We all know that the payments world is a complicated one, with plenty of hoops to jump through, but Stripe aims to make it as easy and painless as possible.
What Is Stripe?
Stripe is a payment processing company that allows businesses to accept credit and debit card payments online. Stripe has no monthly fees, no setup costs, and no hidden fees. Stripe also offers a suite of tools to help businesses manage their payments, including fraud prevention, customer management, and invoicing.
Pros and Cons of Stripe
There are many reasons to love Stripe. They’re a payment processor that’s easy to use, has low fees, and is quickly becoming a popular choice for online businesses. But like any payment processor, there are also some drawbacks to using Stripe. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of using Stripe for your business.
Pros:
-Easy to use: Setting up an account with Stripe is quick and easy. Their interface is user-friendly and straightforward.
-Low fees: Stripe has some of the lowest processing fees in the industry. For most transactions, they charge a flat fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. There are no hidden fees or monthly charges.
-Becoming more popular: More and more businesses are using Stripe as their preferred payment processor. This means that your customers are likely to be familiar with how to use it, which can make for a smoother checkout process.
Cons:
-Not yet widely accepted: While Stripe is becoming more popular, it’s not yet as widely accepted as some other payment processors (such as PayPal). This means that you may lose out on some potential customers who don’t want to bother with signing up for a new account just to buy from you.
-Customer service can be lacking: Some users have reported difficulty getting in touch with customer service when they need help with their account or have questions about how to use Stri
How to Use Stripe
Assuming you already have a Stripe account (if not, sign up here), using Stripe is easy. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Log in to your Stripe account and go to the ‘Charges’ page.
- Click on the ‘New Charge’ button.
- Enter the amount you want to charge in the ‘Amount’ field.
- In the ‘Customer’ field, start typing the name or email of the customer you’re charging and select them from the dropdown menu that appears. If you’re creating a new customer, simply enter their information in this field. For more information on payout services, visit this Website.
- Select the payment method for this charge – either credit card or ACH bank transfer. If you’re unsure, leave it as ‘Credit Card’.
- Enter your billing descriptor – this is what will appear on your customers’ credit card statements (e.g., “Stripe Payment”). Keep it short and sweet!
- Click on the ‘Submit Charge’ button and you’re done!
Alternatives To Stripe
There are a few other options when it comes to payment processors, though none are quite as user-friendly as Stripe. PayPal is a common alternative, and while it doesn’t have the same level of customization, it’s still a reliable option. Braintree is another processor that offers similar features to Stripe but has a higher price tag. Lastly, there are Amazon Payments, which is integrated with Amazon’s massive eCommerce platform.