iDEAL payments: how the Dutch method works and how to accept it
iDEAL is the Netherlands' online payment system: the customer authorises the payment in their banking app and the money travels as a SEPA credit transfer, with no card involved. It covers roughly 70% of Dutch online payments, with over a billion transactions a year. This guide explains how it works, how a merchant switches it on at checkout and what it costs compared with a per-transaction fee.
iDEAL and cards: per-transaction fee versus IC++ (estimated monthly cost)
| Offer | €3,000/month | €8,000/month | €25,000/month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cards with flat rate (1.9%) | €57 | €152 | €475 |
| iDEAL fixed fee (€0.29/transaction) | €17.40 | €46.40 | €145 |
| RoxPay IC++ (€0.15 + 0.35%-0.85%) | €19.50-34.50 | €52-92 | €162.50-287.50 |
Estimates with a €50 average ticket (60, 160 and 500 transactions); the iDEAL row assumes a public-list fixed fee, the RoxPay row refers to the card flow.
What iDEAL is and how the Dutch system works
iDEAL launched in 2005 as a shared standard of the Dutch banks and is run by iDEAL BV, carved out of Currence. In 2024 the company joined EPI Company, the European consortium building the Wero wallet: iDEAL remains the dominant Dutch method while evolving towards the pan-European instrument.
The flow is a bank transfer with instant confirmation. The customer picks iDEAL at checkout, selects their bank (ABN AMRO, Rabobank, ING, SNS and the others), authorises in the banking app and the merchant receives confirmation in real time. The money moves on SEPA Credit Transfer rails, not card networks: there is no chargeback, and cost does not depend on card interchange.
How merchants accept iDEAL at checkout
A European merchant needs a gateway whose acquiring supports iDEAL: no Dutch company or local account required. The method is enabled by contract and the checkout shows iDEAL to visitors with a Dutch IP or shipping address, or to everyone ordered by country.
Order confirmation arrives in real time after the in-app authorisation, which reduces abandoned carts and uncertain payments. Settlement typically lands within 1 business day under the contract terms. Refunds go out as SEPA credit transfers to the customer's IBAN, handled by the gateway without card flows. Before activation, check the total cost: our payment gateway fees analysis shows the impact of flat rates on volume ([fees comparison](/en/resources/payment-gateway-fees-comparison)).
Costs: per-transaction fee versus IC++ pricing
iDEAL is usually priced with a fixed fee per transaction, between €0.29 and €0.99 in public price lists, or with a percentage under blended plans. The fixed fee is predictable but opaque: the merchant cannot see what the equivalent card flow would cost, component by component.
Under IC++ pricing every component is explicit: interchange, scheme fee and declared markup. With RoxPay's pricing, €0.15 + 0.35% to 0.85% (IC++), the merchant knows the real cost of every transaction and can compare the card flow with the iDEAL flow at equal volume. The table below puts a 1.9% card flat rate, a €0.29 iDEAL fee per transaction and the IC++ formula with a €50 average ticket side by side.
The Dutch market: banks, share and payment habits
The Netherlands is a concentrated market: ABN AMRO, Rabobank and ING serve most retail customers, with SNS, ASN Bank, RegioBank, Triodos, bunq and Knab completing the picture. Every one of these banking apps speaks iDEAL: it is the de facto national standard.
For an e-commerce selling into the Netherlands, not offering iDEAL means giving up the method customers use for most of their online orders: cards remain a minority in Dutch digital payments. Average order values are high and iDEAL completion rates beat cards because authorisation happens in an app the customer opens daily. Merchants also selling in Belgium and Germany can evaluate the Wero ecosystem early, built on the same banking infrastructure.
Security: push payments, SCA and no chargebacks
iDEAL is a push payment: the customer pushes the money from their own bank account, authenticated in the banking app with PIN or biometrics under PSD2 SCA. No card data enters the checkout, so the fraud surface shrinks and the merchant does not handle card-network disputes.
The operational flip side: without chargebacks, wrong orders are handled through voluntary refunds and clear return policies. The merchant's practice is to confirm the order only after the payment receipt, keep proof of delivery and set up automatic SEPA refunds. For manual sales or quotes, iDEAL covers the flow via payment link: our [payment link guide](/en/resources/payment-link-generator) explains activation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is iDEAL?
The Netherlands' online payment system, launched in 2005 by the Dutch banks and now run by iDEAL BV within the EPI group. It covers roughly 70% of the country's online payments, with over a billion transactions a year.
Is iDEAL a bank transfer or a card?
It is a bank transfer with instant confirmation: the customer authorises in the banking app and the money moves on SEPA Credit Transfer rails. No card network, no card data at checkout.
How much does it cost to accept iDEAL?
Providers usually charge a fixed fee between €0.29 and €0.99 per transaction. With RoxPay the merchant pays the declared IC++ pricing, €0.15 + 0.35% to 0.85%: every component, interchange included, is visible.
Can a non-Dutch merchant accept iDEAL?
Yes, with a European gateway that supports the method: no Dutch company or local account. The customer pays in their banking app and the merchant gets real-time confirmation and euro settlement.
Does iDEAL have chargebacks?
No. As an authenticated push payment there is no card-network chargeback: disputes are handled with voluntary SEPA refunds and clear return policies.
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