168 - How to Use Stripe for Marketplace Payments

What Is Stripe?

Stripe is a powerful payment processor designed for businesses of all sizes. For marketplace builders, Stripe offers specialized tools like Stripe Connect, which handles multi-party payments, subscriptions, and usage-based pricing models.

Why use Stripe?

• Pre-built solutions: No need to build complex payment systems from scratch.
• Security-first: Stripe comes with built-in fraud prevention and data security.
• Scalability: Whether you’re just starting or scaling your platform, Stripe’s tools grow with your needs. If you’re building your marketplace with tools like [Glide]() or Webflow, Stripe integrates seamlessly to create custom payment systems. Pair this with the automation power of Make.com, and you’ll have a robust solution to manage your workflows efficiently.

What are Stripe Payment Links?

For a simple, no-code setup, Stripe Payment Links let you start accepting payments immediately. Here’s how it works:

1. Create a product in Stripe.
2. Generate a payment link.
3. Share the link via email or embed it on a website button. This method is excellent for testing ideas or selling one-off products before committing to more advanced systems. To see how this fits into your marketplace setup, check out my guide on building customer portals with Glide.

How to use the Stripe API for more advanced payment workflows

If your marketplace needs features like premium memberships or automated subscriptions, you’ll want to integrate the Stripe API with [Make.com](). Here’s an example setup:

1. Create a webhook in Make.com: Capture user actions like subscription purchases.
2. Trigger a checkout session: Use Stripe’s API to process payments.
3. Automate workflows: Update user accounts, trigger emails, or track analytics based on payment events. Using these tools, you can scale your marketplace and reduce manual intervention. For more details, see my post on how to automate marketplace workflows.

What business models can you implement with Stripe?

1. Subscriptions

Subscriptions are perfect for marketplaces offering tiered access. For example, you can let users upgrade to a premium plan to unlock exclusive features. To set this up:

• Use Stripe’s customer portal for user account management.
• Automate subscription events (e.g., upgrades, downgrades) with Make.com. I’ve detailed similar workflows in my post on how to use Stripe Payment Links.

2. Usage-Based Pricing

This model works well if your marketplace uses credits or tokens. Buyers can purchase credits to book services or unlock features. Once a purchase is made, a workflow adds credits to the user’s account for redemption. For example, in a marketplace like Board Breakers (a chess coaching platform), buyers could purchase credits for coaching sessions. When the payment is processed via Stripe, workflows in Glide automatically update the user’s account with the purchased credits. If you’re using Glide, start with this guide.

3. Buyer-Seller Revenue Sharing

Stripe Connect simplifies split payments, allowing you to send a percentage of each transaction to sellers while keeping a cut for your platform. Platforms like Airbnb or Uber use this model, and Stripe makes it accessible for no-code builders. With Stripe Connect and Make.com, you can automate revenue-sharing workflows, from payouts to seller dashboards. I go deeper into these systems as part of MVMP Labs, where you’ll also find templates to fast-track your marketplace setup. ‍