What’s the difference between Authorize.Net, Authorize.Net ARB and Authorize.Net CIM?

We have two different integrations with Authorize.Net – Authorize.Net ARB and Authorize.Net CIM.

Authorize.Net (ARB)

This integration enables you to automatically process installment-based credit/debit card payments without having to store sensitive payment data on your server, which is passed directly to Authorize.Net’s secure server. Authorize.Net (ARB) doesn't support card-on-file functionality, so MemberMouse has no control over the recurring billing process. When the customer purchases a subscription, a schedule is set up within the payment service and they take responsibility for rebilling the customer at the appropriate time.

What is ARB?

ARB, or Automated Recurring Billing, is exactly what the name implies: a solution for automatically processing recurring or subscription-based payments. ARB allows you to create a subscription that includes your customers’ payment information, billing amount and payment schedule. Once a subscription is created, Authorize.Net will handle the transactions for you, submitting payments using the information and schedule provided. ARB also includes the ability to customize trial periods and pricing.

When to use ARB

ARB should be used when your merchants’ recurring transactions will be billed on the same date and for the same amount each occurrence. For example: membership fees. If your merchant will be billing their customer a membership fee of $10.00 a month, and they’ll bill it on the first of each month, then ARB is the way to go. You can create a subscription that bills $10.00 on the first of each month, for however long the membership is to be. Once created, MemberMouse through Authorize.Net ARB takes care of billing the customer each month.

The same goes for semi-annual or yearly charges. If your merchant will bill their customer on November 11th of every year for an annual membership of $100.00, then ARB will work just fine.

Authorize.Net CIM 

This integration allows you to store your customers' billing information on your servers to allow more customization with your payments, such as Changing the Rebill Date on a Subscription. Authorize.Net CIM is a card-on-file payment service, so the MemberMouse plugin on your site is responsible for keeping track of the payment schedule and sending payment requests to the payment service when a payment is due. The payment information is stored on Authorize.Net's servers and a payment token is sent to MemberMouse.

What is CIM?

CIM, or Customer Information Manager, is designed to simplify PCI DSS compliance. When you use CIM, you store your customer’s sensitive payment information on Authorize.Net’s secure servers for use in future transactions. This helps satisfy PCI DSS compliance as securely storing data is one of the requirements. Storing this information on Authorize.Net servers also allows your returning customers to use previously stored payment information and allows you set up recurring payments as well.

When to use CIM

By providing quick access to stored customer information, Customer Information Manager (CIM) is ideal for businesses that:

• Process recurring transactions in which the date or amount or both are different each month; for example, utility companies.
  
  
• Process usage charges that you bill only when the service is used; for example, pay-as-you-go cell phones.
  
  
• Are concerned with PCI compliance.
  
  
• Want to provide returning customers with the convenience of not having to re-enter personal data
  

For both Authorize.Net ARB and Authorize.Net CIM integrations, MemberMouse does not store any credit card information. Instead this is all stored with Authorize.Net. For Authorize.Net ARB, the payments and information are handled on their end. For Authorize.Net CIM during a transaction, MemberMouse receives a token that represents the payment info that is stored offsite. The tokens are unique and associated with the accounts used to make the payments.

You can read more about these integrations by referring to these articles here:

[1] Authorize.Net

[2] Authorize.Net CIM