ADR-007: Payment Gateway Selection for Membership Fees
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | ⏳ Research Complete — Decision Deferred |
| Date | 2026-02-25 |
| Author | @architect |
| Story | 030 — Club Member Page Enhancement |
Context
Story 030 requires researching Bulgarian-compatible payment gateways for future online membership fee collection. The club currently processes membership payments manually (bank transfer, admin marks as paid).
Options Evaluated
| Gateway | Bulgarian Cards | Setup Requirements | Transaction Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ePay.bg | All BG banks + Visa/MC | Bulgarian company/organisation registration + ePay.bg merchant agreement | 1.8–2.5% | Most popular in Bulgaria; supports online banking, debit cards |
| Stripe | International Visa/MC | Simple API, no company required | 1.5% + €0.25 | Limited BG local bank support; best for international cards |
| PayPal | International | Simple account setup | 3.4% + fixed fee | High fees, poor UX for Bulgarian users; declining usage |
Decision
Deferred. ePay.bg is the recommended gateway for the Bulgarian market because:
- Highest local bank coverage (all major BG banks)
- Most recognisable brand for Bulgarian users
- Lower fee than PayPal
However, integration requires:
- Bulgarian company or registered association account
- ePay.bg merchant registration and agreement
- Implementation estimated at 13 story points (separate story)
Stripe is the recommended fallback if ePay.bg registration proves too complex.
Current State
Online membership payments remain manual (admin-processed via bank transfer). Admin marks payments as received and activates membership cards manually.
When the business requirement is formally confirmed, create a new story for payment gateway implementation using this ADR as input.