Building third party app for subscription management

[alex97po]

We want to build an app where customer can manage all their subscriptions and recurring payments from all their cards. There is an existing functionality provided by Visa for this, however it is only available for Issuer. Is there any way to get this information for the customer (with customer's consent and authorization, of course) without Issuer?

[SyedSa]

Hi @alex97po, Thank you for reaching out. An agent will get back to you as soon as possible. Until then, if any community member has information that may be helpful, feel free to reply in this thread.

[DianaVisaPM]

Hey @alex97po,

Visa provides various APIs that allow developers to build applications for managing payments and card activities. However, access to certain data and functionalities, especially those involving sensitive financial information, can often be restricted to issuers and financial institutions due to regulatory and security reasons.

Visa's Subscription Management Solutions
Visa does offer subscription management solutions, but as you mentioned, they are primarily available to issuers. For third-party applications, the options are more limited due to the need to protect sensitive financial data and comply with various regulations.

Alternative Approaches
While Visa's subscription management solutions may not be directly accessible to third-party applications without issuer involvement, you can consider the following alternatives:

1. Collaborate with Issuers:
Partner with issuers to access the necessary APIs and data. By collaborating with issuers, you can leverage their access to Visa's subscription management functionalities while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

2. Use Visa Transaction Controls:
Visa provides the Visa Transaction Controls API (https://developer.visa.com/capabilities/vctc/docs) which allows cardholders to manage and control their card usage. This API can be used to build features that allow customers to manage recurring payments and subscriptions by setting spending limits, blocking specific merchants, and receiving transaction alerts.

3. Leverage Open Banking APIs:
In some regions, open banking regulations require banks to provide open APIs that allow third-party developers to access account information and payment services with the customer's consent. Check if such APIs are available in the regions you are targeting and integrate them into your application.

4. Custom Solutions with Customer Consent:
Develop custom solutions that rely on direct customer authorization. For example, your application can allow customers to manually enter their subscription details and set up recurring payment tracking. This approach ensures that you have customer consent and authorization without relying heavily on issuer-specific APIs.

Conclusion
Currently, accessing detailed subscription and recurring payment information directly from Visa without issuer involvement may not be feasible due to regulatory and security constraints. However, by collaborating with issuers, leveraging available Visa APIs like Visa Transaction Controls, and exploring open banking opportunities, you can still build a robust subscription management application that serves your customers' needs.