Develop Software Like Adyen: Cost & Feature Blueprint
Stop patching together disparate payment systems.
Build a unified, global commerce platform engineered for reliability, scale, and growth.
Tired of Payment Platforms That Can't Keep Up?
You're scaling globally, but your payment infrastructure is a complex web of gateways, processors, and acquirers. This patchwork creates data silos, increases costs, and slows down innovation. Building a unified commerce platform like Adyen isn't just about processing payments; it's about owning your entire financial stack to unlock new revenue streams, improve customer experiences, and gain a true competitive edge. We provide the blueprint and the AI-enabled engineering talent to build a platform that's not just a clone, but a strategic asset tailored to your specific business model.
Your Blueprint for a Unified Commerce Platform
We don't just build software; we engineer enterprise-grade financial ecosystems. Our services cover every layer of the stack required to create a robust, scalable, and secure platform inspired by Adyen's all-in-one model.
Unified Payment Gateway Development
Build a single, powerful API to accept payments from anywhere in the world. We consolidate multiple payment methods into one seamless integration, reducing complexity and technical debt.
- Accept credit/debit cards, digital wallets, and local payment methods globally.
- Implement intelligent routing to optimize authorization rates and reduce fees.
- Ensure PCI DSS compliance from the ground up for maximum security.
Payment Processing Engine
Engineer the core logic that powers every transaction. Our focus is on creating a high-throughput, low-latency engine that can handle enterprise volume without breaking a sweat.
- Design for sub-second transaction processing and high availability.
- Build robust settlement, reconciliation, and dispute management workflows.
- Integrate directly with card networks and acquiring banks for full control.
Risk Management & Fraud Prevention
Protect your business and your customers with an AI-powered risk engine. We move beyond static rules to create a dynamic system that adapts to emerging fraud patterns in real-time.
- Leverage machine learning for advanced fraud scoring and anomaly detection.
- Implement 3D Secure 2.0 and other authentication protocols.
- Create customizable risk profiles and rules to match your business logic.
Acquiring & Issuing Capabilities
Gain full control over the payment lifecycle by building your own acquiring and issuing infrastructure. We help you navigate the complexities of bank partnerships and network certifications.
- Develop systems to manage merchant onboarding, underwriting, and payouts.
- Build the infrastructure to issue physical and virtual cards.
- Manage the entire flow of funds from authorization to settlement.
Omnichannel & Point-of-Sale (POS) Integration
Unify your online and in-person payments into a single view. We build the APIs and SDKs needed to connect your platform to a wide range of POS terminals and retail systems.
- Enable features like "buy online, return in-store" with a unified customer profile.
- Develop terminal management APIs for remote device configuration and updates.
- Ensure seamless tokenization across all channels for secure, recurring billing.
Unified Commerce Dashboard & Analytics
Turn raw transaction data into actionable business intelligence. We design and build a comprehensive dashboard that gives you and your merchants a 360-degree view of payment activity.
- Visualize key metrics like authorization rates, chargeback ratios, and processing costs.
- Provide powerful filtering and reporting tools for deep data analysis.
- Incorporate AI-driven insights to identify growth opportunities and cost savings.
Third-Party Platform Integration (Marketplaces, SaaS)
Design your platform for extensibility. We build robust APIs and webhook systems that allow for easy integration with e-commerce platforms, ERPs, and other business-critical software.
- Develop solutions for split payments, commission handling, and merchant aggregation.
- Create comprehensive, easy-to-use developer documentation and SDKs.
- Build a certified integration marketplace to expand your ecosystem.
Global & Local Payment Method Expansion
Go beyond standard credit cards. We help you integrate with a vast array of local and alternative payment methods (APMs) to maximize your reach in key international markets.
- Integrate with bank transfers, direct debits, and real-time payment networks.
- Support popular digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and regional favorites.
- Build a modular architecture to quickly add new payment methods as you expand.
Cloud-Native Architecture & DevOps
Build for the future with a scalable, resilient, and secure cloud infrastructure. We leverage modern DevOps practices to ensure your platform can handle peak loads and continuous deployment.
- Design microservices-based architectures on AWS, Azure, or GCP.
- Implement CI/CD pipelines for automated testing and zero-downtime releases.
- Ensure high availability and disaster recovery across multiple regions.
Regulatory Compliance & Certification Support
Navigating the complex world of financial regulations is non-negotiable. We build systems with compliance in mind and provide the technical documentation and support needed for audits and certifications.
- Adhere to standards like PCI DSS, PSD2, SOC 2, and GDPR.
- Implement robust data encryption, tokenization, and key management.
- Assist in preparing for and navigating complex regulatory audits.
AI-Enabled 24/7 Monitoring & Support
Ensure your platform runs flawlessly around the clock. We provide ongoing maintenance, monitoring, and support services, augmented by AI to predict and prevent issues before they impact your customers.
- Set up real-time performance monitoring and alerting systems.
- Provide dedicated Level 2/3 technical support teams.
- Use AI-powered log analysis to proactively identify and resolve potential problems.
Legacy System Modernization & Migration
Transition from your outdated patchwork of payment systems to a modern, unified platform. We manage the entire migration process, ensuring data integrity and zero disruption to your business.
- Develop a phased migration strategy to minimize risk.
- Build custom tools to securely transfer sensitive customer and payment data.
- Ensure backward compatibility and seamless cutover during the transition.
Why Build With CIS? We're More Than Just Coders.
Building a platform like Adyen requires more than technical skill; it demands deep domain expertise, a security-first mindset, and a proven process for delivering complex, mission-critical systems. Here’s how we deliver certainty.
AI-Native From Day One
Our development process is augmented by AI, from code generation to QA, ensuring faster delivery, higher quality, and proactive issue detection. We build AI into your platform's core for features like fraud detection and data insights.
Verifiable Security & Compliance
With certifications like CMMI Level 5, SOC 2, and ISO 27001, we don't just talk about security; we live it. We build platforms designed to pass the most stringent financial audits from the start.
20+ Years of Fintech Expertise
Since 2003, we've been in the trenches building complex financial software. We understand the nuances of payment processing, regulatory hurdles, and what it takes to build a system that handles money reliably.
100% In-House, Vetted Experts
We never outsource. Your project is handled by our full-time team of over 1000+ vetted, AI-enabled professionals, ensuring seamless communication, accountability, and consistent quality.
Global Scale, Local Insight
With a primary focus on the US market and extensive experience in EMEA and Australia, we understand the global payments landscape and can engineer solutions that cater to regional specificities.
Full IP & White-Label Ownership
You own everything we build. We provide a complete white-label solution with full intellectual property transfer, giving you a strategic asset to command your market.
Accelerated Time-to-Market
Our pre-built frameworks and AI-augmented development practices significantly reduce development time, allowing you to launch your platform and start generating revenue faster than the competition.
Risk-Free 2-Week Trial
Experience our process and talent firsthand. We offer a paid 2-week trial to demonstrate our capabilities and ensure we're the right fit before you commit to the full project.
Guaranteed Talent Replacement
In the unlikely event a team member isn't a perfect fit, we offer a free replacement with zero-cost knowledge transfer, ensuring your project momentum is never compromised.
Technology Stack for an Enterprise-Grade Payment Platform
We build with a modern, scalable, and secure technology stack, ensuring your platform is both powerful today and ready for tomorrow's challenges.
Proven Success in Mission-Critical Systems
We don't just talk theory. We have a track record of delivering complex, high-stakes platforms for global leaders.
Building a Unified Payment Orchestration Layer for a Global SaaS Leader
Industry: FinTech & SaaS
Client Overview: A leading B2B SaaS company providing subscription billing services to enterprise clients across North America and Europe. They were struggling with a fragmented payment infrastructure, relying on multiple third-party gateways, which led to high operational costs, inconsistent data, and difficulty in expanding to new markets.
"CIS didn't just build a gateway; they engineered a central nervous system for our entire payments operation. Their expertise in compliance and high-availability systems was a game-changer. We now onboard new markets in weeks, not months."Michael Harper, CTO, ScaleUp SaaS Inc.
Problem
The client's growth was being throttled by their payment stack. Each new country required a new, complex gateway integration, increasing technical debt and maintenance overhead. They lacked a unified view of their transaction data, making reconciliation a nightmare and preventing them from optimizing payment routing for cost and success rates.
Key Challenges:
- Integrating over 15 disparate payment gateways into a single, manageable system.
- Ensuring PCI DSS Level 1 compliance for the new centralized platform.
- Migrating millions of active subscriptions and tokenized payment methods without service interruption.
- Developing an intelligent transaction routing engine to reduce processing fees.
Our Solution:
We designed and built a cloud-native Payment Orchestration Platform that acted as a single API layer on top of their existing gateways. Our AI-enabled team delivered a multi-faceted solution:
- Unified API: A single, RESTful API for all payment operations, abstracting away the complexity of individual gateway integrations.
- AI-Powered Routing: A machine learning model that analyzes transaction data in real-time to route payments to the acquirer most likely to approve it at the lowest cost.
- Centralized Vault: A PCI-compliant, agnostic token vault to securely store customer payment data, giving the client full control and eliminating vendor lock-in.
- Phased Migration Strategy: A carefully planned, zero-downtime migration plan that moved merchants and their subscriptions to the new platform region by region.
12%
Reduction in Payment Processing Fees
75%
Faster Integration of New Payment Gateways
4%
Increase in Authorization Success Rates
Developing a Real-Time Settlement System for a Logistics Giant
Industry: Logistics & Supply Chain
Client Overview: A Fortune 500 logistics company managing millions of shipments daily. Their existing payment settlement process was batch-based, running overnight, which created cash flow delays for their network of thousands of independent carriers and introduced significant reconciliation challenges.
"The real-time settlement platform from CIS transformed our relationship with our carriers. Paying them instantly upon delivery has become a major competitive advantage in a tight labor market. The system has been flawlessly reliable since launch."Jenna Clay, VP of Operations, Global Freight Corp.
Problem
The 24-48 hour delay in paying carriers was causing dissatisfaction and churn. The manual, batch-based reconciliation process was error-prone and required a large back-office team to manage disputes and discrepancies. They needed a system that could handle complex, multi-party transactions and settle funds in near real-time.
Key Challenges:
- Processing a high volume of transactions with very low latency.
- Integrating with multiple banking systems and payment rails (ACH, FedWire).
- Ensuring transactional integrity and creating an immutable audit trail for every dollar.
- Building a complex rules engine to handle fuel surcharges, accessorial fees, and carrier advances.
Our Solution:
We engineered a high-performance, event-driven settlement platform using a microservices architecture. The solution was built for speed, accuracy, and auditability:
- Event-Driven Core: Built on Kafka and Flink to process millions of transaction events (delivery confirmation, fee calculation, etc.) in real-time.
- Smart Contract Logic: A custom rules engine that automatically calculated the final settlement amount based on predefined contractual terms for each carrier.
- Direct Bank Integration: Secure, direct API integrations with the client's partner banks to initiate and track payments across various rails.
- Reconciliation Dashboard: A web-based portal providing real-time visibility into the entire settlement lifecycle, dramatically reducing the need for manual intervention.
99.99%
System Uptime and Reliability
Average Time to Settle Carrier Payments
60%
Reduction in Reconciliation Workload
Building the In-App Payment & Wallet System for a Leading Ride-Hailing App
Industry: Transportation & Mobility
Client Overview: A rapidly growing ride-hailing company in the EMEA region, competing with global giants. To improve user experience and driver loyalty, they needed to move beyond basic credit card processing and build a sophisticated in-app wallet and multi-faceted payment system.
"CIS delivered a world-class payment and wallet system that is now the backbone of our user experience. Their ability to handle the complexities of split payments, driver payouts, and fraud in a mobile-first environment was exceptional."Farid Al-Jamil, Founder & CEO, GoFast Mobility
Problem
The client was losing customers due to a clunky payment experience and drivers due to slow payout cycles. They couldn't support local payment methods, which was a major barrier to growth in new markets. They also faced a high rate of payment fraud from stolen credit cards.
Key Challenges:
- Handling millions of micro-transactions securely and cost-effectively.
- Building a closed-loop wallet system with top-up and withdrawal capabilities.
- Implementing a complex split-payment system to route funds to drivers, the company, and tax authorities.
- Developing a mobile-centric fraud detection system that didn't add friction for legitimate users.
Our Solution:
We developed a comprehensive, mobile-first payment platform integrated directly into their existing application. This was more than a feature; it was a core product pillar:
- E-Wallet System: A secure, scalable digital wallet allowing users to store funds, earn rewards, and pay for rides instantly.
- Automated Payout Engine: A system that calculated and disbursed driver earnings on a daily basis, significantly improving driver satisfaction and retention.
- Local Payment Integrations: Deep integrations with regional mobile money providers and direct debit systems, unlocking new customer segments.
- Behavioral Fraud Detection: An AI model that analyzed in-app behavior, location data, and transaction patterns to identify and block fraudulent activities in real-time.
30%
Increase in Customer Retention
50%
Reduction in Payment-Related Fraud
25%
Uplift in Driver Satisfaction Scores
Our Agile & Transparent Development Process
We combine agile methodology with rigorous planning to deliver complex fintech platforms on time and on budget. You get full visibility at every stage.
Discovery & Blueprinting
We start with intensive workshops to understand your business model, regulatory requirements, and technical landscape. The output is a comprehensive technical blueprint, user stories, and a detailed project roadmap.
Architecture & Core Design
Our solution architects design a secure, scalable, and compliant system architecture. We focus on a microservices approach to ensure modularity and future flexibility, defining the core APIs and data models.
Agile Sprints & Prototyping
Development happens in two-week agile sprints. You get access to a dedicated project manager and regular demos of working software. We build and test core modules, iterating based on your feedback.
AI-Augmented Quality Assurance
Our QA process is relentless. We use a combination of automated testing, manual testing, and AI-powered tools for performance, security (penetration testing), and compliance checks throughout the development lifecycle.
User Acceptance Testing (UAT) & Deployment
We deploy the platform to a staging environment for your team to conduct thorough UAT. Once approved, we manage the full production deployment using CI/CD pipelines for a seamless, zero-downtime launch.
Ongoing Support & Evolution
Our partnership doesn't end at launch. We provide 24/7 monitoring, maintenance, and support. We work with you to plan future enhancements, add new features, and ensure the platform evolves with your business.
Estimate Your Platform Development Investment
This interactive calculator provides a preliminary estimate for building a custom payment platform. For a detailed, fixed-price proposal, please request a free consultation.
Estimated Investment Range
Based on a team of 5 engineers for 9 months.
Get a Precise QuoteYour Development Options Compared
Understand the trade-offs between building with a dedicated partner like CIS, hiring an in-house team, or using freelancers.
| Factor | CIS AI-Enabled Team | In-House Team | Freelancers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed to Market | Fast | Slow (Hiring & Onboarding) | Variable & Risky |
| Upfront Cost | Moderate (Predictable) | Very High (Salaries, Benefits) | Low (Often Misleading) |
| Fintech Domain Expertise | Built-in | Must Hire For | Rare & Expensive |
| Scalability & Flexibility | High (Scale team on demand) | Low (Fixed team size) | Very Low |
| Security & Compliance | Certified (CMMI 5, SOC 2) | Self-Managed Burden | High Risk |
| Accountability & Process | High (Dedicated PM) | High (Direct Management) | Low (No real oversight) |
| Long-term Maintenance | Guaranteed Support | Dependent on Employee Retention | Unreliable |
What Our Clients Say
We build long-term partnerships based on trust, transparency, and tangible results.
"CIS delivered a platform that exceeded our expectations in terms of performance and security. Their architects are top-tier, and the project management was flawless. They are a true extension of our team."Michael Harper, CTO, FinTech Innovators
"The AI-powered fraud detection module they built has saved us millions. It's smarter and faster than any off-the-shelf solution we've tried. Their understanding of financial data is unparalleled."Jenna Clay, Head of Risk, Global E-commerce Corp
"We needed to get to market fast without compromising on compliance. CIS's agile process and deep regulatory knowledge made it possible. We launched three months ahead of schedule."Aaron Welch, Founder, PayRight Startups
"The transparency and communication were outstanding. We always knew the status of our project, and their team was always available to discuss strategy. It felt like a true partnership."Lauren Gentry, VP of Engineering, Marketplace Solutions
"Migrating our legacy payment data was our biggest fear. The CIS team handled it with surgical precision. There was zero downtime and no data loss. Truly impressive execution."Ryan Caldwell, Director of IT, Enterprise Retail Group
"The unified dashboard they built gives us insights we never had before. We can now make data-driven decisions about our payment strategy, which has directly impacted our bottom line."Sophia Dalton, Chief Financial Officer, Digital Subscriptions Inc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Clear answers to common questions about building a custom payment platform.
An MVP (Minimum Viable Product) for a payment platform, focusing on core gateway and processing functionalities, typically takes between 6 to 9 months. This timeline can vary based on the complexity of integrations, specific compliance requirements (like PCI DSS), and the number of payment methods included in the initial launch.
Security is our top priority and is embedded in our process. We adhere to a 'security by design' principle, incorporating threat modeling and security checks from day one. Our development process is compliant with ISO 27001 and SOC 2 standards. We implement end-to-end encryption, robust access controls, and regular penetration testing. For payment data, we ensure strict PCI DSS compliance, utilizing tokenization to minimize your scope and risk.
Absolutely. Upon final payment, you receive 100% ownership of the intellectual property and source code. We operate on a white-label basis, meaning the platform we build is your strategic asset to own, brand, and operate as you see fit.
Yes. A core part of our service is building a platform that fits seamlessly into your existing ecosystem. We have extensive experience integrating with a wide range of systems, including acquiring banks, card networks, ERPs, accounting software, and CRM platforms, via custom API development.
We offer flexible engagement models to suit your needs. For well-defined projects, we can provide a fixed-price quote. For projects where requirements may evolve, we recommend a dedicated team model (Time & Materials), where you pay a monthly fee for a team of vetted experts working exclusively on your project. This provides maximum flexibility and transparency.
We believe in long-term partnerships. We offer comprehensive support and maintenance packages that include 24/7 platform monitoring, bug fixes, security patches, and ongoing feature enhancements. Our AI-enabled monitoring helps us proactively identify and resolve issues often before you're even aware of them.
Ready to Build Your Own Payment Powerhouse?
Let's move beyond theoretical costs. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with our fintech architects. We'll help you define your roadmap, identify key features, and provide a detailed proposal tailored to your vision.
Schedule Your Free Consultation