<!-- canonical: https://docs.costplus.io/docs/getting-started/quickstart -->

> Accept your first payment in 5 minutes
This guide walks you through creating and completing a test payment using the Cost+ API. By the end, you'll have a working integration you can build on.

## Prerequisites

- A Cost+ account with a **sandbox website** — [create one in the Merchant Portal](https://dashboard.costplus.io/)
- Your sandbox **API key** (found under Websites → your sandbox website → Integration)

> [!NOTE]
> Not sure how to get your API key? See [Testing Your Integration](/docs/getting-started/testing) for detailed setup instructions.

## Step 1: Create an Order

Send a POST request to create a payment order. Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with your sandbox API key:

```bash title="Create an order"
curl -X POST https://api.costplus.online/v1/orders/ \
  -u YOUR_API_KEY: \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "currency": "EUR",
    "amount": 1295,
    "merchant_order_id": "my-first-order",
    "description": "Test order",
    "return_url": "https://example.com/return",
    "webhook_url": "https://example.com/webhook",
    "transactions": [
      {
        "payment_method": "credit-card"
      }
    ]
  }'
```

> [!TIP]
> The `amount` is in the smallest currency unit (cents). `1295` means **12.95 EUR**.

The API returns the full order object. The key fields are `id`, `status`, and the `payment_url` inside the transaction:

```json title="Response"
{
  "id": "4851e31c-4137-4e91-95ef-1df945ee76a2",
  "status": "new",
  "currency": "EUR",
  "amount": 1295,
  "merchant_order_id": "my-first-order",
  "description": "Test order",
  "return_url": "https://example.com/return",
  "webhook_url": "https://example.com/webhook",
  "created": "2026-01-15T12:00:05.433502+00:00",
  "modified": "2026-01-15T12:00:05.553125+00:00",
  "expiration_period": "PT1H",
  "transactions": [
    {
      "id": "d291f03f-a406-428a-967a-4895a46e03fd",
      "payment_method": "credit-card",
      "status": "new",
      "amount": 1295,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "payment_url": "https://api.costplus.online/pay/4851e31c.../select-payment-method/credit-card/d291f03f...",
      "is_capturable": false,
      "expiration_period": "PT30M"
    }
  ]
}
```

> [!NOTE]
> The response shape depends on what you send:
> - **With a `transactions` array** (this quickstart): each transaction object contains its own `payment_url`. Redirect the customer there.
> - **Without `transactions`**: the order has a top-level `order_url` instead, and the customer picks a payment method on Cost+'s hosted page. See the [Hosted Payment Page guide](/docs/guides/hosted-payment-page) for that flow.

Save the `id` — you'll need it in Step 3.

## Step 2: Complete the Test Payment

1. Open the `payment_url` from the response in your browser
2. On the payment page, enter the test card details:

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Card number | `4111 1111 1111 1111` |
| Expiry | Any future date (e.g. `12/28`) |
| CVC | Any 3 digits (e.g. `123`) |

3. Submit the payment
4. You'll be redirected back to your `return_url`

> [!WARNING]
> Don't rely on the redirect alone to confirm payment. The customer may close their browser before being redirected. Always verify via the API (Step 3) or webhooks (Step 4).

## Step 3: Verify the Payment

Fetch the order to confirm it completed:

```bash title="Check order status"
curl -u YOUR_API_KEY: \
  https://api.costplus.online/v1/orders/4851e31c-4137-4e91-95ef-1df945ee76a2/
```

A successful payment looks like this:

```json title="Response (completed)"
{
  "id": "4851e31c-4137-4e91-95ef-1df945ee76a2",
  "status": "completed",
  "currency": "EUR",
  "amount": 1295,
  "merchant_order_id": "my-first-order",
  "completed": "2026-01-15T12:02:30.123456+00:00",
  "transactions": [
    {
      "id": "d291f03f-a406-428a-967a-4895a46e03fd",
      "payment_method": "credit-card",
      "status": "completed",
      "amount": 1295,
      "currency": "EUR",
      "payment_method_details": {
        "truncated_pan": "1111",
        "card_expiry": "122028"
      }
    }
  ]
}
```

The order `status` is `"completed"` — the payment was successful.

## Step 4: Handle the Webhook (Recommended)

When the payment status changes, Cost+ sends a POST request to your `webhook_url`:

```json title="Webhook payload"
{
  "event": "status_changed",
  "order_id": "4851e31c-4137-4e91-95ef-1df945ee76a2"
}
```

When you receive this:
1. Call `GET /v1/orders/{order_id}/` to verify the current status (never trust the webhook payload alone)
2. Return HTTP `200` to acknowledge receipt
3. Fulfill the order if the status is `"completed"`

> [!TIP]
> For local development, use a tunnel like [ngrok](https://ngrok.com) to expose your local server and receive webhooks.

See the [Webhooks guide](/docs/guides/webhooks) for retry logic, best practices, and payload details.

## Alternative: Payment Links

If you don't need server-side redirect logic, **payment links** offer a simpler path. Create a link, share the URL with your customer, and check the status later.

```bash title="Create a payment link"
curl -X POST https://api.costplus.online/v1/paymentlinks/ \
  -u YOUR_API_KEY: \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "merchant_order_id": "invoice-1234",
    "amount": 2500,
    "currency": "EUR",
    "description": "Invoice #1234"
  }'
```

The response includes a `payment_url` you can share via email, SMS, or chat. The customer can attempt payment multiple times (up to 25) until the link expires or payment succeeds.

See the [Payment Links guide](/docs/guides/payment-links) for the full workflow.

## What's Next?

You've completed your first payment. Here's where to go from here:

- **[Hosted Payment Page](/docs/guides/hosted-payment-page)** — full HPP reference with all request fields and options
- **[Recurring Payments](/docs/guides/recurring-payments)** — set up subscriptions and scheduled billing
- **[One-Click Payments](/docs/guides/one-click-payments)** — fast checkout for returning customers
- **[Auth / Capture / Void](/docs/guides/auth-capture-void)** — authorize first, capture later (e.g. when shipping)
- **[Refunds](/docs/guides/refunds)** — process full and partial refunds
- **[SDKs](/docs/sdks)** — official libraries for Node.js, Python, PHP, Java/Kotlin, C#/.NET, and Ruby
- **[Plugins](/docs/plugins)** — pre-built integrations for Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and more

## Related Endpoints

- [Create Order](/api-reference/orders/createOrder) — full API reference for order creation
- [Get Order](/api-reference/orders/getOrder) — retrieve order details and status
- [Create Payment Link](/api-reference/payment-links/createPaymentLink) — create reusable payment links