# Test mode

Test mode is for building and testing your integration. It never uses a real provider sandbox. Weav simulates every channel and lets you decide how each payment ends.

## How it works

- Send requests with a `wv_test_` key. Everything else stays the same as live.
- Responses have the same shape as live. `next_action` still holds a QR string, a checkout URL or a payment code, depending on the channel.
- Every test payment has a `test_checkout_url`: the Weav test checkout page, where you pay, decline or let it expire. The QR string and the checkout URL lead there too. A counter payment's `payment_code` is a sample code that starts with `TP`; finish it at its `test_checkout_url`. In live mode, `test_checkout_url` is null.
- A test payment expires 15 minutes after you create it (48 hours for a counter channel), even as a payment link.
- Your balance, balance history and signed webhooks all behave as they do in live mode.

## The test checkout page

The page shows the payment's amount, channel and your reference, with three buttons.

| Button | Result | Webhook sent |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Pay** | Status becomes `COMPLETED` and the amount is added to your test balance. | `PAYMENT_COMPLETED` |
| **Decline** | Status becomes `FAILED` with failure code `DECLINED`. | `PAYMENT_FAILED` |
| **Let it expire** | Status becomes `FAILED` with failure code `EXPIRED`. | `PAYMENT_FAILED` |

## Test saved cards

A test save link (`POST /v1/payment-methods`) opens Weav's test save page. Choose a test card, or make the bank's check fail. Then charge the saved card with `payment_method_id` on `POST /v1/payments`:

| Test card | When you charge it | Expires |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Visa •••• 4242** | `COMPLETED`, at once | December, 3 years ahead |
| **Visa •••• 0002** | `FAILED` with failure code `DECLINED` | December, 3 years ahead |
| **Mastercard •••• 4444** | `COMPLETED`, at once | This month, so `expires_by` finds it |

A card saved while paying (`save_payment_method`) is Visa •••• 4242. See [Saved cards](https://docs.weavpayments.com/saved-cards) and [Subscriptions](https://docs.weavpayments.com/subscriptions).

## Test withdrawals

Withdrawals are created in the dashboard. In test mode, the dashboard also lets you move a withdrawal to `COMPLETED` or `FAILED`, so you can test the `WITHDRAWAL_COMPLETED` and `WITHDRAWAL_FAILED` webhooks.

> **Note:** The test checkout page only works for test payments. Opening it for a live payment returns 404.