Best for: Merchants who want compliant, turnkey Bitcoin acceptance without running their own nodes.
Consider if: You need to settle to fiat, Lightning, or on-chain from the same dashboard and API.
Not ideal when: You must keep keys in-house or require zero processor fees.
Initial sync: Depends on KYC review queue
Gotcha: Higher processing limits stay capped until KYB completes, so have incorporation and ownership docs ready.
Gotcha: Auto-conversion protects you from volatility but usually incurs a slightly higher fee (e.g., 1%) than keeping Bitcoin.
Gotcha: Ensure your website uses HTTPS (SSL); the secure connection is required for OpenNode to mark orders as paid.
Gotcha: Preview quotes expire quickly, so confirm before the expiry timestamp if you want the same FX rate.
No. Dev API keys hit OpenNode's testnet stack so you can experiment with fake sats before you flip to production.
OpenNode runs the channels for you, so you only manage API keys, webhooks, and payout destinations.
1% processing fee
What happens:
OpenNode charges a flat 1% fee on all incoming payments (both Lightning and on-chain). There are no setup, monthly, or minimum fees.
Optimization:
Since the fee is percentage-based, you pay less when you process less volume.
https://help.opennode.com/en/articles/3176293-pricing-and-fees
Lightning: Free
On-chain (Instant): 1%
On-chain (Scheduled): Free
What happens:
Moving bitcoin to your own wallet is free if you use Lightning or scheduled weekly transfers. Instant on-chain withdrawals incur a 1% surcharge plus mining fees.
Optimization:
Enable scheduled weekly transfers to sweep your balance on-chain for free, or use Lightning for instant, free withdrawals.
https://help.opennode.com/en/articles/3133789-bitcoin-transfers
Varies by bank partner
What happens:
You can schedule daily transfers or initiate one-time wires to your bank account. OpenNode does not charge a conversion fee, but bank transfer fees apply.
Optimization:
Check the specific bank transfer fees in your dashboard; scheduled daily transfers may offer better rates or convenience.
https://help.opennode.com/en/articles/3193957-usd-bank-transfers
No conversion fee
What happens:
OpenNode allows you to convert between Bitcoin and local currency (like USD, EUR, GBP) instantly or at the time of transaction without any added spread or conversion fee.
Optimization:
Use Split Settlement to automatically hedge a portion of your revenue while keeping the rest in Bitcoin.
https://help.opennode.com/en/collections/1858250-currency-conversion-and-funds-transfers
Yes. Instant Lightning withdrawals carry no extra fee, while on-demand on-chain withdrawals take the standard 1% plus the mining fee you select.
Weekly scheduled Bitcoin transfers are free, so you can let OpenNode sweep balances without paying the instant withdrawal fee.
OpenNode holds funds until you withdraw or auto-settle to your wallet or bank, so their ledger is the source of truth until you sweep.
Hosted checkout does not ask for personal payer data unless you collect it, which reduces the blast radius of a breach.
OpenNode serves global merchants but unlocks features per jurisdiction once the right regulatory checks are complete.
Individual accounts submit ID and a selfie, while businesses provide ownership, address, and formation records before payouts go live.
You still manage API keys, callback URLs, and team permissions, so secure your credentials like production secrets.
They only see the metadata you pass into charges, so keep invoice fields minimal if privacy matters.
Support can re-verify your identity and restore access once you provide the same KYC/KYB data used during onboarding.
Best for: Instant microtransactions and high-volume payments under 5 BTC
| Min per transaction | 1 satoshi |
|---|---|
| Max per transaction | 500,000,000 sats (5 BTC) |
| Max per day | Unlimited |
| Max per week | Unlimited |
| Withdrawal eligibility | Immediate |
Best for: Large settlements exceeding Lightning channel capacity
| Min per transaction | Variable (dust limit) |
|---|---|
| Max per transaction | Unlimited |
| Max per day | Unlimited |
| Max per week | Unlimited |
| Withdrawal eligibility | After 1 confirmation |
Best for: Merchants who need to pay global contractors in BTC without holding exposure
| Min per transaction | Varies by region |
|---|---|
| Max per transaction | KYB tier dependent |
| Max per day | Unlimited |
| Max per week | Unlimited |
| Withdrawal eligibility | Immediate conversion |
Install official plugins so customers see OpenNode checkout after they confirm the cart, without exposing API keys client-side.
Privacy: Order data stays with your store; OpenNode only receives invoice metadata.
Use /v2/withdrawals to send on-chain or Lightning payouts from your fiat or BTC balance.
Privacy: Only the payout address or invoice plus the amount leaves your environment.
Subscribe to charge, underpayment, refund, and withdrawal events so your ERP, CRM, or fulfillment stack updates in real time.
Privacy: Webhooks include only the metadata you send, so do not log unnecessary customer data.
Lightning + on-chain in one link Optional fiat toggle
OpenNode renders Lightning and on-chain payment options in a single checkout page, which keeps your app simple while giving customers real-time totals.
Gotcha: If you exceed the Lightning amount cap, the page will fall back to on-chain only.
Wire USD/EUR/GBP Lightning or on-chain
You can wire fiat into OpenNode and have them convert each payout into sats on demand, so your treasury team never has to hold bitcoin.
Gotcha: Quotes expire quickly during volatile markets, so confirm before the expiry timestamp.
QR-triggered payouts Fixed or ranged amounts
LNURL-Withdrawal lets you hand contractors or users a QR code they can scan to pull sats instantly, anchored by OpenNode's liquidity.
Gotcha: If the wallet does not support LNURL, provide a standard Lightning invoice fallback.
Choose: Use this when your testnet flow is stable and you are ready for mainnet.
Tips: Keep sandbox keys around for regression testing.
Gotcha: Production Lightning invoices enforce the 500000000 sat cap even if your sandbox tests exceeded it.
Choose: Use this when you want to auto-convert a percentage of every payment.
Tips: Document the new accounting flow so finance knows where to look for each portion.
Gotcha: Changes only affect new charges; historical payments keep their original settlement path.
Choose: Use this when teammates leave or you are moving secrets to a new vault.
Tips: Schedule rotations quarterly so stale keys do not linger.
Gotcha: Deleting a key immediately will break plugins tied to it, so update integrations first.
Security & Protection page outlines fraud monitoring, multisig storage, and IP whitelisting options.
Security postureOpenNode publishes a privacy policy covering how onboarding and transaction data are stored and processed.
Privacy policyTerms & conditions detail service eligibility, settlement rules, and liability limits.
Terms & conditions
OpenNode is a Bitcoin-first payment processor that empowers businesses to accept and send Bitcoin—either on-chain or via Lightning—using simple plugins, hosted checkouts, or its developer-friendly API...
OpenNode is a Bitcoin-first payment processor that empowers businesses to accept and send Bitcoin—either on-chain or via Lightning—using simple plugins, hosted checkouts, or its developer-friendly API. Organisations that want a turnkey, compliant solution—especially mid-sized to large enterprises—can onboard easily with KYC and achieve global scale without building complex node infrastructure.
When you create a charge, OpenNode returns a checkout URL that bundles the Lightning invoice and on-chain address so customers can choose their rail. That means you can simply redirect to checkout.opennode.com/{id} and append ln or hf query switches to shape the experience.
OpenNode charges around 1% for processing plus on-demand on-chain withdrawals, while scheduled weekly transfers stay free and Lightning withdrawals are free. You can choose instant payouts when speed matters or lean on scheduled moves if you want to avoid the extra fee.
You can set an underpayment tolerance so slightly short on-chain payments move forward automatically, and anything below the threshold is flagged as underpaid. Buyers can send the remaining sats or request a refund that returns their funds minus the 200 sat network fee, so you stay in control of the customer experience.
Yes. Wire fiat into your OpenNode local currency wallet and initiate Lightning or on-chain payouts directly from that balance. The platform quotes the BTC amount and handles conversion so you can fund global payouts without ever holding bitcoin on your books.
Individual accounts submit government ID plus a fresh selfie, while businesses provide formation docs, ownership records, and proof of address so OpenNode can meet KYB obligations. That onboarding is what unlocks higher limits, fiat rails, and access to payout APIs.
Custody
Data Privacy
Jurisdiction & Availability
