With this blog, we mark the final chapter in our ‘Stripe integration with ReactJS applications’ series. Over a period of 3 months we explored how you can integrate Stripe to ReactJS applications. Give you you a quick glace of what we explored in the course of these three months, let’s revisit each quickly.

  • Stripe direct checkout integration.

  • Stripe subscription integration.

  • Stripe connect

    [Standard integration](https://www.nimblechapps.com/blog/stripe-integration-in-reactjs-application-stripe-connect-integration)

- [Express integration](https://www.nimblechapps.com/blog/stripe-integration-in-reactjs-application-stripe-connect-express-integration)

In this blog we will give you a comparative study of what is perfect for your ReactJS application. Let’s being the dive by getting a quick information about each type of accounts in Stripe Connect.

1. Standard:

Standard accounts are managed by user, and your platform does not handle anything on it. These accounts are fully managed by Stripe, meaning the user handles most of the account setup and Stripe manages the backend payment processes, including compliance and payouts.

Key Features:

  • The user is responsible for managing their own account and connecting it to your platform.

  • The user has direct access to the Stripe Dashboard where they can view transactions, manage payments, handle disputes, etc.

  • The user will be redirected to Stripe's account creation page, where they can enter their details, including personal/business information.

  • Stripe handles payouts to the user’s connected bank account.

Pros:

**

Ease of integration:

The easiest to set up because Stripe handles most of the work.

Security:

As all the data is directly fetched by stripe so the platform does not have to worry about security of the data.

Cons:
Limited customization:

The user experience is Stripe-controlled, so you don’t have as much ability to customize the flow or user interface.

2. Express Accounts:

Stripe Express accounts provide a bit more control to your platform but still the user interactions as taken care by stripe itself. This type comes in between Standard and Custom.

Key Features:

  • The user’s experience is still mostly handled by Stripe, but you have more control over the flow and user interface.

  • User can view their earning and manage payouts via dashboard provided by stripe.

  • Your platform can set payout schedule like at what intervals the payouts are cane be requested, and as per the schedule stripe will do payouts.

  • For this Stripe will be handling KYC verification but your platform retains control over payouts.

Pros:

Faster setup for users through a simple Stripe-hosted flow.

The platform can customize payout schedules, which is more flexible than Standard.

Cons:

As stripe takes care of the KYC branding of stripe can be seen in your platform.

Users have restricted access to Stripe’s dashboard, which may not be sufficient for users needing full financial insights.

Support is split between Stripe and the platform, which can create complexity for users seeking assistance.

3. Custom Account

Custom Accounts in Stripe Connect are designed for platforms that need full control over the user experience, payouts, and compliance. With Custom Accounts, the platform manages almost every aspect of the payment process, making it ideal for highly customized applications.

Key Features:

  • Your platform can fully customize your the onboarding experience and user interface without any of the stripe branding.

  • The payouts schedules are managed by platform for this.

  • Your platform get the access to all the data enabling detailed reporting and complex financial handling.

  • The platform must handle KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) processes and manage regulatory compliance which was managed by stripe in the other two types.

Pros:

It provides complete customisation and complete branding experience to user as if the payment is from your platform itself.

Full visibility into financial data, enabling complex reporting and tracking.

Cons:

Requires the platform to manage compliance and support, which can be resource-intensive.

As the integration becomes complex, the integration would require more efforts and time

Chances of leaks and mis-management is more as its fully customised.

Standard
Express
Custom



Integration effort**
Lowest
Low
Significantly higher



**Integration method**
API or OAuth
API
API



**Fraud and dispute liability**
Connected account
Platform
Platform



**Platform can specify payout timing?**
Yes, with [Platform controls](https://docs.stripe.com/connect/platform-controls-for-stripe-dashboard-accounts)
Yes
Yes

Onboarding Stripe Stripe Platform or Stripe

**Identity information gathering**
Stripe
Stripe
Platform or Stripe

Connected account can access the Dashboard? Yes, full Dashboard Yes, Express Dashboard No

**Connected account support provided by**
Platform and Stripe
Platform and Stripe
Platform

Automatic updates for new compliance requirements Yes Yes No

**Support new countries without integration changes**
Yes
Yes
No

Ideal for platforms With experienced online businesses as connected accounts Any type With significant engineering resources to dedicate to a fully white-labelled experience

**

Pricing and cost comparison

The pricing structure for Stripe Connect varies depending on the type of account you choose: Standard, Express, or Custom. Below is a breakdown of the costs associated with each type:

- Reaching Target Audience

- Cost:** No additional fees beyond standard Stripe transaction fees.

- **Transaction Fees:** Stripe’s typical fees apply, such as 2.9% + 30¢ per successful charge (may vary by country and card type).

- **Features:** Users manage their own accounts, with no platform fees for managing their payouts or account.

- Express Accounts

- **Cost:** Cost: $2 per active account per month.

- **Transaction Fees:** Transaction Fees: Stripe’s standard transaction fees (e.g., 2.9% + 30¢ per charge) plus 0.25% per payout, with a minimum of 25¢.

- **Features:** Platform handles most of the payment flow; users have limited access to Stripe dashboard.

- Custom Accounts

- **Cost:** $2 per active account per month.

- **Transaction Fees:** Stripe’s standard transaction fees plus 0.25% per payout, with a minimum of 25¢.

- **Features:** Full control over the payment experience, including user onboarding, compliance, and payouts.

Additional Fees:

  • Payouts: For Stripe Express and Custom accounts, there’s an additional fee of 0.25% of the payout amount, with a minimum of 25¢ per payout.

  • Currency Conversion: If there’s currency conversion, Stripe charges an additional 1% fee.

  • International Cards: For transactions using international cards, an extra 1% fee may apply.

These fees may vary based on location and business model, so it’s important to check Stripe’s official pricing page for up-to-date and country-specific details.

How to Decide

Now the question arises that how to make a decision on which account to go with, so here is a questionnaire which would guide you and help you with a decision to make

How much control over the user experience do you need?

  • If you need full control over the onboarding process, payout schedules, and branding, a Custom account is likely the best fit.

  • If you are comfortable with some Stripe branding in the onboarding and dashboard, Express or Standard may be sufficient.

  • Is a fully branded experience important for your business model?

    • Custom allows complete branding control, while Express and Standard incorporate Stripe branding, especially in onboarding and dashboard access.

  • Do you want users to manage their own financial accounts independently?

    • Standard accounts are ideal for users who prefer control over their own Stripe dashboard, with access to transaction history, payouts, and support from Stripe.

    • Custom and Stripe Express are better when the platform needs to manage user payouts directly.

    • Are you prepared to provide user support for financial and account issues?

      • Custom accounts require you to handle user support entirely, which can be resource-intensive.

      • Express shares support duties with Stripe, and Standard provides full support from Stripe.

    • Do you have the development resources to build a custom payment flow?

      • Custom requires the most extensive integration and support resources.

      • Express has a moderate development requirement with some Stripe-hosted elements.

      • Standard is the easiest and fastest to integrate with minimal development effort.

    • How quickly do you need to launch?

      • Standard is quickest to implement, followed by Express, then Custom, which takes longer due to its complexity.

    • What is the primary role of your users (e.g., content creators, freelancers, businesses)?

      • Content creators or freelancers who manage their own accounts are better suited for Standard.

      • Gig economy platforms, contractor models, or shared economy platforms needing flexible payouts typically prefer Express or Custom.

Usecase and Scenarios

Simple use-case scenarios which could help you decide which account to choose

Use Case for Custom Account

  • Marketplace Platforms: Ideal for large marketplaces or gig economy platforms that require control over payouts and user experience, such as Uber or Airbnb.

  • High Compliance Needs: Platforms that can manage compliance independently and need detailed reporting or payment customization.

Use Case Standard account

  • Content Creators: Platforms where individual creators manage their earnings and payouts, like YouTube or Patreon.

  • Simple Marketplaces: Small or medium-sized marketplaces that want to enable payments without managing user accounts or compliance.

Use Case Stripe express account

  • Gig Economy Platforms: Platforms with independent contractors or freelancers needing flexible, regular payouts, like DoorDash or Upwork.

  • Fast-Growing Platforms: Platforms seeking quick scaling without fully committing to custom user onboarding and payout management.

Conclusion

We have loved to share our experience of integratin Stripe to ReactJS applications. We created this series with a view to contribute to the developer community with the most common errors they face during Stripe integration. We would be adding more such blogs in the future and follow us for more such content. If you are looking to integrate Stripe to your applications, we would be glad to assist.