Overview of Stripe Features and Limitations

Stripe provides a comprehensive payment infrastructure designed for online businesses and digital marketplaces, with emphasis on developer tools and customization.

Key Benefits:

• Global reach: Supports 135+ currencies and numerous local payment methods

• Payment options: Accepts credit cards, digital wallets, and cryptocurrency payments

• Developer tools: Extensive API documentation with libraries for major programming languages

• Fraud prevention: Machine learning-based fraud detection with customizable rules

• Modern payments: Built-in support for Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other digital wallets

Limitations:

• Technical requirements: Requires development resources for implementation

• Processing fees: 2.9% + 30¢ per successful card charge, +1% for international cards

• Support access: Limited direct support for smaller accounts

• Integration complexity: Custom features require significant development time

• Currency conversion: Additional 1% fee for currency conversion

Is Stripe the Right Payment Processor for Your Small Business?

If you're a small business selling t-shirts from your Shopify store or running a local café, you might want to start with something simpler like Square. But if you're building a subscription service, an online marketplace, or planning to expand internationally, Stripe could be perfect.

Remember, the best payment processor is the one that matches your business needs and technical comfort level. Don't choose Stripe just because it's popular with tech startups - choose it because it solves your specific business challenges.