How to Set Up Stripe: Simple Beginner’s Guide to Start Accepting Payments

Introduction

If you want to accept payments online, whether for a product, service, or app - Stripe is one of the easiest and most trusted tools you can use. Millions of businesses worldwide use Stripe because it’s secure, works in many countries, and is easy to set up.

You don’t need to be a tech expert to use Stripe. This guide will walk you through everything step-by-step in plain English, so by the end you’ll be able to:

Create and verify your Stripe account
Enable payment methods like credit cards and Apple Pay
Test payments so you know it’s working
Start accepting real payments from customers

Step 1: What Is Stripe and Why Should You Use It?

Stripe is like a cash register for the internet. It helps you take payments securely, whether your customers are down the street or on the other side of the world.

With Stripe, you can:

Accept credit and debit cards
Offer Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other digital wallets
Get paid in different currencies
Keep your customers’ payment details safe with strong security

Step 2: Create Your Stripe Account

Go to Stripe.com and click Start Now.
Enter your email, name, and create a secure password.
Check your email and click the link Stripe sends you to confirm your account.

Step 3: Tell Stripe About Your Business

Stripe needs some details to send you money and meet legal requirements. You’ll be asked for:

Your business type — company, freelancer, or individual
Your website (if you have one)
Your bank account details so Stripe can send you payouts
Your personal info (name, birthday, address) for identity verification

💡 Tip: You don’t need a registered company to use Stripe. Many people start with a personal/individual account.

Step 4: Choose Payment Methods

In the Stripe dashboard, go to Settings → Payment Methods.
Turn on the payment options you want — like cards, Apple Pay, or bank transfers.
Stripe will automatically handle currency conversions if you sell to other countries.

Step 5: Try It Out Before Going Live

Stripe has a “Test Mode” so you can check everything works before taking real payments.

Switch Test Mode on in your dashboard.
Use Stripe’s special “test card numbers” (e.g., 4242 4242 4242 4242) to make pretend purchases.
Make sure successful and failed payments behave as expected.

Step 6: Go Live and Accept Real Payments

Once testing looks good:

Switch to Live Mode in your dashboard.
Your Stripe account is now ready for real customers.
Any payments will now be deposited into your bank account according to the payout schedule you choose (daily, weekly, etc.).

Step 7: Connect Stripe to Your Website, Store, or App

If you have an online store or app, Stripe needs to be “linked” to it so it can process payments.

For most tools (like Shopify, Wix, or Natively.dev), this is as simple as:

Logging into Stripe from inside your store/app’s settings, OR
Copy your Stripe API key (a kind of password that connects Stripe to your platform) and paste it into the payment settings.

Step 8: Keep Track of Payments

Your Stripe Dashboard lets you:

See every payment you’ve received
Download reports for taxes and accounting
Issue refunds with one click if needed

Conclusion: Your Stripe Payments Are Ready

You’ve now:

Created your Stripe account
Verified your business details
Turned on payment methods
Tested and gone live

You’re ready to accept payments from anywhere in the world.

Next Step: Accept Payments Inside Your Mobile App with Natively.dev

Now that you have Stripe set up, you can let your customers pay directly inside your mobile app.

With Natively.dev, you can:

Enter your Stripe API key once, and instantly connect payments to your app
Accept credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and more
Offer subscriptions, one-time purchases, or donations
Keep all your payment data and reports in your Stripe Dashboard