Payment Testing Webinar: Discussion Highlights + Full Recording

Another TestFort webinar is done! This week, our QA Leads, Michael Tomara and Igor Kovalenko, sat down with Bruce Mason to discuss the specifics, challenges, and best practices of payment system testing. 

Check out the highlights from the talk that will help you take your payment solution testing efficiency to the next level, and be sure to watch the webinar recording to catch the entire discussion.

Watch the webinar recording right now to catch the entire discussion, and check out the interview highlights from the talk that will help you take your payment solution testing efficiency to the next level.

Why Payment Testing Is Essential

Payments are at the core of digital transactions, and any failure can lead to lost revenue, security risks, and customer frustration. The need for payment app testing, payment gateway testing, and payment software testing continues to grow, driven by:

• Rising transaction volumes that can overload systems
• Strict regulatory requirements to protect customer data
• Complex integrations with third-party services, banks, and fraud prevention tools
• User expectations for seamless payments across web and mobile platforms

Without thorough testing, payment systems may fail under load, suffer from security vulnerabilities, or cause compliance violations that result in fines and legal risks.

The Four Core Areas of Payment Testing

Effective payment system testing is divided into four key areas:

1. Functional testing

Ensures that payments work as expected — from selecting a payment method to completing a transaction.

2. Performance testing

Verifies that the system can handle peak loads during high-traffic periods, preventing slowdowns or failures.

3. Security testing

Protects customer data and financial information by testing for fraud risks, encryption flaws, and unauthorized access.

4. Integration testing

Checks how the system interacts with third-party services such as banks, verification providers, and tax calculation tools. Each integration can introduce new risks that must be carefully tested.

Beyond the Basics: Additional Testing Types

Apart from the core areas listed in the previous chapter, other testing types also play a critical role in payment software testing:

• Localization testing. Ensures payments function across different countries, currencies, and tax rules.
• Usability testing. Focuses on user experience — how easy and intuitive the payment process is.
• Mobile testing. Examines mobile-specific payment app testing issues like interruptions, low battery, or network loss during transactions.
• Accessibility testing. Used to make sure payment flows are usable for all users, including those with disabilities.

Challenges in Testing Payment Systems

• Multiple payment solutions. Many systems support various payment providers, requiring testers to have access to different local services and country-specific authorization. This makes global payment gateway testing more complex.
• Testing third-party services. A smart approach is to test in combinations — for example, selecting one payment method + one shipping method or one country + one currency to maximize coverage.
• Tax calculation logic. Different shipping methods have different tax rules, and the final amount should be adjusted accordingly and correctly. Testing on both frontend and backend ensures accuracy.

Negative Testing: Expect the Unexpected

In payment software testing, negative scenarios are just as important as positive ones. Some key cases to test include:

• User mistakes: Clicking the payment button twice, entering incorrect credentials, or using an expired card.
• Third-party failures: Unavailable banking services or incorrect responses from payment providers.
• System errors: Ensuring that failed transactions don’t charge users multiple times.
• Security threats: Account blocking after repeated failed login attempts to prevent fraud.

A well-tested system not only prevents errors but also provides clear notifications so users always know what’s happening with their transactions.

Best Practices for Payment Testing

• Formalize requirements: Start with clear documentation, including regional compliance standards.
• Clarify exceptions with business owners: Define what should happen in scenarios like a payment method or currency isn’t available in the customer’s location.
• Understand the difference between penetration and security testing: Penetration testing focuses on finding system vulnerabilities and often involves also testing the hardware, while security testing ensures data protection, encryption, and authentication.

For more practical tips and best practices on testing payment systems, check out the full webinar recording.