What donors see at checkout, by payment method

Every donor walks the same three steps — amount, details, payment — but what happens at the payment step depends on how they choose to pay. Knowing each path helps you answer donor questions confidently ("it sent me to another page — is that normal?") and read your dashboard correctly.

For the general step-by-step, see How donors complete a donation. This article zooms into the payment moment itself.

Cards — the inline path

The donor types their card number, expiry, and security code directly in the checkout. Card details travel straight to the payment processor — Pledgix never stores raw card numbers.

• Extra verification, when required: some banks require the donor to confirm the payment (a code from their banking app, for example). This challenge appears right inside the checkout — no page change — and takes seconds.
• Confirmation: instant. The donor sees the Thank You screen with where their receipt was sent, and the gift appears in your dashboard as Approved immediately.

Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Link

When wallet payments are enabled, donors on supported devices see one-tap wallet buttons — on both Stripe-connected campaigns and the standard Pledgix rail (where wallets are offered for one-time USD gifts). Link is Stripe-specific. The wallet sheet slides up, the donor confirms with a fingerprint or face, and the flow completes inline — same instant confirmation as a card, often faster because nothing is typed.

In your dashboard these online wallet gifts arrive as Credit Card — they aren't distinguished from typed card payments. (The Apple Pay / Google Pay method labels are used for manual and imported donations you record yourself.)

Charity cards (DAF)

On campaigns that accept them, the payment step offers a charity card option alongside the regular card fields. Donors with an OJC, The Donors' Fund, Pledger, or Matbia card enter it there, and donors with an iMaaser account can grant directly from it. The gift is a grant from the donor's charitable fund — it confirms in the checkout like a card payment and lands in your dashboard as Charity Card, with the issuing fund on the record. (Charity cards aren't offered on Political campaigns or campaigns marked not tax-deductible.)

Redirect-based methods

A few payment options (certain app-based and bank-based methods offered through Stripe) briefly send the donor away to approve the payment — to their payment app or bank — and then return them to your campaign page automatically. Two things to know:

• The redirect is normal and secure. Donors sometimes worry when the page changes; you can reassure them the round trip is part of the payment approval.
• Confirmation can be delayed. Bank-based methods may take a few business days to clear. The donor sees: "Your payment is processing. It can take a few business days to clear — we'll email your confirmation once it completes." The donation sits as Pending in your dashboard and flips to Approved automatically when the processor confirms — no action needed from you.

Donations by phone

If your campaign's phone line is enabled, donors call in and complete the gift with their phone keypad — amount, then card number. There's no email step on the keypad, so no email receipt is sent for phone gifts — instead, right after donating the caller can press 2 to get a receipt by text message. Phone gifts appear in your dashboard labeled as phone donations. See Donations by phone.

What every method shares

Regardless of path, all online donations share the same guardrails:

• The security check. Every donation passes an invisible bot check before any charge is attempted. Real donors almost never notice it; if it can't verify, the donor sees a message asking them to complete the challenge and try again.
• Currency clarity. Donors paying in a different currency than your campaign's see both numbers — what they'll pay (You Pay) and what it equals toward your goal — before confirming.
• The Go tip. On free Pledgix Go campaigns, checkout invites the donor to add an optional tip to Pledgix on top of their gift. The tip is charged with the payment but never counts toward your campaign total or payout.
• The receipt promise. The email field notes "Your receipt will be sent here", and successful gifts trigger the automatic PDF receipt — anonymous gifts included (phone gifts get a text-message receipt instead — see Donation receipts).
• Declines are graceful. A declined payment shows the donor a clear reason — like "Your card was declined. Please try a different card or contact your bank." — and lets them try again. See Troubleshooting a declined donation.

Quick reference

| Method | Where it happens | Confirmation | |---|---|---| | Card | Inline in checkout | Instant | | Charity card / DAF | Inline in checkout | Instant | | Apple Pay / Google Pay / Link | Inline wallet sheet | Instant | | Redirect-based methods | Brief round trip, auto-return | Instant to a few business days | | Phone keypad | On the call | Instant, text-message receipt offered |

Tip: When a donor reports something odd at checkout, ask which payment method they used — it usually explains the experience instantly, especially "I got redirected" (normal for some methods) and "I haven't gotten a confirmation email yet" (normal for methods still clearing, and expected for phone gifts).