> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://doc.bunq.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://doc.bunq.com/basics/getting-started.md).

# Getting started

## Quick Reference

|                  | Sandbox                                   | Production                       |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| Base URL         | `https://public-api.sandbox.bunq.com/v1/` | `https://api.bunq.com/v1/`       |
| API key          | Generated via API or developer app        | Generated in the bunq mobile app |
| Real money       | No                                        | Yes                              |
| Signing required | No (except payments/sessions)             | Yes                              |

See Environments for full details.

### 1. Create a bunq Account

To use the bunq API in production, you'll need a personal or business bunq account, which you can create directly in the [bunq mobile app](https://www.bunq.com).

But if you're just getting started, **you don't need a real account yet**.

We provide a **sandbox environment** where you can:

* Generate sandbox users instantly
* Access test accounts with fake money
* Experiment freely without risk

To get started with the sandbox account we recommend you start with our tutorial: [Your first payment](/tutorials/your-first-payment.md) which guides you through all the steps.

### 2. Choose Between Sandbox and Production

bunq offers two environments for developers:

#### Sandbox

* **Free** and open to anyone — no real bunq account required
* Preloaded with **test money** and **mock users**
* Safe to experiment, test features, and simulate payments

Ideal for:

* Trying out the API
* Building and testing your integration
* Running automated tests

#### Production

* Connects to **real bunq accounts** and **live money**
* Requires a valid bunq personal or business account
* Used for actual payments, user data, and transactions

Use this when:

* You're ready to go live
* You want to interact with real users and money

Follow these instructions to start  and here to .

### 3. Generate an API Key or Register an OAuth Client

If you're building something **just for your own bunq account**, you can generate a personal  directly from the bunq app:

* Grants **full access to your own account**
* Ideal for **internal tools, scripts, or personal automations**
* Simple to set up: no redirects, no user consent flow

If you're building an app or service that needs access to **other users' bunq accounts**, use [OAuth](/basics/authentication/oauth.md):

* Users grant permission to your app
* You get access **only to the scopes** they approve
* Required for **multi-user apps, SaaS products, and platforms**

### 4. Set Up Your Development Environment

Install the tools for your environment. See the [Tools](/getting-started/tools.md) page for Postman collections and other utilities.

### 5. Install an SDK

To make integration easier, we offer official SDKs in the most popular languages:

* Python
* Java
* C#
* PHP

These SDKs handle encryption, session creation, and API communication for you — so you can focus on building.

The official SDKs are archived on GitHub and no longer actively maintained, but remain available as a reference:

* [Python SDK](https://github.com/bunq/sdk_python)
* [Java SDK](https://github.com/bunq/sdk_java)
* [C# SDK](https://github.com/bunq/sdk_csharp)
* [PHP SDK](https://github.com/bunq/sdk_php)

For new integrations, we recommend calling the API directly using the examples in these docs.

#### Why use an SDK?

* Simplifies authentication and session handling
* Automatically manages request signing and response parsing
* Speeds up development with helpful abstractions

### 6. Try a Tutorial

We offer a few Tutorials that help you step-by-step to understand the basics. These tutorials exist:

* [Your first payment](/tutorials/your-first-payment.md)
*
*
* [How to manage your cards](/tutorials/how-to-manage-your-cards.md)

### 7. Explore Callbacks (Webhooks) for Real-Time Updates

bunq supports **webhooks** to notify your app in real time when something happens — like receiving a payment or a card transaction. These events are also available via the API, but webhooks let you react instantly without polling. Just register a callback URL, and bunq will send a signed POST request whenever an event occurs.

Learn how to set up these callbacks here 


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