GoCardless API · Direct Debit · Open Banking · UK
GoCardless API Integration.
Custom GoCardless API integration for UK businesses — automated Direct Debit mandate creation, recurring payment collection, variable billing, failed payment handling and open banking payments built directly into your platform. Fixed price. You own the code.
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What it does
What the GoCardless API provides.
The GoCardless API provides programmatic access to Direct Debit collection and open banking payments — creating mandates, scheduling payments, collecting variable amounts and handling the full payment lifecycle via webhooks. No chargebacks, lower fees than card payments at scale, and variable amounts from existing mandates without requiring fresh customer authorisation.
A custom integration builds Direct Debit collection directly into your platform. Mandate creation at customer signup. Recurring payments scheduled automatically. Failed payment retry logic and access suspension triggered by webhook events. Xero reconciliation when payment confirms. The entire payment cycle runs without anyone manually managing GoCardless.
Who it’s for
Who uses a GoCardless API integration.
SaaS and subscription platforms
Direct Debit mandates created at signup, monthly or annual subscription payments collected automatically on schedule, access provisioned or suspended based on payment status, failed payment retry logic and dunning flow all handled automatically. For platforms billing hundreds or thousands of customers monthly where card chargebacks and expiry management are a real operational overhead, GoCardless eliminates both.
Membership organisations and clubs
Monthly or annual membership fees collected via Direct Debit — mandate authorisation embedded in the member signup journey, renewals automated, fee increases applied across existing mandates without re-authorisation, lapsed members flagged and followed up automatically. Replaces standing orders and manual collection with a fully automated membership billing system.
Service businesses replacing manual invoice chasing
B2B service businesses — agencies, consultancies, facilities management, professional services — that currently issue invoices and wait to see if clients pay. GoCardless collects the invoice amount directly from the client’s bank account on the due date against an authorised mandate. No chasing, no uncertainty, no late payments. Invoice confirmed in Xero when payment settles.
Variable and metered billing platforms
Usage-based billing — cloud platforms, telecoms, energy, any service where the monthly charge varies. GoCardless Direct Debit mandates allow variable amounts without re-authorisation, making it the most practical mechanism for metered billing. The amount is calculated at the end of each period and collected against the existing mandate with the required advance notice.
Platforms combining Direct Debit with Stripe
The most effective recurring billing setup for many UK businesses: Stripe for the initial payment at signup (immediate card confirmation, immediate access), GoCardless for ongoing recurring billing (lower fees, no chargebacks, no card expiry). The integration handles the transition automatically — mandate created in the background at signup, billing switches to Direct Debit from the second period onwards.
Why custom
Why a plugin won’t cut it.
GoCardless plugins for WooCommerce handle fixed recurring amounts in standard WooCommerce subscription scenarios. Anything beyond that requires a custom build.
Variable amounts
Plugins only handle fixed recurring charges. Custom integrations collect any amount against existing mandates — invoice-driven, usage-based or ad hoc — without requiring new authorisation.
Access provisioning
Plugins don’t implement custom access control based on payment status. A custom integration suspends access on payment failure and reinstates immediately on recovery.
Xero reconciliation
GoCardless payments automatically applied to Xero invoices when confirmed. Payouts creating Xero bank transactions. No manual reconciliation.
No vendor dependency
You own the code outright. No ongoing SaaS fees, no plugin update risk, no limits on what the billing logic can do.
The process
How a GoCardless API integration is built.
Scoped before anything is built. Fixed price agreed in writing. Tested in GoCardless sandbox before going live.
Scoping
We map your payment model — fixed or variable, frequency, mandate flow, access provisioning rules, failed payment handling and any accounting sync requirements. Open banking scope confirmed if applicable.
Fixed-price quote
Clear, itemised quote before work begins. Scope agreed in writing. No surprises mid-project.
GoCardless setup and authentication
API credentials configured, webhook endpoint set up and verified, sandbox environment tested with all relevant payment scenarios before connecting to live.
Build and integration
Mandate creation flow, payment scheduling, webhook handlers, failed payment logic, access provisioning and any accounting sync built to specification and integrated with your platform.
Testing and handover
Full testing in GoCardless sandbox across all scenarios — successful payment, failed payment, mandate cancellation, payout events. Complete technical documentation. You own the code.
The deliverable
What’s included.
What I build
- GoCardless API authentication and secure credential management
- Mandate creation flow — hosted or custom embedded
- Recurring payment scheduling — fixed or variable amounts
- Webhook handler for all payment lifecycle events
- Failed payment retry logic and customer notification
- Access provisioning and suspension based on payment status
- Xero invoice reconciliation when payment confirms (if in scope)
- Payout bank transaction creation for reconciliation
- Technical handover document
What’s not included
- GoCardless account setup — free at gocardless.com, identity verification takes 1–3 days
- Customer email templates — mandate confirmation, payment notification, failed payment (I trigger them; you own the templates)
- Xero subscription — required separately if reconciliation is in scope
- SEPA Direct Debit for European mandates (quoted separately if needed)
- Changes to your platform outside the integration scope
Pricing
Fixed-price builds. No hidden costs.
Every build is scoped and quoted at a fixed price. GoCardless’s API is free to access — transaction fees (0.5% + 20p, capped at £4 per UK Bacs payment) are charged by GoCardless directly.
Standard Direct Debit
£995
~1–2 weeks
Mandate creation flow, recurring payment scheduling, webhook handling for confirmed and failed payments, and failed payment retry logic. For SaaS platforms, membership organisations and service businesses needing automated Direct Debit collection with fixed recurring amounts.
- Mandate creation — hosted or custom flow
- Fixed recurring payment scheduling
- Webhook handler — confirmed, failed, cancelled
- Failed payment retry logic
- Customer notification triggers
- Error handling and logging
- Variable amount billing
- Xero reconciliation
- Open banking payments
Variable Billing
£1,995
~2 weeks
Everything in Standard, plus variable Direct Debit amounts against existing mandates, access provisioning logic, and Xero reconciliation. For SaaS with usage-based pricing, B2B invoice collection, and platforms where payment status should automatically control customer access.
- Everything in Standard Direct Debit
- Variable amount collection against mandates
- Access provisioning & suspension logic
- Xero invoice reconciliation on payment confirm
- GoCardless payout bank transaction creation
- Audit log of all payment and access events
Open Banking Suite
from £2,495
~3+ weeks
Combined Direct Debit and GoCardless Instant Bank Pay for businesses needing both mechanisms — recurring billing via Direct Debit, immediate payments via open banking for signup, one-off charges or failed payment recovery. Scope varies; quoted individually after scoping.
- Everything in Variable Billing
- GoCardless Instant Bank Pay integration
- Hybrid payment flow — card/open banking at signup
- Immediate access provisioning on open banking confirm
- Failed Direct Debit recovery via open banking
- Fixed price agreed after scoping
Payment terms: 50% on agreement, balance on completion before handover. GoCardless account setup is free at gocardless.com — live account identity verification typically takes 1–3 days.
Common questions
GoCardless API FAQ.
What is GoCardless and how is it different from Stripe?
GoCardless processes bank-to-bank Direct Debit payments — money moves from the customer’s bank account directly, with no card network involved. Stripe processes card payments. GoCardless has no chargebacks, lower fees at scale (capped at £4 per UK payment), and variable amounts without re-authorisation. Stripe confirms payments instantly; GoCardless Bacs takes 3–5 working days. See the GoCardless vs Stripe guide for the full comparison.
Can GoCardless collect variable amounts from existing mandates?
Yes — this is one of GoCardless’s most useful features for businesses. Once a customer authorises a mandate, you can collect any amount against it with appropriate advance notice. Invoice amounts, usage charges, ad hoc fees — no fresh authorisation required each time.
What happens when a GoCardless payment fails?
GoCardless fires a payment failed webhook event with a failure reason. The integration handles this: retrying on a defined schedule, notifying the customer, suspending access if the payment remains uncollected. If the customer cancels their mandate directly with their bank, a separate mandate cancelled event fires and the integration handles that separately.
Can it integrate with Xero for automatic reconciliation?
Yes — the Variable Billing tier includes Xero reconciliation. GoCardless payment confirmed webhooks trigger automatic payment application to the matching Xero invoice. Payouts create Xero bank transactions. See the GoCardless and Xero integration guide for the full detail.
Does GoCardless work for B2B Direct Debit?
Yes. GoCardless supports Bacs Direct Debit for both consumer and business bank accounts in the UK, and SEPA Direct Debit for European business accounts. The mandate authorisation process works for both individual and business accounts.
What is GoCardless Instant Bank Pay?
Instant Bank Pay is GoCardless’s open banking product — immediate one-off bank transfers where the customer authenticates with their bank and payment confirms in seconds rather than the 3–5 day Bacs window. Useful for initial signups, deposits, one-off purchases and recovering failed Direct Debit payments where immediate confirmation matters.
How long does a GoCardless integration take?
Standard Direct Debit takes one to two weeks. Variable Billing takes approximately two weeks. Open Banking Suite takes three weeks or more depending on scope. Timeline starts once GoCardless credentials are available, scope is agreed and the deposit is paid.
Can it work alongside Stripe?
Yes — Stripe for initial card payment and immediate access provisioning at signup, GoCardless for ongoing recurring billing. The integration handles the transition automatically. See the GoCardless vs Stripe guide for how the two work together.
A GoCardless integration is most useful as part of a custom-built business website, supported by search engine optimisation to keep a steady flow of new customers coming in.
Need GoCardless API integration built?
Describe your payment model, your platform and what you currently do manually — I’ll come back with a straight answer on what’s involved and what it costs. Fixed price, no obligation.
