Billplz

Overview

Billplz is an online payment gateway tailored to the Malaysian market, providing infrastructure for businesses to collect payments digitally. Established in 2012, the platform is designed to simplify online transactions, invoicing, and recurring billing for organizations operating within Malaysia. Its primary focus is on integrating with local banking systems and payment methods commonly used by Malaysian consumers and businesses.

The service offers a developer-friendly API that supports integration into various existing systems and applications, with SDKs available for languages such as PHP, Ruby, Python, Java, and Node.js. This allows businesses to automate payment collection processes, generate payment links, and manage transaction records directly through their platforms. Billplz emphasizes straightforward implementation to enable businesses to quickly set up and accept online payments via FPX, credit/debit cards, and other local options.

For businesses seeking to manage recurring revenue, Billplz includes features for subscription management and automated billing cycles, which can be useful for SaaS companies, membership services, or any business with a subscription model. The platform adheres to industry security standards, including PCI DSS compliance, to protect sensitive transaction data. Its architecture is built to handle various transaction volumes, from small businesses to larger enterprises with a focus on cost-effectiveness for local transactions through its transaction-based fee model without monthly charges for basic usage. While its primary strength lies in serving the Malaysian market, its API design provides a standardized approach for integrating payment functionalities, similar to global payment processors, but localized for banking in Malaysia.

Developers implementing Billplz can consult the official Billplz API reference, which provides detailed endpoints and request/response examples. The documentation covers aspects like creating bills, checking payment status, and managing collections. This detailed approach aims to support developers in building robust payment integrations that align with business logic and user experience requirements. The platform's commitment to the Malaysian ecosystem is evident in its specific bank integrations and localized support, differentiating it from global payment solutions that may have broader international reach but less specialized local focus.

Key features

• Online Payment Processing: Facilitates the acceptance of payments via FPX, credit/debit cards, and other local Malaysian payment methods.
• Invoicing and Billing: Tools to generate and manage digital invoices, send payment requests, and track payment statuses.
• Recurring Payments & Subscriptions: Capabilities for setting up automated recurring billing for subscription services and installment plans.
• Payment Links: Generate shareable links for instant payment collection without requiring a full website integration.
• Webhook Notifications: Real-time updates on transaction status changes, enabling automated workflows.
• Multi-Language SDKs: Supports integration with PHP, Ruby, Python, Java, and Node.js for varied development environments.
• PCI DSS Compliance: Adheres to Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard to ensure secure handling of cardholder data.
• Developer API: Provides comprehensive API documentation for custom integrations and extended functionality.

Pricing

Billplz operates on a transaction-based pricing model, primarily charging per successful transaction. There are no monthly or setup fees for basic accounts, aiming to make it accessible for businesses of all sizes in Malaysia. Specific fees vary based on the payment method and transaction volume, but generally start at a fixed rate per transaction.

For the most current and detailed pricing information, including any volume-based discounts or specific charges for different payment methods, refer to the official Billplz pricing page.

Common integrations

Billplz is designed for direct API integration, but also supports various platforms and systems:

• E-commerce Platforms: Plugins and modules for platforms like WooCommerce, Shopify, and OpenCart to embed Billplz payment options directly into online stores.
• Accounting Software: Integration with accounting systems to automate reconciliation of payments and financial reporting.
• Custom Web Applications: Direct API integration using SDKs (PHP, Ruby, Python, Java, Node.js) for bespoke web and mobile applications. Developers can review the Billplz developer documentation for technical specifications.
• CRM Systems: Connects with customer relationship management platforms to track payment history alongside customer data.

Alternatives

• Stripe: A global payment processing platform offering a wide range of payment methods, developer tools, and international reach. Stripe also provides specific regional services, which can be useful for businesses with global aspirations, as detailed in their Stripe Payments documentation.
• PayPal: A widely recognized online payment system offering merchant services, often used for international transactions and consumer payments. Developers can explore the PayPal Developer Overview for API integration details.
• Razer Merchant Services: Another payment gateway with a strong focus on the Southeast Asian market, offering various local payment options and e-wallet integrations.

Getting started

To begin accepting payments with Billplz, developers first need to register an account and obtain API keys from the Billplz dashboard. The following PHP example demonstrates how to create a simple bill using the Billplz API. This example uses a basic cURL request, but SDKs are available for more structured integrations.

<?php

// Billplz API Key - Replace with your actual API Secret Key
$api_key = 'YOUR_BILLPLZ_API_KEY';

// Billplz Collection ID - Replace with your actual Collection ID
$collection_id = 'YOUR_BILLPLZ_COLLECTION_ID';

// Bill details
$bill_details = [
    'collection_id' => $collection_id,
    'email' => '[email protected]',
    'mobile' => '+60123456789',
    'name' => 'Client Name',
    'amount' => 10000, // Amount in cents (RM100.00)
    'callback_url' => 'https://yourwebsite.com/billplz_callback',
    'description' => 'Payment for Service X',
    'redirect_url' => 'https://yourwebsite.com/payment_success',
    'reference_1_label' => 'Invoice No',
    'reference_1' => 'INV-2026-001'
];

// Convert amount to integer (Billplz expects amount in cents)
$bill_details['amount'] = (int) $bill_details['amount'];

$ch = curl_init();

curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, 'https://www.billplz.com/api/v3/bills');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, http_build_query($bill_details));
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_USERPWD, $api_key . ':' ); // API Key as username, empty password

$headers = [];
$headers[] = 'Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded';
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);

$result = curl_exec($ch);
if (curl_errno($ch)) {
    echo 'Error:' . curl_error($ch);
} else {
    $decoded_result = json_decode($result, true);
    if (isset($decoded_result['id'])) {
        echo "Bill Created Successfully. Bill URL: " . $decoded_result['url'] . "\n";
    } else {
        echo "Error creating bill:\n";
        print_r($decoded_result);
    }
}
curl_close($ch);

?>

This PHP script sets up a cURL request to the Billplz API to create a new bill. It includes essential parameters such as the collection ID, customer details, amount, and URLs for callbacks and redirects. Developers should replace placeholder values for $api_key and $collection_id with their actual credentials from the Billplz dashboard. After successful execution, the script will output the Billplz payment URL, which can then be presented to the customer to complete the payment.