There are three ways to take online payments in Trinidad and Tobago: sign up with a local provider such as WiPay, PayWise or Wam and pay a fee on each sale; get a merchant account through your bank and connect it with a gateway such as PowerTranz; or send payment links by WhatsApp, Instagram or email. Which fits depends on your website, sales and customers.
Every fee in this guide is as of November 2026. It comes from the provider’s own pages or from test payments I ran on my own merchant accounts. Providers change their terms, so confirm before you sign up.
What are the ways to accept online payments in Trinidad and Tobago?
There are three routes, and many businesses end up using two of them.
- A local payment provider. Apply directly to WiPay, PayWise or Wam, connect the account to your website or send payment links, and the provider pays your sales out to your business bank account. It’s usually the quickest way to start. You pay a percentage plus a small fixed fee on each sale.
- A bank merchant account plus a gateway. Your bank holds the merchant account, and a gateway such as PowerTranz (formerly First Atlantic Commerce) processes card payments on your website. Expect more paperwork. It suits established businesses with steady sales.
- Payment links. Create a secure payment page for an order or invoice and send the link by WhatsApp, Instagram or email. Your customer pays by card, and you don’t need a website.
Want help choosing and connecting one? See our payment setup for Trinidad and Tobago businesses, from TT$1,500 per gateway.
How do WiPay, PayWise and Wam compare?
You can apply to all three directly. This is what each one publishes or shows in its merchant dashboard, as of November 2026.
| WiPay | PayWise | Wam | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card fee per online payment | 3.5% + TT$1.70 (shown as US$0.25 on invoices) | 3.5% + TT$3.00 | 3.0% + TT$1.50 |
| Who pays the fee | You choose: customer pays, 50/50 split or you absorb it | You choose: customer pays or you absorb it (an on/off setting) | You choose, per Wam’s pricing page |
| Website options | WordPress/WooCommerce plug-in and an API, plus plug-ins listed for Shopify and others | WordPress/WooCommerce plug-in (with a sandbox version for testing) or API; Shopify and Wix plug-ins listed as coming soon | Shopify app; API for custom sites (no WordPress plug-in) |
| Getting paid | To your bank: TT$5 fee, TT$50 minimum, up to 7 working days (usually 5 in my experience). USD: US$11 fee, US$100 minimum, up to 10 working days | TT$2.00 per bank transfer out; 3–5 business days, per PayWise’s 2022 blog (confirm it still applies) | Free payouts; 2 working days to your Wam wallet, then up to 2 to your bank* |
| Approval | 1–2 business days after all documents | Not published | Business verification after you upload documents; no timeframe published |
* From Wam’s support team, by email, 2 November 2026.
What does a TT$500 sale cost with each?
I ran a TT$500 test payment through my own WiPay and PayWise merchant accounts in November 2026.
- WiPay: with the fee absorbed, the invoice showed I’d keep TT$480.80. That’s a TT$19.20 fee, 3.5% plus US$0.25 (about TT$1.70), which matches WiPay’s pricing page. No other fee appeared.
- PayWise: with the customer paying the fee, the payment request added a TT$21.13 processing fee, so the customer would pay TT$521.13. That’s a little more than PayWise’s published 3.5% + TT$3.00 works out to (TT$20.50), so ask PayWise how the fee is calculated on your account.
- Wam: TT$16.50, based on its published fee. I haven’t run a test payment with Wam.
WiPay’s terms also mention a separate transaction fee of 1% to 1.5%. It didn’t show on my test invoice, but ask WiPay whether it applies to your account. Fees matter, but so do payout times and how easily the provider connects to your website.
When does a bank merchant account make more sense?
Choose a bank merchant account when you have steady or higher sales, larger orders, or want card payments tied to your existing bank. You apply through your bank, and a gateway connects the account to your website.
PowerTranz, the company First Atlantic Commerce became, provides the gateway and works with partner banks in Trinidad and Tobago. Fygaro is another option. Its pricing page lists a checkout plug-in from US$4.99 a month and payment links from US$14.99 a month (US prices; confirm yours at sign-up), and card processing costs depend on your bank or payment method.
The trade-offs are more paperwork, a longer application and a website integration that often needs a developer. Ask your bank for its full fee schedule, including any monthly fees, before you commit.
Can I take card payments without a website?
Yes. A payment link sends your customer a secure card payment page by WhatsApp, Instagram or email. WiPay sends invoices and gives you a personal WiPay Me link that customers can pay in TT or US dollars. PayWise offers one-time, recurring and open payment links, plus invoicing. Wam offers payment links and invoices from its app, and Fygaro sells a payment-links plan. If most of your sales happen in chat, this ends the “send me your bank details” back-and-forth.
Some customers would rather pay cash. PayWise covers that too: its 2022 blog says customers can pay at PayWise agents, and its agent directory lists 91 agents across Trinidad and Tobago as of November 2026. Some agents charge a TT$5 convenience fee and some charge nothing.
A website still earns its keep: customers can check you’re real, find you on Google and order again without messaging you first. If that’s what you’re missing, start with a website built to take enquiries and payments.
Can customers outside Trinidad and Tobago pay me?
Possibly, but check before you rely on it. WiPay comes closest to an answer: in a September 2026 notice to its merchants, it said USD card processing is available again, at 5.0% + US$0.30 per transaction, and that it now accepts Discover and American Express for USD payments. Its WiPay Me link lets customers pay in TT or US dollars, and USD you receive can go to a local USD bank account in your name (US$11 fee, US$100 minimum) or be converted to TT dollars inside WiPay. PayWise’s own blog said in 2022 that it accepts local and international cards, so confirm that still applies to your account. Wam’s support team couldn’t confirm it when I asked.
Selling to the diaspora, to tourists or to overseas guests booking in Tobago? Ask each provider these three questions before you sign up:
- Can I accept Visa and Mastercard cards issued outside Trinidad and Tobago?
- What currency is my customer charged in, and what currency do I receive?
- Is there an extra fee on foreign cards?
Is PayPal available in Trinidad and Tobago?
PayPal works in Trinidad and Tobago and has a local help centre, but what you can do depends on your account. PayPal’s own help pages say features differ by market, and that in some countries receiving money requires linking to a licensed local partner. Before relying on PayPal for sales, check in your account whether you can receive payments and withdraw to a local bank, and what each costs.
What does it cost to set up and run?
There are two costs. The provider’s fee is charged on every sale and goes to the provider. Setup is a one-off: you can do it yourself, or pay someone to connect and test it. All three let you choose whether you absorb the fee or pass it to your customer, and WiPay also lets you split it 50/50.
DigiFi publishes its setup prices: from TT$1,500 for WiPay or PayWise, TT$2,000 for Fygaro and TT$7,500 for PowerTranz (FAC), per gateway. Provider fees are separate and paid to the provider.
Which option fits your business?
| Your situation | Usually fits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| No website; you sell on WhatsApp or Instagram | Payment links or invoices (WiPay, PayWise, Wam or Fygaro) | No build needed; send a link per order |
| WordPress or WooCommerce site, starting out | A provider with a WordPress plug-in (WiPay or PayWise) | Connects without custom code |
| Shopify store | WiPay’s listed Shopify plug-in, Wam’s Shopify app, or a bank gateway | Fewer local options plug straight into Shopify |
| Steady or high volumes, larger orders | Bank merchant account + PowerTranz | Bank relationship and terms; more paperwork |
| Customers abroad | WiPay’s USD processing (5.0% + US$0.30), or whichever provider confirms foreign cards for your business | WiPay has announced USD processing and PayWise said in 2022 it accepts international cards; confirm with each provider |
| Customers who prefer to pay cash | PayWise (cash at PayWise agents) | 91 agents listed; some charge a TT$5 convenience fee |
| Tobago villa taking deposits | Payment links or a checkout on your booking page | Deposits without the bank-transfer back-and-forth |
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What does setting it up involve?
The steps are similar for every provider, and approval is always up to the provider.
- Open your business bank account first. Every provider needs somewhere to pay your sales out to.
- Scan every business document before you apply. Have the provider’s full list ready to upload (business registration, ID and the rest), so your application doesn’t stall over one missing file.
- Apply and complete the provider’s setup steps.
- Follow up if approval stalls. When I set up the WiPay plug-in for clients, onboarding was the slow part. Even with every document uploaded and the setup wizard finished, we had to call WiPay’s office to get the application completed. If yours sits, call.
- Connect it to your website or app and test it. Use the plug-in, app or API, and run test payments before you go live. PayWise, for example, offers a sandbox version of its WooCommerce plug-in for exactly this.
- Go live and check your first payout lands in your bank account as expected.
Yes, PayPal works in Trinidad and Tobago, but what you can do depends on your account. PayPal’s own help pages say features differ by market, and some countries need a licensed local partner to receive money. Check in your account whether you can receive payments and withdraw to a local bank before relying on it.
WiPay’s pricing page lists 3.5% + TT$1.70 per online payment in Trinidad and Tobago, as of November 2026. On a TT$500 test invoice from my own WiPay account, the fee was TT$19.20 (3.5% plus US$0.25). WiPay’s terms also mention a separate 1–1.5% transaction fee, so ask WiPay whether it applies to you. USD card payments cost 5.0% + US$0.30 (WiPay merchant notice, September 2026).
No. A payment link or invoice sends your customer a secure card payment page by WhatsApp, Instagram or email. WiPay, PayWise, Wam and Fygaro all offer a version of this. A website still helps customers trust you, find you on Google and order again without messaging you first.
As of November 2026, WiPay lists a Shopify plug-in among its integrations, Wam offers a Shopify app and PayWise lists a Shopify plug-in as coming soon. A bank merchant account through a gateway such as PowerTranz is another route. Check each provider’s current Shopify steps before you start, because platform integrations change.
Yes. In November 2025 the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago registered WAMNOW Technologies Limited, the company behind Wam, to issue electronic money. The notice is on the Central Bank’s website.
It depends on the provider. WiPay’s withdrawal page says TT dollar withdrawals to your bank take up to 7 working days, and in my experience they usually arrive in 5. Wam told me card payments reach your Wam wallet within 2 working days, and a bank withdrawal takes up to 2 more. PayWise’s blog said in 2022 that funds reach your bank within 3 to 5 business days, so confirm that’s still current.
The short version
Starting out with a WordPress site? A local provider with a plug-in is usually the quickest route. Selling mostly in chat? Start with payment links. Higher volumes, or customers mostly abroad? Talk to your bank, and ask the foreign-card questions above first.
If you’d rather have it done for you, see what’s included in our payment setup service. DigiFi sets up and connects payment gateways. We never hold or move your money.
Sources
- Test payments and settings in my own WiPay and PayWise merchant accounts, November 2026
- WiPay notice to merchants: USD payment processing now available, 10 September 2026
- WiPay pricing and WiPay online payments (checked November 2026)
- PayWise fees, PayWise online payments and PayWise WooCommerce plug-in docs (checked November 2026)
- PayWise blog: Accept online payments with PayWise (May 2022) and PayWise agent directory (checked November 2026)
- Wam pricing and Wam for developers (checked November 2026); Wam support team, email of 2 November 2026
- Fygaro pricing (checked November 2026)
