How to Use Stripe for Marketplace Payments

Using Stripe to process payments in your no-code marketplace is one of the most efficient ways to streamline your payment workflows while ensuring security and scalability. In this post, I’ll walk you through:

1. What Stripe is and why it’s perfect for marketplaces
2. How to use Stripe Payment Links for no-code setups
3. Setting up advanced workflows with the Stripe API and Make.com
4. Common marketplace business models with Stripe: subscriptions, usage-based pricing, and buyer-seller transactions

Let’s dive in.

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.

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Even if you’re not ready to process payments, start experimenting with Stripe today:

1. Create a test account. Use Stripe’s test mode to simulate real transactions with dummy data.
2. Set up payment links: Practice creating and sharing links in a no-code environment.
3. Explore the API: Dive into Stripe’s developer tools and experiment with webhooks in Make.com.

If this feels overwhelming, start with Stripe’s documentation and pair it with ChatGPT for troubleshooting and workflow suggestions.

Stripe is a game-changer for no-code marketplaces. Whether you’re starting small or scaling big, its flexibility and security make it the perfect tool to streamline payment processes. By combining Stripe with tools like Glide and Make.com, you can build efficient, scalable payment systems tailored to your marketplace needs.

Want to learn more? Check out my related tutorials on building a no-code marketplace with Webflow and automating workflows with Make.com.