Test in the sandbox
Build and verify your integration with a test key and the sandbox routes, no real money moves.
Last updated June 1, 2026
The sandbox mirrors the live API so you can build and test without moving real money.
How it works
Use your test key with the sandbox routes. Every live endpoint has a matching path under /sandbox:
| Environment | Base path | Key |
|---|---|---|
| Live API | /api/v1/payment | live_ |
| Sandbox API | /api/v1/sandbox/payment | test_ |
Sandbox collections never touch real funds and the hosted checkout shows a test-mode badge.
Simulate a payment
To move a sandbox collection through its lifecycle, call the simulate endpoint with your test key:
curl -X POST https://business.boldswitch.ng/api/v1/sandbox/payment/simulate \
-H "apikey: test_YOUR_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"paymentReference": "INV-001", "status": "completed", "amountReceived": 75000}'
Status can be completed, partial, failed, cancelled, or no_payment. Opening the sandbox hosted checkout and clicking I've sent the money also simulates a completed payment.
Tip: The live route has no simulate endpoint. Use the sandbox to test your server-side status handling end to end before switching to live keys.