Why Dankort Is a Given in a Danish Online Store
Dankort is still the most widely used payment card in Denmark, and even though MobilePay and contactless Visa/Mastercard have taken a slice of the pie, a large proportion of Danish shoppers still prefer to pay with Dankort. If your online store doesn’t offer Dankort as a payment method, you’re losing sales—especially among customers over 40, where Dankort usage is highest.
The good news is that Dankort is supported by all the payment gateways we recommend on Shoporama: QuickPay, ePay/Bambora, Mollie, PensoPay, and Stripe. You don’t need a special Dankort integration to accept Dankort in your online store.
How Dankort Works on Shoporama
Dankort is not a standalone gateway. It’s a card type that’s handled by your payment gateway along with Visa, Mastercard, and other cards. When a customer enters their Dankort details at your checkout:
- Card data is sent securely to your payment gateway (QuickPay, ePay, Mollie, Stripe, or PensoPay)
- The gateway forwards the card data to the acquirer (typically Nets or Teller for Dankort)
- The acquirer authorizes the transaction and performs 3D Secure verification via the customer’s banking app
- The amount is reserved on the card, and the order is created in Shoporama with a payment status of “Approved”
For you as a store owner, Dankort is no different from Visa or Mastercard. The funds are settled through your gateway and acquirer, and you’ll see these payments in the Shoporama admin alongside your other card payments.
What do you get as a store owner?
- Lower fees than for foreign cards. Dankort typically has lower transaction fees than Visa and Mastercard because the acquirer fee at Nets is lower for Dankort.
- Higher conversion rates in the Danish market. Some Danish customers abandon the checkout process if Dankort isn’t an option. This is especially true for older customer segments and B2B customers.
- Strong security with 3D Secure. Dankort uses its own “Secure-by-default” flow, where the customer authorizes the transaction via a banking app or a code generator. Friction is minimal, but security is high.
- Refunds and partial refunds. You can issue a full or partial refund for a Dankort payment directly from the order details page in the Shoporama admin panel.
- Recurring subscriptions. If you sell subscriptions, customers can pay with Dankort via QuickPay or PensoPay (both support Dankort for recurring payments).
Which gateway should I choose for Dankort?
All Danish payment gateways on Shoporama accept Dankort. The choice between them depends primarily on your other needs:
- QuickPay: The widest range of payment methods. Dankort, Visa, Mastercard, MobilePay, ViaBill, and Anyday in a single agreement. A good choice if you want everything under one roof.
- ePay/Bambora: A classic Danish gateway, often used in older setups. Stable and well-established.
- Mollie: Best if you’re selling throughout Europe and want Klarna, iDEAL, Bancontact, and others alongside Dankort.
- Stripe: Best if you have an international focus or are developing complex payment logic. Apple Pay and Google Pay are strong options here.
- PensoPay: A solid Danish payment gateway focused on recurring payments and B2B.
Not sure which one to choose? Start with QuickPay. It’s the most widely used gateway on Shoporama stores, and you’ll have Dankort plus all the other Danish payment methods from day one.
How to Get Started
- Create a Shoporama store if you don’t already have one.
- Choose a payment gateway: QuickPay is the simplest choice if you primarily sell in Denmark.
- Set up a gateway agreement (typically 1 to 3 business days). The gateway will assist with the Dankort agreement with Nets or Teller.
- Enter your API keys in Shoporama under Settings and Payment Gateways.
- Enable Dankort as a card type in the payment gateway configuration.
We have complete guides for setting up QuickPay, Mollie, and Stripe. Need help? Email support@shoporama.dk.
Also read about all of Shoporama’s payment gateways for a complete overview of the feature and how it fits into the rest of the platform.
What You Need to Know
Three things worth knowing before going live with Dankort:
- 3D Secure is mandatory. As an online store owner, you cannot opt out of 3D Secure. It is an EU legal requirement (PSD2). All Shoporama gateways handle this automatically, but it’s worth noting that 3D Secure adds an extra step to the checkout process. Read our article about 3D Secure on QuickPay and what to do if a 3D Secure error occurs.
- Dankort cards without Visa co-branding cannot be used abroad. If your customers complain that their Dankort was declined at a Swedish or German store, it’s because they have a Dankort without Visa branding. There’s nothing you can do about this from your store.
- The fee cannot be charged to the customer. EU regulations prohibit charging a fee for card payments in B2C transactions. You may not charge a surcharge for paying with Dankort. However, this does not apply to B2B transactions, where passing on fees is typically permitted.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dankort in Online Stores
Do I need a separate Dankort agreement, or does the payment gateway agreement cover everything?
Technically, you must have an agreement with Nets or Teller to accept Dankort. Your payment gateway (QuickPay, ePay, PensoPay) will typically help you set up the agreement as part of their package, so it feels like a single process.
Where can I see if a payment was made with Dankort?
The order details in the Shoporama admin panel explicitly display the card type (Dankort, Visa, Mastercard, etc.) along with the transaction ID. You can also filter the order list by card type if needed.
What happens if the customer enters incorrect card information?
The gateway returns an error; the customer is notified during checkout and can correct the information or select a different payment method. The order is not created until the payment is authorized.
Can I accept Dankort for subscriptions?
Yes. QuickPay and PensoPay support recurring Dankort payments. When a customer signs up for a subscription, the card is securely stored with the gateway, and future payments are automatically charged. Learn more about subscriptions on your online store.
Can I block Dankort from specific countries?
You cannot block the card specifically, but you can restrict which payment methods are displayed in which countries. In practice, a Dankort will never appear in a checkout outside of Denmark, as the card cannot be issued outside the country.
How long does it take to get Dankort up and running?
The gateway agreement typically takes 1 to 3 business days to be approved. The actual technical integration between the gateway and Shoporama takes 5 to 10 minutes. Most shops can accept Dankort starting on the third day after they sign up.
What should I do if a Dankort payment fails but the funds have been deducted?
This is rare, but can happen due to network errors. First, check the gateway manager (QuickPay, ePay, etc.). If the payment is there but not in Shoporama, you can manually mark the order as paid. Email support@shoporama.dk if this happens repeatedly.
Does Dankort affect my conversion rate?
Yes. On Danish online stores, Dankort typically increases the conversion rate by 5 to 15 percent. The effect is greatest among customer segments that do not use MobilePay or foreign cards.
Ready to accept Dankort in your online store?
An online store that accepts Dankort is an absolute must in the Danish market. If you already have a payment gateway agreement, you can have Dankort up and running in under 10 minutes. If you don’t have a gateway, Shoporama will help you every step of the way.
Start a free Shoporama trial and see for yourself how easy it is to get an online store with Dankort up and running. No commitment, no setup, no credit card required.