# Remove and replace SOFORT in your integration Learn how to discontinue SOFORT as a payment method and discover suitable alternatives. > SOFORT has been discontinued as of March 31, 2025, and Stripe no longer supports SOFORT as a separate payment method. You must remove SOFORT to avoid any SOFORT payment failures. For more information, read our [support page](https://support.stripe.com/questions/sofort-is-being-deprecated-as-a-standalone-payment-method). This guide provides instructions to: - Remove SOFORT from your current payment integration. - Explore alternative payment methods for your business and region. These include [Klarna’s](https://docs.stripe.com/payments/klarna.md) “pay in full" (previously known as “Pay Now”) payment option. ## Remove SOFORT from your payments integration Removing SOFORT as a payment method affects several aspects of your integration and customer communication. The following sections outline key impact areas, some of which might not apply to your business. ### Update your payments integration The steps to remove SOFORT depend on which type of integration you use. If you’re using dynamic payment methods with any of Stripe’s prebuilt payment UIs (Checkout, Payment Element, Invoicing, Payment Links), Stripe automatically hides SOFORT from the UI. | Integration type | Removal steps | | -------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Payment Element (mobile and web) | - Remove `sofort` from the `payment_method_types` specified at [PaymentIntent creation](https://docs.stripe.com/api/payment_intents/create.md#create_payment_intent-payment_method_types). - Stop sending `sofort` as the selected payment method type at [confirmation](https://docs.stripe.com/js/payment_intents/confirm_sofort_payment). | | Stripe Checkout | Remove `sofort` from the `payment_method_types` specified at CheckoutSession creation. | | Stripe Invoicing | Remove `sofort` from the `payment_settings.payment_method_types` specified at the invoice’s [PaymentIntent creation](https://docs.stripe.com/api/invoices/object.md#invoice_object-payment_settings-payment_method_types). | | Direct API | - Remove `sofort` from the `payment_method_types` specified at PaymentIntent creation (or from the sources types, if you’re using the [Sources API](https://docs.stripe.com/api/sources/object.md#source_object-type)). - Remove SOFORT from available options in your checkout. | ### Update future payments and subscriptions If you use SOFORT to set up future payments or process recurring payments using SEPA Direct Debit, you must also update those integration paths to prevent future payments from using SOFORT. > Existing SEPA direct debit [mandates](https://docs.stripe.com/api/mandates.md) initiated by SOFORT payments remain active, since SEPA Direct Debit and SOFORT are distinct payment methods. | Integration type | Removal steps | | -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Payment Element (mobile and web) | - Remove `sofort` from the `payment_method_types` specified at [PaymentIntent creation](https://docs.stripe.com/api/payment_intents/create.md#create_payment_intent-payment_method_types) for any subscriptions. - Remove `sofort` from the `payment_method_types` specified at SetupIntent creation for future off-session payments. | | Stripe Checkout | Remove `sofort` from the `payment_method_types` specified at CheckoutSession creation. | | Stripe Invoicing | Remove `sofort` from the `payment_settings.payment_method_types` specified at the invoice’s [PaymentIntent creation](https://docs.stripe.com/api/invoices/object.md#invoice_object-payment_settings-payment_method_types) for recurring invoices. | | Direct API | - Remove `sofort` from the `payment_method_types` specified at PaymentIntent creation (or from the sources types, if you’re using the [Sources API](https://docs.stripe.com/api/sources/object.md#source_object-type)) for any subscriptions. - Remove `sofort` from the `payment_method_types` specified at SetupIntent creation for future off-session payments. - Remove SOFORT from available options in your checkout. | ### Update Connect platform integrations To discontinue SOFORT for platforms, connectors, or Stripe apps, you must update your payments and onboarding integrations. - For new connected accounts, in the Payment methods settings page of your [Dashboard](https://dashboard.stripe.com/settings/connect/payment_methods), choose **Edit settings** for your connected accounts, then set **Off by default** for SOFORT to block connected accounts from re-requesting the `sofort_payments` [capability](https://docs.stripe.com/connect/account-capabilities.md). - Update your support articles, dashboard, and documentation to advise your users that SOFORT is no longer available. ### Refunds Refunds continue to process as normal beyond the discontinuation date. SOFORT payments support refunds up to 180 days after the original payment. ### Disputes SOFORT doesn’t support disputes. Any disputes raised on SEPA direct debits payments are subject to the [SEPA Direct Debit dispute process](https://docs.stripe.com/payments/sepa-debit.md#disputed-payments). ## Migrate your payment flow to an alternative payment method Stripe offers many payment method options that might be suitable alternatives to SOFORT. How you integrate alternative payment methods depends on: - Which payment method you choose to migrate to from SOFORT. For example: - Klarna’s “Pay Now” payment option enabling bank transfer payments is the closest payment flow to SOFORT. - We also support [Pay By Bank](https://docs.stripe.com/payments/pay-by-bank.md) in the UK and we’re collecting early interest in expansion to Germany. - How you use Stripe: are you a platform or marketplace, or a connector or app developer? - Your payments integration: do you use a Stripe UI or a custom API integration? ### Compare alternative payment methods We’ve included a high-level comparison to help you review your options. For information about integrating any of these alternatives, click the payment method column heading to see its complete documentation. | | SOFORT | [Klarna](https://docs.stripe.com/payments/klarna.md) (Recommended) | [SEPA Direct Debit](https://docs.stripe.com/payments/sepa-debit.md) | [Bank Transfers](https://docs.stripe.com/payments/bank-transfers.md) | | ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Summary | SOFORT redirects customers to their bank’s portal to authenticate the payment, and it typically takes 2 to 14 days to receive notification of success or failure. | Klarna is a global payment method that also offers a “pay in full” option leveraging SOFORT to support its bank transfers. | SEPA Direct Debit is a reusable, delayed notification payment method. | Bank transfers is a push payment method requiring buyers to log in to their bank outside of the context of the checkout to push a payment to a virtual IBAN. | | Payment confirmation | Customer-initiated | Customer-initiated | Business-initiated | Business-initiated | | Recurring payments | Yes, with SEPA Direct Debit | Yes (Private Preview) | Yes | Yes | | Payout timing | Standard payout timing applies. | Standard payout timing applies. | Standard payout timing applied at 35,000 USD of SEPA Direct Debit volume. Below this threshold, 5 business days. | Standard payout timing applies. | | Connect support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Dispute support | No | Yes | Yes1 | No | | Manual capture support | No | Yes | No | No | | Refunds / Partial refunds | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes (except for international wires) | 1 Automatically honored up to 8 weeks after the account debit.