For AI agents: a documentation index is available at the root level at /llms.txt and /llms-full.txt. Append /llms.txt to any URL for a page-level index, or .md for the markdown version of any page.
GuidesAPI Reference
GuidesAPI Reference
    • Welcome
  • Product Overview
    • How Cash App Pay Works
    • Cash App Pay on Desktop and POS Devices
    • Cash App Pay on Mobile Devices
  • Partnerships
    • Partner with Cash App Pay
    • Partner Onboarding Requirements
    • Merchant Use Policy
    • Program Rules
  • Technical Guides
    • Cash App Pay Integration Basics
      • Introduction to Cash App Pay APIs
      • Idempotency
      • Pagination
      • Reference IDs
      • Network API
      • Customer Request API
      • Management API
  • Resources
    • Cash App Pay Assets
    • Glossary of Terms
    • Cash App Pay Status
  • Pay Kit SDK
LogoLogo
On this page
  • Payment processing workflow
Technical GuidesAPI Fundamentals

Introduction to Cash App Pay APIs

Was this page helpful?
Previous

Making Requests

Next
Built with

The Cash App Pay developer product is composed of three REST APIs and a Javascript SDK:

  • Customer Request API: Used to get permission from customers to perform actions on their accounts (like collecting a payment)
  • Network API: Registers merchants and processes payments using grants
  • Management API: Controls API keys and webhooks
  • Pay Kit (JS SDK): Wraps the Customer Request API and provides prebuilt UI components to add Cash App Pay to websites

As a developer, you’ll use all of these API suites to build a complete Cash App Pay integration.

Payment processing workflow

Most Cash App Pay workflows follow a simple pattern: create a customer request, get it approved by the customer to generate a grant, then use the grant to create a payment.

payment-processing-workflow.png

  1. Initiate a customer request

    • Use Pay Kit in the browser to create a customer request.
    • Define the actions you want to perform (e.g. “charge $5 for a coffee”)

  2. Present the approval user experience

    • When a customer request is created, the API returns an approval URL, which allows customers to approve or decline the request.
    • The URL opens in a web browser or on a Cash App mobile client. It’s represented through a QR code or a navigation button.
    • Pay Kit automatically selects and renders the optimal user experience according to Cash App brand guidelines.

  3. Customer approves the request

    • The approval generates grants, which represent the customer’s permission to perform the actions listed in the customer request.

  4. Front end receives grants

    • Pay Kit detects that the customer request is approved and returns the grants to the webpage’s JavaScript.
    • The webpage sends the grant information to the server to process the payment.

  5. Back end processes payment

    • On the server, the grant ID is sent to the Network API Create Payment endpoint along with the payment amount, currency, and merchant ID.
    • The Network API consumes the grant and charges the customer for the given amount.

  6. Settlement

    • The payment settles later that day. Funds are delivered to the developer to distribute to the merchant.