Payment Method Hierarchy overview

FastSpring’s payment method hierarchy is a built-in, multi-tiered ruleset that automatically selects and pre-selects the optimal payment method for each customer. This guide explains what it is, how it works at a high level, and how it benefits your store.

What is payment method hierarchy?

A payment hierarchy layers sets of rules to surface the fastest, most familiar payment option for each customer. Sellers do not need to configure anything; FastSpring automatically handles it behind the scenes.

How it works

FastSpring evaluates each checkout in three steps:

Device detection
On Apple devices, Apple Pay is placed first.
Regional preferences
For new or anonymous customers, FastSpring detects country (via IP or account data) and surfaces the most popular local method (for example, iDEAL in the Netherlands or Pix in Brazil).

Coming soon...
Most‑recently‑used (MRU)
For returning customers with saved payment details, FastSpring pre‑selects their last‑used method to skip extra clicks.

If none of these conditions apply, the checkout defaults to your default payment method.

Seller benefits

Faster checkouts
One‑tap wallets and pre‑selected favorite methods reduce friction.
Higher conversions
Customers see the payment option they trust most right away.
Seamless experience
Decision fatigue is reduced by pre‑selecting the optimal option while still showing alternative payment methods.