Stripe Connect is the right infrastructure for marketplaces. It's also the most complex Stripe product to implement correctly.
Marketplace payment flows, connected account onboarding, split payments, and payout management via Stripe Connect require specific implementation patterns. Standard Connect and Express Connect have different trade-offs. We build marketplace payment flows correctly.
Marketplace or platform that needs to route payments between buyers and sellers — and isn't sure whether to use Standard, Express, or Custom Connect accounts, or how to handle the onboarding flow
Stripe Connect is Stripe's marketplace and platform product. It enables a platform (your application) to process payments on behalf of connected accounts (your sellers, service providers, or contractors) and split the payment between the platform and the connected account.
The account type decision is the first complexity:
Standard Connect. Sellers have their own full Stripe accounts. They see Stripe's dashboard directly. You use OAuth to connect their account to your platform. Easiest to implement, but Stripe is visible to the seller and the seller has control of their account.
Express Connect. Sellers go through Stripe's hosted onboarding flow but you control the branding. Sellers see a simplified Stripe dashboard. The balance between seller control and platform control. Best for most marketplace use cases.
Custom Connect. You control the entire onboarding experience and the seller has no Stripe interface. Maximum control, maximum implementation complexity, and you take on more compliance responsibility. Use only when Express doesn't meet requirements.
The payment flow complexity: Stripe Connect supports multiple charge types (direct charges, destination charges, and separate charges and transfers) that have different implications for who the merchant of record is and how liability is handled.
Stripe Connect implementation with connected account onboarding, split payment routing, and the payout management that a marketplace requires
Connected account onboarding
Account Link flow for Express Connect onboarding. Identity verification and bank account collection via Stripe's hosted flow. Onboarding status tracking and completion handling.
Payment routing
Checkout or PaymentIntent with application fees or destination charges. Platform fee configuration (percentage or flat fee). Payment routing to the connected account.
Payout management
Automatic or manual payout schedule configuration. Payout failure handling. Connected account balance visibility.
Webhook handling
`account.updated` events for onboarding completion. Transfer and payout events. Payment lifecycle events for connected accounts.
Platform dashboard
Internal dashboard for platform operators showing connected account status, payment volume, and fee revenue.
One honest number to start.
Fixed-scope, fixed-price. The number below is the starting point — final scope is built from your brief.
Stripe Connect implementation with connected account onboarding, split payment routing, and the payout management that a marketplace requires
Three steps, every time.
The same repeatable engagement on every project. No surprises, no mystery, no billable ambiguity.
Brief & discovery.
We send you questions, then get on a call. Output: a written scope with every step, feature, and integration listed.
Build & ship.
Fixed schedule, weekly reviews. No scope creep unless you change the scope — and if you do, we reprice it transparently.
Warranty & retainer.
30-day warranty on every launch. Most clients stay on a monthly retainer for ongoing features and maintenance.
Why Fixed-Price Matters Here
Stripe Connect implementation scope is defined by the marketplace model and the account type. Fixed price.
Related engagements.
Questions, answered.
The platform pays Stripe's transaction fee (2.9% + $0.30 for US cards). On top of that, you configure an application fee (your platform's take) which Stripe deducts and routes to your platform account. The seller receives the remainder. Everything is handled by Stripe's charge routing.
Express account onboarding handles identity verification via Stripe. If verification fails or is incomplete, the account is restricted. The platform receives `account.updated` webhooks with the account's capabilities and requirements. The platform can prompt the seller to complete verification via a new Account Link.
Included in the full marketplace build. Marketplace from $28k. Fixed-price.
Tell Ryel about your project.
Describe what you’re building and what outcome you need. You’ll have a written, fixed-price scope within the week.