Set Up Westpac & St. George PayWay NET Payment Gateway for WooCommerce
11 mins read

Set Up Westpac & St. George PayWay NET Payment Gateway for WooCommerce

Table of Contents

Introduction

Running an online store in Australia means choosing the right payment gateway. For WooCommerce users working with Westpac or St. George, the PayWay NET Payment Gateway is a smart solution. It helps process credit card payments quickly and securely within your WooCommerce store.

This plugin is made for businesses that want to offer a trusted and reliable checkout process. It directly integrates Westpac PayWay NET or St. George PayWay NET with WooCommerce. Thus, third-party systems are not required.

Major credit cards like these are accepted by you:

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express (with activation)
  • Diners Club and JCB (with activation)

The plugin supports both new and established Australian businesses. It’s ideal for merchants who want to meet local banking standards while keeping customer payments safe.

Why Use the Westpac & St. George PayWay NET Plugin?

This plugin is not just another payment tool. It offers:

  • Full support for Australian payment rules
  • Direct connection to trusted banks
  • Simple compliance with PCI security standards
  • Integration options for flexible checkout

Many businesses prefer this gateway because it helps avoid storing card data. This reduces risk and lowers the effort needed for compliance. Customers also trust a branded, bank-backed payment page more.

Who Should Use It?

This plugin is perfect for:

  • WooCommerce users with a Westpac or St. George account
  • Stores selling in AUD
  • Site owners looking for secure credit card processing
  • Businesses wanting easy subscription support with WooCommerce

If your store is based in Australia and you want a bank-level secure payment option, this plugin is made for you. It gives store owners peace of mind and gives shoppers a smooth checkout experience.

Features & Integration Methods Explained

Strong functionalities are provided by the Westpac & St. George PayWay NET Payment Gateway for WooCommerce. It’s designed to work smoothly with Australian online stores. The plugin helps you accept credit card payments with top security. Let’s break down what it can do and how it works.

Supported Banks and Cards

This plugin is built for businesses using Westpac or St. George. Both banks support the same PayWay NET system. Once your merchant account is active, the plugin connects your WooCommerce store directly to PayWay.

By default, the plugin accepts:

  • Visa
  • Mastercard

You can also accept these cards after bank approval:

  • American Express
  • Diners Club
  • JCB

To activate these extra cards, contact your bank. Once approved, they appear at checkout.

Integration Methods Overview

The plugin supports three secure integration methods. You can select the one that best suits your store.

  1. Trusted Frame (Recommended)

This is the most modern and secure option. The WooCommerce checkout page loads a credit card form in an iFrame. The form comes from PayWay’s server.

Benefits of Trusted Frame:

  • PCI compliant (card data never touches your site)
  • Supports WooCommerce Subscriptions
  • Works well for recurring payments
  • 3D Secure ready
  • Can be styled using plugin settings

Considerations:

  • Styling is limited compared to other methods
  • Requires careful layout testing for mobile devices

If you want to retain visitors on your website when they are checking out, use this technique. It’s ideal for stores with subscriptions or membership features.

  1. Hosted Payment Page

With this option, customers are sent to a secure PayWay page. There, they enter their credit card details. After payment, they’re not redirected back to your site.

Benefits:

  • Easy to set up
  • No need to handle form styling
  • Fully managed by the bank
  • 3D Secure supported

Considerations:

  • Slower payment confirmation (up to 5 minutes delay)
  • Customers may prefer staying on your site
  • Not suitable for subscription-based products

Choose this method if you want a low-maintenance setup and don’t need subscriptions.

  1. Direct Post (Shopping Cart Integration)

This is the older integration method. It collects card details on a separate page, not on your WooCommerce checkout.

Benefits:

  • Easier to style and customize
  • Still PCI compliant
  • Works with most basic WooCommerce setups

Considerations:

  • Does not support WooCommerce Subscriptions
  • Slightly older than other options
  • Redirect can reduce checkout speed

Pick this if you need full control over the layout and don’t sell subscriptions.

Security Features Built-In

Security is a big concern for online payments. This plugin is built with safety in mind.

Here’s how it protects your store:

  • Your server never handles or stores any credit card information.
  • All payment info goes directly to the bank
  • PCI DSS compliance is handled through PayWay
  • 3D Secure support helps prevent fraud
  • Optional reCAPTCHA blocks bot-based card testing

You can turn on reCAPTCHA in plugin settings. Just enter your Google reCAPTCHA site key. This helps stop fake transactions.

WooCommerce Compatibility

This plugin is built to work with key WooCommerce features:

  • Subscriptions (only with Trusted Frame)
  • 3D Secure authentication
  • reCAPTCHA integration
  • Full support for stores in AUD currency

It’s tested to work with all standard WooCommerce flows. Updates are regularly released by the developer.

Why Integration Method Matters

Each store has different needs. Choose the integration method based on:

  • Whether you sell subscriptions
  • How much styling control you want
  • If you prefer on-site or off-site checkout
  • How quickly you need payment confirmation

Step-by-Step Setup & Configuration Guide

Getting started with the Westpac & St. George PayWay NET Gateway for WooCommerce is simple and hassle-free. This section walks you through every step. You’ll learn how to install, configure, and connect the plugin to your PayWay account.

Make sure your store satisfies the standards before you start.

What You Need Before Setup

To use the plugin, you must have:

  • A live Westpac or St. George PayWay NET merchant account
  • An SSL certificate installed on your site
  • WooCommerce active and running
  • Store currency set to AUD

These are required for security and proper bank integration.

Step 1: Purchase and Install the Plugin

  1. Go to the plugin’s official page on WooCommerce.com
  2. Download the ZIP file and buy the plugin.
  3. Log into your WordPress dashboard
  4. Go to Plugins > Add New
  5. After clicking Upload Plugin, choose the ZIP file.
  6. Click Install Now, then Activate

Now that your plugin is installed, it may be set up.

Step 2: Set Up PayWay Admin Credentials

Before you configure the plugin, you’ll need PayWay credentials. Log into your PayWay account at payway.com.au.

Generate API Keys:

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  1. Click on your Biller Code at the top menu
  2. Select REST API Keys
  3. Click Add and choose Publishable, then Save
  4. Copy the API key and store it safely
  5. Repeat to create a Secret key
  6. Save both keys—they’re needed in WooCommerce settings

Note: The Secret Key expires after 2 years. The plugin auto-renews it, but manual updates are possible.

Set Up Hosted Payment Page (if using this method):

  1. In PayWay, go to PayWay Modules > PayWay Net
  2. Click Setup Hosted Payment Page
  3. Choose Bill Payments/Shopping Cart method
  4. Click Next

You’ll now see several fields and options. Collect and save the following:

  • Biller Code
  • Encryption Key
  • Username and Password

Later on, these will be added to the WooCommerce settings.

Configure Security Settings:

  • Enter your website server’s IP address
  • You’ll find this in the WooCommerce plugin settings
  • If unsure, use a wildcard like 123.123.123.0/24

Skipping this will cause all payments to fail.

Step 3: Configure Plugin in WooCommerce

Now return to WordPress to connect your store with PayWay.

  1. Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Payments
  2. Find Westpac & St. George PayWay Net
  3. Click Set Up

Basic Settings:

  • Tick Enable this payment method
  • Enter a title (like “Credit Card – PayWay”)
  • Select your Bank: Westpac or St. George
  • Add your Merchant ID (from your bank)

Choose Integration Method:

Pick the method that suits your store:

  • Trusted Frame (recommended)
  • Hosted Payment Page
  • Direct Post

Each method changes the required fields slightly.

Enter Credentials:

Based on your method, enter the following:

  • API keys (Publishable and Secret)
  • Biller Code
  • Encryption Key
  • Username and Password

Make sure each field is accurate. A mistake here can stop transactions.

Step 4: Optional Settings

You can customize more options as needed.

Enable reCAPTCHA:

  • Helps block bots from card testing
  • Requires a Google reCAPTCHA Site Key
  • Enter it in plugin settings

Accept Extra Cards:

  • Tick boxes for AMEX, Diners, or JCB
  • Only works if approved by your bank

Style Trusted Frame Form:

  • To match the design of your store, use custom CSS.
  • Helps the form blend into your checkout page

Step 5: Testing Transactions

Before going live, test your setup.

  • Enable Test Mode in plugin settings
  • Use test card numbers from PayWay documentation
  • Try different scenarios (success, fail, 3D Secure)

Testing helps catch errors before customers use it.

Styling the Trusted Frame

If you use the Trusted Frame method, you can customize its look. While it uses an iFrame, the plugin allows custom styling.

Here are a few tips:

  • Match colors and fonts with your store’s theme
  • Test the form layout on mobile devices
  • Use plugin settings to insert custom CSS

A clean design builds trust during checkout. It also reduces cart abandonment.

Protect Your Store With reCAPTCHA

reCAPTCHA helps block fake card testing bots. These bots can hurt your store and raise fraud alerts. You can enable reCAPTCHA in the plugin settings.

You’ll need to:

  • Get a Google reCAPTCHA Site Key
  • Paste it into the plugin’s reCAPTCHA field
  • Enable the reCAPTCHA checkbox

At checkout, this provides an additional degree of security.

Testing and Troubleshooting

Before going live, test different payment flows. Use PayWay’s test cards to try:

  • Successful payments
  • Failed transactions
  • 3D Secure prompts

If something doesn’t work, check:

  • API key accuracy
  • IP address settings
  • Merchant ID and bank selection

Most issues come from wrong credentials or missing details.

Ongoing Support and Updates

The plugin is developed by Tyson Armstrong, a trusted developer. Support is quick and helpful. Updates include bug fixes and new features.

If you face any issue, you can:

  • Submit a support ticket via WooCommerce
  • Check the official documentation for solutions

Conclusion

For Australian retailers, the Westpac & St. George PayWay NET Payment Gateway is a good option. It offers secure payments, 3D Secure support, and multiple integration methods. Whether you want full control or simplicity, this plugin delivers.

With the right setup, your WooCommerce store will run smoothly and securely.

Do you need assistance configuring it or resolving a problem?

Contact WooHelpDesk today for expert assistance.

📞 Call us at +1 888 602 0119 (US & Canada) — we’re ready to help!