Last updated: February 19, 2025
Some Stripe users that have backing by institutional investors may be eligible for Stripe benefits including waived fees. “Waived fees” means that Stripe won’t charge you payment processing fees, up to your approved discount amount.
Yes, the discount doesn’t cover some fees, including but not limited to:
Waived fee discounts:
You’re eligible if all of these are true:
Not sure if you’re eligible? Contact support through your Dashboard.
If you meet the requirements, you can apply.
Here’s how to apply:
Discounts apply to individual accounts, not all accounts tied to one email. Make sure you’re logged into the correct account when applying.
Don’t know which account you are logged into?
Yes, you can still apply if you’re associated with multiple investors or startup partners. Please apply with the partner that has the best offer.
Once you’ve submitted your application:
If you don’t hear back within the expected timeframe, contact us through your Dashboard.
The discount lasts 12 months from when you activate it or until you reach your fee-free processing limit—whichever comes first.
Log in as an admin or owner. Look for the banner or setup guide task in your dashboard to accept the offer.
If you don’t see your offer, make sure that your account is active and that there are no outstanding verification banners. You can also check the Fee Credits section under Balances—though, this section will only appear if your offer has already been activated and your fee-free processing limit has not expired or reached its maximum.
Yes! The 12-month period starts only after you activate it. Activate it when you’re ready to process payments.
Check your remaining balance in the Fee Credits section under Balances in your Dashboard. Fee Credits show how much of your discount you’ve used so far. If you manage multiple accounts with discounts, each account’s balance is tracked separately in their respective Dashboards.
A startup can only redeem one discount in its lifetime, even if you have multiple Stripe accounts (e.g., one in Mexico and one in the US). The discount applies to one account, so you’ll have to decide which one to use it on. Though, if you manage multiple eligible startups, each one that is affiliated with a Stripe referral partner can receive its own discount, even if you are the founder of or associated with all of them.
No, the discount only starts after activation. Be sure to activate it only when you’re ready to process payments.
It depends on how you’re using Stripe Connect.
Yes! The discount will convert to the currency of your default bank account, so you can still use it even if your customers pay in a different currency. That said, if you have more than one bank account with different settlement currencies (e.g., one for EUR, another for USD), the discount will only apply to payouts sent to the account in your default currency (e.g., EUR if that was the default). For details on supported currencies, head here.
Keep in mind that the discount doesn’t cover currency exchange fees (e.g., converting USD to EUR)
You’ll still see a fee listed on each charge, but they'll be combined and credited back to you as an adjustment. That happens when we calculate the total for each payout.
Here’s where you can find the details:
If the banner isn’t there:
If your discount isn’t working as expected, double-check your activation status in the Fee Credits section under Balances. The discount processes when payouts are calculated, not immediately after transactions. You’ll still see fees listed on each charge, but they’ll be combined and credited back to your account as an adjustment in your payout total.
Your account needs to be fully verified to use the discount. Check your Stripe Dashboard for any pending steps.
Contact them directly and ask for the link. Venture capital firms and startup accelerators can apply for Stripe benefits for their portfolio companies at https://stripe.com/startups/partners
Reach out to support in your account dashboard.
If your startup processes over $150,000 in payments for two consecutive months, you can request a pricing review. Otherwise, standard fees will apply.
Need more help? Contact sales directly here.
Stripe evaluates your payment volume, card mix, and other factors to decide if you qualify for custom pricing. Note that not all Stripe users who receive a pricing review qualify for custom pricing.
No, the discount starts once you activate it and can’t be paused. If you’re not ready to start processing payments, it’s a good idea to wait before activating it.
Extensions are only granted in specific cases, such as receiving investor funding after redeeming a discount. For instance, if you redeem a $20,000 discount from your current investor but later get funding with a $50,000 discount, you can request an update to the higher amount. Need to request an extension? Contact our support team, and we’ll look over the details of your situation.
We don’t send reminders for expiring discounts right now, but you can track your remaining balance in the Fee Credits section of your dashboard.
Usually, we can only offer one discount per startup. If your case is unique, feel free to contact us.
We’re here to help. Visit Stripe Support to explore resources, guides, or to connect with our support team. For any Support questions, the Stripe Developers channel on Discord is a great resource as well.