Compare testing environments

Test mode and Sandboxes are testing environments that simulate creating real objects without the risk of affecting real transactions or moving actual money. Understanding when to use each can help you build your testing strategy.

We recommend using Sandboxes for your testing needs because they offer additional functionality and greater flexibility compared to test mode. By transitioning to Sandboxes, you can enhance your testing capabilities with multiple environments, granular access control, and isolated settings, allowing you to build a more robust and comprehensive testing strategy.

Transition from test mode to Sandboxes

To transition from test mode to Sandboxes in the Dashboard:

1. Create a sandbox, then invite the users who need access to it.
   • When you grant a team member the Sandbox User role, you’re giving them access to create sandboxes associated with your live business account and delete sandboxes they’ve created. Unlike test mode, where all users had automatic access, only those with the Sandbox User role, Admin roles, Developer role, or Sandbox Admin role can access sandboxes.
2. Obtain new test API keys and your account ID for your sandbox.
3. Set up relevant testing data such as test products, customers, subscriptions, and payment methods.
   • (Optional) Set up test clocks, which help you test your Billing integration to make sure it behaves as expected. When you use test clocks, you simulate the forward movement of time in the sandbox, causing Billing resources such as Subscriptions to change state and trigger webhook events. This allows you to see how your integration handles scenarios, such as a payment failure for a quarterly or annual renewal, without waiting extended periods.
4. Update any part of your testing processes that depends on specific test object IDs. This changes when you create new objects in a sandbox.

Differences in functionality

View the table below to understand the differences and choose the most suitable environment for your needs.