MoMo vs card payments: what should your Ghana online shop accept?
Short answer: Accept both. Mobile Money (MTN MoMo, Telecel Cash and AirtelTigo Money) lets customers pay from the wallet on their phone, while cards suit customers who prefer to pay with a bank card, including people paying from abroad. With Vendar, both are built into your store's checkout through Paystack, and the 2% processing fee is paid by the shopper, so you keep the full product price.
Below we explain how each option works, what it costs you, and how to set it up without chasing screenshots.
How Mobile Money payments work in an online shop
With MoMo at checkout, the customer chooses Mobile Money, picks their network, enters their number and approves the payment on their phone. They don't need a bank card or a new app.
On Vendar, checkout supports all the Mobile Money networks in Ghana:
- MTN MoMo
- Telecel Cash
- AirtelTigo Money
Because the payment happens inside the checkout, it is tied to the order. When it succeeds, the order shows as paid in your dashboard.
How card payments work in an online shop
With card payments, the customer enters their bank card details at checkout and confirms the payment, sometimes with a one-time code from their bank. Cards are useful for:
- Customers who keep most of their money in a bank account.
- Customers paying for family or friends from outside Ghana.
- Larger orders that a customer prefers to put on a card.
On Vendar, card payments are processed by Paystack, the same as Mobile Money.
MoMo vs card: side-by-side comparison
| Mobile Money | Card | |
|---|---|---|
| What the customer needs | A MoMo wallet on MTN, Telecel or AirtelTigo | A bank card |
| How they confirm | Approve the prompt on their phone | Card details, sometimes a bank code |
| Processed by (on Vendar) | Paystack | Paystack |
| Processing fee on Vendar | 2%, paid by the shopper | 2%, paid by the shopper |
| Payouts and refunds | Paystack's standard schedule and policy | Paystack's standard schedule and policy |
The point is not to pick one. Every payment option you remove is a customer who might leave without buying.
Who pays the fees?
On Vendar, Paystack's 2% processing fee is paid by the shopper, not the shop owner. It is added at checkout.
Example: you sell a dress for GHS 300. The shopper pays GHS 306 at checkout. You receive GHS 300 for the dress.
This makes your pricing simple. You set the price you want to receive, and the fee is handled at checkout. Vendar takes no commission on your sales. Your Vendar plan is a separate yearly subscription (Vendar can arrange a payment plan): Starter is GHS 2,000 per year and Pro is GHS 4,000 per year.
Payouts and refunds
Payouts go to your MoMo wallet or your bank account, following Paystack's standard settlement schedule. Vendar charges no withdrawal fee. Any withdrawal fees come from your telco or bank. Refunds follow Paystack's standard refund policy. Show your return rules clearly on your store.
Why manual MoMo transfers cause problems
Many shops still say "send to my number and share the screenshot". It works when orders are few, but it brings problems:
- Fake or edited screenshots. You have to open your MoMo app to check every payment.
- No order reference. Money arrives, but it is hard to know which order it belongs to.
- Late-night delays. A customer who pays at midnight waits for you to wake up and confirm.
- Mixed money. Personal and business money land in the same wallet.
A proper checkout fixes this, because the payment and the order are connected from the start. Read more on our Mobile Money payments page.
How to accept MoMo and cards with Vendar
- Create your store with Vendar's online store builder.
- Add your products with prices in cedis.
- Add your mobile money name and number. No ID is needed to start. Setup takes about 30 minutes.
- Share your store link. Customers choose MoMo or card at checkout.
On the Pro plan, customers can also shop through Vendar's general WhatsApp bot (built on Meta's official WhatsApp Business Platform), which serves your customers from your own catalogue, or through VendarChat on your store's website. See selling on WhatsApp.
Questions? Call or WhatsApp +233 24 617 0089.
FAQ
Which Mobile Money networks can my Vendar store accept?
All Ghanaian Mobile Money networks: MTN MoMo, Telecel Cash and AirtelTigo Money. Bank cards are accepted too.
Who processes payments on Vendar?
Paystack processes all Vendar payments, both Mobile Money and cards.
Do I pay a fee on each sale?
Paystack's 2% processing fee is paid by the shopper at checkout, so you receive the full product price.
When do I receive my money?
Payouts go to your MoMo wallet or bank account on Paystack's standard settlement schedule. Any withdrawal fees come from your telco or bank, not Vendar.
How do refunds work?
Refunds follow Paystack's standard refund policy.