Stripe

Stripe is one of those tools where the developer experience is so far ahead of the competition that it shapes how you build everything else. We've used it across SaaS subscription billing, ecommerce checkout, marketplace payments, and one-off invoicing. It's not always the cheapest option, but the API quality, documentation, and webhook reliability make it worth the premium for most growth-stage companies.

Stripe is one of those tools where the developer experience is so far ahead of the competition that it shapes how you build everything else. We've used it across SaaS subscription billing, ecommerce checkout, marketplace payments, and one-off invoicing. It's not always the cheapest option, but the API quality, documentation, and webhook reliability make it worth the premium for most growth-stage companies.

Where It Excels

The API is the gold standard. Stripe's documentation is genuinely a pleasure to work with, and the webhook system is rock-solid — events arrive reliably, retries work as expected, and the event structure is consistent. For automation work, this matters enormously. We pipe Stripe webhooks into n8n workflows for everything from subscription lifecycle management to revenue reporting.

Stripe's product breadth is also a strength. Payments, subscriptions (Billing), invoicing, Connect for marketplaces, Tax for automated sales tax — it's all one platform with one API. Clients don't have to stitch together five different vendors. The Stripe Dashboard is also well-designed for non-technical founders who need to monitor revenue.

Where It Falls Short

The 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction is competitive but not the lowest. For high-volume ecommerce clients processing $1M+/year, the fee adds up — and negotiating volume discounts requires significant processing history. The additional 0.7% for Stripe Billing on recurring charges also catches clients off guard. A $30/month subscription generates $1.18 in combined fees, which erodes margins on low-price-point products.

Dispute handling and fraud prevention, while improved, still require active management. The $15 chargeback fee is standard but stings when clients face fraud. Stripe Radar helps but isn't foolproof. International payment support is good, but the 1.5% international card surcharge plus 1% currency conversion adds up for cross-border businesses.

How JMK Uses It

Stripe is our default payment infrastructure recommendation. For ecommerce clients on Shopify, Stripe is typically the payment gateway (via Shopify Payments, which is Stripe under the hood). For SaaS clients, we set up Stripe Billing with webhook-driven lifecycle management via n8n. Revenue data from Stripe flows into BigQuery for financial reporting and cohort analysis.

Who It's Right For

• SaaS companies that need subscription billing with a world-class API and developer experience.
• Ecommerce businesses processing online payments — especially those on Shopify (Stripe powers Shopify Payments).
• Companies building marketplaces or platforms that need to split payments between multiple parties.
• Any growth-stage business that values API quality and webhook reliability for automation.

Who Should Look Elsewhere

• High-volume businesses where 2.9% + 30¢ significantly impacts margins — negotiate or consider interchange-plus pricing.
• Companies that need in-person POS as the primary use case — Square may be a better fit.
• Businesses in high-risk industries where Stripe's underwriting may be restrictive.