# Test Credit Card Generator > Stripe-style test card numbers — successful charges, declines, 3DS challenges. Valid Luhn, never charges. - URL: https://generate.now/credit-card - Category: identity - Price: free, no account required - AI-powered: no - Last updated: 2026-08-27 ## What it does Generate test credit card numbers for development and QA. Numbers pass Luhn checksum validation and match the formats of real Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover ranges — but they're the well-known test cards that gateways like Stripe, Adyen, and Braintree recognize and never actually charge. Includes specific scenarios: successful charges, generic declines, insufficient funds, 3DS required. ## When to use it - Test a checkout flow with success and decline scenarios - Verify 3D Secure handling in your payments integration - Seed a fixture file with brand-varied test cards - Demo a refund flow without using a real card ## Examples ### Visa, success ``` 4242 4242 4242 4242 · exp 12/34 · cvc 123 ``` The canonical Stripe test card for successful charges. ### Visa, generic decline ``` 4000 0000 0000 0002 · exp 12/34 · cvc 123 ``` Triggers a card_declined response in test mode. ### Mastercard, success ``` 5555 5555 5555 4444 · exp 12/34 · cvc 123 ``` Test card recognized by most major gateways. ### American Express, success ``` 3782 822463 10005 · exp 12/34 · cvc 1234 ``` Amex is 15 digits in a 4-6-5 grouping with a 4-digit CVC — a common layout bug. ### Visa, insufficient funds ``` 4000 0000 0000 9995 · exp 12/34 · cvc 123 ``` Returns a decline with an insufficient_funds code rather than a generic failure. ## Frequently asked questions ### Will these cards ever charge a real account? No. These numbers are the official test cards published by payment processors. They only work against test/sandbox endpoints and are rejected by production card networks. ### Why does the card number pass Luhn but isn't real? Luhn is just a checksum to catch typos — it doesn't certify a card is issued. The test card numbers were chosen to pass Luhn so they behave like real cards in client-side validation. ### Do these work with non-Stripe gateways? Most are universal — 4242…4242 is recognized by Stripe, Adyen, Braintree, and many others. A few (like 3DS-specific cards) are processor-specific; the tool labels which work where. ### Is it legal to generate card numbers like this? Yes. These are published test numbers — Stripe, Adyen, Braintree, and the card networks document them openly so developers can build checkout flows. They're valid in structure only; no issuer has ever assigned them to an account, so there's nothing to charge and nothing to steal. ### What expiry date and CVC should I use? Any future date works, which is why 12/34 is the convention. CVC is any three digits, or four for American Express — 123 and 1234 respectively. Gateways in test mode check the format, not the value, unless you're deliberately triggering a CVC-failure scenario. ### How do I test 3D Secure and other challenge flows? Those are provider-specific: each gateway reserves particular numbers to trigger an authentication challenge, a frictionless pass, or a failed authentication. The cards here cover the common success and decline paths; check your provider's testing documentation for the SCA-specific ones. ## References - [Luhn algorithm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luhn_algorithm) — Wikipedia. The check-digit formula every generated number satisfies. - [ISO/IEC 7812-1:2024](https://www.iso.org/standard/82790.html) — ISO. The standard defining issuer identification numbers and card number structure. - [PCI Security Standards](https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/) — PCI SSC. Why test numbers, not real card data, belong in development environments. ## Related tools - [Fake Phone Number Generator](https://generate.now/phone): Plausible phone numbers in the officially-reserved test ranges. Per-country formats. Never dial a real line. - [Random Number Generator](https://generate.now/random-number): Generate random integers or floats in any range. Bulk output, allow-repeats toggle, seeded mode for reproducible runs. - [Fake Address Generator](https://generate.now/address): Plausible postal addresses for test forms and demos. Per-country formats (US, UK, DE, FR, CA, JP, AU).