Key takeaways
- iDEAL is by far the most popular payment method in the Netherlands — indispensable for your webshop.
- You usually activate iDEAL via a payment service provider such as Mollie.
- Pay attention to the costs per transaction with external providers.
- Microcart has iDEAL built in via Mollie, without additional transaction costs from the platform.
iDEAL is by far the most important payment method for online purchases in the Netherlands. If you don't offer it, you will lose a large portion of your visitors when it matters most: at checkout.
Setting up is not a technical project. You arrange it via a payment provider or, with an all-in-one platform, it is already included. This article shows how iDEAL works, how to set it up step by step, what it costs, which payment methods you want to offer, and how to build a checkout that does not leak.
Why iDEAL is indispensable in a Dutch webshop
Dutch customers trust iDEAL because they pay directly through their own bank. No need to enter card details, no need to create an account – just the familiar environment of their bank. That trust translates into fewer canceled orders.
A webshop without iDEAL feels unfinished for a Dutch buyer. Even if you offer credit card and PayPal, your customer expects the option they always use. For most starters, iDEAL is therefore the first payment method you set up, before you think about the rest. It is also a permanent part of the step-by-step plan for starting an online store.
How an iDEAL payment works
Your webshop does not arrange the payment itself. This includes a payment service that safely transfers the money from your customer to you. Mollie is well known there in the Netherlands, but there are more.
This payment service ensures the connection with the banks, processes the payment and deposits the amount into your account. You connect your webshop to it once, and then every iDEAL payment takes place automatically. With an all-in-one platform like Microcart, this link is already built in — then you don't have to arrange a separate payment service yourself.
This is how you set up iDEAL in three steps
- Arrange a payment account. With a separate platform, you open an account with such a payment service and go through a short check (Chamber of Commerce number, bank account, identity). With an all-in-one platform, this is already ready in your dashboard.
- Link it to your webshop. Activate iDEAL in your payment settings and connect your provider. This is usually a matter of copying a key or logging in once.
- Test a real order. Place a trial order yourself and pay with iDEAL. Check whether the order has been received and whether the amount appears in your account. Skipping this is a classic miss.
Are you just setting up your entire webshop? Then this fits into the broader step-by-step plan to start a webshop — payments are one of the last steps before you go live.
What does iDEAL cost?
You usually pay your provider a fixed amount of a few tens of cents per iDEAL transaction — not a percentage, as with credit cards. This makes iDEAL relatively cheap, especially for larger order amounts.
Calculation example. With 100 orders per month via iDEAL, at around 0.29 euros per transaction, you pay around 29 euros in iDEAL costs. The same 100 orders via credit card at 1.8% on an average of 40 euros already cost more than 70 euros. iDEAL is therefore not only trusted, but often also the cheapest option.
Please note the silent post: some webshop platforms charge their own percentage on each sale on top of the provider costs. That adds up as you sell more. We have fully elaborated this in what a webshop costs. A platform with one fixed price and no transaction costs per sale, such as Microcart, keeps this post predictable: you only pay the provider costs, nothing on top of that.
What other payment methods do you need?
iDEAL is the basis, but one method is rarely enough. Complete based on who your customers are:
- Bancontact — indispensable if you also sell in Belgium.
- Credit card — for foreign customers and business buyers.
- PayPal — some buyers don't use anything else.
- Pay later (such as Klarna or Riverty) — can increase your conversion, but comes with higher costs and some administration. Don't start with it by default.
Offer enough choice to not put anyone off, but not so much that the checkout becomes a maze. For a starting webshop as a self-employed person iDEAL plus one or two additions are usually enough.
A checkout that doesn't leak
The payment method is one thing; the checkout surrounding it determines whether the sale goes ahead. Four things that make checkout smoother:
- Only ask for what is necessary. Each additional field costs conversion. Name, address, email and payment — that's often all you need.
- Offer guest checkout. Mandatory account creation drives buyers away; make it optional.
- Show the costs in advance. Surprising shipping costs on the final screen are a top reason for abandoned orders.
- Show confidence. Payment logos, a returns policy and your company details reassure doubting buyers.
Safe and reliable
You don't have to worry about the security of payment data — the payment service will take care of that for you, as they are specialized in that. Make sure that your webshop runs on a secure connection (the lock in the address bar of the browser); on a modern platform this is automatically enabled. And your customer often confirms the payment in their own bank's app — you don't have to set that up yourself, it's just part of it and keeps everything safe.
Common mistakes with payments
You encounter three mistakes most often:
- Not offering iDEAL — the largest, and also the most expensive, in terms of missed sales.
- Too many methods at the same time — a crowded checkout only makes doubting buyers more insecure.
- Don't test — a payment link that silently fails costs you orders without you even noticing.
These are exactly the kind of things that are on the list of biggest mistakes of starting web shops. Prevention is a matter of proper setup and testing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Chamber of Commerce number to accept iDEAL?
Yes. A payment provider verifies you as an entrepreneur; For this you need a Chamber of Commerce registration and a business account.
What does iDEAL cost per transaction?
Usually a fixed amount of a few tens of cents, not a percentage. The exact price varies per provider.
How long will it take before I get my money?
The PSP makes periodic payments to your account, often within a few working days. You usually set the rhythm yourself.
Can I offer iDEAL without a separate payment service?
Yes, with an all-in-one platform the connection is already built-in. Otherwise, you can connect a payment service such as Mollie yourself.
Which methods besides iDEAL do I need at least?
For most Dutch web shops, iDEAL plus credit card is sufficient, and Bancontact if you sell to Belgium.
Do I pay extra transaction costs on top of the provider?
That depends on your platform. Some charge their own percentage; a fixed price platform does not do that.
Your next step
Set up iDEAL today and place one trial order to see if everything runs smoothly. If that works, add one additional method that suits your customers — usually Bancontact or credit card. This means your checkout is ready to process the first real sales. If you are starting from scratch, first read the step-by-step plan to start a webshop, or view the approach for your industry.
Further reading
step-by-step plan to start an online store
webshop as a self-employed person
