Get started with Forage

Forage is a set of software tools that retailers of all sizes can use to accept EBT payments online.

There are several ways to integrate with Forage:

• Fully Hosted Checkout
• Custom Checkout
• Forage JS

The best integration option for you depends on how you want to handle split tender.

Decide how to handle split tender

It’s rare that every item in a cart is EBT eligible, so EBT customers often need to use multiple payment methods to pay for an order. For example, an EBT Card pays for EBT eligible items, and a credit/debit card is used for ineligible items or to cover any outstanding balance. This is split tender.

Read on for an introduction to each integration option, or jump to compare integration features.

Explore integration options

Fully Hosted

Forage processes credit/debit card payment methods in addition to EBT cards if you opt for a Fully Hosted Checkout integration.

To capture any payment, your checkout page directs a customer to Forage Checkout. Forage Checkout collects the:

• EBT Card number and PIN to perform a balance check
• Amount of EBT funds to apply to the order total
• Credit/debit card information
• EBT Card PIN to authorize the payment

Forage captures payment from both the EBT Card and the credit/debit card. If the payment capture is successful, then Forage Checkout directs the customer back to your site to confirm the order and view an EBT compliant receipt. If the payment capture fails, then Forage Checkout prompts the customer to retry or cancel the payment.

Fully Hosted is the best integration option if you have limited developer resources.

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Learn more

• Guide to Fully Hosted Checkout

Custom

With Custom Checkout, Forage processes EBT cards, but it's up to you to handle split tender, taxes, and error scenarios.

The customer needs to enter the amount of EBT funds to apply to the order and any credit/debit card details on your website. When the customer is ready to place the order, your site directs them to Forage Checkout to enter their EBT Card PIN to authorize the payment. After the customer enters their EBT PIN, Forage Checkout charges the customer’s EBT Card, and directs the customer back to your checkout page to confirm the order and view an EBT compliant receipt.

Custom Checkout is the best integration option if you have ample developer resources and want to minimize changes to your existing checkout flow.

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Before authorizing the payment, you can optionally use Forage Checkout to check the customer’s EBT balance.

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Learn more

• Guide to Custom Checkout

Forage JS

You can use the Forage JS front-end JavaScript library to embed an inline EBT payment option directly on your checkout page. No redirects required.

With Forage JS, you control the complete checkout experience. In exchange for that flexibility, you're responsible for managing split tender, sales tax, and error scenarios.

Forage JS is the best integration option if you have ample developer resources and your top priority is an inline, customizable EBT payment collection field.

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Learn more

• Forage JS reference docs

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