# Whop sandbox API: test payments before going live > Whop sandbox API explained: URLs, test API keys, test cards, what doesn't work in sandbox, and how to test a WooCommerce checkout without real money. Updated: 2026-11-11 · Canonical: https://whopforwoo.com/docs/whop-sandbox The Whop sandbox API lives at `https://sandbox-api.whop.com/api/v1`, with its own dashboard at `sandbox.whop.com`. It behaves like production (same Bearer auth, same webhooks) but no money moves, so you can run test payments with test cards before taking real orders. WhopForWoo ships with **Sandbox Mode** turned on, so your first payments on a fresh install are always test payments. ## Sandbox vs production | | Sandbox | Production | |---|---|---| | Dashboard | `sandbox.whop.com` | `whop.com` | | API base URL | `https://sandbox-api.whop.com/api/v1` | `https://api.whop.com/api/v1` | | API keys and webhooks | `sandbox.whop.com/dashboard/developer` | `whop.com/dashboard/developer` | | Checkout pages | `sandbox.whop.com/checkout/...` | `whop.com/checkout/...` | | Money | Never moves | Real | The two environments share **nothing**: not accounts, not keys, not products, not webhooks. Sandbox and production API keys look identical, so label them clearly. ## Test a WooCommerce checkout in the Whop sandbox ### 1. Create a sandbox account and API key Sign up at `sandbox.whop.com` (separate from your whop.com login). The sign-up creates your first business, which owns the API keys and payments. Then open `sandbox.whop.com/dashboard/developer`, go to **Account API Keys** and select **Create**. Details: [how to get a Whop API key](https://whopforwoo.com/docs/whop-api-key). ![Whop sandbox dashboard Developer page](https://whopforwoo.com/img/whop-sandbox-developer.png) ### 2. Configure the plugin in Sandbox Mode In **WooCommerce → Settings → Payments → Whop**: 1. Check that **Sandbox Mode** is enabled (it is by default). API calls then go to `sandbox-api.whop.com`. 2. Paste the sandbox **API Key** and your sandbox **Account ID** (`biz_…`). 3. Save. A sandbox badge appears on the payment box so nobody mistakes a test checkout for a live one. ![WhopForWoo settings with Sandbox Mode enabled](https://whopforwoo.com/img/whopforwoo-sandbox-mode.png) ### 3. Add a sandbox webhook In the sandbox dashboard, open **Developer → Webhooks → Create webhook**, paste `https://yourstore.com/?wc-api=whop_webhook`, select `payment.succeeded`, and copy the `ws_…` secret into **Webhook Secret**. Your store must be reachable over public `https`; for a local site, use a tunnel such as ngrok or Cloudflare Tunnel. See [Whop webhooks](https://whopforwoo.com/docs/whop-webhooks). ### 4. Pay with a test card While testing, set **Checkout Mode** to **Hosted Redirect**: the plugin's settings note that Whop Elements (the embedded form) isn't available in sandbox mode yet, so test payments go through Whop's hosted sandbox checkout page. Place an order and pay with: | Card number | Result | |---|---| | `4242 4242 4242 4242` | Successful payment | | `4000 0000 0000 0002` | Declined payment | | `5385 3083 6013 5181` | 3D Secure required (enter `Checkout1!` on the 3DS screen) | | `4000 0000 0000 0341` | Card saves, later charges decline | Use any future expiry (e.g. 12/34), any 3-digit CVC and any billing address. ![Whop sandbox checkout with test card 4242](https://whopforwoo.com/img/whop-sandbox-test-card.png) ### 5. Check the result - The WooCommerce order is marked paid. - **Whop → Status & Tools** shows the webhook delivery. - The payment appears in the sandbox dashboard. Also run the declined card and the 3D Secure card: you want to see what customers see when a payment fails. ## What doesn't work in the Whop sandbox Whop lists these payment methods as **not supported in sandbox yet**: - Apple Pay and Google Pay - ACH bank accounts - SEPA Direct Debit - EU bank transfers and wire transfers - Alipay, WeChat Pay and MobilePay PayPal, Bancontact, iDEAL, Cash App Pay, Pix and Boleto complete through each provider's own test flow. Features unavailable in sandbox: payouts, crypto deposits and on-chain transfers, Discord DMs and role sync, up-to-date search results, and some background jobs such as fraud reviews. So test cards in sandbox, then test wallets and the embedded checkout with one small real payment after going live, and refund it from your Whop dashboard. ## Go live 1. Create a production API key at `whop.com/dashboard/developer`, scoped to what the store needs. 2. Create a production webhook to the same store URL and copy its new secret. 3. In WooCommerce, replace the API Key, Account ID and Webhook Secret with the production values. 4. Turn **Sandbox Mode** off, set **Checkout Mode** back to **Whop Elements on Checkout**, and save. 5. Place one small real order with the embedded form, check the order and the webhook, then refund it. Never reuse a sandbox key or secret in production, or the reverse: requests fail with `401` and webhooks fail signature checks. Get WhopForWoo: https://whopforwoo.com/pricing ## FAQ ### Does Whop have a sandbox? Yes. The dashboard is at sandbox.whop.com and the API at https://sandbox-api.whop.com/api/v1. No real money moves, and it works with the same Bearer authentication as production. ### What test card works in the Whop sandbox? 4242 4242 4242 4242 for a successful payment, 4000 0000 0000 0002 for a decline, and 5385 3083 6013 5181 for 3D Secure (enter Checkout1! on the 3DS screen). Use any future expiry, any 3-digit CVC and any address. ### Can I use my whop.com API key in the sandbox? No. Sandbox and production share no accounts, keys, products or webhooks. Create a separate account and API key at sandbox.whop.com. ### Can I test Apple Pay or Google Pay in the Whop sandbox? No. Whop lists Apple Pay, Google Pay, ACH, SEPA Direct Debit, EU bank transfers and MobilePay among the methods not supported in the sandbox yet. Test wallets with a small live payment. ## Related - [Whop API: how it works and how WooCommerce uses it](https://whopforwoo.com/docs/whop-api): Whop API explained: base URL, Bearer auth, dated versions, rate limits, pagination and webhooks, plus the calls a WooCommerce store needs to take payments. - [Whop API key: where to find it and how to get one](https://whopforwoo.com/docs/whop-api-key): How to get a Whop API key: open Developer, create an Account API key, scope it, and paste it into WooCommerce with your Account ID. Sandbox and live. - [Whop webhook: setup, payment events and webhook secret](https://whopforwoo.com/docs/whop-webhooks): Set up a Whop webhook for WooCommerce: endpoint URL, payment.succeeded event, where to get the webhook secret, signature checks, retries and testing. - [Whop payment gateway: use Whop to take payments on WooCommerce](https://whopforwoo.com/whop-payment-gateway): Is Whop a payment gateway? Whop is a payment platform and merchant of record. Here is how it works as a WooCommerce gateway and which API calls it uses. - [Whop embedded checkout: keep customers on your WooCommerce checkout](https://whopforwoo.com/whop-embedded-checkout): How to embed Whop checkout on a website: the Checkout element, what you must build around it, and how WhopForWoo does it inside WooCommerce. - [Whop payment issues: causes and fixes](https://whopforwoo.com/whop-payment-issues): Whop payment issues fixed: card declines, 3D Secure, missing payment methods, Apple Pay not showing, form not loading, and paid orders not updating.