# Getting Started

> Everything you need to go from zero to live payments with VINR.

VINR is a European payment platform built around three products — **Payments**, **Billing**, and **Engagement** — all sharing one API, one SDK, and one customer record. Whether you're taking a first card payment or wiring up a subscription-plus-loyalty loop, you're always working with the same objects and the same event model.

You can start building in sandbox today without KYB, without a sales call, and without real money.

## What are you building?

Pick the path that matches your goal. You can combine all three later — a single `cust_` record threads through every product.

[Accept online payments](/docs/getting-started/quick-start) — Take card and local payment method payments on your site or app. Live in minutes with a hosted redirect, or embed VINR's card fields into your own checkout.

[Run subscriptions & invoicing](/docs/billing) — Model products, prices, and recurring billing. VINR handles the invoice lifecycle, retries, and revenue recognition.

[Add loyalty & rewards](/docs/engagement) — Attach a points program to any customer — standalone or layered on top of your existing Payments and Billing integration.

[Build the full stack](/docs/getting-started/integration-overview) — Use all three products together. One customer object, one set of keys, one webhook endpoint.

## Your path to production

### Create your account and explore the sandbox

[Sign up at dashboard.vinr.com](https://dashboard.vinr.com/signup) with a work email. You get immediate access to a fully functional sandbox — no KYB, no sales call, no real money. Everything in sandbox behaves identically to production.

See [Account setup](/docs/getting-started/account-setup) for team roles, environment structure, and the difference between sandbox and live keys.

### Choose your integration path

VINR offers three depths for Payments, from a redirect you can ship this afternoon to a fully API-driven flow for PCI-certified environments:

| Path           | You build                              | PCI scope       |
| -------------- | -------------------------------------- | --------------- |
| **Hosted**     | A redirect + webhook handler           | Lowest (SAQ A)  |
| **Embedded**   | Your checkout page, VINR-hosted fields | Low (SAQ A-EP)  |
| **API-direct** | Full client + server flow              | Highest (SAQ D) |

Start hosted — it can be migrated to embedded or API-direct later without changing your data model. See [Integration overview](/docs/getting-started/integration-overview).

### Build and test with sandbox keys

Follow the [Quick Start](/docs/getting-started/quick-start) to make your first payment in about five minutes. Use test cards to drive any outcome:

| Card number           | Result             |
| --------------------- | ------------------ |
| `4242 4242 4242 4242` | Successful payment |
| `4000 0000 0000 0002` | Declined           |
| `4000 0000 0000 3220` | 3DS challenge      |

Install the SDK, set `VINR_SECRET_KEY` to your `sk_test_…` key, and your test charges never touch real funds.

### Complete verification and go live

When you're ready to accept real payments, complete KYB in the dashboard (1–2 business days), add your business IBAN, and swap `sk_test_…` for `sk_live_…`. The [Go-live checklist](/docs/getting-started/go-live-checklist) covers every step.

> KYB verification only gates live mode — it does not block sandbox access. Your engineering team can reach a working integration before compliance review is complete.

## Next steps

[Quick Start](/docs/getting-started/quick-start) — Make your first payment in five minutes.

[Account setup](/docs/getting-started/account-setup) — Team roles, environments, and connecting your bank account.

[Authentication](/docs/getting-started/authentication) — API key management, scoping, and rotation.

[Go-live checklist](/docs/getting-started/go-live-checklist) — Everything to verify before switching to live keys.

> **Have a question?** The Ask AI panel (bottom-right) is grounded in these docs and can answer questions about integration paths, payment methods, webhooks, and settlement — without leaving the page.