General Stripe FAQs | LaunchPass Help Center

TL;DR: This guide answers common questions about Stripe accounts, fees, security, and availability. Most users find answers here; for LaunchPass-specific questions, see our separate Stripe + LaunchPass FAQs.

Getting Started With Your Stripe Account

How do I create a Stripe account?

Creating a Stripe account takes about 5 minutes. Here's what to do:

Visit the Stripe signup page at https://dashboard.stripe.com/register
Enter your email address and create a password
Provide your business information (business name, location, type)
Add your bank account details (where Stripe sends your money)
Verify your information (Stripe may ask questions to confirm you)
Complete setup (usually instant, sometimes takes 24 hours)

Need a detailed walkthrough? Stripe's official setup guide is here: https://support.stripe.com/topics/getting-started

Your account is ready when you see your Stripe dashboard. Then connect it to LaunchPass (takes 2 minutes or less).

What information does Stripe need from me?

Stripe requires:

Your legal name or business name
Your email address
Your phone number
Your business address
Your bank account information
Tax identification number (varies by country)

This information helps Stripe follow financial regulations and send you money correctly.

How long does Stripe account approval take?

Most accounts are approved instantly. Some accounts need extra review and take 24-48 hours. Stripe will email you if they need more information.

You can start accepting payments as soon as your account is fully approved.

Can I use Stripe if I'm self-employed?

Yes. Stripe works with solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small business owners. You'll provide your personal information and Social Security Number (or equivalent in your country) instead of a business tax ID.

Understanding Stripe Fees

What fees does Stripe charge?

Stripe charges a fee for every payment it processes. The fee amount depends on the payment type:

Standard credit/debit card payments:

2.9% of the payment + $0.30
Example: A $29 payment costs 2.9% ($0.84) + $0.30 = $1.14 in fees
You receive: $29 - $1.14 = $27.86

Digital wallet payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay):

Same as credit card: 2.9% + $0.30

International card payments:

2.9% + $0.30 base fee + additional 1% international fee
Total: 3.9% + $0.30

ACH bank transfers (US only):

$0.80 per successful transfer
$5 per failed transfer

Wire transfers:

Contact Stripe directly for pricing

These fees help Stripe operate, improve security, and support customer service.

Are there any monthly fees?

No. Stripe charges no monthly fees. You only pay per transaction. If no one pays in a month, you pay nothing.

Does Stripe charge setup fees?

No. Stripe charges no setup fee to create an account. Connecting Stripe to LaunchPass is also free.

You only pay transaction fees when someone actually pays.

What if a payment fails?

If a payment fails (card declined, insufficient funds), Stripe charges no fee. The transaction doesn't process, so no payment leaves your member's account and no fee is charged to you.

Can I get a discount on fees?

Stripe fees are the same for all users. There are no discounts for high volume.

Security and Data Protection

How does Stripe handle security?

Security is Stripe's top priority. Here's what they do:

Encryption: Stripe scrambles all payment data. Even if someone intercepts data, they can't read it without a special key.

PCI Compliance: Stripe follows the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). This is the rulebook that protects credit card information worldwide. Stripe is certified at PCI Level 1, the highest level.

Fraud Detection: Stripe constantly monitors transactions for suspicious activity. If something looks wrong, Stripe blocks it.

Regular Security Audits: Stripe hires outside experts to test their security regularly. They fix problems immediately.

Data Protection: Stripe never stores payment card details on your website or in LaunchPass. Payment info stays in Stripe's secure systems.

Compliance: Stripe follows laws in every country where it operates. They update security practices as new threats emerge.

Two-factor Authentication: You can enable extra login security on your Stripe account for added protection.

Learn more about Stripe's security practices at: https://stripe.com/legal/privacy-center

Is my customer data safe with Stripe?

Yes. Your customer payment data is safer with Stripe than storing it yourself. Here's why:

Stripe is required to follow strict security laws. They invest millions in security technology. Your members never give payment information directly to you—they give it to Stripe. This means your servers are never exposed to payment data.

If you want details about how Stripe protects data, read their privacy policy: https://stripe.com/legal/privacy-center

What happens if there's a security breach?

Stripe has never had a major security breach. But if one occurred, Stripe would:

Notify all affected customers immediately
Investigate and stop the breach
Report to regulators as required by law
Provide credit monitoring services if needed
Cover costs related to the breach

You can see Stripe's security history and status: https://status.stripe.com/

Can customers see my Stripe account information?

No. Your Stripe account is completely separate from your members' view. Members only see:

The company name you set in LaunchPass
The amount they're paying
A receipt after payment

Members never access your Stripe dashboard or account information.

Do I need two-factor authentication?

It's strongly recommended. Two-factor authentication (2FA) means you need two things to log in:

Your password
A code from your phone

This makes your account much harder to hack. Enable 2FA in your Stripe account settings.

Stripe Availability and Supported Countries

Is Stripe available in my country?

Stripe operates in many countries. As of October 2025, Stripe supports payments in 195+ countries and handles payments in 135+ currencies.

Major regions where Stripe operates:

United States and Canada
European Union (all countries)
United Kingdom
Australia and New Zealand
Japan and South Korea
Singapore and Hong Kong
Mexico and Brazil
India
Many others

To check if Stripe is available in your specific country: Visit Stripe's global availability page: https://stripe.com/global

Find your country on the list. If it's there, Stripe is available. The page also shows if Stripe is "coming soon" to your country.

What if Stripe isn't available in my country yet?

If Stripe doesn't operate in your country yet, you have options:

Wait for availability (Stripe expands to new countries regularly)
Ask LaunchPass about alternatives (other payment processors may work)
Use a virtual address in a country where Stripe operates (not recommended—check local laws)
Contact [email protected] to discuss options

Does Stripe support payments from members in any country?

Stripe accepts payments from members in 195+ countries. Your members don't need to be in the same country as you. This means:

You're in the US, your members are worldwide ✅
You're in the UK, your members are in Asia ✅
You're in Australia, your members are everywhere ✅

Stripe handles currency conversion automatically if members pay in a different currency than your account.

What currencies does Stripe support?

Stripe processes payments in 135+ currencies. Common ones include:

US Dollar (USD)
Euro (EUR)
British Pound (GBP)
Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Australian Dollar (AUD)
Japanese Yen (JPY)
Swiss Franc (CHF)
And 128+ more

If a member pays in a currency different from yours, Stripe converts it at the current market rate. A small conversion fee (1-2%) is added.

For the complete list: https://stripe.com/global

Payment Processing and Money Movement

How long does it take to receive my money?

Most payments arrive in your bank account 1-2 business days after your member pays. Weekends and holidays may delay processing.

Here's the timeline:

Member pays on Monday 2 PM → Money usually arrives Tuesday or Wednesday
Member pays on Friday 2 PM → Money usually arrives Monday or Tuesday
Member pays on Friday evening → Money usually arrives Wednesday (skips weekend)

Stripe batches payments and transfers them to your bank. Your bank may take an extra day to show the money in your account.

Why haven't I received my money yet?

If it's been longer than 3 business days:

Check your Stripe dashboard (log into Stripe directly)
Verify your bank account is correctly connected to Stripe
Look for failed transfers (sometimes banks reject transfers)
Check if the payment actually processed
Contact Stripe support here: https://support.stripe.com/

Include details like the exact date of payment and the amount.

Can I request faster payouts?

Standard payouts take 1-2 business days. Faster options:

Stripe Instant Payouts (US only):

Available in some cases
Charges a small fee per payout
Ask Stripe directly here

Most users find standard payouts work fine and don't need faster options.

What if I want to keep money in my Stripe account longer?

You can pause payouts in your Stripe account. Log into Stripe and adjust your payout settings. Money stays in your Stripe account until you enable payouts again.

Note: This doesn't affect member access. Members still get access when they pay.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

A member says they paid but I don't see the payment

What to check:

Look in LaunchPass - Is the transaction listed? (check pending transactions too)
Check Stripe dashboard - Log into Stripe directly at https://dashboard.stripe.com
Verify the amount - Did the member pay the right amount?
Check the date - Did they pay today or earlier?
Search by member email - Look for their name or email in transaction history

If you still don't see it:

The payment may not have gone through (card declined)
Wait 15 minutes and refresh
Contact [email protected] with member email and time of attempted payment

I accidentally gave LaunchPass the wrong Stripe account

To fix this:

Contact [email protected] if you need help fixing this.

Stripe keeps rejecting my bank account

If Stripe won't accept your bank account:

Verify the account number is correct
Use the exact name on the bank account
Use your country's correct routing code (routing number in US, sort code in UK, etc.)
Try a different bank account if you have one
Contact Stripe support directly - they may verify with micro-deposits

Visit Stripe support at: https://support.stripe.com/