---
updatedAt: 2026-09-03T22:10:29.000Z
agentTools:
  projectIndex: https://docs.joinforage.app/llms.txt
---

# Introduction

A Hosted integration embeds Forage-hosted EBT screens into your existing checkout flow. Each screen is one server-side API call and one redirect. Today you can add a balance check and PIN entry.

With a Hosted integration, you keep your existing credit/debit processor and handle [split tender](https://docs.joinforage.app/docs/get-started#decide-how-to-handle-split-tender). You're also responsible for handling taxes and complex associated error scenarios independently of Forage.

Hosted is the best integration type for merchants that want to use Forage for EBT payments while minimizing changes to their existing checkout flow.

<Image title="Balance_PIN_Pad.PNG" alt={949} align="center" border={true} src="https://files.readme.io/7034389-Custom.svg">
  An example EBT PIN collection component for a balance inquiry
</Image>

## Features

* UI component for collecting an EBT Card PIN for a balance check or payment capture
* Error handling for EBT-related failures
* Customizable logo field

## How it works

### Tokenize an EBT PAN (card number)

<Image alt="A diagram of the process to tokenize an EBT Card with Forage" align="center" src="https://files.readme.io/925bb5a-Payment_Method_Updated.png" />

### Check the balance of an EBT account

> ⚠️ Balance Inquiry Restrictions
>
> Customers checking out as a guest are not permitted to perform balance checks by FNA regulation. Ensure you pass a `cusomter_id` when creating a balance session.

<Image alt="A diagram of the process to create a Forage Balance Session" align="center" src="https://files.readme.io/5b58cf8-Balance_Session_Updated.png" />

### Capture a payment

<Image alt="A diagram of the Forage Hosted Payment Capture session" align="center" src="https://files.readme.io/70f7e27-custom_capture_flow.png" />

## Requirements

In addition to the universal [prerequisites for working with Forage](https://docs.joinforage.app/docs/overview#prerequisites), if you're building a Hosted integration, then you're responsible for building the following features into your app:

* Collecting the customer's EBT card number
* UI for a customer to set EBT SNAP and EBT Cash amounts
* Credit/debit card processing
* Split tender
* Sales tax calculation that exempts the SNAP tendered amount

## Coming Soon

Benefits summary, adjusting benefits, and benefits receipt are all in active development. This will enable Hosted Checkout to provide more functionality to shoppers while alleviating more of the compliance and maintenance burden from merchants.

## Next steps

* [Build a Hosted Checkout integration](https://docs.joinforage.app/docs/hosted-quickstart)

# Sibling pages

* [Quickstart](https://docs.joinforage.app/docs/hosted-quickstart.md)
* [Reuse Payment Methods](https://docs.joinforage.app/docs/hosted-reuse-payment-methods.md)
* [Errors](https://docs.joinforage.app/docs/hosted-errors.md)