What is a Credit Card Generator?
A credit card generator is a tool that creates valid but fictitious credit card numbers for testing purposes. These numbers follow the same pattern and validation rules as real credit cards, including passing the Luhn algorithm check, but they are not connected to actual bank accounts. Our credit card generator creates realistic test card numbers for major payment networks including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and others.
The generator is entirely free to use and runs directly in your browser. All processing happens on your device, ensuring that no data is sent to any servers. You can generate multiple test cards at once with complete card details including expiration dates, CVV codes, and cardholder names.
Uses of Test Credit Card Numbers
💻 Software Development
Developers need valid card numbers to test payment processing systems, e-commerce platforms, and financial applications without using real cards or making actual transactions.
Test cards allow developers to verify that card validation, processing flows, and error handling work correctly.
🧪 Quality Assurance
QA testers use test card numbers to verify payment forms, checkout processes, and payment gateway integrations across different scenarios and card types.
Testing with various card types ensures the system handles different length numbers and formats correctly.
🎓 Educational Purposes
Students and educators can use test credit card numbers to learn about payment processing, credit card validation algorithms, and financial security systems.
These numbers provide a safe way to demonstrate how payment systems work without using sensitive financial data.
🖌️ UI/UX Prototyping
Designers creating mockups for payment forms, invoices, or financial dashboards need realistic-looking card data to demonstrate their designs effectively.
Test card numbers help create more authentic prototypes without exposing real financial information.
🛡️ Security Testing
Security professionals can use test card numbers when performing penetration testing or security assessments on payment systems without risking real financial data.
This allows for thorough security testing while maintaining compliance with financial regulations.
📊 Data Analysis
Analysts working with financial datasets may need to generate realistic test data to supplement limited production data or create synthetic datasets.
Test card numbers allow for comprehensive data analysis without compromising customer privacy.
How to Use the Credit Card Generator
- Select a Card Type: Choose the payment network for which you want to generate test credit card numbers. Options include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and others. You can also select "Random" to generate a mix of different card types.
- Set Quantity: Specify how many test credit cards you want to generate, from 1 to 100. If you need more, you can always generate multiple batches.
- Choose Card Details: Select which additional details you want to include with your test cards:
- Expiry dates (randomly generated future dates)
- CVV codes (3 or 4 digits depending on card type)
- Cardholder names (randomly generated names)
- Set Formatting Options: Choose whether to format card numbers with spaces for better readability or to generate them as continuous strings.
- Generate Cards: Click the "Generate Credit Cards" button to create your test cards. The tool will produce the specified quantity of cards according to your settings.
- Use the Results: Once generated, you can:
- Copy individual card details by clicking the clipboard icon next to each card
- Copy all generated card data at once with the "Copy All" button
- Download the entire set as a CSV file using the "Download CSV" button
- Generate a new set of cards with the "Regenerate" button
Tips for Using Test Credit Cards:
- For Development Environments: Use these test card numbers in development and testing environments only, never in production systems that process real payments.
- For Payment Gateway Testing: Many payment processors provide their own specific test card numbers that trigger various response codes. For comprehensive testing, combine our generated test cards with those specific test cards provided by your payment processor.
- For Documentation: When using test card numbers in documentation, clearly label them as test cards to prevent confusion.
- For Demonstrations: When using test cards in presentations or demos, consider obfuscating some digits (e.g., 4111 11** **** 1111) to reinforce that these are example cards, not real ones.
Understanding Credit Card Number Validation
Credit card numbers aren't random sequences of digits. They follow specific patterns and validation rules that help identify the card type and verify the number's authenticity. Understanding these systems helps explain how our generator creates valid test card numbers.
The Luhn Algorithm
The Luhn algorithm (also known as the "modulus 10" or "mod 10" algorithm) is a checksum formula used to validate a variety of identification numbers, including credit card numbers. All valid credit cards pass this check. Here's how it works:
- Starting from the rightmost digit (check digit) and moving left, double the value of every second digit.
- If doubling results in a number greater than 9, subtract 9 from the result.
- Sum all the digits in the altered number.
- If the total is divisible by 10 (i.e., the remainder when divided by 10 is 0), the number is valid.
Example: For the card number 4532 0151 8439 4326
| Card number: | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| Double every second: | 8 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| Sum all digits: | 8+5+6+2+0+2+5+2+8+8+3+(1+8)+4+6+2+6 = 70 | |||||||||||||||
| Result: | 70 % 10 = 0, so the card number is valid | |||||||||||||||
All credit card numbers generated by our tool pass this Luhn check, making them structurally valid.
Card Number Structure
Credit card numbers contain several components that identify the issuer, account number, and validation information:
- Issuer Identification Number (IIN): The first 6-8 digits that identify the card issuer/network
- Account Number: The middle digits that represent the cardholder's account
- Check Digit: The final digit used for validation via the Luhn algorithm
The first digit of a credit card number is called the Major Industry Identifier (MII):
- 1-2: Airlines
- 3: Travel and entertainment (Amex, Diners Club)
- 4: Banking and financial (Visa)
- 5: Banking and financial (Mastercard)
- 6: Merchandising and banking (Discover)
- 7: Petroleum
- 8: Healthcare and telecommunications
- 9: National assignment
Card Number Formats by Provider
| Card Type | Starting Digits | Length | CVV Length | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | 4 | 16 | 3 | 4532 0151 8439 4326 |
| Mastercard | 51-55, 2221-2720 | 16 | 3 | 5355 2928 3751 2841 |
| American Express | 34, 37 | 15 | 4 | 3782 954738 43159 |
| Discover | 6011, 644-649, 65 | 16 | 3 | 6011 5475 8324 5961 |
| Diners Club | 300-305, 36, 38 | 14 | 3 | 3056 930254 8392 |
| JCB | 35 | 16 | 3 | 3530 3728 5437 5924 |
| UnionPay | 62 | 16-19 | 3 | 6258 9472 8347 5893 |
Our generator follows these specifications to create appropriate test numbers for each card type.
Important Considerations
Test Cards Only
The credit card numbers generated by this tool are for testing purposes only. While they pass basic validation checks, they are not connected to real accounts and cannot be used for actual purchases or payments. Attempting to use these numbers for real transactions would constitute fraud.
Limited Validation Only
These test cards pass the Luhn algorithm check and follow the correct format for each card type, but they won't pass advanced verification steps like Address Verification System (AVS) checks, 3D Secure authentication, or bank authorization processes. They are suitable for front-end testing and basic validation testing only.
Different from Sandbox Testing Cards
Payment processors like Stripe, PayPal, and Braintree provide their own specific test card numbers that trigger particular responses in their sandbox environments. For thorough integration testing with a specific payment processor, you should use their official test cards instead of or in addition to these generated test cards.
Ethical Usage
This tool is provided for legitimate testing, educational, and development purposes only. Using these generated card numbers to attempt fraud, deceive others, or for any illegal activity is strictly prohibited and may result in criminal penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use these card numbers for real purchases?
No. The credit card numbers generated by this tool are not connected to actual accounts or payment networks. They are designed to pass basic validation checks for testing purposes only. Attempting to use these numbers for real transactions is fraudulent and illegal. They will be declined by payment processors in production environments.
Are these the same as test cards provided by payment processors?
No. Payment processors like Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net provide specific test card numbers that trigger particular responses in their sandbox or test environments. The card numbers generated by our tool pass basic format validation and the Luhn check, but they won't work with specific payment processor testing systems. For thorough payment gateway testing, use the test cards provided by your payment processor.
How secure is the generator?
Our credit card generator operates entirely in your browser. No data is sent to our servers, and all generation happens locally on your device. The generated numbers are random and not derived from real card numbers. Additionally, these test numbers don't contain any sensitive information and cannot be used for actual transactions.
What is the Luhn algorithm?
The Luhn algorithm (also known as the "mod 10" algorithm) is a checksum formula used to validate credit card numbers and other identification numbers. It works by performing calculations on the digits to ensure the number follows a specific pattern. All valid credit cards pass the Luhn check, though passing this check doesn't guarantee a card is active or has funds available. Our generator creates numbers that pass this check, making them appear valid to basic verification systems.
Can I generate specific test card numbers?
Our tool allows you to select the card type (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) but does not support generating specific card numbers with particular digits. For specialized testing scenarios where you need specific card numbers, you may need to use the official test cards provided by payment processors or create custom numbers manually that follow the required patterns and pass the Luhn check.