Updated 13 November 2026. 8 min read.
In short
- A payment gateway is the service that takes a customer's payment in your store or app and tells you for certain whether it was paid.
- In Poland the gateway has to offer BLIK. 53% of online shoppers use it most often, ahead of pay-by-link transfers (13%) and cards (10%) (Gemius, "E-commerce in Poland 2026").
- BLIK handled 1.6 billion transactions worth PLN 244.8 billion in the first half of 2026, with 21.6 million active users (BLIK).
- To accept BLIK you need a payment provider licensed in the EU that supports it. A plugin takes about 15 minutes; business verification takes longer.
If you sell to Polish customers and your checkout only shows card fields, you are asking most of them to pay in a way they rarely use. This guide explains what a payment gateway does, why BLIK matters, and how to start accepting it.
What is a payment gateway?
A payment gateway is a payment provider's service that connects your online store or app to payment methods such as BLIK, cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and bank transfers. It accepts the customer's payment, passes it to the bank or card network, and sends your store the result: paid or not paid.
The gateway is not the plugin or the "Pay" button. Those are just ways to connect to it. Behind every gateway sits a licensed payment institution that settles the money.
What is BLIK?
BLIK is Poland's mobile payment system, built into the banking apps of most Polish banks. To pay online, the customer opens their banking app, gets a six-digit code, types it at checkout and approves the payment in the app. There is no card number and no separate account to create.
BLIK | Card | |
|---|---|---|
What the customer types | A 6-digit code from the banking app | Card number, expiry date, CVC |
Where they approve | In the banking app | Often via 3D Secure |
Share of Polish online shoppers who use it most | 53% | 10% |
Who it suits | Domestic customers on mobile | Foreign customers, subscriptions |
Which payment methods do you need to sell in Poland?
- BLIK, placed first on the list.
- Pay-by-link bank transfers for customers who pay straight from their bank.
- Visa and Mastercard for customers who prefer cards, including visitors from abroad.
- Apple Pay and Google Pay, since 58% of Polish shoppers finish their purchase on a phone (Gemius 2026).
- Buy now, pay later, for example PayPo, if your basket is larger.
How does accepting BLIK work, step by step?
- The customer places an order and picks BLIK.
- Your store creates the payment through the gateway.
- The customer types the 6-digit code from their banking app.
- The customer approves the payment in the app.
- The bank confirms to the gateway within seconds.
- The gateway sends your server a confirmation (a webhook). That, not the customer returning to your "Thank you" page, is your proof of payment.
- The money reaches you on the payout schedule in your contract.
What do you need to start accepting BLIK?
- A payment provider that offers BLIK and is licensed or registered in the EU. In Poland, check the provider in the KNF (Polish Financial Supervision Authority) register of payment service providers.
- A business the provider can verify. Verification is a legal requirement for every provider.
- An integration: a plugin for your store platform (about 15 minutes), an SDK that keeps the payment inside your store, a REST API, or a payment link or QR code if you have no store.
- Prices in PLN. BLIK is a Polish złoty method.
8 questions to ask a payment gateway before you sign
- Is BLIK included as standard, and which methods cost extra?
- What is the full cost: percentage, fixed fee per transaction, setup, monthly fee, payouts, refunds?
- When does the money reach you, and in which currency?
- Is there a fixed-term contract or an exit fee?
- Can you test in a sandbox from day one?
- Does the customer pay on your site, or get redirected?
- Is the provider in the KNF register or licensed in another EU country?
- Does the payment page work in English for your team and in Polish for your customers?
Paymove Checkout
Paymove Checkout is a payment gateway for online stores, apps and online services selling in Poland. Paymove is a Small Payment Institution in the Polish register of payment service providers (MIP 245/2024), supervised by the KNF.
- Methods: BLIK, Visa and Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, pay-by-link transfers and PayPo.
- Integration: a plugin, an SDK that renders the payment inside your interface, a REST API with webhooks, or one prompt: paste
https://docs.paymove.io/skill.mdinto ChatGPT, Claude or another model and the agent sets up payments with you. Docs: docs.paymove.io. - Pricing: PLN 0 setup, PLN 0 per month and 1.29% per transaction, a base rate that goes down as your business grows. No fixed fee per transaction. You pay the fee only after the money reaches you.
- Payouts: automatic, on every working day.
- Contract: no fixed term and no exit fee. You can run Paymove next to your current gateway and compare after a month.
- Currency: PLN.
- Who can sign up: businesses registered in Poland. Support for businesses registered outside Poland is coming soon.
FAQ
What is a payment gateway in simple terms? The service that lets a customer pay in your online store and tells you for certain that they did.
Can a foreign company accept BLIK payments? Yes, through a payment provider that supports BLIK and can verify your business. Ask the provider which company types and countries it accepts. At Paymove, support for businesses registered outside Poland is coming soon.
Is BLIK only for Polish customers? BLIK is built into Polish banking apps and works in PLN, so it serves customers with a Polish bank account.
Is a payment gateway the same as a payment processor? Not quite. The gateway is what the customer pays through. The processor passes card data to the card network and the bank. Most providers sell both as one service.
How long does it take to start accepting BLIK? The plugin takes about 15 minutes. Verifying your business takes longer and depends on the provider and your documents. At Paymove, card payments are switched on after business verification (KYC) and a risk assessment.
How much does a payment gateway cost in Poland? Usually a percentage per transaction, sometimes plus a fixed fee, setup and monthly fees. Paymove charges 1.29% with no setup, monthly or fixed fee.
Can an AI agent set up the gateway? Yes. With Paymove you give the agent one link with instructions and it configures payments. Customers can also pay with BLIK inside a conversation with an AI assistant: see Agentic payments.
Sources: Gemius and IAB Poland, "E-commerce in Poland 2026" (CAWI, 1,874 internet users, 14 to 22 July 2026); BLIK, results for H1 2026; KNF register of payment service providers.
