> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.meru.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Checkout Quickstart

> Create a checkout session from your backend, redirect the customer to the hosted page, and confirm the payment by polling the session status.

This guide walks through the hosted redirect flow end to end. You'll need your
**Checkout API secret key** (`sk_live_...`).

<Warning>
  Keep your `sk_live_` key **server-side only**. The steps below run on your
  backend; the customer only ever sees the opaque session `url`.
</Warning>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a checkout session">
    From your backend, call `POST /v1/checkouts` with your secret key. The response
    includes a `url` to send the customer to.

    <CodeGroup>
      ```bash cURL theme={null}
      curl -X POST https://checkout-api.meru.com/v1/checkouts \
        -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_<your-checkout-secret-key>" \
        -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
        -d '{
          "amountFiat": 50,
          "fiatCurrency": "USD",
          "description": "Pro plan",
          "reference": "order_123",
          "successUrl": "https://your-site.com/success",
          "cancelUrl": "https://your-site.com/cancel"
        }'
      ```

      ```js Node.js theme={null}
      // Keep your secret key in an environment variable, never in client code.
      const res = await fetch("https://checkout-api.meru.com/v1/checkouts", {
        method: "POST",
        headers: {
          Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.MERU_CHECKOUT_SECRET_KEY}`,
          "Content-Type": "application/json",
        },
        body: JSON.stringify({
          amountFiat: 50,
          fiatCurrency: "USD",
          description: "Pro plan",
          reference: "order_123",
          successUrl: "https://your-site.com/success",
          cancelUrl: "https://your-site.com/cancel",
        }),
      });

      const session = await res.json();
      // session.id  -> store this with your order
      // session.url -> redirect the customer here
      ```
    </CodeGroup>

    The response (`201 Created`) contains the session and its hosted `url`:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "id": "cmqx8r2f00012abcde34fghij",
      "url": "https://checkout.meru.com/c/cmqx8r2f00012abcde34fghij",
      "reference": "order_123",
      "description": "Pro plan",
      "amountFiat": "50",
      "fiatCurrency": "USD",
      "paymentMethod": null,
      "availableMethods": ["mesh", "qr_bolivia"],
      "status": "created",
      "createdAt": "2026-06-28T12:00:00.000Z",
      "expiresAt": "2026-06-28T12:30:00.000Z",
      "paidAt": null
    }
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Redirect the customer to the hosted page">
    Send the customer to `session.url`. From a server you typically issue an HTTP
    redirect; from a button you can link directly.

    ```html theme={null}
    <a href="https://checkout.meru.com/c/cmqx8r2f00012abcde34fghij">
      Pay $50.00
    </a>
    ```

    In a Node/Express backend you can redirect right after creating the session:

    ```js theme={null}
    app.post("/checkout", async (req, res) => {
      const session = await createCheckoutSession(req.body); // the call from step 1
      res.redirect(303, session.url);
    });
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Customer pays on the hosted page">
    The customer completes the payment on `checkout.meru.com`. On success they are
    redirected to your `successUrl`; on cancel, to your `cancelUrl`.

    <Warning>
      Landing on `successUrl` is a **client-side signal**. Always confirm the payment
      server-side (next step) before fulfilling an order.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm the payment by polling">
    Poll `GET /checkouts/{id}` from your backend until `status` is terminal. Treat
    `succeeded` as paid. This endpoint is public (keyed by the opaque session id) and
    does not require your secret key.

    <CodeGroup>
      ```bash cURL theme={null}
      curl https://checkout-api.meru.com/checkouts/cmqx8r2f00012abcde34fghij
      ```

      ```js Node.js theme={null}
      async function waitForPayment(id, { intervalMs = 3000, timeoutMs = 15 * 60 * 1000 } = {}) {
        const deadline = Date.now() + timeoutMs;
        const terminal = ["succeeded", "failed", "expired"];

        while (Date.now() < deadline) {
          const res = await fetch(`https://checkout-api.meru.com/checkouts/${id}`);
          const session = await res.json();
          if (terminal.includes(session.status)) return session;
          await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, intervalMs));
        }

        throw new Error("Timed out waiting for payment");
      }

      const session = await waitForPayment("cmqx8r2f00012abcde34fghij");
      if (session.status === "succeeded") {
        // Mark order_123 as paid and fulfill it.
      }
      ```
    </CodeGroup>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create a session" icon="plus" href="/api-reference/checkout/create-session">
    Every field accepted by `POST /v1/checkouts`.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Payment status" icon="magnifying-glass" href="/api-reference/checkout/payment-status">
    The full status lifecycle and the `qr` object.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Payment methods" icon="credit-card" href="/api-reference/checkout/payment-methods">
    Crypto exchanges vs QR Bolivia.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Embed (iframe)" icon="code" href="/api-reference/checkout/embed">
    Embed the checkout instead of redirecting.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>