Review of Blockchain.info's Receive Payment API

[jlp]

We are building an online game and want to enable our users to play for bitcoins.  Since we don't know how popular bitcoins will be with our players, we are seeking an easy way to enable our users to deposit and withdraw bitcoins.  Even though our game is skill-based, there is an element of chance, hence it can be deemed as gambling.  Therefore, Bitpay and Coinbase won't help us.

It seems that Blockchain.info's Receive Payment API is the easiest way to start, to enable our users to deposit.  Then we'll manually send bitcoins when users want to withdraw.  (I welcome suggestions on other methods that are as easy or easier.)  However, there are comments about how Blockchain can fail or be slow in responding (to the callback URL?), such as:

• https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=370808.0
• https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=148948.0
• https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=160915.0
• https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=344770.0
• https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=303342.0
• https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=295952.0
• https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=221081.0
• https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=153296.0

I'm reluctant to think that the above comments confirm that Blockchain was or still is unreliable.  I've stayed at hotels where commenters on Tripadvisor wrote negative reviews, but I did not see the same negative aspects.  Has Blockchain resolved most of the above issues since they were posted?  I'm interested in reading from people who have had positive and negative experiences with Blockchain.info's Receive Payment API.  Is Blockchain.info's Receive Payment API reliable, fast and trustworthy enough?

[danielW]

I have been playing around with it a bit.

Usually payments seem to go through instantly, however yesterday it took about 6 hours for a payment to go through.

Does anyone know the cause of these delays, how common they are?

I never had a payment not go through (although it needs to be larger then 0.001 bitcoin). But I do wonder if there is a risk of that happening?

[PaintShopPro6]

These delays are common and are due to terrible programming at blockchain.info

[leckey]

Delays are not unusual and can be SO frustrating when it occurs. The bigger issue though, is when blockchain.info goes down. Then you don't get paid at all, because input addresses can't be generated for users to send funds to.

But all things considered, I'd say it's better than coinbase's merchant tools.

[cosmicboy]

I have not had problems with it except for recent outage except it occasionally going down for a few hours. I have never lost any bitcoin from it...sometimes delays (especially lately) but they always come through.

[skyrunner]

two last weeks is terrible, waiting for several hours or days for funds to be forwarded and a callback for a confirmation

i am looking for alternatives

[Bit_Happy]

Delays are not unusual and can be SO frustrating when it occurs. The bigger issue though, is when blockchain.info goes down. Then you don't get paid at all, because input addresses can't be generated for users to send funds to.

But all things considered, I'd say it's better than coinbase's merchant tools.

Glad I found this thread, since I need to know the truth.
Sad to see what the truth is.

[leckey]

And to add, currently I've got two transactions, with 4 confirmations each, both have not yet been forwarded, so no callbacks sent.