Cybersource offers both SOAP and REST APIs, but in 2026 the REST API is the modern standard while SOAP is considered legacy. SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is based on XML and uses a strict WSDL contract. It is more structured and heavily used in older enterprise banking systems. However, SOAP is complex to integrate, requires more boilerplate code, and produces larger payloads, which makes it slower in performance.
On the other hand, REST (Representational State Transfer) API is lightweight, fast, and uses JSON format, which is easier for developers to read and implement. REST APIs use standard HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE, making them more flexible for web and mobile applications. Cybersource REST APIs also support modern features like tokenization, fraud management (Decision Manager), and secure payment processing through Secure Acceptance.
In terms of security, SOAP includes built-in WS-Security standards, while REST relies on HTTPS with signature-based authentication such as HMAC, which is simpler but equally secure when implemented correctly. SOAP is still used in some legacy enterprise systems, but most new integrations in Cybersource are built using REST APIs.
Overall REST is faster easier to integrate, and future-proof, while SOAP is outdated and mainly used for backward compatibility in 2026.
