What is Payment Testing? - The Ultimate Guide for 2024

Did you know that, according to Statista, the total transaction value in the Digital Payments market is projected to reach US$11.55tn in 2024? Digital payments have become prevalent in the market, making payment testing an important aspect of app development. This guide covers everything you need to know about testing payment systems, including various types of testing, why you need it, and how to start the whole process of payment testing. Let's begin!

We can help you drive payment testing as a key initiative aligned to your business goals

What is payment testing?

Payment testing is a methodology used to ensure that payment transactions, including credit card transactions, debit card transactions, and online payments, are processed correctly. Payment testing uses various testing methods to verify the correct and efficient processing of payment transactions, ensuring accuracy and reliability to build customer trust and confidence in the payment system.

Digital payment types

Digital payments have come a long way in recent years, providing consumers with more secure and convenient payment options. Several popular types of digital payment methods are used today, including:

Credit and debit card payments are the most popular method of digital payment. They are processed via payment gateways that connect merchants to banking networks (e.g., Visa, Mastercard).
Mobile payments use mobile devices for payment processing. They use NFC technology to allow devices to make secure payments without having to swipe a card (e.g., Apple Pay, Google Wallet).
E-wallets store payment information electronically, allowing users to pay for goods and services without having to enter payment information manually. They can also be used to send and receive money between users (e.g., PayPal, Skrill).
Online bank transfers allow users to transfer funds between bank accounts directly. This payment method is typically faster and more secure than traditional bank transfers (e.g., Zelle, Venmo).
Cryptocurrency payments use decentralized digital currencies for transactions, making them more secure than traditional payment methods. They are also more private than other payment methods (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum).
Contactless payments use NFC technology to allow users to make payments by simply tapping their card or mobile device into a payment terminal. This method is faster and more secure than other payment methods (e.g., Apple Pay, Google Pay).
P2P payments allow users to transfer funds directly between bank accounts or e-wallets. This payment method is typically faster and more cost-effective than traditional bank transfers (e.g., Venmo, Cash App).
QR code payments use codes that can be scanned by mobile devices to initiate payment transactions. This payment method is becoming increasingly popular in Asia (e.g., Alipay, WeChat Pay).
Recurring payments allow users to set up automatic payments for services or subscriptions. This payment method is convenient for users who need to make regular payments (e.g., Netflix, Spotify).

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Payment testing types

Payment testing includes various testing types. Let’s go through the most important ones.

Functional testing

Functional testing ensures that the payment processing system works correctly regarding payment-related functionality, such as credit card processing, refunds, cancellations, payment gateway errors, etc. It also verifies that the inputs and outputs are correct, that the system processes payments accurately, and that all payments are recorded in the appropriate data stores.

Security testing

Security testing verifies that the payment processing system is secure from data breaches, theft, or fraud. This testing includes testing for vulnerabilities in payment gateways, encrypting data transmission, ensuring the user's sensitive information is not stored in the system, and testing its ability to defend itself against potential cyber-attacks. Security testing also ensures the business can operate without any legal implications caused by potential breaches or theft.

Usability testing

Usability testing in payment processing systems is conducted to ensure that the system is intuitive and easy to use for all users, regardless of their technical expertise. Usability testing includes testing navigation, design, layout, and how easy it is to find particular functions. It may also involve testing payment forms to ensure the flow is coherent and follows a logical sequence, reducing mistakes and misinterpretations.

Integration testing

Integration testing verifies that the payment processing system can collaborate effectively with internal and external systems. The process includes:

Testing the system's ability to communicate accurately with the payment gateway and processing platform.
Examining API stability.
Confirming the functionalities of third-party plugins.
Assessing compatibility across different system versions.

Integration testing ensures that the entire payment processing chain operates efficiently, with no interruptions or inconsistencies.

UI testing

This type of testing examines the graphical user interface (GUI) for the payment-related flows and processes, verifying if all the visual features appear correctly, including layout, design, format, etc. UI testing ensures that the system's user interface is consistent with the functionality requirements and operating as expected. The process involves:

Testing how the payment form appears on various browsers or devices.
Ensuring that all necessary fields and buttons are present and visible.
Verifying that all formatting and font style requirements are accurately displayed.

Localization testing

Localization testing verifies that a payment processing system functions accurately across different countries and regions, considering various languages, currencies, and payment methods. It ensures the system adheres to local regulations and taxes and supports local payment options. It involves checking currency formats and conversions, confirming compliance with country-specific tax rules, testing multiple language capabilities, and validating integration with local payment gateways.

Performance testing

Performance testing includes:

Testing the processing times for different types of transactions.
Checking the speed of online payment processing.
Verifying the system's capability to handle peak loads.
Identifying how much traffic the system can handle without crashing.

The primary goal of performance testing is to ensure that the payment processing system can handle the expected volume of transactions with speed, stability, and scalability, no matter how many users are processing transactions.

Payment testing on real devices

As mobile transactions continue to rise, the variety of devices, platforms, and payment methods makes testing payment systems on real devices crucial to confirm proper performance. Here are a few reasons why payment testing on real devices is important:

Ensures compatibility: Verify that the application works without any issues across various devices and platforms.
Identifies bugs & enhances user experience: Discover bugs and user experience issues that may not be visible in emulator testing.
Helps meet security standards: Uncover vulnerabilities and meet security standards such as PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) and PA-DSS (Payment Application Data Security Standard).
Prevents financial loss: Prevent financial loss and reputational damage caused by payment system malfunctions.
Increases customer confidence: Boosting trust in the payment system can drive higher transaction volumes and elevate revenue.

Case study: How GAT helped Carry1st improve checkout completion by 12%

Carry1st is an African gaming and payments platform offering over 120 hyper-localized payment methods. They faced challenges with diverse payment methods, managing hyperlocalization across seven countries, and reducing friction in payment processes.
Carry1st partnered with Global App Testing (GAT) to tackle these challenges:

Real testers and devices: GAT used real payments and local testing environments to validate Carry1st's payment methods.
End-to-end testing: GAT performed thorough end-to-end testing of new payment methods and live products, helping Carry1st identify and fix bugs.

Results:

12% increase in checkout completions: Carry1st's success rates increased from 78% to 90%, leading to improved checkout completions.
Improved understanding: GAT provided Carry1st with insights into its payment systems, helping to identify performance issues and enhance user experience.

Payment testing: manual vs. automated

There are two main methods of payment testing: manual and automated testing. Manual payment testing involves a person going through the payment process to ensure everything works correctly. Automated payment testing involves using software to simulate payment transactions and verify that everything works as expected. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages, and choosing which one to use ultimately depends on factors such as the complexity of the payment process and the available resources.
Here is a table to illustrate which payment testing tasks can be done manually and which can be automated:

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Payment testing vs. Payment gateway testing

Payment testing involves verifying the accuracy and integrity of financial transactions by performing a series of tests with various payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, and online payments. On the other hand, payment gateway testing is specifically focused on testing and validating the software solutions responsible for processing payments, including payment gateways, payment processing platforms, and payment APIs. Payment gateway testing ensures the payment processing flow is error-free, secure, and compliant with all regulations.

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How to start payment testing: Payment functionality

If you're new to payment testing, starting with the basics is important, and testing the payment functionality is an excellent place to start. This includes testing payment form fields, credit card validation, and payment confirmation messages. Here are the key phases and actions involved in functionality payment testing:

Scope: Define the scope of payment testing, including which payment methods will be tested and what types of payment transactions will be simulated.
User profiles and use cases: Create user profiles and scenarios that reflect real-world use cases for the payment process. This can help identify potential issues or inconsistencies in the process.
Test cases: Develop clear test cases covering all aspects of the payment process. This can include testing payment form fields, credit card validation, and payment confirmation messages.
Runs: Run the test cases and capture any issues or errors that arise during the payment process. This can help identify areas for improvement.
Result analytics and reports: Analyze the test results and generate reports that provide insights into the payment process. This can be used to make informed decisions about improving the payment process and reducing errors in the future.

Payment testing use case examples

Example 1

Test case: Successful card payment
Test steps:

Launch the payment application on a device.
Select an item to purchase and proceed to checkout.
Choose the credit/debit card payment method.
Enter valid card details (card number, expiration date, CVV).
Confirm the transaction.
Verify that the payment has been successfully processed and that the transaction receipt has been displayed.
Check the account balance or order history for confirmation of the purchase.

Expected result:

The payment is successfully processed, and the transaction receipt is displayed.
The order history or account balance reflects the successful purchase.

Example 2

Test case: Failed payment due to insufficient funds
Test steps:

Access the payment system and navigate to the checkout.
Choose a product or service and proceed to make a payment.
Select a payment method linked to an account with insufficient funds.
Enter the necessary payment details and submit the payment.
Verify that the system detects insufficient funds and rejects the transaction.
Confirm that the user receives a clear and descriptive error message regarding the failed payment.

Expected result:

The system rejects the transaction due to insufficient funds.
The user is provided with an appropriate error message indicating the reason for the failed payment.

Example 3

Test case: Payment method availability
Test steps:

Open the payment application on a device.
Navigate to the checkout process.
Review the list of available payment methods (e.g., cards, e-wallets, mobile payments).
Verify that the list displays all expected payment methods supported by the system.
Select each payment method and proceed to payment processing.
Ensure the payment methods function as expected and allow the user to complete a transaction.

Expected result:

All expected payment methods are available in the payment options list.
Each payment method functions as intended, enabling the user to complete a transaction without issues.

How can Global App Testing assist you with payment testing?

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With over 90,000 real testers in 190+ countries, Global App Testing offers real-user testing, virtual card simulations, global coverage, and compliance-focused assessments that can be customized to your needs. Our testing includes:

Usability testing: Evaluating user experience across various devices and platforms to ensure seamless functionality.
Accessibility testing: Checking compatibility with assistive technologies for accessibility to users with disabilities or impairments.
Functional testing: Testing core functions across any browser or operating system.
Regression testing: Confirming that new changes or updates do not disrupt product stability over time.
Localization testing: Reviewing app performance for diverse international markets to ensure local relevance and compliance.
Compatibility testing: Testing across different browsers, devices, operating systems, and network configurations to ensure optimal performance across all platforms.

Global App Testing can provide comprehensive insights to enhance your payment testing, ensuring a worldwide secure and reliable user experience. Are you interested to learn more? Contact our specialist today to see how we can boost your payment testing!