Getting started

Create a merchant account, set up payouts, deploy a cart-signing route on your server, mount the SDK, and run one full sandbox checkout before you touch live mode.

Before you start

You need a server (or serverless function) that can hold a signing secret and compute HMAC-SHA256. Node 20+ with @splitante/sdk/signing is the path of least resistance, but any language works if it matches the canonical cart format. Stripe test mode is enough for sandbox.

1. Merchant account

1. Sign up at /merchants/sign-up (or complete onboarding after Google sign-in).
2. Enter the one-time code emailed to you (email sign-up).
3. On Home, open the Setup guide in the top bar (next to the Test mode pill) and note your ante_merch_* merchant ID in the business menu or Settings.

2. Payout setup

Open Payments in the merchant portal and finish payout onboarding. Settlements for funded groups are sent to your linked bank account. Live payouts require identity verification; sandbox testing does not. This is step 1 in the Setup guide. Optional payout currency preference (Business settings) controls when Ante withholds an FX fee — Connect transfers always use the checkout currency.

New merchants start in test mode (sandbox). API keys and the signing secret are not issued automatically — create them from the Setup guide or Developers.

3. Credentials

In the Setup guide, click Create sandbox API keys (full publishable and secret values shown once — copy immediately). Generate the cart signing secret under Developers → Signing. If you lose a key, rotate it on the Developers tab; revoke old prefixes under Key management. Treat all secrets like passwords.

4. Cart signing route

Publishable keys cannot create a session without a valid signature. Add an HTTPS route on your domain (not splitante.com) that returns { "signature": "…" }:

import { createCartSignature } from "@splitante/sdk/signing";

export async function POST(req: Request) {
  const { cart } = await req.json();
  const signature = createCartSignature(cart, process.env.ANTE_SIGNING_SECRET!);
  return Response.json({ signature });
}

5. Storefront button

Pick an integration path — they all use the same credentials and signing route:

Full examples and option reference: JavaScript SDK.

<script src="https://splitante.com/sdk/v1/ante.js" async></script>
<script>
  Ante.init({
    merchantId: "ante_merch_YOUR_ID",
    publishableKey: "ante_pk_test_YOUR_KEY",
    getSignature: async (cart) => {
      const res = await fetch("/api/cart/sign", {
        method: "POST",
        headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
        body: JSON.stringify({ cart }),
      });
      if (!res.ok) throw new Error("Signing failed");
      return (await res.json()).signature;
    },
  });

  Ante.createButton({
    cart: {
      total: 12000,
      currency: "usd",
      items: [{ id: "sku_1", name: "Ticket", quantity: 2, unit_price: 5000 }],
      tax: 1000,
      shipping: 1000,
    },
    group: { minSize: 2, maxSize: 6 },
  }).mount("#ante-button");
</script>

6. Webhooks

Register at least one HTTPS endpoint under Webhooks. Subscribe to group.funded. Verify Ante-Signature on every POST. Details: Webhooks.

7. Sandbox test

Walk through the live demo store first — it runs the production SDK in sandbox with cart signing, webhooks, and a one-tap test card. Then repeat on your staging URL:

1. Click the button on a staging URL.
2. Configure the group in the modal. Pay each share with card 4242 4242 4242 4242.
3. Confirm group.created and group.funded hit your endpoint with valid signatures.
4. Match the session in the dashboard against your order logic.

When sandbox is clean, use the go-live checklist. Headless REST is optional: REST API.