Payments · Flat-Rate Processors
Stripe Review
Developer-friendly flat-rate payments, strongest for online and integrations
Quick verdict
Stripe is best for Contractors whose payments are mostly online or invoiced, who want cheap ACH on big-ticket and recurring billing, or whose software already runs on Stripe. Less turnkey for walk-up in-person payments than Square; assumes some technical setup or an integrating tool; card flat-rate is expensive at high volume (savings come from ACH).
Rates & pricing
Flat-rate, no monthly fee. Online 2.9% + 30¢; in-person (Stripe Terminal) 2.7% + 5¢; international cards +1.5%; ACH is far cheaper (good for recurring and large invoices). No setup or monthly fees on standard accounts.
Pricing model: flat rate · Monthly fee: $0
Affiliate disclosure: No confirmed affiliate program — we currently earn nothing from Stripe.
About Stripe
Stripe is the developer-first payments giant — the infrastructure behind millions of online businesses, processing over $1.9 trillion in 2025 at a ~$159B valuation. Founded in 2010 by the Collison brothers (now dual-headquartered in South San Francisco and Dublin), it's flat-rate and no-monthly-fee like Square, but its center of gravity is online payments, subscriptions/recurring billing, and deep integrations rather than walk-up retail.
For most trades, Stripe isn't the tool you swipe a card on at the kitchen table — it's the engine that powers online payments inside other software. If your FSM, website, or booking tool takes cards, there's a good chance Stripe is under the hood. Where it shines directly for contractors is online invoicing, recurring/maintenance-plan billing, and especially ACH bank payments, which are dramatically cheaper than cards on big-ticket jobs (Stripe Billing ACH can cut a large-invoice fee by 80%+ versus card).
The trade-offs: Stripe is less of a turnkey in-person/retail solution than Square (its Terminal hardware exists but the experience is more developer-oriented), and getting the most out of it often assumes some technical setup or a tool that integrates it. Standard online cards run 2.9% + 30¢; in-person via Terminal is 2.7% + 5¢. For a contractor whose payments are mostly online/invoiced or who wants the cheapest path on large recurring/ACH payments, Stripe is excellent; for simple walk-up card-swiping, Square is friendlier.
How it works
Stripe is most often used through other software — your website, FSM, or booking tool integrates Stripe to take cards and ACH online — but you can also use Stripe Invoicing and Billing directly to send online invoices, set up recurring/maintenance-plan charges, and collect ACH bank payments. For in-person, Stripe Terminal provides hardware. Pricing is flat-rate with no monthly or setup fees: 2.9% + 30¢ online, 2.7% + 5¢ in-person, with ACH priced far lower (a flat or small-percentage fee capped low), which is why it's attractive for large invoices and subscriptions. Funds settle to your bank on a rolling basis.
Pros & cons
What works
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Cheapest path on large/recurring payments via ACH
Stripe ACH bank payments cost a fraction of card fees — on a $1,000+ invoice, ACH can be ~$5 versus ~$29 on a card. For high-ticket trades and recurring maintenance plans, that's a major saving.
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Best for online and recurring billing
Stripe Billing handles subscriptions and recurring charges cleanly — ideal for membership/maintenance-plan revenue — and online payments are its core strength.
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Powers most software integrations
If your FSM, website, or booking tool takes payments, it likely uses Stripe. Standardizing on it can mean one processor across all your online payment touchpoints.
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No monthly or setup fees
Standard accounts have no monthly or setup fees, so you only pay per transaction — predictable and cheap to start, like Square but tuned for online.
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Reliable, well-documented, trusted
As the infrastructure behind millions of businesses, Stripe is highly reliable and exceptionally well-documented, with strong fraud tooling — a safe foundation to build payments on.
What doesn't
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Not turnkey for walk-up in-person
Stripe Terminal exists, but the in-person experience is more developer-oriented than Square's plug-and-play readers. For a contractor who mostly swipes cards on-site, Square is friendlier out of the box.
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Assumes some technical setup
Getting full value from Stripe often means using it through a tool that integrates it, or doing some configuration. A non-technical solo contractor may find Square simpler to use directly.
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Flat-rate cost at card volume
Like Square, Stripe's card flat-rate (2.9% + 30¢ online) is expensive at high card volume versus interchange-plus or subscription models. The savings come from ACH, not cards.
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Support is largely self-serve
Stripe leans on documentation and online support rather than hand-holding. For contractors who want a phone rep, that can feel impersonal versus a relationship-based processor.
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Fraud/risk holds possible
Like other large processors, Stripe can flag and hold funds on accounts it deems risky. Understand its risk policies if you process large or irregular amounts.
Features & integrations
Key features
Integrations
Frequently asked
What are Stripe's fees?
Flat-rate with no monthly or setup fees: 2.9% + 30¢ for online card payments, 2.7% + 5¢ for in-person via Stripe Terminal, and +1.5% for international cards. ACH bank payments are far cheaper than cards, which is where Stripe saves contractors money on large and recurring invoices.
Is Stripe good for contractors?
Yes, in specific cases: if your payments are mostly online/invoiced, you bill recurring maintenance plans, or you want cheap ACH on big-ticket jobs, Stripe is excellent. For simple walk-up card swiping at the kitchen table, Square is more turnkey. Many contractors actually use Stripe indirectly, since it powers payments inside their FSM or website.
Stripe vs Square for a trades business?
Square is the easier turnkey choice for in-person card payments and POS; Stripe is stronger for online payments, recurring billing, ACH, and integrations. If you swipe a lot of cards on-site, lean Square; if you invoice online, bill memberships, or want cheap ACH on large jobs, lean Stripe. Both are flat-rate with no monthly fee.
How much can ACH save on a big invoice?
A lot. On a $1,000+ invoice, Stripe ACH can cost around $5 versus roughly $29 on a credit card — and the savings grow with invoice size since ACH fees are flat or capped while card fees are a percentage. For high-ticket trades (HVAC, roofing), steering large invoices to ACH meaningfully cuts processing cost.
Do I need a developer to use Stripe?
Not necessarily — Stripe Invoicing and Billing can be used directly without code, and most contractors use Stripe through a tool (FSM, website) that already integrates it. But getting full value, or a custom in-person setup, can involve some technical configuration. If you want zero setup, Square is simpler.