Stripe Connect

Stripe Connect lets your shelter accept credit and debit card payments directly from adopters and supporters. Payments go straight to your connected Stripe account; PawPlacer never holds your funds and charges zero platform fees on top of Stripe's standard processing rate.

This page covers everything you need to know about setting up, managing, and troubleshooting your Stripe Connect integration.

Why Stripe Connect?

Unlike the other payment methods in PawPlacer (PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, Bitcoin, and Ethereum), Stripe is the only option that processes payments entirely within PawPlacer-managed checkout flows. The adopter or supporter enters card details on a secure Stripe Checkout page, and PawPlacer marks the payment received automatically once Stripe confirms success. There's no QR code to scan, no manual confirmation checkbox, and no provider transaction to reconcile by hand.

Stripe supports major cards such as Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. Eligible wallet options, such as Apple Pay, may also appear when Stripe, the browser, and the payer's device support them.

Where Stripe Connect Helps You Raise Money

After your account is active, Stripe Connect powers the places where PawPlacer can collect money automatically:

• Public adoption checkout: collect adoption fees and optional donations from the QR-code adoption flow.
• Public shelter profile donations: show a Donate button on the Support card.
• Full-profile embed donations: let visitors donate from the embedded shelter profile on your website.
• Public wishlist funding: let supporters fund public wishlist items by card.

PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, Bitcoin, and Ethereum can also be configured as external payment methods, but those create pending donation records that your staff reconciles manually. Stripe is the route for automatic card checkout and automatic receipt of the donation or adoption payment in PawPlacer.

Setting Up Stripe Connect

Step 1: Start the Connection

1. Go to Settings > Payment Methods.
2. In the Stripe card, click Configure Stripe.
3. PawPlacer creates a Stripe Connect account linked to your organization and redirects you to Stripe's onboarding flow.

Step 2: Complete Stripe Onboarding

Stripe will ask you to provide:

• Your organization's legal name, address, and tax ID
• A bank account where Stripe will deposit your payouts
• Identity verification for the account representative

If you already have a Stripe account, you can connect it during this step. If you don't have one, Stripe will create one for you as part of the process.

Step 3: Return to PawPlacer

When you finish (or if you need to come back later), Stripe redirects you to PawPlacer. PawPlacer checks your account status with Stripe and updates it accordingly.

If you left the Stripe onboarding before completing all steps, your account will be in Pending status. Click Configure Stripe again to pick up where you left off; you won't lose any progress.

Step 4: Enable Public Fundraising

Connecting Stripe only makes card checkout available. To show donation and wishlist funding actions to supporters:

1. Add donation presets in Settings > Donation Amounts.
2. Open Settings > Organization > Profile Visibility.
3. Turn on Enable Public Profile.
4. Turn on Payments.
5. Turn on Donations.
6. Turn on Wishlist if you want wishlist items to appear publicly.
7. Open each public wishlist item and enable Public Visible. Leave Accepts Monetary Donations on when the item should accept Stripe funding.

For the full supporter-facing setup path, see Set Up Public Fundraising.

Account Statuses

Your Stripe Connect account has one of three statuses, displayed on the Payment Methods settings page:

Pending: You've started the setup process but Stripe still needs more information or is reviewing your submission. You cannot accept Stripe payments yet. Click Configure Stripe to continue onboarding.

Active: Stripe has verified your account, charges are enabled, and payouts are enabled. You're ready to accept card payments during adoptions. A confirmation message appears with a link to your Stripe Dashboard where you can manage payouts, view transactions, issue refunds, and update your bank details.

Rejected: PawPlacer can show this state for a stale setup that needs to be restarted. Use Configure Stripe to create a fresh onboarding link, or contact PawPlacer support if Stripe has blocked the account.

PawPlacer keeps your account status in sync with Stripe through webhooks. If Stripe updates your account (for example, after reviewing additional documents), PawPlacer reflects the change automatically. PawPlacer also checks Stripe when you return from onboarding.

How Payments Work

Here's what happens when an adopter pays with Stripe during a public (QR code) adoption:

1. The adopter reaches the payment step and selects Stripe.
2. The payment summary shows the adoption fee, optional donation, and a Stripe processing fee (2.9% + $0.30) as separate amounts. The processing fee ensures your shelter receives the full adoption fee and donation; PawPlacer keeps none of it.
3. The adopter clicks Pay with Stripe. PawPlacer creates a Stripe Checkout session and redirects them to Stripe's secure payment page.
4. The adopter enters their card information and completes the payment on Stripe's page.
5. Stripe sends a webhook to PawPlacer confirming the payment succeeded.
6. PawPlacer automatically fulfills the adoption: the pet's status changes to "Adopted," the adoption record is created, and the adopter is redirected to a success page.

The entire flow is automatic after the adopter clicks Pay. No staff member needs to manually confirm anything.

Stripe Connect also powers public profile and full-profile embed donations. When supporters donate from your public shelter profile, donate from the embed, or fund a public wishlist item, PawPlacer creates a Stripe Checkout session for the donation, waits for Stripe's webhook, then marks the donation received automatically. Public wishlist checkouts reserve the selected item quantity while checkout is open.

Processing Fees

PawPlacer currently calculates Stripe's standard processing fee as 2.9% + $0.30 per successful transaction. This is the only checkout fee PawPlacer adds as a line item; PawPlacer does not add any markup or platform fee.

The processing fee is calculated on the combined total of the adoption fee and donation. For public donations without an adoption fee, it is calculated on the donation amount. It is shown as a separate line item labeled "Stripe processing fee" on both the PawPlacer payment summary and the Stripe Checkout page, with a note explaining that the fee is charged by Stripe so the shelter receives the full donation or adoption amount before Stripe's processing cost.

For example, if the adoption fee is $150 and the adopter donates $50, the base amount is $200. The processing fee would be ($200 + $0.30) / (1 - 0.029) - $200 = $6.28. The adopter pays $206.28 total, and your shelter receives $200.

Expired and Failed Payments

Expired checkout sessions: If the adopter opens the Stripe Checkout page but doesn't complete payment before the session expires (tied to the adoption's expiration time), PawPlacer cancels the payment record. The adopter sees a message that the session expired and can click Pay with Stripe again to start a new checkout session.

Failed payments: If the adopter's card is declined or another error occurs, PawPlacer detects the failure via webhook and shows an error notification. The adopter can retry with a different card.

Duplicate protection: PawPlacer prevents duplicate charges by tracking the payment record. If a checkout session already exists for the same adoption, fee, and donation amount, the existing session is reused rather than creating a new one.

Managing Payments in Stripe

Once your Stripe Connect account is active, you manage your payment operations directly in the Stripe Dashboard:

• View transactions: See every payment, including the adoption fee, donation, and processing fee breakdown.
• Issue refunds: Process full or partial refunds directly from the Stripe Dashboard.
• Manage payouts: Configure when and how Stripe sends funds to your bank account.
• Download reports: Export transaction data for bookkeeping.

PawPlacer stores the payment record (amount, method, status) in your adoption records, but Stripe is the source of truth for the actual financial transaction.

Stripe Connect vs. PawPlacer Subscription Billing

These are two completely separate things:

• PawPlacer subscription (Settings > Billing): the plan you pay to use PawPlacer. This is billed by PawPlacer through Stripe.
• Stripe Connect (Settings > Payment Methods): the account that receives adoption fees and donations from adopters. This is your organization's own Stripe account.

They use different Stripe accounts, different payment flows, and different settings pages.

Troubleshooting

"Configure Stripe" doesn't do anything: Make sure you have Admin privileges. Only admins can set up or modify payment methods.

Account stuck in Pending: Click Configure Stripe again to resume onboarding. Stripe may need additional documents or information. Check your email for messages from Stripe about outstanding requirements.

Adopter says payment failed: Check your Stripe Dashboard for the transaction. Common causes include declined cards, insufficient funds, or international card restrictions. The adopter can retry with a different card.

Payments aren't arriving in my bank account: Stripe controls payout timing and may delay payouts for new accounts, risk reviews, or incomplete banking details. Check your payout schedule and bank account details in the Stripe Dashboard.

I need to disconnect my Stripe account: Contact PawPlacer support. Disconnecting Stripe will disable card payments for all future adoptions until a new account is connected.

Related

• Set Up Public Fundraising: Turn on public donation and wishlist funding flows after Stripe is active
• Payment Methods Settings: Configure all payment options including Stripe
• Payment and Completion: How adopters experience the payment step
• Adoption Fees Settings: Set up your fee structure
• Donation Amounts: Configure donation presets
• Public Donations: Accept donations from your public profile or full-profile embed
• Billing Settings: Manage your PawPlacer subscription (separate from Stripe Connect)