECKOUTPAGE"
}

📊 Summary: API Mode vs CHECKOUTPAGE

ClaPay offers two powerful ways to process payments. Here’s a quick comparison to help you choose the right one for your needs.

Feature	Tunnel ("API")	Tunnel ("CHECKOUTPAGE")
UI Control	Full control (your own payment form)	No control (hosted by ClaPay)
Ease of Integration	Requires backend logic	Quick to integrate
Security Handling	Handled by you	Handled by ClaPay
Redirect Required	❌ No	✅ Yes
Custom Experience	✅ Highly customizable	❌ Not customizable
Best for	Apps, platforms with existing payment UI	Websites, MVPs, low-code setups
Example Use Cases	Mobile apps, backend flows	Simple e-commerce sites, donation pages

✅ Use API Tunnel if you need total control over payment handling in your app.

✅ Use CHECKOUTPAGE Tunnel if you want simplicity, hosted security, and faster setup.

note

You can support both modes in parallel to match different user flows.

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