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A web payment service is a digital service connected to a website or web app that coordinates an online payment between a payer and a merchant. The term can mean the website’s payment capability or, in a more specific sense, a payment service provider (PSP)—two related but distinct things.
What is a web payment service?
In the broad sense, a web payment service is the capability that lets a website or web application request payment and coordinate the steps needed to complete it. Those steps can involve the payer, merchant, chosen payment method, browser, payment providers, processors, and payment networks. They may be handled by different entities.
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The phrase is not the name of one required product or technical component. In some contexts it describes the overall online payment capability; in others, it may refer to a company that performs payment services. The distinction matters because a website’s checkout interface is not necessarily the company that processes or transfers the payment.
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- The merchant presents payment options. The website or app specifies transaction details and the payment methods it accepts.
- The payer selects a method and authorizes payment. Depending on the method and flow, the payer may authenticate or approve the transaction through a browser, payment app, or provider.
- The payment is submitted for processing. A processor or other participant handles the payment request and communicates with the relevant payment network.
- The transaction is confirmed and funds are transferred. Confirmation and transfer timing depend on the payment instrument and flow; the browser interface alone does not determine when money moves.
The roles can vary: processing may be initiated by the payer, payee, or another party. A browser can facilitate checkout without itself executing the payment or defining how each payment method fulfills it.
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What is the difference between a payment API, PSP, processor, method, and network?
These terms describe different parts of an online payment ecosystem:
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Payment Request API | A browser-facing interface that lets merchants request payment through supported methods with minimal integration. The user agent facilitates the interaction between merchant and user; the API does not specify how every method completes payment. W3C Payment Request API |
| Payment service provider (PSP) | A body that executes payment services. The phrase is not a synonym for a browser API, payment method, or processor. W3C Payment Request API Use Cases |
| Payment processor | An entity that submits and processes payments using an instrument to a payment network. W3C’s use-cases glossary gives Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, Atos, and FedACH as examples; these are terminology examples, not a current product comparison or endorsement. W3C Payment Request API Use Cases |
| Payment instrument or method | The mechanism used to transfer value from payer to payee; W3C examples include cards and digital accounts. W3C Payment Request API Use Cases |
| Payment network | The system responsible for transferring value between entities in the payment ecosystem. W3C Payment Architecture |
What does the browser do?
The W3C Payment Request API is designed to let merchants use one or more payment methods with minimal integration, while the user agent facilitates the flow between merchant and user. It can help coordinate the checkout request, but the payment-method provider’s implementation remains separate. In practical terms, a browser-mediated payment screen and the services that process and transfer funds are not the same layer. W3C Payment Request API
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What should a merchant compare when choosing a payment provider?
There is no single provider choice that follows from the definition. A merchant evaluating services should check the concrete capabilities and responsibilities documented for each option:
- Which payment methods are accepted, and in which locations they are available.
- How checkout is integrated, including whether it uses a browser-facing API, a provider-hosted flow, or another approach.
- Which roles the service performs—for example, whether it provides checkout functionality, processes payments, or connects to a payment network.
- What security, privacy, and regulatory responsibilities the provider says it handles.
The W3C material explains technical roles and web-platform flows; it does not establish current legal definitions or licensing obligations across jurisdictions. The legal meaning of “payment service provider” can depend on the jurisdiction and regulated activity, so merchants should consult current rules for the places where they operate.
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