Set up Authorize.net

0:00 6:02
15 minIntermediateUltimate Membership Pro 14.2+

Ultimate Membership Pro can take card payments through Authorize.net, a card gateway with fraud filters and automatic recurring billing. Recurring Memberships are paid with a card form on your checkout page; one-time Memberships send members to Authorize.net’s hosted payment form.

This guide connects Authorize.net, sets the URLs Authorize.net reports payments to, and runs Sandbox tests for the Coaching Club site.

Before you start

  • You have an Authorize.net merchant account, with recurring billing enabled if you sell recurring plans. For testing, an Authorize.net Sandbox account.
  • You have a paid Membership, for example Pro Monthly at $19/month. See Create your first Membership.
  • Your site should use HTTPS, because recurring plans collect card details on your checkout page.

What Authorize.net supports

One-time Memberships

Access types
LifeTime, Limited Time, Date Range
Checkout
Redirect to Authorize.net’s hosted payment form
Currency
Your site currency is sent with the payment

Recurring Subscription

Checkout
Card form on your checkout page
Cycles
7 to 365 days or 1 to 12 months
Trials
Free trials, as a number of billing cycles

The card form for recurring plans asks for Name on the Card, Credit Card Number and Expiration (MMYY). Recurring charges use your Authorize.net account’s currency.

Open the Authorize.net settings

  1. Go to Ultimate Membership Pro›Payment Gateways.
  2. Find Authorize.net and click Complete setup (Manage once it’s active).
Authorize.net row on the Payment Gateways screen with the Complete setup button highlighted
Authorize.net on the Payment Gateways screen.

The page is called Authorize.net Gateway. Its badge shows Inactive, Sandbox or Live.

Turn on the gateway

Authorize.net Gateway page with the Activate Authorize.net Payment Service switch highlighted and the 7-day note
Switch on Activate Authorize.net Payment Service.
Activate Authorize.net Payment Service

Makes Authorize.net available at checkout. It’s offered to members only when this is on and both Login ID and Transaction Key are filled in.

Default: Off

The note under the switch is a reminder that recurring plans need a cycle of at least 7 days.

Add your Login ID and Transaction Key

In Authorize.net, go to Account and, under Security Settings, open API Credentials & Keys. That’s where you find your Login ID and Transaction Key. Your Sandbox account has its own pair.

Authorize.net Settings card with Sandbox selected, fake Login ID and Transaction Key, the Webhook URL and the Test Credentials, numbered 1 to 5
Authorize.net Settings in Sandbox mode for the example site.
1Environment

Sandbox sends payments to Authorize.net’s test system; Live takes real payments. Use the credentials of the matching account.

  • Sandbox
  • Live

Default: Live

2Login IDRequired

Your API Login ID.

3Transaction KeyRequired

Your Transaction Key. Keep it secret.

Setup Instructions

Where to set the URLs and find the credentials, shown on the screen for reference.

4Webhook URL

The address Authorize.net reports payments to (next step). Use the copy button next to it.

5Test CredentialsSandbox

A test card for Sandbox payments: 370000000000002, expiry 12 of next year. Authorize.net’s testing guide, linked above the table, lists more test cards.

Set the response URLs in Authorize.net

Webhook URL box with https://yoursite.com/?ihc_action=authorize highlighted
Copy the Webhook URL.
https://yoursite.com/?ihc_action=authorize
  1. In Authorize.net, go to Account and open Transaction Format Settings.
  2. Set Silent Post URL to the Webhook URL.
  3. Set Response/Receipt URLs and Relay Response to the same URL.

Authorize.net then posts the result of each one-time payment, and of every recurring charge after the first, to your site:

Approved

The order becomes Completed and the Membership is activated or extended.

Declined or error

The payment failed and the Membership is taken off the member’s account.

Held for review

Nothing changes until Authorize.net sends the final result.

The first payment of a recurring plan is confirmed straight away at checkout, when Authorize.net accepts the subscription.

Set how Authorize.net appears at checkout

Extra Settings card with Label Authorize, Position 3 and Short Description, numbered 1 to 3
Extra Settings with the default values.
1Label

The name of this payment method at checkout, for example Credit card.

Default: Authorize

2Position

The order of this gateway among the payment methods at checkout. Lower numbers come first.

Default: 3

3Short Description

Optional text about the gateway, saved with its settings.

Click Save Changes.

Test a payment

  1. With Environment on Sandbox and your Sandbox credentials saved, buy Pro Monthly in a private window.
  2. Choose Authorize.net at checkout. In Sandbox, the card form shows a Sandbox Mode box and is filled with a test card. Complete the purchase.
  3. Check Ultimate Membership Pro›Payment History: the order is Completed and the subscription appears in your Authorize.net Sandbox account.
  4. Buy a one-time Membership such as Annual Pass too. You’re sent to Authorize.net’s payment form; pay with a test card and check that the order becomes Completed.

When both work, switch Environment to Live, paste your live credentials, set the same URLs in your live account, and save.

Limits to know

  • Recurring cycles must be at least 7 days.
  • Cycles can be at most 12 months or 365 days.
  • Trials are counted in billing cycles (Couple cycles subscription payments).
  • Trials are free.
  • On Going plans are created in Authorize.net with 9999 payments.
  • Cancel subscriptions and make refunds in your Authorize.net account.

Test both flows

One-time and recurring Memberships use different Authorize.net screens. Test one of each in Sandbox before you go live.

Example: Coaching Club on Authorize.net

Coaching ClubPro Monthly by card on the site, Annual Pass on Authorize.net’s payment form.
Environment
Sandbox while testing, then Live
Login ID, Transaction Key
From Account › API Credentials & Keys
Silent Post URL, Response/Receipt URLs, Relay Response
https://yoursite.com/?ihc_action=authorize
Pro Monthly
Recurring Subscription, 1 Months, $19
Annual Pass
Limited Time, $149, one payment
Label
Credit card

Troubleshooting

Why isn’t the Membership activated after a member submits the card form for a recurring plan?

Authorize.net didn’t accept the subscription, so no payment was taken. Check the Environment and the credentials, that recurring billing is enabled on your account, and that the card details are valid.

Why do the card fields turn red at checkout?

A card field is empty: the name, the card number or the expiration date. The expiration date must be in MMYY format, for example 1227.

Why does a one-time order stay Pending after payment?

Authorize.net couldn’t post the result to your site. Check that Silent Post URL, Response/Receipt URLs and Relay Response are set to https://yoursite.com/?ihc_action=authorize and that your site is publicly reachable.

What’s the shortest recurring cycle?

Authorize.net’s shortest recurring cycle is 7 days. Use 7 days or more.

How do I cancel an Authorize.net subscription?

Cancel the subscription in your Authorize.net account. See Manage your members to update the member’s Membership on your site.

What’s next

Create your first MembershipSet a cycle of 7 days or more.Let members choose a payment methodOffer Authorize.net next to other gateways.Membership statuses explainedWhat Hold, Active and Cancelled mean.Connect a payment gatewayCompare the other gateways.

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