The short answer
- Bambora is now part of Shift4. Shift4 completed its purchase of Bambora North America on 2 March 2026.
- Its web addresses are changing. Integrations must move to new Shift4 addresses before 31 December 2026. Your developer or plugin vendor makes that change.
- The gateway and the processor are separate jobs. Most of what you pay comes from the processing behind the gateway.
- One account, one currency. A Bambora account is set to CAD or USD. A second currency needs a second account.
- Nothing changes until it is checked. Whether you can change processor, keep saved cards or keep recurring billing depends on your account, and we confirm it in writing first.
Your gateway and your processor do different jobs
A payment gateway passes the card details from your checkout to a processor and brings the answer back. The payment processor approves the sale and settles the money into your merchant account, which pays out to your bank.
- Your website, store or billing software
- Bambora, the gateway
- The company that processes your card payments
- Your merchant account
- Your Canadian bank account
These can come from one provider or from several. A Bambora account can be sold on its own, for a business that already has a merchant account, or bundled with one. Your statements usually show which you have. If they do not, send us what you have and we will work it out with you.
Where to start
| Your situation | What we check first |
|---|---|
| Your software asks for Bambora | Which Bambora product the software connects to, and what account it needs |
| You use Bambora and want to see what it costs | Who processes your payments, and which lines are gateway, processing and software |
| You already have a merchant account | Whether it can connect to the gateway setup your software needs |
| Someone asked you for a VAR sheet | Who should issue it, and what it must contain |
| You got an email about new Shift4 addresses | Who built your connection, so you know who has to update it |
| You are not sure what you run | The provider names on your statements and in your software settings |
The Shift4 address change
Bambora's help centre says its API and portal addresses are moving to Shift4 addresses, which have been active since 25 August 2026. Integrations must be updated before 31 December 2026, and hosted checkout links in websites, invoices and emails change too. Bambora says only the address changes, and your credentials and transaction data stay the same.
Ask your developer or plugin vendor to confirm the update for your setup. If you are not sure what you run, we can check your setup with you.
Software that connects to Bambora
Check each connection against the jobs you need it to do: take a payment, save a card, renew a subscription, refund a sale or match a deposit.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce documents a Bambora extension that can save payment methods and supports WooCommerce Subscriptions and Pre-Orders. It says the extension does not support Interac debit through Bambora or 3-D Secure, and asks merchants to turn off Verified by Visa in their Bambora account. Check your installed version before you rely on it.
Hosted checkout and custom builds
Bambora's hosted Checkout page, or a custom connection to its API, suits a site or app your own developer runs. Our development team can scope a custom build around your payment flow.
Billing and accounting software
Maxio's Advanced Billing connects to Bambora, but Maxio says you must ask it to turn the gateway on. Its currency setting must match the one set on your Bambora account. For other software, tell us the product and version, and we read its documentation with you.
Keyed payments and the Web Terminal
Bambora's Web Terminal lets staff key in a card payment from inside the Bambora account, for phone and mail orders. Bambora says it comes standard on most accounts, and the user needs full access to payment processing. If it is missing, Bambora's support team can turn it on.
If most of your payments are keyed in, tell us at the start. It changes how the account should be set up and priced. For the wider picture, see our virtual terminal page or send customers a payment link.
CAD and USD
Bambora says each account has one currency, USD or CAD. A payment through Checkout is charged in that currency, and a second currency needs another account. Foreign cards still work, and the cardholder's bank converts the amount. If you bill Canadian customers in CAD and American customers in USD, check that your software can send each sale to the right account.
VAR sheets and fees
The Bambora VAR sheet
A VAR sheet holds the processor details used to set up a gateway connection. Who issues it, and what it contains, depends on your processor.
What a Bambora setup costs
A full quote should show the gateway, processing, software and setup costs on separate lines.
Where CleverPays fits
Shift4 owns and runs the Bambora gateway. The company that processes your card payments approves and settles them. Your software company maintains its own connector. Visa, Mastercard and the other card networks set their own rules. CleverPays does not make Bambora or your software.
We check your setup with you: which gateway account, which processor, which software, CAD or USD, saved cards and recurring billing. Then we tell you what can change. Where we can set up the account, we will say so in writing. Where we cannot, we will tell you. We can review your statement, connect and test what we set up, and stay your contact in English and French.
Sources
- Shift4: acquisition of Bambora North America completed, 2 March 2026, read 18 October 2026
- Bambora North America help: why the Bambora and Beanstream API URLs are changing, read 18 October 2026
- Bambora North America help: how to set up the Web Terminal, read 18 October 2026
- Bambora North America help: accepting different currencies with Checkout, read 18 October 2026
- WooCommerce: Bambora extension documentation, read 18 October 2026
- Maxio: Bambora gateway setup guide, updated 24 August 2026, read 18 October 2026
Product and company names on this page are trademarks of their respective owners. CleverPays is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
