Supported Payment Methods
The Aurora platform supports a range of payment methods for both online and in-person transactions.
Card Payments
Supported Card Brands
Accepted card brands may vary depending on your merchant account configuration. Contact your account administrator to confirm which brands are enabled.
Aurora supports CEDP (commercial enhanced data program) and Level 3 commercial card processing for B2B transactions. Commercial card data (such as tax amounts, purchase order numbers, and line-item details) can be included to qualify for lower interchange rates. Additionally, some cards are noted as having stricter data requirements. This is for interchange optimization and compliance.
| Card Brand | Credit | Debit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | Yes | Yes | CEDP (commercial enhanced data program) is required. Transaction must include enhanced data fields (such as item descriptions, tax details, invoice numbers), that the Visa CEDP program mandates to qualify for the lower interchange rates. |
| Mastercard | Yes | Yes | Level 3 transaction data is required. |
| American Express | Yes | No | |
| Discover | Yes | Yes | |
| JCB | Yes | No | |
| Diners Club | Yes | No |
Card Transaction Types
| Transaction Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Authorization | Place a hold on the cardholder's funds without capturing them. Useful for verifying a card or reserving an amount before fulfillment. |
| Sale | Authorize and capture funds in a single step. |
| Capture | Capture funds from a previous authorization. |
| Void | Cancel a transaction before it has been settled. |
| Refund | Return funds from a previously settled transaction to the cardholder. |
| Refund Without Reference | Issue a refund without referencing an original transaction. This is a considerably high-risk transaction type, as funds are debited directly from the merchant’s account even if the original sale was not processed through Aurora. |
| Tip Adjustment | Adjust the tip amount on an existing transaction before settlement. |
ACH / Bank Transfers
ACH (automated clearing house) payments allow you to debit or credit funds directly from a customer's bank account.
Account Types
| Account Type | Account Holder Types |
|---|---|
| Checking | Personal, Business |
| Savings | Personal, Business |
ACH Transaction Types
| Transaction Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Debit | Pull funds from the customer's bank account (for example, collecting a payment). |
| Credit | Push funds to the customer's bank account (for example, issuing a payout). |
| Void | Cancel an ACH transaction before it has been processed. |
| Refund | Return funds from a previously completed ACH debit. |
| Hold | Place a hold on an ACH transaction to delay processing. |
| Unhold | Release a previously held ACH transaction for processing. |
SEC Codes
ACH transactions require a SEC (standard entry class) code that indicates how the payment was authorized.
| SEC Code | Name | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| WEB | Internet-Initiated Entry | Payments authorized online or through mobile apps. This is the default. |
| PPD | Prearranged Payment & Deposit | Recurring or one-time payments authorized in writing by the consumer. |
| CCD | Corporate Credit or Debit | Business-to-business transactions. |
| TEL | Telephone-Initiated Entry | Payments authorized over the phone. |
Digital Wallets
Aurora supports digital wallet payments through contactless (NFC [near field communication]) technology on in-person terminals:
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
Digital wallet transactions are processed as contactless EMV payments. No additional API integration is required — customers simply tap their device at the terminal.
Payment Entry Methods
How payment data is captured depends on the channel (online or in-person).
Online Payments
If an ISV is not using Aurora hosted solutions, such as hosted checkout or Aurora Elements, Aurora will require confirmation of PCI PA-DSS compliance (or equivalent validation depending on program scope).
| Entry Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Aurora Elements | Embedded payment form using the Aurora JS library. Card details are captured securely through PCI-compliant iframes. |
| API (Card Not Present) | Submit card or ACH payment data directly through the API. |
In-Person Payments
| Entry Method | Description |
|---|---|
| EMV Chip (Insert) | Customer inserts their card into the terminal for chip-based authentication. |
| Contactless / NFC (Tap) | Customer taps their card or digital wallet device on the terminal. |
| Magnetic Stripe (Swipe) | Customer swipes their card through the terminal's magnetic stripe reader. |
| Manual Entry (Keyed) | Card details are manually entered on the terminal (card-present keyed transaction). |
Currency
All transactions are processed in USD (US Dollars).