CSAware can process one-time and recurring credit card payments through one of two gateways: Stripe or Authorize.net. You choose your primary processor on the merchant set-up screen, and you can switch later if your needs change. This article summarizes the practical differences so you can decide which fits your farm.
At a glance
| Stripe | Authorize.net | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | Self-serve: create a Stripe account online, no separate provider needed. | Requires a merchant-account provider that supports the Authorize.net gateway. |
| What you enter in CSAware | Publishable key and Secret key from your Stripe dashboard. | API Login ID and API Key, plus turning on the CIM (Customer Information Manager) option. |
| Recurring / auto-billing | Supported, built in. | Supported, but requires CIM to be enabled. |
| Relationships to maintain | Just your Stripe account. | Both your Authorize.net gateway and the merchant-account provider behind it. |
| Time to launch | Fastest — usually ready the same day. | Longer — depends on merchant-account approval. |
About fees
Processing rates and fees are not set or tracked by CSAware. You negotiate them directly with the provider — with Stripe, or with your Authorize.net merchant-account provider. LocalHarvest works closely with Dharma Merchant Services, who offer competitive Authorize.net rates to CSAware users; be sure to mention this relationship for the best possible deal. Compare each provider's current pricing for your expected volume before deciding.
Which should I choose?
- Choose Stripe if you want the simplest, fastest setup with a single account and no third-party merchant provider to manage.
- Choose Authorize.net if you already have (or prefer to set up) a merchant account — for example through Dharma — or if the rates you can negotiate there work better for your volume. For the Authorize.net account and credential steps, see Getting a Merchant Account.
Either way, your members’ checkout experience in CSAware is the same. PayPal / Braintree can also be connected, but for one-time payments only — it cannot be used for recurring auto-billing.
Switching processors
It is technically possible to change your primary processor — you do it on the merchant set-up screen by entering the new gateway’s credentials and saving — but this is not a routine, no-impact change. Read the warning below in full before you switch.
Warning: switching processors disconnects your members’ saved payment profiles.
Switching does not move your members’ saved payment information. Stored card and payment profiles live inside the processor that created them, so changing gateways disconnects every buyer in CSAware from the payment profile held by the old processor. Recurring charges and auto-billing for those members will fail until each one re-enters their payment details under the new processor — which can cause serious billing disruption. Only switch once you fully understand this impact, genuinely intend it, and have a plan to re-collect everyone’s payment information.