Stripe for WordPress
Stripe is an ecommerce solution reminiscent of PayPal, with a focus on open-source developer tools and APIs. These tools enable companies to quickly integrate unique, custom implementations into their websites. Thanks to this flexibility, there are many options for offering a seamless ecommerce experience on your WordPress site using Stripe.
Stripe is free to set up, and charges per transaction rather than requiring a subscription fee. It offers a secure way to accept both one-time and recurring payments in its core service. Stripe also supports Apple Pay, and even stores customer information securely so users can easily reuse the same card in future transactions.
WordPress integration with Stripe is typically accomplished using plugins that incorporate the Stripe APIs. However, each plugin is unique and offers a somewhat different set of features. Your mileage may vary depending on the third-party plugin you select – so be sure to check that all the features you need are built into your chosen solution.
In order to use Stripe on your WordPress site, you will first need to ensure that SSL is set up for the domain you intend to sell from. This is a requirement for all Stripe users, to protect the buyers’ security.
How to Set Up Stripe for WordPress
Plugins are WordPress add-on features that extend its core features and functionality. To add Stripe to WordPress, you’ll need to use an existing Stripe plugin or create your own from scratch.
In most situations, using a plugin created by a trusted developer or agency is your best bet. On the other hand, if you have a development team and your business has very specific requirements, building a custom plugin might be the way to go.
If you do decide to opt for an existing plugin, you’ll notice that several involve a platform called WooCommerce. This is a popular ecommerce solution for WordPress and makes it easy to set up an online store. It’s worth checking out, since there are plugins that enable you to use Stripe to automatically accept payments through your WooCommerce store, with a little-to-no extra setup in Stripe itself.
Now that you know what you’re looking for, let’s review a few of the best plugin options for including Stripe in your WordPress site.
Stripe WordPress Plugins
Many Stripe WordPress plugins are built by third-party developers who represent neither Stripe nor WordPress. Therefore, it’s particularly important to choose a plugin that is built and maintained by a trusted developer or agency. To use any of these plugins, you’ll need a Stripe account and your API keys.
Stripe for WooCommerce
WooCommerce is one of the most popular ecommerce platforms on the web. It’s a powerful, free WordPress plugin that allows you to manage inventory, sales, and more. The makers of WooCommerce offer a free Stripe integration plugin, available in the WordPress directory as WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway.
To get started with this tool, you’ll first need to install and set up WooCommerce itself. Then, simply download and install WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway.
Next, go to WooCommerce > Settings and click on the Checkout tab. In the submenu, you should see Stripe available at the end:
Check the box to Enable Stripe, then add your API keys in the appropriate boxes:
When you’re done, click Save Changes. That’s it! WooCommerce will handle the rest for you automatically.
WP Simple Pay
WP Simple Pay is a standalone plugin that allows you to integrate Stripe without requiring any other ecommerce platform. Once you’ve activated it, you can use shortcodes anywhere on your WordPress site to sell your goods and services through Stripe. This approach is ideal for those with simple ecommerce needs, or who don’t want to use WooCommerce.
Getting started with WP Simple Pay is a cakewalk. After installing the plugin, navigate to the Simple Pay Lite admin menu to install it.