Setting up Stripe

Before you start

• A free Stripe account (activation for live payments requires your organization's details and bank account).
• Your site served over HTTPS - Stripe requires it.

Find your API keys

1. Log in to the Stripe Dashboard.
2. Go to Developers → API keys.
3. You'll see a Publishable key (pk_…) and a Secret key (sk_…). Each exists in test and live variants - the toggle at the top of the Stripe dashboard switches between them.

Paste them into Donor Merchant

1. In WordPress, open Donor Merchant → Settings → Payments and click Manage next to Stripe.
2. Set Mode to Test.
3. Paste your test publishable and secret keys into the test key fields, and save.

Run a test donation

Visit your donation page and give with Stripe's standard test card:

Try a one-time gift and a monthly gift. Check Donor Merchant → Donations for the records and your inbox for the receipt.

Go live

1. Switch the Stripe dashboard toggle to live and copy your live keys.
2. In Donor Merchant, paste them into the live key fields and set Mode to Live.
3. Set up the webhook - two minutes, and it keeps refunds, failures, and recurring renewals in sync automatically.

Optional: Apple Pay, bank debit and European banks

• Apple Pay - Stripe only shows it on registered domains. Click Register domain on the Stripe screen. Registering in live mode covers test mode too.
• Bank debit (ACH) - US bank accounts, lower fees, gifts clear in a few business days. Switch on "ACH Direct Debit" in your Stripe dashboard, then turn it on under Settings → Payments → Bank debit (ACH). Needs the webhook.
• European bank payments - iDEAL, Bancontact, EPS, Przelewy24 and similar, for one-time gifts. Tick Bank redirect methods on the Stripe screen and switch the methods on in your Stripe dashboard. Donors approve at their bank and come back to your form.