Stripe is business software: a service for collecting money online. You create a payment link, an invoice, or a subscription, your customer pays by card, and Stripe pays the money out to your bank account. AI monitors fraud in the background, and an assistant answers your questions and prepares actions in the dashboard.
Stripe has a free plan. The recommended plan to start with: Online payments, €0 per month, then 1.5% + €0.25 per payment with a standard European card. Prices checked on October 3, 2026 on the vendor’s official page.
StripeGet paid online: a link, an invoice, or a subscriptionWho it’s for: freelancers and businesses that sell remotely: services, training, deposits, subscriptions, sales on a website.
You create a payment page without a website or a developer, and you share its address. The link can be used as many times as you want. It can sell a product, start a subscription, or let the customer choose the amount, for a donation for example.
You put together an invoice, and Stripe sends it by email with a PDF and a page to pay. It reminds the customer as the due date approaches and marks the invoice as paid on its own when the money arrives.
Stripe charges your customer every month or every year, sends the receipt, and retries the payment when a card is declined. These retries are scheduled by an AI model that picks the best moment.
Also
Rates published for France on October 3, 2026. Invoicing and subscription fees are added to payment fees. Negotiated rates are available for large volumes.
| Plan | Price | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Online payments Recommended to start | €0 per month, then 1.5% + €0.25 per payment with a standard European card | Everyone: this is the base rate, payment links included |
| Invoicing | 0.4% per paid invoice, capped at $2, on top of payment fees | Those who invoice their customers one by one |
| Subscriptions (Billing) | 0.7% of the amount billed per subscription, on top of payment fees | Contracts and services paid every month or every year |
| In-person payments | 1.4% plus €0.10 per payment with a European card (2.9% + €0.10 outside Europe) | Taking payments at the customer’s site or in a shop, with a phone or a terminal |
There is no subscription and no setup fee. Creating an account, creating payment links, and using the dashboard cost nothing. Stripe takes a fee on each payment collected.
Nothing to pay up front: open an account and start with a payment link. Factor the fee into your prices, especially on small amounts where the fixed €0.25 weighs more. If you mostly get paid by bank transfer, Stripe adds nothing: your bank details are enough.
Your data. In Europe, your contract is with an Irish Stripe company. Payment data is used to train the AI model that detects fraud.
What it does less well
Create a payment link and collect a depositStripe
If you mostly take payments in person, with a small terminal or your phone.
If you need a real online store, with a catalog and a cart.
A French business account whose invoices can be paid by card.
For invoices that meet French requirements and Urssaf filing (French social contributions), with card payment as an option.
If you are looking first for a business account with invoicing.
Online payments: €0 per month, then 1.5% + €0.25 per payment with a standard European card; Invoicing: 0.4% per paid invoice, capped at $2, on top of payment fees; Subscriptions (Billing): 0.7% of the amount billed per subscription, on top of payment fees; In-person payments: 1.4% plus €0.10 per payment with a European card (2.9% + €0.10 outside Europe). Prices checked on October 3, 2026 on the vendor’s official page.
Yes. There is no subscription and no setup fee. Creating an account, creating payment links, and using the dashboard cost nothing. Stripe takes a fee on each payment collected.
In Europe, your contract is with an Irish Stripe company. Payment data is used to train the AI model that detects fraud.
SumUp: If you mostly take payments in person, with a small terminal or your phone. Shopify: If you need a real online store, with a catalog and a cart. Shine: A French business account whose invoices can be paid by card. Abby: For invoices that meet French requirements and Urssaf filing (French social contributions), with card payment as an option. Qonto: If you are looking first for a business account with invoicing.
Page checked on October 3, 2026. Brands are named to identify the tools. No affiliation.