How to accept card payments in an online store in Albania
Banks and licensed institutions offering online payments, what PayPal allows, why Stripe is not an option and how to combine cards with cash on delivery.
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To accept card payments in an online store in Albania, you need an agreement with a bank offering a virtual POS, or with an institution licensed by the Bank of Albania, and then a connection between that service and your store. Stripe is not available to businesses in Albania, and PayPal has limits you need to check in your own account. Cards can be offered alongside cash on delivery and bank transfer.
The provider information below was checked on their own pages on 7 October 2026. Terms change, so confirm them with the provider before deciding.
Options at a glance
| Method | How it works | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual POS from a bank | The bank processes the card payment and settles the amount to the business account. | An account with the bank, documents, currencies and the connection to your platform. |
| Licensed institution | An electronic money institution processes the payment through its own gateway. | Its licence, accepted cards, plugins for your platform and settlement times. |
| Payment link | The customer receives a link to pay for a specific order. | Suits orders taken by message; it does not replace a store checkout. |
| PayPal | The customer pays with a PayPal account. | Whether your account can receive payments, from which countries, and how funds are withdrawn. |
| Cash on delivery | The courier or post office collects payment and passes it to the business. | Settlement times, refused parcels and reconciliation. |
| Bank transfer | The customer pays before dispatch. | How long an order stays pending and who confirms payment. |
1. A virtual POS from a bank in Albania
Several banks publish online card payment services. Examples from their own pages:
- Raiffeisen Bank: an ecommerce service using 3D security for Visa and Mastercard, with recurring payments, payment links, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Service page.
- BKT: a virtual POS for Visa and Mastercard cards, with payments in lek, euro or both. It requires a BKT account, a QKB extract, the NIPT and the company statute; the applicant must own the website. The bank provides an integration manual and publishes its fees on the page. Service page.
- Banka Credins: a virtual POS for businesses with a registration certificate, NIPT and an active Credins business account. Service page.
- Fibank: “Pay by Link”, an alternative for businesses without payments on their website yet. Service page.
This list is not complete and is not a recommendation. Other banks may offer the service without publishing it, so also ask the bank that holds your business account. List of licensed banks.
Questions to ask before applying:
- Which documents and which account are required?
- In which currency does the customer pay, and in which are funds settled?
- What are the set-up, annual, per-transaction and refund fees?
- How many days until funds reach the account?
- Is there a test environment and an integration guide for your platform?
- How are refunds and payment disputes handled?
2. Licensed payment institutions
The Bank of Albania also licenses electronic money institutions and payment institutions. Its register of licensed entities shows which are active. Two examples that publish online payment services:
- Paysera Albania: an electronic money institution licensed in Albania. Its payment gateway accepts Visa, Mastercard and Maestro and offers plugins for WooCommerce, PrestaShop, OpenCart, Magento, Shopify and Ecwid. Payment gateway.
- POK: an electronic money institution licensed by the Bank of Albania, offering online payment acceptance and payment links. POK website.
As with a bank, check the licence in the register and ask for the terms in writing. A ready-made plugin makes the connection easier, but it does not replace a test order.
3. PayPal and Stripe
PayPal accounts in Albania are covered by PayPal’s international user agreement. It says the ability to receive payments varies by country and can be checked by logging in to your account. User agreement. The Albanian fees page covers receiving international transactions and withdrawing funds to a bank account in lek. PayPal business fees. According to PayPal, a transfer to a local bank account may take up to 7 business days.
Before making PayPal your main payment method, use your business account to test a payment from a buyer in Albania, one from abroad and a withdrawal to your bank. That shows what works in your case.
Stripe, which many stores abroad use, does not include Albania in its list of supported countries. Themes or plugins that depend on Stripe are not a solution for a business registered in Albania.
4. Cash on delivery and bank transfer
Cash on delivery does not need a payment gateway: the courier or post office collects the amount and passes it to the business. For example, Posta Shqiptare’s ecommerce package includes payment on delivery and settling the amounts on the business’s behalf. Agree with your courier:
- how quickly and how collected amounts are passed on;
- what happens, and who pays, when a customer refuses a parcel;
- how you receive a report reconciling orders with payments.
For high-value orders or personalised products, you can ask for confirmation by phone or advance payment. Bank transfer suits business customers; decide how many days an order stays pending and who confirms the payment.
5. Invoicing and fiscalisation
Online sales are invoiced under Albania’s fiscalisation rules. According to the tax administration’s FAQ, when an order is contracted and paid through an online store, the invoice does not need to be printed on paper and can be sent to the buyer by email or as an electronic invoice.
Obligations differ by payment method, for example a card payment online or cash handed to a courier. Agree the process with your accountant before launch and make sure the store keeps the data the invoice needs.
6. Test payments before launch
- Successful payment: the order is marked paid only after confirmation from the payment system.
- Declined card or failed verification: the order is not marked paid and the customer understands what to do.
- Cancellation: the customer returns to the cart without losing the products.
- Refresh or double click: no duplicate payment is created.
- Refund: the amount is returned and the order status updates.
- Notifications: the customer and the business receive the right emails.
The full list of order tests is in our guide to starting an online store.
Illustrative example: a store adding card payments
A small homeware store starts with cash on delivery and bank transfer. After a few months, customers abroad ask to pay by card. The owner asks the bank that holds the business account, and a licensed institution, about documents, currencies, fees and the connection to the platform. The owner chooses the provider that connects to the store without changing the ordering process, tests payments in the test environment and keeps cash on delivery for customers in Albania.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use WSPay?
WSPay is a Croatian payment gateway, part of Monri Payments. Its public pages cover Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro; we found no service there for businesses registered in Albania. Ask a bank or licensed institution in Albania instead.
Do I need an account with the same bank?
At BKT and Credins, yes, according to their published terms. For other providers, ask before applying.
How much do card payments cost?
Fees are set by the bank or provider and can change. Ask for a written quote covering set-up, the annual fee, each transaction and refunds, and compare it with the cost of cash on delivery.
If you are planning a store, read how to prepare products, payments and delivery or explore our online store service. You can also send us the terms your bank or provider has given you, and we will explain what connecting them to your store involves. Get in touch.