# Set up your account

> Go from a new account to a checkout you can share, with the right business details and payout wallet in place.

Source: https://railbed.com/docs/user-guide/getting-started/ · Updated: 2026-10-04 · Railbed by DeepWork user guide

For AI assistants: the index of every docs page, with the rules for an integration, is https://railbed.com/docs/llms.txt

## Before you begin

Have a business name, a product or service to sell, and the **public address of a self-custody wallet on Polygon**. Use a wallet you control, rather than an exchange deposit address. The address tells Railbed where to send settlement; you never need to give Railbed a seed phrase or private key.

Your customers see prices in USD, EUR, GBP, CAD or AUD. Settlement reaches your wallet as USDC on Polygon, regardless of the checkout currency.

## Create your account

1. Open [Railbed signup](https://app.railbed.io/signup). Continue with email or a sign-in option shown on the page, then complete any verification prompts.
2. In **Set up your business**, enter the name buyers should see, add your logo if you have one, and choose **Connect a wallet** to pick your payout wallet from MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Rabby, Rainbow or any wallet that scans a WalletConnect QR code. Railbed reads the wallet's public address and disconnects; it never asks you to sign anything or approve a transaction. No wallet yet? **Create one with Base Account**, Coinbase's free wallet that you set up with a passkey. You can also choose **Paste an address instead**: Railbed checks a pasted address for typos and shows it in groups of four so you can compare it with your wallet app.
3. In **How will you take payments?**, choose your main way to sell. You can add the others later from **Integrations**.

| Choose | When | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| **Send payment links or invoices** | You bill customers one at a time, or sell without a website | Make your first payment link and share it by link or QR code. You can try a test payment first. |
| **Add it to your own app or website** | You have a site or app of your own | Without a developer: make a checkout and paste two lines of HTML. With one: connect your server with a Test key, then a Live key, through the [API](https://railbed.com/docs/api.md). |
| **Sell on Shopify** | Your store runs on Shopify | Enter your store address, then follow the [Shopify setup](https://railbed.com/docs/user-guide/integrations.md#set-up-shopify) page's four steps. |
| **Sell on WooCommerce** | Your store runs on WordPress | Download the plugin, then follow the [WooCommerce setup](https://railbed.com/docs/guides/woocommerce.md). |

4. Back on **Wallet**, the **Your first payment** card lists what's left for your way to sell and ticks each step as it happens. Hide it when you don't need it; **Settings** brings it back.
5. Check the dashboard's **Live** switch before sharing anything. Turn Live off to use Test mode. A link or checkout belongs to the mode in which you created it.

> [!IMPORTANT]
> Test mode and Live mode have separate checkouts and payment records. Switching the dashboard to Live does not convert a Test checkout into a real one. Create a checkout in the intended mode and share its new link.

## Find your way around

| Dashboard area | What you do there |
|---|---|
| Wallet | Follow the steps to your first payment, and see your latest checkout, payout wallet, recent receipts and payments needing review |
| Orders | Review items, customers, payment attempts and fulfilment for each purchase |
| Customers | See purchase histories, contact details and your private customer notes |
| Payments | Search all payment sources, filter by status and inspect a payment's details |
| Payment links | Request a one-time payment, share its QR code and follow its progress |
| Checkouts | Manage reusable checkout pages, pricing tables and payment widgets |
| Create | Choose which payment experience to make next |
| Integrations | Download the WooCommerce plugin and review ways to connect Railbed |
| Developers | Create API keys (full access or read only), connect webhooks, inspect event deliveries and manage connected AI agents |
| Settings | Change your business details, branding, profile photo or payout wallet |

Use **Search** in the sidebar or phone navigation to find a record or jump to another page. [Account search](https://railbed.com/docs/user-guide/search.md) supports keyboard shortcuts and queries such as an order number, email or payment ID. Choose the dashboard's **Light**, **Dark** or **Match system** appearance in [Settings](https://railbed.com/docs/user-guide/branding-and-settings.md#choose-light-dark-or-match-system).

You may see additional controls if your account is a platform operator. They are not needed for ordinary merchant setup.

## Make your first practice checkout

1. Turn **Live** off. Confirm the **Test mode** label is visible.
2. Choose **Create → Checkout page**. Enter an example product such as Design consultation, a price such as `49.00`, and USD.
3. Create the page, then open its **Share** tab and choose **Open checkout**.
4. Follow [Try a test payment](https://railbed.com/docs/user-guide/test-and-live.md#run-a-practice-payment) to experience the buyer's steps and confirm the result in Payments.

**Visual example: A reusable checkout page.** A checkout shows Northstar Studio, Design consultation, $49.00 USD and an email field. Continue to pay leads to provider selection; card details are entered on the provider's page.

*Illustrative example · your product on the left, buyer details on the right.*

## Finish your business settings

In [Settings](https://app.railbed.io/settings), add your logo and support email. Buyers use those details to recognize your business and get help with their order. Choose a checkout brand color and **Save settings**. Logo and profile photo uploads save as soon as you finish cropping them.

[Branding and settings](https://railbed.com/docs/user-guide/branding-and-settings.md) explains where each detail appears and which changes are shared across modes.

## When you are ready for customers

Open [Test and Live mode](https://railbed.com/docs/user-guide/test-and-live.md#before-sharing-a-live-link) and work through the launch checklist. Confirm the payout address, the product price and currency, the buyer experience, and how you will deliver orders after payment.

For a one-off invoice or deposit, start with a [payment link](https://railbed.com/docs/user-guide/payment-links.md). For a product you sell repeatedly, keep using a [checkout page](https://railbed.com/docs/user-guide/checkout-pages.md).