Stripe Pricing
Pricing model: Flat-rate. Based on publicly available information from Stripe's official site. Contact Stripe directly for ISV-specific pricing.
Fee Breakdown
| Fee Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Processing | 2.9% + $0.30 per successful card charge |
| Markup | Flat-rate; no interchange passthrough unless on custom pricing |
| Setup | No setup fee |
| Monthly | No monthly fee for standard; $0/mo base |
Hidden Costs to Watch
- ⚠ International cards add 1.5% cross-border fee + 1% currency conversion
- ⚠ Disputed charges cost $15 per chargeback
- ⚠ Instant payouts cost 1% of payout amount (minimum $0.50)
- ⚠ Radar fraud protection advanced rules cost $0.07 per screened transaction
- ⚠ Volume discounts require direct sales engagement and annual commitments
Alternatives
Stripe Pricing for ISVs: What You Actually Pay
Understanding Stripe’s pricing requires looking beyond the headline rate. For ISVs integrating payments into their software, the total cost includes processing fees, platform charges, and the revenue share model — and the math changes significantly depending on your transaction volume and merchant profile.
How Stripe’s Flat-rate Pricing Works
Stripe uses a flat-rate pricing approach. For ISVs, the key question isn’t just what your merchants pay per transaction — it’s how much of that payment revenue flows back to your platform. The gap between the merchant-facing rate and your cost basis is your embedded payment margin.
ISVs should negotiate pricing based on aggregate platform volume, not individual merchant volume. Most providers, including Stripe, offer better rates when you can commit to higher total processing volume across all your merchants.
Hidden Costs ISVs Should Watch For
Beyond the published processing rate, ISVs integrating Stripe should budget for:
- Chargeback fees: Charged per dispute regardless of outcome, these add up for ISVs in higher-risk verticals
- Currency conversion: Cross-border transactions typically carry an additional markup
- PCI compliance: Depending on your integration method, compliance validation costs vary
- Integration and maintenance: Developer time for initial integration and ongoing API updates
Comparing Stripe Pricing to Alternatives
When evaluating Stripe’s pricing against competitors, compare the total cost of ownership — not just the per-transaction rate. Factor in setup time, integration complexity, ongoing maintenance, and most importantly, the payment revenue your ISV can earn through each platform’s revenue sharing model.
The cheapest processor isn’t always the best choice for ISVs. A platform that costs slightly more per transaction but offers better revenue sharing, faster merchant onboarding, or lower integration complexity often delivers higher net payment revenue.