# Getting started

## Getting Started

### 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 [Creating a sandbox user and getting an API key](/tutorials/your-first-payment/creating-a-sandbox-user-and-getting-an-api-key.md) and here to [Getting sandbox money on the user account](/tutorials/your-first-payment/setting-up-a-sandbox-user/getting-sandbox-money-on-the-user-account.md).

### 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 [API Keys](/basics/authentication/api-keys.md) 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

### 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. Check them out here [\[unmaintained\] Software Development Kits (SDKs)](/getting-started/tools/unmaintained-software-development-kits-sdks.md)

#### ✨ 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 do bulk payments](/tutorials/how-to-do-bulk-payments.md)
* [Receiving payments on your website using  bunq.me](/tutorials/receiving-payments-on-your-website-using-bunq.me.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 [Callbacks (Webhooks)](/basics/callbacks-webhooks.md)


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