generated: '2026-07-20'
method: searched
source: https://docs.methodfi.com/2026-03-30/reference/environments
description: >-
  Method exposes three environments (Development, Sandbox, Production) with separate
  API keys per environment. Development fully mocks data and money movement; Sandbox
  runs live data/money against a whitelisted set of entities with capped payment
  volume; Production is billed and unlimited. Test behaviors are driven through the
  /simulate endpoints rather than through magic account numbers.
environments:
- name: development
  host: https://dev.methodfi.com
  billed: false
  description: All data and payments are mocked. Recommended for initial integration.
- name: sandbox
  host: https://sandbox.methodfi.com
  billed: true
  description: >-
    Live data and money movement against a pre-defined entity whitelist (set by your
    Method CSM). Payments capped at 20 transactions/month and $1/transaction.
- name: production
  host: https://production.methodfi.com
  billed: true
  description: Unlimited live payments; all requests are billed.
key_separation:
  scheme: per-environment keys
  prefixes:
    secret: sk_        # sk_test_ prefix used in development/sandbox examples
    public: pk_
    opal_token: otkn_
  note: Keys are managed under the Keys section of the Method Dashboard.
simulation:
  docs: https://docs.methodfi.com/2026-03-30/reference/simulations/overview
  description: >-
    Development testing is driven by the /simulate endpoints, which queue behaviors
    consumed the next time a product runs for an entity/account.
  operations:
  - simulateEntityConnect
  - simulateEntityAttributes
  - simulateEntityCreditScore
  - simulateCreateAccountCardBrand
  - simulateCreateAccountTransaction
  - simulateUpdatePaymentStatus
  - simulatePostPaymentViaPaymentInstrument
  - simulateCreateEvent
  - simulateRetrieveVerificationAmounts
  connect_behaviors:
    endpoint: POST https://dev.methodfi.com/simulate/entities/{entity_id}/connect
    max_per_entity: 5
    values:
    - new_credit_card_account
    - new_auto_loan_account
    - new_mortgage_account
    - new_student_loan_account
    - new_personal_loan_account
    docs: https://docs.methodfi.com/guides/connect/testing
    note: >-
      Simulated accounts carry no real institution data; use them to exercise
      integration flow (webhooks, UI, product execution), not data accuracy.