Payment gateway (PG) · Easy pay

How much are payment gateway (PG) fees usually?

PG fees depend on the payment method and your contract terms; for card payments, a percentage of the payment amount is typical. Bank transfers usually carry a percentage plus a minimum fee per transaction, and virtual accounts often charge a fixed amount per transaction. Exact figures vary by PG company and industry and change often, so the most reliable way is to check each PG company's fee page right before you sign.

Besides transaction fees, there's often a one-time sign-up fee and an annual maintenance fee. These also vary with the contract type and whether you sign up through a hosting company or partner, so when getting quotes, ask about all three: the per-transaction fee, the sign-up fee and the annual maintenance fee.

If you're a small or medium-sized business, also check for reduced card fees. Many PG companies start you on the standard fee and switch you to the reduced rate once your sales volume is confirmed. Timing and process differ by PG company, so be sure to check their official guidance before signing.

What's the difference between a PG and easy pay?

A PG is the "middleman" that connects many payment methods at once, while easy pay is one of the "payment methods" customers choose from. The Toss Payments Developer Center likewise describes a PG as a payment service that connects various payment methods such as cards, easy pay, bank transfers and virtual accounts.

Usually you sign a contract with a PG and then turn on easy pay options like Naver Pay and Kakao Pay within it. Some easy pay providers need a separate application or extra review, so decide in advance which ones you want and ask your PG company.

For customers, what matters is seeing a payment method they're used to. Choose to fit your customers: easy pay if you sell online to lots of mobile customers, or bank transfers and virtual accounts alongside if you get many group orders.

With easy pay, customers are often sent to the provider's screen mid-payment and then brought back. When testing before launch, also check that they return to your website properly after paying.

When does payment money reach my business bank account?

Payments don't arrive right away; on the settlement date agreed with your PG company, the total minus fees comes in all at once. That's because payment institutions like card companies settle with the PG company first, and the PG company then settles with you.

The settlement cycle varies by PG company, industry and contract terms. For a workshop that has to buy materials up front or a business with subscription deliveries, the settlement cycle is as important a comparison point as the fees.

Refunds are deducted from the amount to be settled or handled separately. During busy refund periods, the money coming in may be less than expected, so learn ahead of time how to check your settlement history.

Also confirm in advance that the settlement account holder matches your business registration details. If they don't, settlement may be delayed or you may have to resubmit documents.

What are the steps to add payments to my website?

Payments involve paperwork and a review, so start before your website launch date. According to Toss Payments, card companies need to see a shop screen with payment already connected for their review, so it's recommended to hook up payment early using test keys.

Refund rules matter not just for the review but for customer trust. For deposits, set them by date, like "full refund if canceled by the day before"; for products, clearly state the exchange and return period and who pays shipping.

If online payments are new to you, starting with cards plus one or two easy pay options is plenty, rather than adding lots of payment methods from day one. When customers ask, you can add bank transfers or virtual accounts then.

1. 01Register your business, and if you sell online, file a mail-order business report (required in Korea for selling online).
2. 02Decide which payment methods to accept (cards, easy pay, bank transfer, etc.) and your refund rules.
3. 03Compare fees, sign-up fees and settlement cycles at two or three PG companies, then apply.
4. 04Your agency connects the payment screen with test keys, and you go through the review with product and refund information visible.
5. 05Once the review is done, switch to live keys and make and cancel a small payment yourself.
6. 06On the first settlement date, check that the settlement history matches the admin panel.

Can I charge customers automatically every month for subscriptions or regular deliveries?

Yes, with a method called automatic payment (billing). Once the customer registers their card the first time, payments go through on the set date without them entering it again.

Your website doesn't store the card details itself; the PG company keeps them securely and gives you only a value that points to them (a billing key). Toss Payments says automatic payment is meant for subscription-type services and notes that approval may be difficult for non-recurring payments.

It suits products like a cafe's coffee bean subscription, flower subscriptions or monthly class memberships. It does take more preparation than regular payments, though, so one option is to start with regular payments and switch once your subscribers grow.

What are common mistakes when adding payments?

The most common mistake is applying for a PG right before launch and opening without payments. Sometimes the review flags a missing refund policy or business information, and fixing it takes even longer.

Choosing on the fee rate alone also falls short. You only see the real cost when you add up the sign-up fee, annual maintenance fee, settlement cycle and extra easy pay fees.

Check payment security too. If your website doesn't take and store customers' card numbers itself but hands them off to the PG company's payment window, you don't have to manage sensitive card data yourself.

If you have only a few products, another option is linking to a sales platform like Naver Smart Store instead of adding payments to your website. Compare fees, ease of management and control of customer data, and pick what suits your business.

What should I ask my web agency about payments?

The PG review happens alongside your website's screens, so ask these five questions when you hire an agency.

• Will you also build the screens needed for the PG application (products, refund policy, business information)?
• Which easy pay options can you add?
• Can I cancel payments and issue partial refunds from the admin panel?
• Do you use the PG company's payment window instead of storing card details on the website?
• Will you test a payment and cancellation with a real card before launch?