Installing Stripe on your website : the simple guide (2026)

What exactly is Stripe ?

Stripe is an online payment platform : it displays the card form, verifies the payment, collects the money, and pays it out to your bank account. Millions of websites use it, from small independent shops to the biggest names on the web.

Why has it become the standard ? Because it's reliable, secure, and it handles all the tricky parts for you : banking compliance, 3D Secure, refunds, invoices, recurring payments for subscriptions, and even Apple Pay and Google Pay.

On pricing, it's simple : no subscription fee. Stripe takes a small commission on each transaction (around 1.5 % + €0.25 for a European card). If you don't sell anything, you don't pay anything.

What you need to install Stripe on a website

A lot of people think « creating a Stripe account » is all it takes to sell online. In reality, the account is only step one. For payments to actually work on your site, you need :

A verified Stripe account — with your identity and bank details (a legal requirement, just like opening a bank account).
API keys — two secret codes that connect your website to your Stripe account.
Code running on your server — to create the payment session, secure the amounts, and redirect the customer.
A confirmation page — the classic « thank you for your order ».
A webhook — a mechanism that notifies your website when a payment is confirmed (essential for subscriptions, and for never losing track of an order).
Testing — Stripe provides test cards so you can check the whole flow before taking real payments.

This is where the two paths split : either you do all of this yourself, or you hand it to Léo.

Method 1 : install Stripe yourself

The steps

You create your account on stripe.com and go through identity verification. You grab your API keys from the dashboard. Then you need to write server-side code : create a « Checkout session » with the right amounts, one-time payment or subscription mode, the currency, and the return URLs. Next, set up a webhook — a secure entry point on your server that Stripe calls to confirm each payment — and verify its signature to block fraudsters. Finally, you test the whole funnel with test cards and switch the keys to live mode.

The quick fix : payment links

Stripe also offers « Payment Links » : a ready-made payment link, no code required. It's handy for selling a single product by sharing a link, but it stays separate from your website : no cart, no integrated catalog, no member area, and the customer leaves your site the moment they pay.

Who it's for

If you're a developer, the standard integration is well documented : expect a few hours for a simple payment, and a solid day for subscriptions with reliable webhooks. If you don't code, this is the kind of job usually handed off to a freelancer or agency — typically several hundred euros.

Method 2 : install Stripe with Leopar

On Leopar, your website is built and edited by Léo, our code-writing leopard. Adding payments works just like everything else : you send him a message.

"Add a shop with my 8 products and card payment."
"I want to sell my coaching program for €90 a month, as a subscription."
"Add a booking button with a €30 deposit."

Léo writes the payment code, the cart, the confirmation page, the webhook — everything listed above — directly on your website. All you do is create your own account on stripe.com (it's your money, it needs to land with you), and hand your API keys to Léo, who walks you through finding them.

One important point : the money from your sales goes straight to your Stripe account, then your bank account. Leopar never touches your payments and takes zero commission on your sales — you pay your Leopar subscription, that's it. Only Stripe's normal fee applies, just like on any other website.

Installing Stripe yourself vs. with Leopar : the comparison

Want to go further ? Discover everything you can do with Leopar, how to build a website with AI, or how much a website really costs.

Frequently asked questions about installing Stripe

Is Stripe free?

There's no subscription fee : Stripe takes a commission on each successful transaction (around 1.5 % + €0.25 for a European card, a bit more for cards issued outside Europe). If you don't sell anything, you don't pay anything.

Do I need to know how to code to install Stripe on my website?

With the standard integration, yes : you need to write server-side code and set up webhooks. With Leopar, no : you describe what you're selling to Léo in a message, and he sets up the entire payment flow for you.

Can I accept subscriptions (recurring payments)?

Yes. Stripe natively supports subscriptions — monthly, yearly, with or without a trial period. On Leopar, just tell Léo « I want to sell X for this much per month » and he sets up the recurring subscription.

Is payment through Stripe secure?

Yes. Card details are entered directly on Stripe's side (certified to the strictest banking standards, with 3D Secure) : they never pass through your website. That's exactly why even large companies rely on it.

Does Leopar take a commission on my sales?

No, none. Your sales land in your Stripe account, then your bank account. Leopar never sees your money : you only pay your Leopar subscription, and Stripe applies its usual per-transaction fee.

How long does it take to get payments live on my website?

Yourself : a few hours for a simple payment, up to several days for well-tested subscriptions. With Leopar : just the time to send Léo a message and create your Stripe account — Stripe's identity verification (mandatory for everyone) usually takes anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.

Can I sell abroad and in other currencies?

Yes. Stripe accepts cards from around the world and over 130 currencies. Combined with a multilingual website — which Léo can also build — you can sell internationally. See building a website with AI.

In short : where to start ?

If you're comfortable with code, the standard Stripe integration is a great exercise, and it's well documented.

If you just want to sell — your products, your services, your subscriptions — without touching the technical side : on Leopar, Stripe payments get installed by sending Léo a message. You create your Stripe account, Léo does the rest, and the money from your sales lands directly with you.

You describe it. Léo builds it. You get paid.