Twilio Pay Connectors are integrations that link Twilio's voice platform to a payment gateway — so you can capture card payments during phone calls, IVR flows, and AI voice agent conversations.
When a caller needs to pay, Twilio's <Pay> verb triggers a secure payment capture. The caller enters card details via keypad (DTMF tones). A Pay Connector routes those details to a payment gateway, processes the transaction, and returns the result — all within the call.
The connector is what makes the payment actually happen. Without one, Twilio can capture keypad input but has no way to charge a card.
How Twilio Pay Connectors Work
Twilio's <Pay> TwiML verb handles the voice-side mechanics: prompting the caller, capturing DTMF tones, and suppressing those tones from call recordings and agent audio.
The Pay Connector handles everything after capture:
Receives the card data from Twilio's PCI-compliant environment
Validates the card (BIN lookup, Luhn check, expiry)
Routes the transaction to a payment gateway (Stripe, Adyen, Worldpay, etc.)
Returns the result (approved, declined, error) back to the Twilio call flow
Tokenises the card for future use (if configured)
The caller stays on the line throughout. The agent — human or AI — never hears the card details.
The Problem With Twilio's Default Connectors
Twilio ships with a handful of generic Pay Connectors. They work, but they have significant limitations:
Limited gateway support. Twilio's built-in connectors cover a small number of payment gateways. If your business uses a gateway that isn't on the list — or your enterprise customers mandate a specific PSP — you're stuck.
Basic functionality. Generic connectors typically handle simple auth-and-capture. They don't support tokenisation, pre-authorisation holds, partial captures, or multi-currency routing out of the box.
No multi-PSP routing. If you need to route transactions to different gateways based on region, merchant preference, or failover rules, generic connectors can't do it. You get one gateway per connector.
No merchant management. If you're a platform with multiple merchants — each with their own gateway credentials — generic connectors have no way to manage that. You'd need to build the multi-tenant layer yourself.
This is why most businesses that are serious about Twilio payments use a third-party Pay Connector that solves these problems.
Shuttle's Twilio Pay Connector
Shuttle is Twilio's official payment partner and provides the most widely used Pay Connector on the Twilio Marketplace.
Here's what makes it different from generic connectors:
16+ Payment Gateways — One Connector
A single Shuttle connector gives you access to:
PayPal, PaySafe, NMI, Opayo, Moneris, USAePay, CardConnect, LiqPay, PayU, and more
You don't install a separate connector per gateway. You install Shuttle once and configure which gateway each merchant or payment profile uses.
Multi-PSP Routing
Route transactions to different gateways based on rules:
By merchant — each merchant on your platform uses their own PSP
By region — UK transactions go to Worldpay, US transactions go to Stripe
By amount — high-value transactions route to a preferred acquirer
By failover — if the primary gateway is down, transactions automatically route to a backup
This is critical for platforms and contact centres serving enterprise customers who mandate specific PSPs.
Smart Checkout Profiles
Create multiple payment profiles with different configurations — gateway, currency, payment methods, branding. Switch between profiles without changing your Twilio call flow.
Tokenise and Reuse
Capture a card once over a phone call. Tokenise it. Use that token for future payments across any channel — web, mobile, voice, or payment links. The card data never touches your systems.
PCI DSS Level 1
Shuttle is a PCI DSS Level 1 certified Service Provider. When you use the Shuttle connector, your PCI scope drops to SAQ-A — the lightest self-assessment. No card data enters your infrastructure at any point.
How to Connect Payments to Twilio
Getting live takes minutes, not months.
Step 1: Install from the Twilio Marketplace
Find the Shuttle Pay Connector on the Twilio Marketplace. Click Install. This adds Shuttle as an available Pay Connector in your Twilio account.
Step 2: Configure Your Payment Gateway
Log into the Shuttle dashboard and add your payment gateway credentials. Select which gateway to use (or configure multiple for routing).
Step 3: Add <Pay> to Your Call Flow
In your TwiML or Twilio Studio flow, add the <Pay> verb and specify Shuttle as the connector:
``xml <Pay paymentConnector="shuttle-pay-connector" chargeAmount="49.99" currency="GBP" description="Invoice #1234"> </Pay> ``
Step 4: Handle the Result
Twilio sends a webhook with the payment result. Your application handles the response — update the order, confirm to the caller, or trigger the next step in your workflow.
That's it. You're collecting payments over Twilio calls with PCI compliance handled for you.
Twilio Pay Connectors: Comparison
Feature | Generic Twilio Connector | Shuttle Connector |
|---|---|---|
Payment gateways | 1 per connector | 16+ via single connector |
Multi-PSP routing | No | Yes — by merchant, region, or rules |
Tokenisation | Limited | Full — reuse tokens across channels |
Pre-auth & capture | Basic | Full support |
Multi-merchant | No | Yes — platform/SaaS multi-tenancy |
PCI certification | Varies by connector | PCI DSS Level 1 Service Provider |
Setup time | Hours–weeks | Minutes |
Pricing | Varies | $0.20/transaction, no setup fees |
Common Use Cases
Contact Centres
Agents handle calls. When it's time to pay, the call enters a secure payment segment. The customer enters card details via keypad — the agent stays on the line but can't hear the tones. Payment is processed through the customer's gateway, and the agent sees a confirmation. See PCI-compliant payments for contact centres.
IVR Payment Lines
Automated phone systems that collect payments without human involvement. Utility bills, insurance premiums, account top-ups — the caller follows prompts and pays via keypad. High volume, low cost.
AI Voice Agents
AI agents from platforms like PolyAI handle conversations autonomously. When the caller is ready to pay, the agent triggers Shuttle's payment flow via the Twilio `<Pay>` verb. Card capture happens securely. The AI never processes card data. See how AI voice agents take PCI-compliant payments.
BPOs and Outsourced Call Centres
BPOs serving multiple clients need each client's transactions routed to that client's own payment gateway. Shuttle's multi-merchant, multi-PSP architecture handles this natively — one Twilio integration, unlimited gateway configurations.
FAQ
What is a Twilio Pay Connector? A Pay Connector links Twilio's <Pay> verb to a payment gateway. It's the bridge between capturing card input during a call and actually processing a payment.
How many payment gateways does Twilio support? Twilio's built-in connectors support a limited number. Shuttle's connector supports 16+ gateways through a single integration, including Stripe, Adyen, Worldpay, Checkout.com, and more.
Is Twilio PCI compliant for payments? Twilio handles PCI compliance for DTMF capture — card tones are never recorded or exposed to agents. But the payment processing side depends on your Pay Connector. Shuttle is PCI DSS Level 1 certified, which covers the full payment chain.
Can I use multiple payment gateways with Twilio? Not with generic connectors — each connects to one gateway. Shuttle supports multi-PSP routing through a single connector, so you can use different gateways for different merchants, regions, or failover scenarios.
How much does it cost? Shuttle's Twilio Pay Connector is $0.20 per transaction with no setup fees, no monthly minimums, and no hidden costs.
How long does setup take? Minutes. Install from the Twilio Marketplace, add your gateway credentials, and add the <Pay> verb to your call flow.
Related Reading
What Are Voice Payments? The Complete Guide — IVR, agent-assisted, and AI voice payment models explained
Twilio PCI Compliance: Payments Without Handling Card Data — how Twilio + Shuttle keeps you out of PCI scope
How to Connect Stripe to Twilio for Voice Payments — step-by-step Stripe + Twilio setup
How AI Voice Agents Take PCI-Compliant Payments — DTMF capture and secure handoff for voice AI
PCI-Compliant Payments for Contact Centres — agent-assisted and automated payment flows
Payment Collection for BPOs — multi-client, multi-PSP payment routing
PCI Pal Alternatives for Contact Centres — comparing voice payment providers
*Shuttle is the official Twilio payment partner. Install the Pay Connector from the Twilio Marketplace and start collecting payments in minutes — 16+ gateways, PCI DSS Level 1, $0.20/transaction. Get started or book a discovery call.*