Can I Connect Stripe to My WordPress Website?
Many businesses are now accepting Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for payments, but having a way to accept these payments in your own digital wallet is an additional option for consumers.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to accept cryptocurrency payments on your website, then you’ve come to the right place. In this blog post, we’ll introduce you to Stripe, a popular platform for accepting payments online, and walk you through the process of integrating the service with your WordPress site.
Why Should You Consider Stripe?
Stripe is one of the first and most well-known companies to provide a completely free service that accepts payments in cryptocurrency. While other payment platforms like PayPal and Square offer similar products, without the fees that Stripe charges you for each transaction (which are often hidden and undisclosed).
The great thing about Stripe is its simplicity. Just like credit cards, all you have to do is enter your website’s URL and you’re good to go. You don’t need to set up any additional accounts or worry about handling money in foreign currencies.
If you’re already using WordPress to build your website, then integrating Stripe is extremely easy. First, you’ll need to install the Stripe WordPress plugin by clicking on the button below. Then, in order to use the service, you’ll need to log in to your WordPress account.
How Does Stripe Work?
When a consumer makes a purchase using your website, the money is immediately transferred to your Stripe account. From there, you can pay the merchant back – in cryptocurrency, of course – and then request a refund for the original payment method, if needed.
This is all made easy for you by the WordPress plugin. When a purchase is made, the money is scanned for you automatically by Stripe. When the refund comes in, you’ll receive an email notification and can manually claim the money back from your own digital wallet.
The Benefits Of Using Stripe
Apart from reducing the number of fees you have to pay on a regular basis, there are a number of other benefits to using the Stripe platform. First, the company provides you with a 14-day free trial, so you can test out its functionality without risk. Second, since its inception, Stripe has remained a completely free service, as it charges only a minimal fee of 2.2% per transaction plus 30 cents for each successful credit card charge (which is the flat rate Chase Freedom Unlimited offers).
Last but not least, and perhaps the most important reason to use Stripe, is that the company accepts all major cryptocurrencies — including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin — which means your costs will be minimized if you want to accept payments in cryptocurrency.
Setting Up Stripe On Your WordPress Site
Now that you have a basic knowledge of how Stripe works and what it provides, it’s time to integrate the service into your web presence. First, you’ll need to install the Stripe WordPress plugin by clicking on the button below.
From here, you’ll need to log in to your WordPress account and click on the “Settings” menu to access the plugin’s settings page. On this page, you’ll be able to set up your Stripe account. You’ll need to provide your email address and a password, as well as select a payment button to display. Depending on how you plan to Use Stripe on your website, you may also want to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) from here.
Before moving on, let’s take a quick detour and discuss the payment buttons that you can select for Stripe.
Cash App
If you run a business that accepts payments in cash, then you might want to consider using the Cash App. Installing the Cash App is actually very easy and only takes a few seconds. Once the app is installed on your phone, you can simply scan the barcode of a gift card and the money will be transferred to your account. You can, of course, choose to have your funds transferred directly to your bank account, too.
Bitcoin
If you’re looking to integrate cryptocurrency into your own website, then you’ll likely want to go with Bitcoin. It’s the most popular and well-known cryptocurrency among individuals and businesses, so it’s definitely a go-to choice when it comes to payments.
In order to accept Bitcoin on your website, you first need to have a Bitcoin wallet. There are a variety of wallets out there that you can choose from, all of which provide an easy way to store and send cryptocurrency. For example, if you’re using Coinbase, you can use their simple web site to log in and set up your wallet. Or, if you’d like a more robust wallet to store your cryptocurrency in, you can use their API to connect to your account.
While setting up and using a Bitcoin wallet is straightforward, using it to pay for goods and services is more challenging. For that reason, many Bitcoin enthusiasts have turned to services like Bitpay and ZipPay. Using these platforms makes it easy for consumers to send and receive payments in Bitcoin. Simply enter the amount you wish to pay for and then select the appropriate payment method. Most merchants who use these platforms have fewer than 10 transactions per month, so fees are normally between $10 and $20.
Mastercard
If you don’t mind paying with a credit card on your website, then you might as well choose the most popular one among individuals and businesses: the Mastercard. Just like the Cash App, the Mastercard allows you to pay with a quick scan of a credit card. You don’t have to ask your customers to input their billing information every time they make a purchase. This is a great way to increase your conversion rates, as well as minimize the amount of customer support requests you receive.
Visa
The last option is the Visa. Like the Mastercard, the Visa is a worldwide accepted credit card. However, you must have an account with a merchant service provider in order to use it. If you already have a merchant account with a Visa card, then you can use their PIN-less payment option. They also provide a web-based check-out for online stores. So, if you don’t want to install any plugins or have extra steps in the checkout process, then you can simply use the Visa.
Summary
In this blog post, we discussed various ways you can use cryptocurrency (specifically, Bitcoin and Ethereum) to improve the way you do business. One of the simplest ways is to use a payment gateway like Stripe to accept payments. When a consumer makes a purchase using your website, the money is immediately transferred to your Stripe account. From there, you can pay the merchant back and request a refund, all in cryptocurrency. If you run a WordPress site, you can easily integrate the service into your website and start accepting payments today. Remember, if you choose to use Stripe, you’ll need a Bitcoin wallet to store and send cryptocurrency.