What Is the Difference Between Recurly's Site Modes?

Recurly offers three distinct site "modes" to support your business from initial testing to live transaction processing: Sandbox, Development, and Production. Each mode has a specific purpose and functionality.

Sandbox Mode This is the default mode when you first create a new Recurly site.

• Purpose: To provide a full trial of Recurly's service without using real credit cards.

• Transactions: All transactions in Sandbox mode are routed through the Recurly Test Gateway. You can find a list of valid test cards in our documentation here.

• Limitations: Certain third-party integrations are limited in Sandbox mode. Sandbox sites are free forever but may be closed if inactive for more than 30 days.

Development Mode This mode offers more flexibility for advanced testing.

• Purpose: To test your specific configurations and integrations with live services without processing real money.

• Transactions: In Development mode, you can connect to your payment gateway's sandbox environment to process test transactions using their provided test cards. If you do not add another gateway, transactions will continue to run through the Recurly Test Gateway.

• Features: This mode also allows you to connect to AvaTax for testing purposes.

Production Mode This is your live environment for real business operations.

• Purpose: To process live transactions and use the full features of your Recurly plan.

• Activation: Production mode is activated when you select and upgrade to a paid Recurly Plan.

• Recommendation: We do not recommend testing new setups or integrations in production mode. You can follow our Go Live Checklist to prepare for moving into Production mode.