Activating a payment gateway in test mode

To test your checkout process without placing a real order, you can simulate transactions by using any of the following options:

• Shopify's Bogus Gateway
• Shopify Payments test mode
• Test mode for a third-party payment provider

These options allow you to place test orders without incurring any charges from your payment provider. Payment gateways that are in test mode don't accept real credit card information, and require you to use specific pre-set test payment information in order to complete the transaction. You can also test and preview failed transactions using test payment information.

Test orders and simulated transactions don't display in your payouts or reports. You can test a payment gateway only after you've chosen a paid plan.

Caution

Customers can't place live orders with a credit card during the time that your payment providers are in test mode. After your test is complete, deactivate test mode to allow live orders again.

Using Shopify's Bogus Gateway

To simulate a transaction on your online checkout, you can set up Shopify's Bogus Gateway. The Bogus Gateway is a payment provider that any store can use to create test orders, and requires specific test payment information to complete transactions. Real credit card information isn't accepted using the Bogus Gateway.

When active, the Bogus Gateway displays in the Shopify Checkout with the following icon:

Activate Shopify's Bogus Gateway

You can activate Shopify's Bogus Gateway the same way you'd activate any third-party payment integration. If you have a credit card payment provider active, then you need to deactivate it before you can activate the Bogus Gateway.

When the Bogus Gateway is active, every order you create is a test order. The test purchase amount needs to be greater than the equivalent of $1 USD in any currency.

Steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments.

2. If you have a credit card payment provider activated, then deactivate it before continuing:

   • If you have a third-party payment provider activated, then deactivate it. Click Manage > Deactivate (this button also displays the name of your payment provider, for example Deactivate Shopify Payments), then confirm your deactivation.
   • If you have Shopify Payments activated:
     • In the Shopify Payments section, click Manage > Manage payment methods.
     • At the bottom of the page, click Switch to a third-party provider, and then click Switch to a third-party provider again to confirm.

3. Open the list of all available payment providers:

   • If you're eligible for Shopify Payments in your country, then in the Shopify Payments section, click See all other providers.
   • If Shopify Payments isn't available in your country, then in the Payment providers section, click Choose a provider.

4. Select (for testing) Bogus Gateway from the list.

5. Activate (for testing) Bogus Gateway.

6. Click Save.

Bogus Gateway test payment details

You can simulate a successful payment, a declined transaction, and a chargeback using test credentials in the Bogus Gateway. When placing a test order using the Bogus Gateway, enter the following test credit card details instead of genuine numbers at checkout:

Test payment details for bogus gateway simulation during checkout

Field name	Details to enter
Name on card	Enter Bogus Gateway
Credit card number	Enter each of these in turn to simulate different types of transaction: Enter 1 to simulate an Approved Transaction Enter 2 to simulate a Declined Transaction Enter 3 to simulate a Gateway Failure
CVV	Enter any 3-digit number (for example, 111.)
Expiry Date	Enter any date in the future.

Using Shopify Payments' test mode

Test mode is a feature of Shopify Payments. You can use it to test how your customers pay for their orders, and to test how you and your staff process those orders. While test mode is activated, you can't use real credit cards to pay for orders. Some local payment methods, such as Sofort and iDEAL, aren't available in the checkout when test mode is activated. For these reasons, you shouldn't activate test mode on a store that's in production.

Test mode isn't available to test payments with Shopify POS card readers, Shop Pay, Shop Pay Installments or PayPal Wallet. Test mode also isn't available for merchants based in France.

Learn more about testing Shopify Payments.

Activate Shopify Payments' test mode

Before you can create test orders, you need to activate test mode for Shopify Payments.

Note

Test mode can only be activated after you complete the Shopify Payments setup.

Steps:

Desktop

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments.

2. In the Shopify Payments section, click Manage.

3. In the Test mode section, select Enable test mode.

4. Click Save.

iPhone

1. From the Shopify app, tap the button, and then tap Settings.
2. In the Store settings section, tap Payments.
3. In the Shopify Payments section, tap Manage.
4. In the Test mode section, select Enable test mode.
5. Tap Save.

Android

1. From the Shopify app, tap the button, and then tap Settings.
2. In the Store settings section, tap Payments.
3. In the Shopify Payments section, tap Manage.
4. In the Test mode section, select Enable test mode.
5. Tap Save.

Shopify Payments test mode payment details

To simulate a successful transaction, use the following information when you're asked for credit card details at checkout:

• Name on card: Enter at least 2 words.
• Expiry date: Enter any date in the future.
• Security code: Enter any 4 digits to test American Express, and enter any 3 digits to test all other cards.
• Card number: Use any of the following numbers:

Use these test card numbers to verify Shopify Payments setup by simulating successful transactions

Card type	Test card number
Visa	4242424242424242
Mastercard	5555555555554444
American Express	378282246310005
Discover	6011111111111117
Diners Club	30569309025904
JCB	3566002020360505
BCcard and DinaCard	6555900000604105
UnionPay	6200000000000005
Cartes Bancaires/Visa	4000002500001001
Cartes Bancaires/Mastercard	5555552500001001
eftpos Australia/Visa	4000050360000001
eftpos Australia/Mastercard	5555050360000080

If you want to view the credit card error messages that might display to a customer during checkout, then use the following test credit card numbers to simulate different failed transactions:

Use these test card numbers to verify Shopify Payments setup by simulating failed transactions

Failed transaction type	Test card number
Generic card declined	4000000000000002
Insufficient funds	4000000000009995
Lost card	4000000000009987
Stolen card	4000000000009979
Expired card	4000000000000069
Incorrect CVC	4000000000000127
Processing error	4000000000000119
Incorrect number	4242424242424241
Disputed transaction, also known as a chargeback	4000000000000259
Invalid expiry month	Use an invalid expiry month, such as 13.
Invalid expiry year	Use any year in the past, such as 2000.
Invalid security code	Use any 2 digits.

Activating test mode for a third-party payment providers

Some integrated third-party payment providers, such as Braintree or PayPal Payflow Pro, offer the option to activate test mode from the Shopify admin. In order to use this test mode, refer to the payment provider's documentation on how to activate and test the integration with Shopify Checkout. This can include adjusting additional settings on their side, and using specific test payment card credentials.

If this option isn't available for your third-party provider in the Shopify admin, then you can choose to do any of the following options:

• Reach out to your third-party payment provider's support team to review what options are available to place a test order using their gateway.
• Activate Shopify's Bogus Gateway instead. As the Bogus Gateway is completely separate from other third-party payment gateways, it might not offer the same functionalities as your chosen third-party payment provider.