WooCommerce Plugin
Accept payments on your WordPress/WooCommerce store in under 30 minutes using the Payments Central redirect-based payment flow.
POST /api/v1/transactions/redirect endpoint to create a
hosted payment session. Customers are redirected to the Payments Central checkout page and returned
to your store after payment.
Requirements
- WordPress 6.0+
- WooCommerce 8.0+
- PHP 8.1+
- A Payments Central account with an API key
- HTTPS enabled on your store
Installation
Option A — WordPress plugin directory (recommended)
- In your WordPress admin go to Plugins → Add New
- Search for Payments Central
- Click Install Now then Activate
Option B — Manual installation
- Download the plugin ZIP from core.payments-central.com/plugins/woocommerce
- In WordPress admin go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
- Upload the ZIP and activate
Configuration
- Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Payments
- Find Payments Central and click Manage
- Enable the gateway by checking Enable Payments Central
- Set the Title shown to customers (e.g. Pay securely)
- Paste your API key:
- Use a
pc_test_key while testing - Switch to a
pc_live_key when ready for real payments
- Use a
- Click Save changes
Webhook configuration
The plugin needs webhooks to update order status after payment. Set up a webhook endpoint:
- Copy your store's webhook URL:
https://yourstore.com/?wc-api=payments_central - In your Payments Central dashboard go to Settings → Webhooks → Add endpoint
- Paste the webhook URL
- Subscribe to:
transaction.captured,transaction.failed,transaction.refunded - Copy the signing secret back into the plugin settings: Webhook Secret
Testing the integration
- Ensure your API key is a test key (
pc_test_) - Place a test order on your store
- You should be redirected to the Payments Central sandbox checkout
- Use test card number
4242 4242 4242 4242, any future expiry, any CVC - After payment, you should be returned to your store's order confirmation page
- Check WooCommerce → Orders — the order status should change to Processing
4242 4242 4242 4242 to simulate a successful payment.
Use 4000 0000 0000 0002 to simulate a decline.
How the payment flow works
Customer places order
Customer clicks "Place order" on WooCommerce checkout.
Plugin creates redirect session
The plugin calls POST /api/v1/transactions/redirect with the order amount and return URLs.
Customer completes payment
Customer is redirected to the Payments Central hosted checkout page and enters card details.
Webhook confirms payment
Payments Central sends a transaction.captured webhook to your store. The plugin updates the WooCommerce order status to Processing.
Customer lands on confirmation page
Customer is redirected to your store's order-received page. The order is complete.
Refunds
You can issue refunds directly from WooCommerce:
- Go to WooCommerce → Orders and open the order
- Click Refund
- Enter the refund amount and reason
- Click Refund via Payments Central
The plugin calls the Payments Central API and the refund is processed against the original gateway.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Orders stuck in "Pending payment" | Check that your webhook URL is reachable and the signing secret matches |
| Gateway not appearing at checkout | Verify the gateway is enabled in WooCommerce → Settings → Payments |
| API key error in settings | Ensure the key is for the correct environment (test vs live) |
| Redirect loop after payment | Check that your return_url is an HTTPS URL on your store |