--- title: "How each payment method works: mechanics, timing and installments" description: "A deeper reference: how PayID, BSB, PIX and Boleto generate their payment details, how fast each method confirms and pays out, and Brazilian card installments up to 18x." lastModified: "2026-06-13" lang: "en" wordCount: 2152 url: https://qualyhq.com/training/payments/how-each-payment-method-works --- ## Site navigation - [For schools](/international-education/for-schools.md) — For international education schools - [For agents](/international-education/for-education-agents.md) — For international education agents - [Explore](/training.md) — Watch videos on how to use Qualy - [About](/about.md) — Learn about Qualy's mission and values - [Pricing](/pricing) - [5-min demo](/demo.md) - [Login](https://dashboard.qualyhq.com) # How each payment method works: mechanics, timing and installments > The mechanics behind each method—what's generated, how fast funds arrive, and installment options. ## At a glance - **Intended for:** Finance & operations - **Available in:** All plans - **Reading time:** 7 minutes - **Last updated:** 31st May 2026 ## Quick summary Each method works a little differently: PayID and BSB/account give the customer a unique account to pay into, so payments match themselves automatically; PIX shows a fresh QR code each time; Boleto creates a new slip per payment. Cards are confirmed instantly and the money lands within a few days. Brazilian customers can pay in up to 18 monthly installments—and you still receive the full amount upfront, with no risk if they miss a payment. Outside Australia, an extra security check (3D Secure) protects every card payment. ## Overview The payment-methods overview tells you *what* each method is. This guide goes a little deeper—**how each method works for the customer**, **how quickly the money reaches you**, and **how paying in installments works**—so you can confidently answer the questions customers and your finance team ask. The methods a customer sees depend on **where they're paying from and in which currency**—Qualy automatically shows the right options for their country, so you don't have to think about it. Whichever method a customer uses, Qualy never touches or holds your money. The payment goes into an isolated account held in your own business's name and is paid straight out to you (and split to any partners). Because the funds are legally in your name, your money is safe at every step. ## How the bank-to-bank methods work Some methods don't use a card at all—the customer pays straight from their bank. With these, Qualy gives each customer their **own unique payment detail**, which means the money they send is **matched to the right payment immediately and perfectly**. No references to copy, no manual matching, no mix-ups. ### PayID The customer gets a **unique PayID** to pay into from their banking app. Because it's unique to them, the moment they pay, Qualy knows exactly which payment it belongs to. It's **instant**. ### BSB & account number The customer gets a **unique BSB and account number** to transfer to, just like a normal bank transfer. Again, it's theirs alone, so the payment reconciles itself the moment it lands. It's simple, and a little slower than PayID. ### PIX The customer scans a **PIX QR code** or copies a **PIX code** into their banking app, and the payment goes through instantly. The code stays valid for a while; if the customer comes back later and it has expired, they simply generate a new one. Qualy includes step-by-step help for the major banks (Itaú, Bradesco, Nubank, Banco do Brasil, Caixa, Santander and more) in case anyone gets stuck. ### Boleto The customer gets a **Boleto** they can download, print, or pay online—**at their bank, post office, or banking app**. The Boleto stays valid for a while, and if it lapses before they pay, they just generate a fresh one. Boleto payments take a few days to clear. The beauty of these methods is reconciliation: because each customer pays into something unique to them, Qualy lines the money up with the right payment on its own—nothing for you or the customer to match by hand. ## How fast does the money arrive? There are two moments worth knowing about: the payment being **confirmed** (you know it went through) and the money actually **landing** in your account. For some methods these happen together; for cards, confirmation is instant but the money takes a few days to land. That's normal—it's just how card networks work. ### Instant PayID, PIX, PayTo and Wero confirm and arrive in real time. Money moves more or less straight away. ### Cards — confirmed instantly, money in a few days Whether your customer pays with an Australian card, an international card or a Brazilian card, the payment is confirmed on the spot. The money then lands in your account within a few days—Australian cards usually take a little longer than Brazilian ones. ### A few days BSB/account transfers, bank transfers, direct debit and Boleto take a few days to come through, because they travel over standard bank rails. The exact day can shift slightly around weekends and public holidays. Qualy always shows your customer a clear estimate at checkout, and you can follow each payment's progress in the dashboard. ## Brazilian card installments (up to 18x) Brazilian customers love paying in installments, and Qualy lets them split a card payment into as many as **18 monthly installments**. They simply choose how many at checkout—anywhere from paying in one go up to 18 times. ### You get paid upfront—every time Here's the part that matters most for you: **even when your customer pays in installments, you receive the full amount upfront.** You don't wait month by month. Your customer repays in instalments on their side, and the payment provider takes care of that arrangement. And if the customer misses their instalments? That's not your problem. Because you've already been paid in full, the risk of a customer not keeping up sits with the provider, not with you. You collect once, in full, and move on. ### What it costs the customer Paying over time isn't free for the customer—the more months they spread it over, the a little more they pay in total, and a small fixed fee applies. None of this changes what *you* receive; it only affects the customer's total. Before a customer commits, you can show them the **financing simulation**, which lays out each monthly amount and the total in plain figures—so there are no surprises. ### Buy now, pay later In some regions, a **buy now, pay later** option lets customers finance a purchase or pay in a few instalments. It works similarly from your point of view—the customer gets flexibility, and you get paid. ## An extra layer of security outside Australia For card payments made **outside Australia**, Qualy adds an extra security check called **3D Secure (3DS)**. In practice, that means the customer confirms the payment with their own bank—often a quick approval in their banking app or a one-time code—before it goes through. It's the same step you've probably seen yourself when buying online. Two things it does for you: - **Fewer fraudulent payments**, because the real cardholder has to approve. - **More protection against chargebacks**, since the bank has verified the customer. This happens automatically—you don't set anything up. Customers paying with an Australian card follow their local process, which doesn't include this particular step. ## Quick reference ### What's generated per payment - **PayID** → a unique PayID (auto-reconciled) - **BSB/account** → a unique BSB + account number (auto-reconciled) - **PIX** → a dynamic QR code + Pix code (temporary) - **Boleto** → a fresh, unique Boleto with its own number/barcode ### Typical timing - **Real-time:** PayID, PIX, PayTo, Wero/iDEAL - **Instant confirmation, money lands in a few days:** cards (Australian cards take a little longer than Brazilian ones) - **Clears in a few days:** BSB/account, bank transfer, BECS direct debit, Boleto ### Installments - **Brazilian cards:** up to **18x**, with the rate rising the more months are chosen - **Buy now, pay later:** pay later or in a few instalments (region-dependent) Availability is regional: PayID, BSB/account, PayTo and BECS are Australia-only; PIX and Boleto are Brazil-only; Wero/iDEAL is Europe-only. Turn on the methods relevant to you in Settings → Payment methods. ## Frequently asked questions ### How does PayID work? The customer gets a unique PayID to pay into from their banking app. Because it belongs to them alone, the moment they pay, Qualy matches the money to the right payment automatically—no reference to type and nothing to reconcile by hand. PayID payments are instant. ### How does the BSB & account number method work? The customer gets a unique BSB and account number and makes a normal bank transfer to it. Since those details are theirs alone, the payment lines itself up with the right record automatically. It's simple, and a little slower than PayID. ### How does PIX work? The customer scans a PIX QR code or copies a PIX code into their banking app, and the payment goes through instantly. The code stays valid for a while; if it has expired by the time they come back, they just generate a new one. Qualy also includes step-by-step help for the major Brazilian banks. ### How does Boleto work? The customer gets a Boleto they can download, print, or pay online—at their bank, post office, or banking app. The Boleto stays valid for a while, and if it lapses before they pay, they simply generate a fresh one. Boleto payments take a few days to clear. ### What happens if a PIX code or Boleto expires before the customer pays? Nothing is lost. The code or Boleto is valid for a period, and if the customer returns after it has expired, they just generate a new one for the same payment and pay as normal. ### Do my customers need to enter a payment reference? No. With PayID, BSB/account, PIX and Boleto, each customer pays into something unique to them, so Qualy matches the money to the right payment on its own—there's no reference for them to copy and nothing for you to reconcile manually. ### How fast does the money reach me? It depends on the method. PayID, PIX, PayTo and Wero are instant. Card payments are confirmed straight away, and the money lands in your account within a few days. Bank transfers, direct debit and Boleto also take a few days to come through. Qualy shows your customer a clear estimate at checkout, and you can track each payment's progress in the dashboard. ### When does the school (or partner) get their share—do they wait longer than me? No—the school isn't paid a month later or kept waiting. The school's share is created as a payout when the customer's payment is received and clears, the same moment your own payout is created, and it's sent directly to the school. You and the school are on the same timing basis: once a payment clears, both your share and theirs are set in motion. The only thing that can hold a partner's payout is something that needs attention—missing bank or legal details, or a check that's pending review. ### Where does my money sit before it reaches me? Qualy never touches or holds your money. Whichever method the customer uses, the payment goes into an isolated account held in your own business's name and is then paid straight out to you (and split to any partners). Because the funds are legally in your name—not Qualy's—your money is protected at every step. ### How many installments can a Brazilian customer pay in? Up to 18 monthly installments. They choose how many at checkout, anywhere from paying in one go up to 18 times. ### If a customer pays in installments, when do I get paid? Upfront, in full. Even when your customer spreads the cost over several months, you receive the whole amount in one go—you don't wait month by month. The customer repays over time on their side. ### What if a customer doesn't keep up with their installments? It doesn't affect you. Because you've already been paid in full upfront, the risk of a customer missing payments sits with the payment provider, not with you. You collect once and move on. ### Does paying in installments cost the customer more? A little. The more months they spread it over, the more they pay in total, plus a small fixed fee. It doesn't change what you receive—only the customer's total. You can show them the financing simulation so they see each monthly amount and the total before they decide. ### Is there a buy-now-pay-later option? In some regions, yes—a buy-now-pay-later option lets customers finance a purchase or pay in a few instalments. From your side it works much the same way: the customer gets flexibility, and you get paid. ### Is there extra security on card payments? Yes. For card payments made outside Australia, Qualy adds a security step called 3D Secure, where the customer confirms the payment with their own bank (often a quick approval in their banking app or a one-time code). It reduces fraud and gives you more protection against chargebacks. It's automatic—you don't set anything up. Australian card payments follow their local process. ### Why don't some methods appear for a customer? The available methods depend on where the customer is paying from and in which currency. Qualy automatically shows the right options for their country—for example, PayID and BSB are for Australia, while PIX and Boleto are for Brazil. ## Prefer doing this via the Qualy API? Head over to our developer docs for everything you need—endpoints, examples, and simple how-tos. 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