> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dodopayments.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# European Payment Methods

> Accept iDEAL, Bancontact, EPS, and Multibanco to increase conversion rates across European markets. Learn about regional availability, bank coverage, and configuration.

European customers strongly prefer local payment methods that integrate with their banking systems. Offering these methods can increase conversion rates by 20-40% in target markets.

## Why Local European Payment Methods?

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Higher Conversion" icon="chart-line">
    iDEAL captures \~60% of Dutch online payments. Not offering it means losing customers.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Lower Fraud" icon="shield-check">
    Bank-authenticated payments have near-zero fraud rates and no chargebacks.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Real-Time Settlement" icon="bolt">
    Most European methods provide instant payment confirmation.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Supported Methods

| Method         | Country     | Market Share | Currency | Subscriptions |
| :------------- | :---------- | :----------- | :------- | :-----------: |
| **iDEAL**      | Netherlands | \~60%        | EUR      |       No      |
| **Bancontact** | Belgium     | \~50%        | EUR      |       No      |
| **EPS**        | Austria     | \~30%        | EUR      |       No      |
| **Multibanco** | Portugal    | \~40%        | EUR      |       No      |

## iDEAL (Netherlands)

iDEAL is the dominant online payment method in the Netherlands, connecting directly to all major Dutch banks.

### How It Works

```mermaid theme={null}
sequenceDiagram
    participant Customer
    participant Checkout
    participant Dodo
    participant iDEAL
    participant Bank
    
    Customer->>Checkout: Select iDEAL
    Checkout->>Dodo: Create payment
    Dodo->>iDEAL: Initiate payment
    iDEAL->>Customer: Redirect to bank selection
    Customer->>Bank: Select bank & authenticate
    Bank->>iDEAL: Payment confirmed
    iDEAL->>Dodo: Success callback
    Dodo->>Checkout: Payment complete
```

### Supported Banks

All major Dutch banks are supported:

* ABN AMRO
* ASN Bank
* Bunq
* ING
* Knab
* Rabobank
* RegioBank
* Revolut
* SNS
* Triodos Bank
* Van Lanschot

### Configuration

```javascript theme={null}
const session = await client.checkoutSessions.create({
  product_cart: [{ product_id: 'prod_123', quantity: 1 }],
  allowed_payment_method_types: ['ideal', 'credit', 'debit'],
  billing_currency: 'EUR',
  billing_address: {
    country: 'NL',
    zipcode: '1012JS'
  },
  return_url: 'https://example.com/success'
});
```

## Bancontact (Belgium)

Bancontact is Belgium's national payment scheme, used by virtually all Belgian banks for online payments.

### Features

* Works with existing Belgian debit cards
* Mobile app support (Payconiq by Bancontact)
* Instant payment confirmation
* No additional registration needed for customers

### Configuration

```javascript theme={null}
const session = await client.checkoutSessions.create({
  product_cart: [{ product_id: 'prod_123', quantity: 1 }],
  allowed_payment_method_types: ['bancontact_card', 'credit', 'debit'],
  billing_currency: 'EUR',
  billing_address: {
    country: 'BE',
    zipcode: '1000'
  },
  return_url: 'https://example.com/success'
});
```

## EPS (Austria)

EPS (Electronic Payment Standard) enables direct online bank transfers for Austrian customers.

### Features

* Direct integration with Austrian banks
* Real-time payment confirmation
* High trust among Austrian consumers
* No chargebacks

### Supported Banks

Major Austrian banks including:

* Erste Bank
* Bank Austria
* Raiffeisen
* BAWAG
* Volksbank

### Configuration

```javascript theme={null}
const session = await client.checkoutSessions.create({
  product_cart: [{ product_id: 'prod_123', quantity: 1 }],
  allowed_payment_method_types: ['eps', 'credit', 'debit'],
  billing_currency: 'EUR',
  billing_address: {
    country: 'AT',
    zipcode: '1010'
  },
  return_url: 'https://example.com/success'
});
```

## Multibanco (Portugal)

Multibanco is Portugal's interbank network, offering both online payments and ATM-based payments.

### Payment Options

1. **Online Banking** — Direct bank transfer via internet banking
2. **ATM Payment** — Customer receives a reference to pay at any Multibanco ATM
3. **Mobile Banking** — Payment via bank mobile apps

### How ATM Payment Works

For ATM payments, customers receive a payment reference:

```
Entity: 12345
Reference: 123 456 789
Amount: €50.00
Expiry: 24 hours
```

Customer can pay at any Portuguese ATM or via online banking using this reference.

### Configuration

```javascript theme={null}
const session = await client.checkoutSessions.create({
  product_cart: [{ product_id: 'prod_123', quantity: 1 }],
  allowed_payment_method_types: ['multibanco', 'credit', 'debit'],
  billing_currency: 'EUR',
  billing_address: {
    country: 'PT',
    zipcode: '1000-001'
  },
  return_url: 'https://example.com/success'
});
```

<Note>
  Multibanco ATM payments may have a delay between checkout and actual payment. Monitor webhooks for payment confirmation.
</Note>

## API Method Types

| Type              | Method     | Country     |
| :---------------- | :--------- | :---------- |
| `ideal`           | iDEAL      | Netherlands |
| `bancontact_card` | Bancontact | Belgium     |
| `eps`             | EPS        | Austria     |
| `multibanco`      | Multibanco | Portugal    |

## Multi-Country European Checkout

For businesses serving multiple European countries, include all regional methods:

```javascript theme={null}
const session = await client.checkoutSessions.create({
  product_cart: [{ product_id: 'prod_123', quantity: 1 }],
  allowed_payment_method_types: [
    'ideal',           // Netherlands
    'bancontact_card', // Belgium
    'eps',             // Austria
    'multibanco',      // Portugal
    'credit',          // Fallback
    'debit'            // Fallback
  ],
  billing_currency: 'EUR',
  return_url: 'https://example.com/success'
});
```

Dodo automatically shows only the relevant methods based on customer location. A Dutch customer will see iDEAL; a Belgian customer will see Bancontact.

## Testing

European payment methods can be tested in sandbox mode. The test flow simulates the bank authentication process.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enable test mode">
    Use your Dodo Payments test API keys.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set appropriate billing address">
    Set the billing address country to match the payment method:

    * `NL` for iDEAL
    * `BE` for Bancontact
    * `AT` for EPS
    * `PT` for Multibanco
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete the test flow">
    Follow the simulated bank authentication flow in the test environment.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Always include regional methods for target markets">
    If you sell to Dutch customers, include iDEAL. Not doing so is like not accepting Visa in the US — you'll lose significant sales.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Match currency to region">
    European payment methods require EUR. Ensure your pricing supports Euro transactions.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Handle redirects gracefully">
    All European methods involve redirects to bank sites. Ensure your return URL handling is robust and accounts for users who abandon mid-flow.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Provide card fallbacks">
    Not all European customers have access to these regional methods (tourists, expats, etc.). Always include `credit` and `debit` as fallbacks.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Consider Multibanco timing">
    Multibanco ATM payments may take hours to complete. Don't block fulfillment on immediate payment — use webhooks for async confirmation.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="European method not appearing">
    **Check:**

    1. Customer billing country matches method's country?
    2. Currency set to EUR?
    3. Method included in `allowed_payment_method_types`?

    **Solution:** European methods are strictly regional. A customer with billing country `DE` (Germany) won't see iDEAL, which is Netherlands-only.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Bank authentication failed">
    **Causes:**

    * Customer cancelled during bank authentication
    * Bank's authentication system temporarily unavailable
    * Customer entered incorrect credentials

    **Solution:** Customer should retry. If persistent, suggest trying a different payment method.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Redirect not completing">
    **Causes:**

    * Customer closed browser during bank redirect
    * Network issues during authentication
    * Return URL misconfigured

    **Solution:** Verify return URL is correct and accessible. Ensure it handles both success and failure states.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Multibanco payment pending">
    **Cause:** Customer received payment reference but hasn't paid yet.

    **Solution:** This is expected for ATM-based payments. Wait for webhook confirmation. Reference typically expires in 24-72 hours.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## PSD2 Compliance

All European payment methods comply with PSD2 (Payment Services Directive 2) regulations:

* **Strong Customer Authentication (SCA)** — Built into the bank authentication flow
* **Secure Communication** — All data transmitted via secure channels
* **Consumer Protection** — Full compliance with EU consumer rights

## Related Pages

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Payment Methods Overview" icon="credit-card" href="/features/payment-methods">
    See all supported payment methods.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Adaptive Currency" icon="globe" href="/features/adaptive-currency">
    Currency support and automatic conversion.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Checkout Guide" icon="book" href="/developer-resources/checkout-session">
    Complete checkout implementation guide.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Webhooks" icon="webhook" href="/developer-resources/webhooks">
    Handle payment confirmations asynchronously.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>