> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.choosefloat.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction

> Offer your customers interest-free instalments with a single redirect-based integration.

Float lets your customers split a purchase into **interest-free monthly instalments** on the credit card they already have — no new credit agreements, no sign-up friction. Float handles card authorisation, 3-D Secure, and collections.

## How the integration works

Float is a **redirect-based** payment method. Your integration only ever does three things:

1. **Create a checkout** — a server-to-server `POST /api/checkouts` call that returns a `payment_url`.
2. **Redirect the shopper** to that `payment_url`. Float hosts the entire payment experience: instalment selection, card entry, and 3-D Secure.
3. **Receive the result** — Float POSTs a signed callback to your `notify_url` and redirects the shopper back to your `success_url` or `cancel_url`.

Card data never touches your servers, so your PCI scope stays minimal.

<Note>
  🇿🇦 Building for **South Africa**? Switch territory with the selector at the top of the sidebar — base URLs and currency differ, the API is otherwise identical.
</Note>

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quickstart" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
    Create your first checkout in under five minutes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Accepting payments" icon="credit-card" href="/guides/accepting-payments">
    The full custom-integration walkthrough, end to end.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Callbacks" icon="webhook" href="/guides/callbacks">
    Handle Float's signed payment notifications correctly.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Reference" icon="code" href="/api-reference/overview">
    Every endpoint, parameter, and error code.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Ways to integrate

| Integration                                         | Best for                                                        | Effort                                              |
| --------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| **Platform plugin** (WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento) | Stores on a supported platform                                  | Minutes — install and configure                     |
| **Custom API integration**                          | Bespoke storefronts, in-house platforms                         | A few hours — this documentation                    |
| **Intermediary / platform integration**             | Payment platforms integrating Float on behalf of many merchants | See [Intermediaries](/api-reference/intermediaries) |

## Environments

| Environment       | Base URL                             | Purpose                         |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------- |
| **Sandbox (UAT)** | `https://uat-secure.choosefloat.com` | Build and test your integration |
| **Production**    | `https://secure.choosefloat.com`     | Live payments                   |

## Getting credentials

Float issues each merchant an **integration** consisting of:

* a **client secret** (shown as *API Key*) — the Bearer token that authenticates your API calls, and
* a **signing key** — a shared HMAC key used to sign requests and verify Float's callbacks.

Both are self-serve in the **Merchant Portal**: log in and open **Merchant settings** — your integration section shows the API Key and Signing Key with copy buttons. If you don't have portal access or an integration set up yet, contact your Float account manager or [support@float.co.za](mailto:support@float.co.za). See [Authentication](/authentication) for how to use the credentials.