Bank payments and local methods · Payment methods
Is Sofort still available? What online stores use instead
Checked
Sofort is no longer available. Stripe discontinued Sofort as a standalone payment method on 31 March 2025 and says integrations that still list it will see failed payments. Refunds on old Sofort payments still work for up to 180 days after each payment, and SEPA Direct Debit mandates first set up through Sofort stay active. Stripe points shops to Klarna's pay in full option as the closest replacement, with SEPA Direct Debit and bank transfers as other options.
- Status
- Discontinued 31 March 2025 (Stripe)
- What it was
- Bank redirect; shoppers paid through their bank's portal
- Old refunds
- Still processed, up to 180 days after the original payment
- SEPA mandates set up via Sofort
- Remain active
- Stripe's suggested replacement
- Klarna pay in full; also SEPA Direct Debit and bank transfers
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC checkout never needs Sofort: shoppers who used to choose it can pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal in euros, or Klarna on one-time orders, the replacement Stripe recommends.
What changed
Stripe's notice reads that Sofort "has been discontinued as of March 31, 2025" and is no longer supported as a separate payment method. Stripe-hosted checkouts hide it automatically; custom integrations must remove it from their payment method lists to avoid failed payments.
Alternatives Stripe compares
| Method | Who starts the payment | Recurring | Disputes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klarna (recommended) | Shopper | Private preview | Yes |
| SEPA Direct Debit | Business | Yes | Yes, automatically honoured for 8 weeks |
| Bank transfers | Business | Yes | No |
Frequently asked questions
- When did Sofort stop working?
- Stripe discontinued Sofort on 31 March 2025.
- Can I still refund an old Sofort order?
- Yes. Stripe keeps processing refunds on Sofort payments for up to 180 days after the original payment.
- What replaces Sofort?
- Stripe recommends Klarna's pay in full option as the closest flow, and also lists SEPA Direct Debit and bank transfers.
Sources
Related
- SEPA Direct Debit — Euro bank debit across the EU: the shopper gives an IBAN and signs a mandate; you collect later.
- EPS — Austria's online bank transfer: shoppers sign in to their own bank and approve the payment.
- Pay by Bank — Open-banking payment: the shopper picks their bank and approves the payment in its app.
- ACH Direct Debit — US bank-account debit through the ACH network; up to 4 business days to confirm.
- Bacs Direct Debit — UK bank debit under the Direct Debit Guarantee; 4–7 business days to confirm.
- PayTo — Australian real-time bank payment: the shopper approves a PayTo agreement in their banking app.
- FPX — Malaysia's online banking payment run by PayNet; shoppers pick their bank and approve.
- PayNow — Singapore's instant bank transfer; shoppers scan a PayNow QR code in their bank or wallet app.