# Merchant Onboarding

Merchant onboarding registers and verifies a business so it can accept payments. Pick the flow based on how much UX control and engineering time you want.

### Pick an Onboarding Flow

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Hosted Merchant Onboarding</strong></td><td>Fastest launch. Hosted, configurable, and white-labelled.</td><td><a href="merchant-onboarding/hosted-merchant-onboarding">Learn more</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Merchant Onboarding via Partner Portal</strong></td><td>No build. Submit applications in a portal workflow.</td><td><a href="merchant-onboarding/merchant-onboarding-via-partner-portal">Learn more</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Merchant Onboarding via API</strong></td><td>Most control. Embed onboarding into your product.</td><td><a href="merchant-onboarding/merchant-onboarding-via-api">Learn more</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

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Rule of thumb:

* Need the quickest go-live: use **Hosted**.
* Need zero engineering: use **Partner Portal**.
* Need full UX + data flow control: use the **API**.
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### Comparison Matrix

| Criteria               | [Hosted Merchant Onboarding](https://docs.xplorpay.com/getting-started/getting-started/our-products/merchant-onboarding/hosted-merchant-onboarding) | [Merchant Onboarding via Partner Portal](https://docs.xplorpay.com/getting-started/getting-started/our-products/merchant-onboarding/merchant-onboarding-via-partner-portal) | [Merchant Onboarding via API](https://docs.xplorpay.com/getting-started/getting-started/our-products/merchant-onboarding/merchant-onboarding-via-api) |
| ---------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Primary goal**       | Launch a configurable onboarding flow with minimal build.                                                                                           | Submit applications manually in a portal.                                                                                                                                   | Build a fully embedded onboarding experience.                                                                                                         |
| **Best for**           | Partners who want speed and consistency.                                                                                                            | Teams who want a simple process and no integration.                                                                                                                         | Platforms who need full control and deep integration.                                                                                                 |
| **Integration effort** | Low                                                                                                                                                 | None                                                                                                                                                                        | High                                                                                                                                                  |
| **Who owns the UX**    | Xplor Pay hosted UI (configurable, white-labeled)                                                                                                   | Partner Portal UI                                                                                                                                                           | You (your app/UI)                                                                                                                                     |
| **Customization**      | Field and workflow configuration                                                                                                                    | Fixed experience                                                                                                                                                            | Full control                                                                                                                                          |

### Next Step

Once merchants are approved, move on to [Payment Processing](https://docs.xplorpay.com/getting-started/getting-started/our-products/payment-processing).

### Need Help (or want it fully managed)?

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If you want a hands-off rollout, we can support onboarding setup and go-to-market planning.

<a href="https://xplorpay.com/getting-started/" class="button primary">Get in touch</a>
{% endhint %}