Simple. Customizable. Fair.

Our agreement with Stripe users (“Users”) is known as the Stripe Services Agreement or “SSA” and we view the SSA as a key part of the Stripe onboarding process. The structure and drafting of our SSA is intended to make it easy for you, the User, to get up and running with Stripe as quickly as possible. The SSA can be found at https://stripe.com/gb/legal/ssa

The three core principles that help guide this process are:  

• Firstly, we have drafted the SSA with our Users in mind and tried to make it simple and accessible to all Stripe Users. Where possible, we use plain language to ensure transparency and clarity. The SSA is structured so that the most important and commonly occurring legal issues are addressed up front and in one location, and these core terms act as the umbrella legal framework across Stripe products and services.
• Secondly, the SSA is customizable and modular. You only need to comply with terms relevant to the Stripe products and services that you use.
• Thirdly, the SSA is optimized to allow for reasonable allocation of responsibility and liability between Stripe and our Users.

Because of our commitment to these principles, we believe Stripe Users should be comfortable reading and accepting the terms. This guidance is designed to help provide you with more information on the contents and rationale behind our SSA and does not constitute legal advice or assistance. Where required, we recommend Users seek independent legal advice to ensure each party’s rights and obligations are fully understood.

Simplified Diagram of Stripe’s Contracting Structure:

What is the structure of my Agreement with Stripe?

• The SSA separates core terms from service/product specific terms.
• All Stripe Users agree to the core terms of the SSA.
• Specific service or product terms apply if you use a Stripe service or product that is covered by a service/product schedule (e.g. Payments). Further details are provided in the Payments & Connect overviews.

Who are the Contracting Parties?

• In the UK, the SSA is entered into by the Stripe User, Stripe Payments Europe Limited and Stripe Payments UK Limited.
• Where the Stripe services provided to the User are regulated payment or electronic money services under the relevant laws, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has authorized Stripe Payments UK Limited to provide these. Unregulated technology services are provided to you by Stripe Payments Europe Limited.

Where is the Pricing Set Out for Each Stripe Product or Service?

• Our Pricing is fully transparent and is set out on the relevant online Pricing Page
• We may change our pricing from time to time, but will always provide at least 30 days prior notice (or longer where legally required) via the contact details inputted by each User on the User’s Stripe Dashboard. (For more information on price changes, please visit our Pricing Updates page.

How is Risk Allocated between Stripe and our Users in the Agreement?

In our experience, most User queries about risk allocation in the SSA are resolved once users understand the rationale that lies behind this. For this reason, and to anticipate queries that you may have, we set out some of the key principles that underpin your agreement with Stripe.

1. A starting principle in risk allocation is that the party best able to control a particular risk should be responsible for managing it. For example:
   • You, the User, are best placed to ensure that your Stripe access credentials are kept confidential and secure, and so in the SSA you are given responsibility for credential security.
   • On that basis, Stripe is best placed to ensure that our technology does not violate any person’s intellectual property rights, and so we take responsibility for that risk in the SSA.

2. From this starting principle, we then consider whether there are factors specific to Stripe or to our products and services that also need to be taken into account. We have set out some of the key points here:

• Legal and regulatory requirements:

Stripe operates in a highly regulated legal environment. For example, in order to prevent fraud, there are specific requirements and laws about what information we need to collect from Stripe Users and who we are allowed to onboard to use Stripe services. This means that our contracts need to contain specific rights that enable Stripe to comply with those legal and regulatory requirements. For this reason, we may need to ask for information from you or third parties from time to time, or require you to notify us where your business or financial circumstances change. The SSA allows Stripe to do this in relevant circumstances.

• Stripe as a technology platform:

We design our products and services to be used on a standardized basis across all of our Users, big and small. This model has the advantage of enabling all Users, irrespective of their size, to access “best in class” services with excellent performance, reliance, and security. However, this standardized delivery model means that we are generally unable to accommodate bespoke contractual terms, or requests for specific processes, or customizations to our platform. We expect Stripe Users to understand this lack of flexibility as part of the onboarding process. 

• Service modifications and updates:

Due to the nature of our products and services, it may be necessary to modify or update our products and services from time to time, including adding or removing functionality, or imposing conditions on the use of Stripe services. This is customary within the industry in which we operate and our SSA enables us to do this.

When we modify or update our products or services, we will notify you of any material adverse changes or removal of functionality that may be relevant to your use of Stripe services or products. Notifications are normally provided via the contact details listed by you in your Stripe Dashboard.

We may also require you to fully install updates from time to time, but will notify you where relevant and provide details of any steps you are required to take.

• How we price our services:

We price our services in a number of different ways, but the most common mechanism is to charge a fee per event (e.g. per transaction). Where this is the case, it means that, as a Stipe user, you will only pay for the Stripe services that you use. The per event fee is generally very low, and the amount that Stripe actually receives (the “margin”) is even lower.

When we look at financial risk, we need to consider whether or not there is a reasonable relationship between the size of the risk that Stripe accepts vs what Stripe is actually receiving (the margin). More information about our pricing can be found here - Pricing Page

• How we collect our fees from Stripe users:

For most of our products and services, instead of sending you regular invoices for our fees, your Stripe fees are immediately debited from your Stripe Account balance. Information on the Stripe fees you have paid is accessible at any time via your Stripe Dashboard. If, for some reason, Stripe is unable to collect monies owed to us from your Stripe Account, Stripe will usually look to invoice you for the relevant fees.

Stripe also requires you to authorise us to debit your bank account to collect amounts owed to Stripe under your agreement with us. We would highlight that Stripe would generally look to limit our right to debit your bank account to where we have been unable to recover fees owed to us via your Stripe Account or via invoicing you. We require this additional option to protect Stripe from any potential risk.

Full details of the payment rights available to Stripe are further set out in the Stripe Payments Terms Overview below.

• Our Financial Partners:

As is common practice in the financial services sector, we may work with other financial service providers to provide our products and services to our Users. These are known as our Financial Partners (e.g. banks, such as HSBC and Barclays).

Our Financial Partners require us to pass down specific terms to Stripe Users, which in some cases can relate to termination rights, Stripe’s right to suspend services (e.g. to prevent increased rate of fraud) and information access rights. Further details are included throughout the SSA and we generally have no discretion or ability to change these requirements.

Our Financial Partners may also require us to take financial responsibility for our Users’ actions in certain circumstances. This can pose a substantial financial risk to Stripe and we protect ourselves against this risk by requiring Users to go through our credit underwriting analysis, as well as having the contractual rights to establish a reserve, pause payouts, and to debit bank accounts. Again, further details are set out in the Stripe Payments Terms Overview below.

• Payments ecosystem:

Stripe facilitates your access to payment networks (e.g. Visa, Mastercard), but those networks are controlled by third parties and involve a number of participants and intermediaries. If you participate in these networks, then you are required to agree to the rules that are set by the payment method owner. So, for example, if you accept a credit card transaction, which is subsequently disputed by your customer, then your ability to contest that dispute will only exist to the extent it is permitted by the relevant credit card network rules. Further details of the Payments ecosystem is set out below in the Stripe Payments Terms Overview below.

How is each Party’s liability addressed in the SSA?

This is dealt with in the Limitations on Liability section of our SSA. This is frequently considered to be one of the more complex parts of any contract and we therefore recommend you fully review it to ensure you are comfortable with its contents. Some of the key points are:

• The SSA states that, to the extent the law allows, Stripe will not be liable to a Stripe User for losses, damages or costs in relation to the following:
  • any lost profits,
  • personal injury,
  • property damage,
  • loss of data,
  • business interruption, or
  • indirect, incidental, consequential, exemplary, special, reliance, or punitive damages.

Although the language in relation to this can vary across different contracts, excluding the ability to recover these types of losses is common practice in commercial contracts and, in particular, within the financial services industry.  

• For any other losses not listed above, to the extent the law allows, the SSA states that Stripe will not be liable to a User (whether in relation to the legal concepts of contract, negligence, strict liability or tort, or on other legal or equitable grounds) for losses, damages, or costs exceeding in the aggregate the greater of:
  • the total amount of net fees a user paid to Stripe during the 3-month period immediately before the event giving rise to the liability (e.g. the 3 month period prior to the date of a breach of contract); and
  • $500 USD.

Again, linking the amount that can be claimed for these types of losses to the fees generated is a common approach in commercial contracts. Given the nature of our services, the fact that our pricing for most products and services is on a per transaction basis and that our margins are low, we believe basing our liability upon the volume of a User’s transactions represents a fair allocation of risk between the parties.

Are Taxes included in the Stripe Fees?

Stripe fees exclude all taxes, except where the Stripe Pricing Page states to the contrary. Each User is fully responsible for managing its own tax affairs.

How does a Stripe User terminate its agreement with Stripe under the SSA?

A User may terminate its Agreement with Stripe at any time by closing your Stripe Account within your Stripe Dashboard, unless otherwise agreed in writing between the parties. To do this, you must open the account tab in your account settings, select “close my account” and stop using Stripe services.

When might Stripe terminate the Agreement?

The details of Stripe’s termination and suspension rights are set out in the relevant sections of the SSA, and we suggest you read these carefully to ensure you fully understand the contents. Further details of these actions and the rationale that lies behind them are set out in the Payment Services Terms Overview below.

What does Stripe do with Funds in a User’s Stripe Account before they are paid to a User?

As is common practice in the payments industry and across our competitors, and as is permitted by law, Stripe may earn interest on User settlement funds and/or invest them in secure, liquid assets prior to paying out to our Users.

How does Stripe Invest the Funds in User Stripe Accounts?

This is carried out in full compliance with relevant safeguarding regulations and Stripe maintains strict policies, controls, and safeguards over invested funds that are reasonably designed to mitigate any associated risks.

We maintain an investment profile consistent with our policies that, from a liquidity and risk perspective, complies with our User payment agreements at any given time.   

Users will be paid the settlement funds in respect of their transactions in accordance with the SSA. Users are not exposed to any losses associated with investments and our payout obligations to our Users remain unchanged and will not be impacted by this practice.

Could Stripe modify the terms of the SSA?

Yes. Stripe may modify all or part of the SSA or the modular Service Terms by posting a revised version on our Legal Page or by notifying you as required by law using the contact details you provide via your Stripe Dashboard.

How does Stripe protect Personal Data?

Stripe respects the privacy of everyone that engages with our services, and we are committed to being transparent about our privacy processes and policies. We are a platform that enables millions of businesses, and in order to provide our products and services to all of our Users, we collect and process Personal Data.

• The Data Processing Agreement (DPA) governs how Stripe Stripe and our Users will treat Personal Data. The DPA is incorporated into the core terms of the SSA and can be found here
• For comprehensive information about how we treat personal data at Stripe, we recommend you visit our Privacy Centre

How does Stripe keep data secure?

• Stripe is responsible for providing its Services in a manner that is consistent with Industry highest certification level (known as PCI Level 1) provided by the PCI-DSS requirements. Stripe’s PCI certification is confirmed annually by a qualified security assessor to ensure our compliance.
• For more details relating to our Data Security procedures, please see Exhibit 1 of the Data Protection Agreement here, which includes details of our Security Programmes; Personnel Training; Technical Access Controls; Physical Access Controls; Encryption; and Data Incident Management, amongst other preventative security measures.
• More details can also be found in our Privacy Centre

Your Contract with Stripe: Stripe Payments Terms Overview and FAQs  

What does Stripe Payments do?

Stripe Payments enables a Stripe User to accept credit cards, debit cards, and other payment methods around the world.

How do the Payments Services Terms apply to a Stripe User?

• Stripe Services Agreement (or SSA) is the umbrella agreement that applies to almost all Stripe services.
• Additional Terms may then be added to the SSA based on the Stripe products or services that a User decides to use.
• For Stripe Payments, the SSA is supplemented by the Stripe Payments Terms set out at the end of the online SSA at Stripe Payments

Simplified diagram of the contracting structure when using Stripe Payments

What flexibility does Stripe have to amend Payments Services Terms?

• We hope the following information helps you to better understand the world of payments processing. We want to be transparent upfront that we have extremely limited discretion (if any) to amend the Payments Services Terms.
• As explained in the SSA Overview and below, there are significant constraints and requirements on the content of our User agreements based on legal requirements, Financial Partner requirements and the payments ecosystem.
• As with all of our contracts, our drafting philosophy for the Payments Services Terms was to make them as transparent and fair as possible, while still complying with the relevant legal and financial partner requirements.  

The Payments Ecosystem  

The payments ecosystem is complex. For commonly used payment methods, there may be a number of intermediaries between a merchant and an end customer that help facilitate a payment.

The below diagram is a simplified depiction of the roles involved in a payment transaction:

For example, where a customer makes a card based payment transaction:

• the Payment Method is a card (e.g. Visa);
• the Payment Method Acquirer is a member of the payment card network (e.g. a bank or, in some cases, Stripe itself); and
• the Payment Method Issuer is the entity that issues the credit card to the customer (often the end customer’s bank, but not always).

The Liability Flow

The flow of liability between all the parties involved in the payments ecosystem is complicated.

In the above diagram, the liability for losses on transactions flows from the entities/persons on the right to those on the left. Each entity in the diagram is also generally required, by those entities to its right, to pass along certain contractual provisions to the entities to its left. Therefore, Stripe is required to:

1. assume transaction liability to payment method providers (e.g. Visa and Mastercard), who in turn are responsible to payment method issuers; and
2. pass along terms dictated by our upstream partners to the merchant /Stripe User.  

Importantly, Stripe’s upstream liability is set by the Payment Method and is not something that we can cap or limit.  

What does the Liability Flow mean for Stripe and its Users?

The liability flow set out above means that, when we are onboarding and contracting with a User of Stripe Payments (in the diagram above, this would be the “merchant” - use of Stripe User and merchant is interchangeable in this section), Stripe needs to:

1. include pass-down terms in our contract with each User/merchant;
2. reduce the risk of a Stripe User/merchant defaulting by only onboarding Users/merchants that meet our risk threshold
3. take protective steps during the term of the SSA if we believe the risk of a Stripe User/merchant defaulting is increasing; and
4. make clear in our SSA that the Stripe User/merchant is responsible for transaction default, so that Stripe is not left in the situation of being liable to the parties upstream in the above diagram, without being able to pass the liability to the Stripe User/merchant.

We deal briefly below with how each of these is reflected in the Payments Services Terms.

What Pass-down Terms are included in the Stripe Payment Terms?

In the Payments Services Terms, we refer to two types of pass-down terms:

1. Payment Method Rules (or PMRs), which are rules set by the provider of the Payment Method (such as the Visa Rules), and
2. Payment Method Terms (PMTs) (available on here, which reflect terms that we are required to pass-down by the Payment Method Provider, or which address a specific feature or risk of a Payment Method. 

PMRs and PMTs are intended to apply to all users of that particular Payment Method, and they are therefore not able to be changed for an individual Stripe User. Fundamentally, if you choose to use a Payment Method, then you need to be comfortable with the associated PMRs and PMTs (which may be amended by the relevant parties from time to time).

What happens in relation to disputed transactions?

• Most Payment Methods enable the customer to dispute a transaction (sometimes, in the credit card world, called a “chargeback”). 
• In general, disputes are caused by either a merchant’s failure (e.g. faulty goods) or by fraud (e.g. stolen payment credentials).
• In the payments industry, liability for disputed transactions is normally assigned to the relevant merchant, and it can be very difficult to successfully challenge a dispute.
• The contractual consequence for Stripe User’s/merchants is that, while Stripe may assist Users/merchants to manage transaction dispute risk (e.g. via anti-fraud tools like Stripe Radar, and tools that help merchants to submit challenges to disputes), the Payments Service Terms make clear that the ultimate liability risk remains with the Stripe User/merchant, and that this liability is not capped or limited. The rationale for this is that any cap or limitation would be equivalent to Stripe taking on a portion of the Stripe User’s/merchant’s potential liability in relation to the dispute. That, multiplied across all our Users/merchants, would be too great an underwriting risk for Stripe to assume.  

What protective terms does Stripe require to manage its risk?

As explained above, the structure of the payment ecosystem means that Stripe assumes the financial risk to payment method providers for our Users’/merchants’ transactions (also called “underwriting”). This financial risk could be substantial. We manage that risk by including protective terms in Stripe’s Payments Services Terms.

If our monitoring of Stripe Users/merchants reveals increased levels of risk to Stripe, we can require the Stripe User/merchant to:

• maintain a balance with Stripe (“reserve”);
• delay payouts to the Stripe User/merchant; and/or
• pause that merchant’s access to the Stripe platform.

Also, while we normally recoup amounts owed to Stripe by deducting those amounts from the Stripe User/merchant payouts, where Stripe determines the above protections are not sufficient to protect Stripe’s risk exposure, we are also entitled to make deductions from processing proceeds, and the Stripe User’s/merchant’s bank account.  

In severe cases, we may deem it necessary to offboard a Stripe User/merchant - though this would be in unusual circumstances.

Why does Stripe need the ability to deduct fees owed from a User’s bank account?

As set out above, Stripe needs to retain debit rights as a possible remedy in certain circumstances because Stripe is ultimately responsible for certain risks which may be caused by the User's use of our Services, including liabilities to the payment networks for refunded / chargeback transactions. This is part of how Stripe manages its underwriting risk.

Your Contract with Stripe: Stripe Connect Overview and FAQs

Stripe Connect

Stripe Connect is the fastest and easiest way to integrate payments into a platform or online marketplace. Whether a User wants to run or connect to an on-demand, retail, creator, or crowdfunding platform or marketplace, Stripe Connect helps platforms and marketplaces onboard its users instantly, simplify compliance, and pay out globally.

What is the structure of the Agreement when a Stripe User wants to use Stripe Connect?

• As discussed above, the Stripe Services Agreement (or SSA) is the umbrella agreement that applies to all Stripe services.
• For Stripe Connect, the SSA is supplemented by the Stripe Connect Services Schedule (the Stripe Connect Terms). This Connect Overview explains the background to the Stripe Connect Terms, and why we drafted them in the way we have.

Simplified Diagram of the Contracting Structure for using Stripe Connect:

What is the difference between a Platform Account and Connected Accounts?

Stripe Connect can be used for thousands of payments use cases, and is also a distribution mechanism for Stripe products (e.g. Stripe Billing, Stripe Terminal). However, a foundational principle for Stripe Connect is that there is always a single coordinating entity (the Platform or marketplace) that wishes to use Stripe Connect to facilitate its own platform users’ access to Stripe’s services (the Connected Accounts).

• The Stripe Connect Terms are the contractual terms that govern the relationship between Stripe and the Platform, e.g. an online marketplace.
• The Stripe Connected Account Agreement is the agreement that governs the relationship between Stripe and the Platform’s users, e.g. sellers who wish to use the online marketplace to sell their goods. This agreement creates a direct contractual relationship between Stripe and the platform users (that we call a Connected Account), as is necessary to comply with regulatory requirements and Payment Method Rules.

What are the types of Connected Account?

A Platform may choose to onboard its Connected Accounts via one of our preset product offerings (a Standard Account, Express Account, Custom Account, or, in some regions, a Payout Recipient). This selection decision is critical, as there are both functional and contractual implications associated with each account type.

For example

• A Standard Account is an account where Stripe manages all aspects of the Connected Account’s Stripe experience, including onboarding and dashboard access;
• Express and Custom Accounts are Connected Accounts where the Platform takes a lead role in onboarding and supporting the Connected Account; and
• A Payout Recipient is an entity to which Stripe directs the payment of funds on behalf of the Platform (without creating a direct relationship between Stripe and the Payout Recipient). Payout Recipient functionality is only available in certain geographies.

Liability for Connected Accounts

The Stripe Connect Terms allocate liability based on the Platform’s level of control over their Connected Accounts’ onboarding and management - depending on whether Standard, Express or Custom.

• A Platform is liable for the activity of all Express and Custom Connected Accounts, because the Platform has more control over the onboarding experience, management and support of those accounts.
• By contrast, unless the Platform elects to specifically do so, the Platform is not responsible for the activity of Standard Connected Accounts, as Stripe controls the onboarding experience and management of this type of Connected Account.

More information about the different types of Connect Accounts is available here.

I am trying to set myself up as a Connected Account. How do I know which type of Connected Account I need?

As a Connected Account, we recommend you read the Platform Provider Agreement between you and your Platform/marketplace carefully to ensure you fully understand the nature of the services your platform is providing to you.

• The Platform will determine which type of connected account you need based on how they'd like to collect and display your payments-related information.
• Where the Platform controls the onboarding flow for its Connected Accounts, the Platform is responsible for ensuring that each Connected Account accepts the Stripe Connected Account Agreement (and liable for the consequences of failing to do so).
• Stripe, itself, is not a Stripe Connect Platform, and only provides Connected Account Users with the services described in your Connected Account Agreement and the SSA.

What fees will Connected Account Users be charged for Stripe services?

Stripe’s standard Fees for the Services are posted on the Stripe Pricing Page; but Stripe may have agreed to specific Fees directly with a Connect Platform that are different from those on the Pricing Page.

For Connected Account Users, Stripe's Fees will either be disclosed to those Users separately or will be consolidated with the fees payable for the relevant Platform Services. Stripe does not control and is not responsible for fees imposed by a Connect Platform, which should be made clear to Connected Account Users in their agreement with their Platform Provider.

Upon a Connect Platform’s request, Stripe may deduct from the Connected Account’s Stripe Account balance both the Stripe Fees payable to Stripe, as well as the fees for Platform Services the Connect Platform specifies to Stripe.

How do I terminate my Connected Account Agreement?

• The Connected Account Agreement begins when you register your Stripe Account with a Stripe Connect Platform.
• It continues until you or Stripe terminate the relevant Connected Account Agreement.
• You may terminate the Connected Account Agreement by deregistering your Stripe Account from all Stripe Connect Platforms.
• If after termination you register your Stripe Account with a Stripe Connect Platform again, the then current Connected Account Agreement will apply starting on the date on which you re-register your Stripe Account with a Stripe Connect Platform.

Please note: Terminating the Connected Account Agreement will not immediately terminate the SSA. Please see the SSA Overview for details of SSA termination. The Connected Account Agreement will automatically terminate if the Stripe Services Agreement terminates.

Can Stripe terminate my Connected Account Agreement?

Yes, Stripe may terminate the Connected Account Agreement at any time for any reason by notifying you.

How will Stripe treat the data associated with my Connected Account?

Please see full details of this in the SSA Overview above and our online Privacy Centre. Your Platform provider and Stripe may share data about you, your activity on Stripe and your transactions to facilitate onboarding and your continued use of Stripe services. Stripe will treat your data in accordance with the terms of your agreement with Stripe and the Stripe Privacy Policy.