Test Mode

What Is Test Mode?

Test Mode lets you simulate the entire goBlink payment flow -- creating payments, processing checkout, receiving webhooks, and viewing transactions -- without moving real funds. All transactions in Test Mode happen on blockchain testnets, using free testnet tokens.

Test Mode is essential for:

• Verifying your API integration works correctly before launch
• Testing webhook handling and signature verification
• Training your team on the merchant dashboard
• Debugging issues in a safe environment

Switching to Test Mode

In the Dashboard

Click the Live / Test toggle in the top navigation bar of the merchant dashboard. When Test Mode is active:

• The entire dashboard has an orange border and a "TEST MODE" badge in the top nav.
• All data you see (transactions, payment links, invoices) is test data only. Your live data is hidden and unaffected.
• Any payment links or invoices you create are test-only and will not accept real funds.

In the API

Use your gb_test_ prefixed API keys instead of gb_live_ keys. The API endpoints are the same -- goBlink determines the mode based on the key prefix.

# Live mode
Authorization: Bearer gb_live_sk_abc123...

# Test mode
Authorization: Bearer gb_test_sk_xyz789...

Any request made with a test key operates in Test Mode. Mixing live and test keys in the same workflow is not possible -- a payment created with a test key can only be interacted with using test keys.

Test Chains and Tokens

In Test Mode, goBlink maps each supported chain to its testnet equivalent:

Mainnet Chain	Testnet	Faucet
Ethereum	Sepolia	sepoliafaucet.com
Polygon	Amoy	faucet.polygon.technology
BSC	BSC Testnet	testnet.bnbchain.org/faucet-smart
Arbitrum	Arbitrum Sepolia	faucet.arbitrum.io
Optimism	Optimism Sepolia	faucet.optimism.io
Base	Base Sepolia	faucet.base.org
Avalanche	Fuji	faucet.avax.network
NEAR	NEAR Testnet	wallet.testnet.near.org
Solana	Devnet	solfaucet.com
Fantom	Fantom Testnet	faucet.fantom.network
zkSync	zkSync Sepolia	faucet.zksync.io
Linea	Linea Sepolia	faucet.linea.build

Getting Testnet Tokens

To simulate payments, you need testnet tokens. Use the faucet links above to get free testnet native tokens, then swap them for test USDC or other tokens on a testnet DEX. Alternatively, goBlink provides a built-in faucet for Test Mode:

1. In Test Mode, go to Settings > Test Tools.
2. Click Get Test Tokens.
3. Select a chain and token (e.g., USDC on Arbitrum Sepolia).
4. Enter your testnet wallet address.
5. goBlink sends you 1,000 test tokens. You can request tokens up to 5 times per day.

Creating a Test Payment

From the Dashboard

1. Make sure Test Mode is active (orange border visible).
2. Go to the Payment Links tab and click Create Payment Link.
3. Configure the link as you would for a live payment.
4. Open the generated link in a new browser tab.
5. Connect a wallet configured for the appropriate testnet.
6. Complete the payment using testnet tokens.
7. Return to the dashboard and verify the payment appears in Transactions with a "Completed" status.

From the API

Create a test payment using your gb_test_ secret key:

POST /v1/payments
Authorization: Bearer gb_test_sk_xyz789...

{
  "amount": "25.00",
  "currency": "USD",
  "metadata": {
    "order_id": "TEST-001",
    "customer_email": "test@example.com"
  }
}

The response includes a checkout_url that you or your test customer can visit to complete the payment with testnet tokens.

Testing Webhooks

Test Mode sends webhooks to the same endpoints you configure for live mode. The webhook payloads are identical in structure but contain test payment IDs (still prefixed with gb_pay_, but only visible in Test Mode data).

Tips for Webhook Testing

• Use a webhook inspection tool like webhook.site or ngrok to expose your local development server to the internet. This lets you test webhook delivery without deploying to production.
• Verify signatures in test mode. Test webhooks are signed with your test webhook secret (different from your live webhook secret). Make sure your signature verification code uses the correct secret for each mode.
• Trigger different event types. Test Mode supports all the same events as live mode: payment.created, payment.completed, payment.failed, and payment.refunded.
• Simulate failures. Use the special test amount $0.01 to trigger a simulated payment failure. The payment will go through the normal flow but fail at the solver stage, generating a payment.failed event.

Test Mode vs. Live Mode Comparison

Feature	Test Mode	Live Mode
API key prefix	gb_test_	gb_live_
Blockchain networks	Testnets	Mainnets
Real funds moved	No	Yes
Webhooks fired	Yes	Yes
Dashboard data	Separate test dataset	Separate live dataset
Payment links	Testnet-only checkout	Real checkout
Invoices	Test invoices (not emailed)	Real invoices (emailed to client)
CSV export	Test transactions only	Live transactions only
Settlement	Testnet tokens to your testnet wallet	Real tokens to your mainnet wallet
Refunds	Simulated	Real
Rate limits	Same as live	Same as test

Common Test Scenarios

Here is a checklist of scenarios to test before going live:

Payment Flow

• Create a payment via API and complete it through the checkout page.
• Create a payment link and complete a payment through it.
• Verify the payment appears in the Transactions tab with correct details.
• Verify the settlement amount matches expectations after fee deduction.

Webhook Handling

• Receive a payment.created webhook and verify the signature.
• Receive a payment.completed webhook and update your order status.
• Receive a payment.failed webhook (use the $0.01 test amount) and handle the failure gracefully.
• Test webhook retry behavior by temporarily returning a 500 error from your endpoint.

Refunds

• Issue a full refund for a completed test payment.
• Issue a partial refund for a completed test payment.
• Verify the payment.refunded webhook is received.

Edge Cases

• Attempt a payment with insufficient testnet balance and verify the error message.
• Let a payment expire without completing it and verify it transitions to "failed."
• Change your settlement wallet in test mode and verify new payments settle to the new address.

Going Live

When you have completed your testing and are ready to accept real payments:

1. Switch the dashboard toggle from Test to Live.
2. Replace all gb_test_ API keys in your application with gb_live_ keys.
3. Verify your live settlement wallet is configured and verified.
4. Make sure your webhook endpoint is deployed to a production server with a valid HTTPS certificate.
5. Process a small real payment ($1 -- $5) as a final end-to-end verification.
6. Monitor the first few live payments closely in the dashboard to confirm everything works as expected.

Your test data remains accessible in Test Mode and does not interfere with your live data.