Welcome to NMI! This guide will help you get up and running quickly by choosing the right payment acceptance method for your business needs. Throughout the guide we point at our sandbox domain, https://sandbox.nmi.com. Once you are ready to take your integration live you can target the production domain, https://secure.nmi.com.

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Building with AI coding assistant like Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, or Windsurf? Connect the NMI Developer Docs MCP before you start, so your assistant scaffolds this integration from current NMI docs — the Payment Component + NMI REST API — instead of guessing endpoints.
Setup details: Developer Docs MCP for AI Coding Assistants.
Docs-only — no account or auth. (A config-editing agent can even set up the MCP itself once it reads that page.)

Online Payment Methods

Build secure, scalable payment solutions with NMI's comprehensive online payments platform. Whether you're creating a custom checkout experience or need a quick-to-deploy solution, our flexible tools and APIs adapt to your business needs.

Choose how you want your customers to pay online:

Payment Component (Recommended)

Best for: A secure, on-brand checkout with minimal development

Setup Time: A few days

How it works:

A drop-in payment UI embeds directly into your website
Card, ACH, and digital-wallet details are tokenized in the browser—sensitive data never touches your servers
Your server processes the token with the NMI REST API
Fully customizable to match your brand

Next Steps:

Hosted Payment Page

Best for: Quick setup with minimal development

Setup Time: 1-3 days

How it works:

Customers are redirected to a secure payment page
No payment data touches your servers
PCI compliance handled automatically

Next Steps:

Custom Payment Experience

Best for: Complete control over the payment process

Setup Time: 2-4 weeks

How it works:

Build your own payment forms and checkout flow on the NMI REST API
Full control over user experience and design
Pair with the Payment Component to keep card data off your servers

Next Steps:

NMI REST API Documentation

In-Person Payment Methods

Comparison Table

Device / Solution	Form Factor	Integration Method	Supported OS / Platforms	Best For
Tap to Pay on iPhone	Hardware-free, iPhone only	iOS SDK	iOS	Fast setup, no hardware
Tap to Pay on Android	Hardware-free, Android only	Android SDK	Android	Mobile-first businesses
VP3350	Mobile puck or countertop	Android & iOS SDKs	Android, iOS	Merchants needing chip/contactless/magstripe
Lane/Series	Countertop with display & PIN pad	Customer Present Cloud API	OS-agnostic (cloud-based)	High-volume retail POS
Self/Series	Unattended indoor/outdoor	Windows & Linux SDKs	Windows, Linux	Kiosks, vending, self-service

Choose a Device

Hardware-Free Payments

Best for: Mobile-first businesses looking for a fast, minimal setup

How it works:

Accept contactless payments directly on your iPhone

No additional hardware required
Accept contactless payments directly on iPhone
Perfect for service businesses and deliveries
iPhone Setup Guide

Mobile & Countertop Solutions

Best for: Physical card acceptance for mobile or countertop solutions

How it works:

Versatile reader for mobile or countertop payments

Use a compact, wireless device (VP3350)
Accepts chip, swipe, and contactless payments
Works anywhere with internet connection
VP3350 Documentation

Unattended

Best for: Physical card acceptance for mobile or countertop solutions

How it works:

Unattended payment acceptance

Self/Series kiosk for customer self-checkout
Ideal for parking, ticketing, vending, and other self-service use cases
Reduces staff workload while accepting payments 24/7
Self/Series Documentation

Get a Device

Card Simulator

Easily replicate contactless payment experiences in a controlled environment. Test, refine, and validate your integration without using real cards.

Purchase Devices

Get the devices you need to test and launch payments faster.

Existing partners should order test and live devices within the NMI Partner Portal.

What You Get With Every Payment Method

Regardless of how you choose to accept payments, you'll have access to:

Secure Processing: Bank-level security for all transactions
Customer Data Storage: Safe storage of customer payment information with tokenization. Learn more
Transaction Reporting: Detailed reports and analytics for all your payments
Multiple Payment Types: Accept credit cards, debit cards, digital wallets, and more

Still Not Sure Which Method to Choose?

Here's a quick decision guide:

Need to start accepting payments immediately? → Choose Hosted Payment Page
Want payments to feel like part of your website? → Choose Embedded Payments
Need complete control over the payment experience? → Choose Custom Payment Experience
Don't want to manage additional hardware? → Choose Hardware-Free Payments
Have a physical store or fixed location? → Choose Countertop Payments

Ready to start accepting payments? Pick your method above and follow the setup documentation to get started.