What are the payment methods allowed in Drupal Commerce?

There are many platforms to build or develop e-commerce sites on the market, but few offer the versatility and simplicity of Drupal Commerce, one of the best when it comes to having an online store.

“Drupal Commerce is an open-source e-commerce platform that allows you to sell any type of product to anyone in the world. “It drives billions in sales in thousands of online stores” is the definition they offer in their official documentation.

Payment methods allowed in Drupal Commerce

Drupal Commerce supports a variety of payment methods through its core functionality and additional contributed modules. These are some of the main payment methods and options available:

Credit and debit cards

• Authorize.net
• Stripe
• PayPal (Payflow Pro, Website Payments Pro, PayPal Express Checkout)
• Square
• Braintree

Digital wallets

• Apple Pay (typically through a payment gateway like Stripe)
• Google Pay (usually through a payment gateway like Stripe)
• Amazon Pay

Bank transfers and direct debit

• ACH payments (through providers like Authorize.net, Stripe)
• SEPA Direct Debit (for European merchants, through providers such as Stripe)

Alternative payment methods

• Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies (via providers like Coinbase)
• PayPal

Local payment methods

• iDEAL (Netherlands)
• SOFORT (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, etc.)
• Bancontact (Belgium)
• Giropay (Germany)

Manual payments

• Check/money order
• Cash on delivery

Payments in store

• POS (Point of Sale) integrations (for payments in physical store)

Recurring payments

• Subscriptions and recurring billing (via various payment gateways such as Stripe, Braintree)

How to configure payment methods in Drupal Commerce

To enable and configure these payment methods in Drupal Commerce, you will often need to install additional modules specific to the payment gateway you want to use. Here's a general approach:

1. Install and enable the required module: Find the appropriate module for your desired payment gateway on Drupal.org. Download and enable the module via the Drupal admin interface or using Drush/Composer.
2. Configure the Payment Gateway: Navigate to the Commerce settings section in your Drupal admin interface. Add and configure the payment gateway, entering the required credentials and settings provided by the payment service.
3. Test the configuration: Make sure your payment method is working correctly by placing test orders. Use the test/sandbox modes offered by payment gateways before going live.

These steps will allow you to integrate a wide variety of payment methods into your Drupal Commerce site, providing flexibility and convenience for both you and your customers.

Drupal Commerce vs Shopify Which is better for your project?

With the point clarified about payment methods in Drupal Commerce, it is worth making a comparison with what is probably the most popular tool on the market for building e-commerce platforms: Shopify.

“Shopify is a complete commerce platform that allows anyone to start, manage, and grow a business. You can use Shopify to create an online store, manage sales, market to customers, and accept payments in digital and physical locations” they indicate in their official documentation.

Our experts made a comparison of the two e-commerce tools, with the advantages and disadvantages of each:

Drupal Commerce

Advantages:

• Customization: Highly customizable due to its open-source nature. You can modify almost every aspect of your store.
• Scalability: Suitable for large, complex e-commerce sites with high traffic and a large catalog.
• Integration: Easily integrates with other Drupal modules and third-party services.
• Content Management: Robust content management capabilities, enabling a seamless blend of content and commerce.
• Community Support: Large developer community and a large number of modules available.

Disadvantages:

• Complexity: Requires technical experience for installation and maintenance. It is not so easy to use for beginners.
• Cost: While the software itself is free, you need to consider hosting, development, and maintenance costs.
• Maintenance: Regular updates and security patches are necessary, which can be time-consuming.
• Development time: Customization can lead to longer development times.

Shopify

Advantages:

• Ease of use: Very easy to use with a simple setup process. No technical skills required.
• Hosted Solution: Shopify takes care of hosting, security, and maintenance, allowing you to focus on running your business.
• Speed: Quick to set up and get up and running. Ideal for companies that need to launch quickly.
• Support: 24/7 customer support and extensive documentation.
• Apps and Integrations: Great app marketplace to extend the functionality of your store with third-party integrations.

Disadvantages:

• Customization limits: Less flexible compared to open source solutions like Drupal Commerce. Customization is limited to what the platform allows.
• Cost: Monthly subscription fees plus transaction fees if you don't use Shopify Payments. Costs can increase, especially at larger stores.
• Data Ownership: Limited control over data compared to self-hosted solutions.
• Scalability: While scalable, very large or very complex stores may encounter limitations in customization and functionality.

Choosing between Drupal Commerce and Shopify depends on your specific needs, budget, and technical experience. If you prioritize flexibility and scalability with the ability to handle complex requirements, Drupal Commerce is a good choice. If ease of use, quick setup, and managed services are more important, Shopify is probably the best option.

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