Want to start accepting payments on your WordPress site but don’t know which Stripe plugin to choose?
I’ve found that selecting the right payment plugin can make or break your online business. Too complicated, and you’ll lose customers at checkout. Too basic, and you won’t have the features you need to grow.
That’s exactly why I spent weeks testing every major Stripe payment plugin available. I processed transactions, tested customer experiences, and put each plugin through rigorous real-world scenarios to see which ones truly deliver.
The result? A handful of proven Stripe payment plugins that can handle everything from simple product sales right though to complex membership subscriptions.
Whether you’re selling digital products, accepting donations, or running a membership site, this article has a plugin to help you accept payments with ease.
How I Test Stripe Payment Plugins for WordPress
When I review plugins for WP101, I don’t just look at each plugin’s website and write about its features.
Instead, I install each one on a live test site. I process transactions, experience the customer journey from start to finish, and purposefully try to find bugs to see how the plugins perform under pressure.
Throughout this, I focus on the key areas that truly matter for online businesses:
- Setup and Ease of Use: I check how quickly I can get a payment system up and running. I look for user-friendly interfaces, clear setup wizards, and simple configurations that won’t overwhelm a new user.
- Payment Processing Reliability: Every business needs secure and reliable payments. That’s why I test how each plugin handles success and failure situations.
- Customer Experience: I make sure the checkout process is smooth, secure, and user-friendly. A clunky or confusing payment form will almost certainly lead to abandoned carts and lost sales.
- Security and Compliance: I verify how each plugin handles critical security measures like PCI compliance and fraud detection. I want to make sure you can accept payments with total peace of mind.
- Performance Impact: A slow site is going to hurt your conversions and search engine rankings. Keeping that in mind, I made sure to test how each plugin affects site load times and overall performance.
- Support and Documentation: Even the best plugins may require a bit of troubleshooting or clarification from time to time. That said, I explored each plugin’s documentation, knowledge bases, community forums, and other support channels to ensure there’s help available when you need it.
My goal is to provide you with honest, practical insights based on my own real-world testing. This way, you can confidently choose the best Stripe payment plugin for your WordPress blog or website.
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Why Use a Stripe Payment Plugin for WordPress?
Stripe has become the gold standard for online payments, and for good reason. It’s trusted by millions of businesses worldwide, from small startups to Fortune 500 companies.
But why is Stripe so popular? It comes down to three key things that make it perfect for your WordPress site:
- Stripe handles all the complex stuff for you. PCI compliance, fraud detection, and international payments are all managed behind the scenes. You don’t need to become a payments expert in order to use a Stripe payment plugin.
- The checkout experience is smooth and professional. Stripe’s payment forms are designed to increase conversions, with features like real-time validation and support for mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
- You can sell to a worldwide audience. Stripe supports over 135 currencies and more than 100 global payment methods. This means your customers can pay with a credit card, bank transfer, a buy-now-pay-later option, or many other methods, no matter where they are in the world.
With that in mind, let’s look at the best Stripe payment plugins so you can get all these benefits directly on your WordPress website.
1. Best Way to Accept Stripe Payments Easily: WP Simple Pay
WP Simple Pay is a WordPress plugin that creates simple payment forms connected to Stripe. This means you can collect one-time payments, recurring subscriptions, and donations without having to set up a full online store.
When I first tried WP Simple Pay, I was impressed by just how quickly I could set up a payment form. If you need to sell a single product, accept donations, or collect payments for services, WP Simple Pay removes all the unnecessary features that would otherwise slow you down.
Even better, the setup wizard lets you connect WordPress to your Stripe account with just a few clicks, so you can add a professional-looking payment form to your site in minutes.
But my favorite part is that WP Simple Pay handles payments on Stripe’s secure servers, and not your own. This means Stripe does all the heavy lifting to keep your customers’ payment information safe.
I was also impressed with how smoothly its ‘Buy Now’ buttons work for quick checkouts.
No matter how you use the plugin, its user-friendly interface makes everything feel straightforward. This lets you focus on growing your site or business, rather than wrestling with complicated settings.
Pros:
- Extremely easy to set up and use, even for beginners
- Focused entirely on Stripe for a streamlined experience
- Avoids the complexity of a full eCommerce plugin like WooCommerce
- Excellent for selling single products or services, or for collecting donations
- Strong security since payment details are handled directly by Stripe
Cons:
- Not a full eCommerce solution. WP Simple Pay doesn’t have a shopping cart or shipping features.
- You’ll need to upgrade to a paid WP Simple Pay plan, in order to access advanced features like subscriptions and custom fields.
Pricing: You can download the lite version from WordPress.org. However, just be aware that this free version charges an additional 3% transaction fee on top of Stripe’s standard fees. To remove these fees, you’ll need to upgrade to a premium plan, which starts at $49.50 per year.
Why I Recommend WP Simple Pay: This is a great option for small businesses that need a way to accept Stripe payments quickly and easily. Crucially, you can do this without having to set up an entire eCommerce platform.
Get started with WP Simple Pay »
2. Best All-in-One Form Builder with Stripe Payment Collection: WPForms
Need to collect payments but don’t want the hassle of building an entire online store?
WPForms is a fantastic solution. It’s a drag-and-drop form builder that comes with a powerful Stripe addon. This lets you add payment fields to any form – from simple contact forms right through to complex, multi-page order forms.
At its core, WPForms is all about flexibility. While many plugins only offer a basic payment button, WPForms lets you add payment collection to any custom form. This is perfect for businesses that need to collect information and payments all at once.
The drag-and-drop builder makes it very easy to create advanced forms, even if you’re a complete beginner. To get you started even faster, WPForms comes with a ton of pre-built templates.
For me, WPForms’ conditional logic is another standout feature. It lets you create dynamic forms that change based on what a user selects. For example, you can show or hide specific payment options or fields depending on the user’s choices.
I’ve seen this work brilliantly for businesses that offer different packages or nonprofit organizations with tiered donation levels.
Pros:
- Combines powerful form-building with payment collection, all in one plugin.
- The drag-and-drop builder is very beginner-friendly.
- Ideal for selling simple products, services, or accepting donations without a full eCommerce setup.
- Add payment options to any type of form, like a booking form or contact form.
- Conditional logic supports flexible and complex payment scenarios.
Cons:
- You’ll need to upgrade to the Pro plan or higher in order to access the Stripe addon.
- Since it’s not a dedicated eCommerce solution, WPForms lacks features like a dedicated shopping cart, inventory tracking, and complex shipping and tax rules.
- Can be overkill if you just need a simple payment button.
Pricing: The Stripe addon requires the Pro plan, which starts at $199.50/year.
Why I Recommend WPForms: This plugin is perfect for any business that needs to collect payments as part of a larger form process. It’s an ideal tool for service providers, event organizers, and anyone who values the flexibility of combining a powerful form builder with payment collection.
3. Best All-in-One Membership Site Solution with Stripe Integration: MemberPress
If you’re looking to create a subscription-based website, MemberPress is an all-in-one plugin that makes this super simple. It lets you protect your content and then sell access to it using Stripe and other payment gateways.
When I first started with MemberPress, I was immediately impressed by the setup wizard. It automatically creates all the pages you need for a membership site, so you don’t need to build them manually.
MemberPress also integrates seamlessly with Stripe, making it perfect for both one-time and recurring payments.
The content dripping feature is another highlight, as it lets you release paid content to your members gradually. For example, you might deliver a new online course or article each week. This is a great way to keep members engaged over the long-term.
Pros:
- The most powerful and easy-to-use WordPress membership plugin.
- Seamlessly integrates with Stripe, so it’s perfect for generating recurring revenue.
- Easy setup wizard that automatically creates all the necessary membership pages.
- Very flexible, so you can restrict access to almost any kind of content you want.
- Supports Stripe, PayPal, Square, and Authorize.net.
Cons:
- There is no free version or free trial available. However, MemberPress does offer a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Pricing: Starts at $179.50/year for the Basic plan.
Why I Recommend MemberPress: This is my top pick for entrepreneurs and businesses that want to build a membership site and collect recurring revenue via Stripe. In my opinion, MemberPress is also the best choice for selling protected content, online courses, or creating an exclusive community with different access levels.
Get started with MemberPress »
4. Best eCommerce Solution for Digital Products: Easy Digital Downloads
Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) is a complete eCommerce plugin specifically designed for selling digital products like software, ebooks, music, and online courses. As you might expect, it has a built-in Stripe integration so you can start accepting payments straight away.
While writing this review, I downloaded the latest version of Easy Digital Downloads and tested it out on a fresh demo site. Straight away, I remembered why this plugin works so well: it’s purely focused on the needs of a digital seller.
Unlike generic eCommerce plugins designed for physical goods, Easy Digital Downloads doesn’t have any unnecessary features like shipping calculators or inventory tracking. This keeps the plugin lightweight and easy to use.
You can download a lite version of Easy Digital Downloads and start selling products immediately using either Stripe or PayPal. I really like that you can start making money right away without needing to pay for a premium plugin.
When you’re ready, you can upgrade to the premium plugin and access a massive library of extensions for things like recurring subscriptions, software licensing, and affiliate programs.
Pros:
- Perfectly streamlined for selling digital goods.
- Huge library of premium extensions, including an integration with AffiliateWP.
- Provides detailed reporting on earnings, downloads, and customer data.
Cons:
- Not suitable for selling physical products that require shipping calculations.
Pricing: You can download the lite EDD plugin from WordPress.org. Alternatively, you can upgrade to the premium plugin from $99.50 per year
Why I Recommend Easy Digital Downloads: This is a great plugin if you want to sell digital products like software, ebooks, online courses, or music. I’ve tried various Stripe payment plugins, and this is easily the most focused solution for digital commerce.
Get started with Easy Digital Downloads »
5. Best Donation Plugin for Nonprofits: WP Charitable
Are you a nonprofit or charity? Then WP Charitable is a specialized plugin that can help you create donation campaigns and accept recurring donations directly on your WordPress website.
When I first tried WP Charitable, I immediately understood why it’s become the go-to solution for nonprofits. This plugin is built specifically for fundraising, so every feature is designed to help you collect donations more effectively. And of course, you can accept donations using Stripe.
In my experience, using a specialized tool like WP Charitable is always better than trying to adapt a generic payment plugin.
In particular, the campaign creation process is excellent. You can easily set up time-sensitive and goal-based fundraisers with a progress bar that creates a sense of urgency and encourages visitors to donate.
I was also really impressed by the Fee Relief addon. This gives donors the option to cover payment processing fees so your cause receives more of the intended donation.
Another game-changing feature is recurring donations. This is a great way to turn one-time givers into ongoing supporters, creating predictable income streams that can support your non-profit over the long term.
Pros:
- You can download the lite WP Charitable plugin from WordPress.org and start collecting donations via Stripe or PayPal.
- Very easy for nonprofits and charities to set up and start accepting donations.
- Highly focused on fundraising, with features like progress bars and goal-based campaigns.
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant tools to help with data privacy.
- The option to install extra addons for more advanced features like peer-to-peer fundraising and crowdfunding.
Cons:
- You’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan in order to access key features like recurring donations and email marketing integrations.
- Additional payment gateways like Authorize.net are only available in premium plans.
Pricing: You can download a lite version of WP Charitable for free. Alternatively, premium plans start at $69 per year for the Basic plan.
Why I Recommend WP Charitable: This is my top pick for any nonprofit, charity, or fundraising organization that wants to collect donations via Stripe.
Get started with WP Charitable »
6. Best Free Stripe Gateway for WooCommerce: FunnelKit
If you have a WooCommerce store, you know how important the checkout experience is. FunnelKit Payment Gateway for Stripe is a free plugin that replaces WooCommerce’s default Stripe gateway with a modern, more efficient checkout experience.
For me, the thing that makes FunnelKit special is how it combines multiple payment methods into a single, easy-to-manage plugin.
Instead of installing separate plugins for Apple Pay, Google Pay, and ‘pay later’ services like Klarna and Afterpay, FunnelKit provides everything you need in one streamlined package.
In particular, FunnelKit promises to reduce cart abandonment by making the payment process faster and more convenient. The interface feels modern and responsive, providing the frictionless experience that today’s shoppers expect.
Additionally, this plugin works seamlessly with FunnelKit’s Funnel Builder. This integration unlocks advanced features like one-click upsells and order bumps to really boost your online store’s revenue.
Pros:
- Available for free from WordPress.org.
- Easy to set up and configure within your WooCommerce settings.
- Provides a significantly better checkout experience than the standard WooCommerce gateway.
- Combines multiple payment methods into one easy-to-manage plugin.
- Helps reduce cart abandonment by making the payment process faster and more convenient.
Cons:
- FunnelKit isn’t a standalone plugin, so you’ll need to create a WooCommerce store first.
- Mainly focused on optimizing the checkout experience, so isn’t suitable for more complex, custom payment scenarios.
- You’ll need to invest in the premium FunnelKit Funnel Builder plugin, in order to access advanced sales funnel features like one-click upsells.
Pricing: You can download FunnelKit for free from the WordPress repository.
Why I Recommend FunnelKit Payment Gateway: This free plugin is the perfect upgrade for any WooCommerce store owner who wants to improve their checkout experience. It’s a simple, effective way to offer your customers all the modern payment options they expect.
Get started with FunnelKit Stripe Gateway »
What Is the Best Stripe Payment Plugin for WordPress?
If you need a fast and easy way to accept payments without the complexity of a full online store, WP Simple Pay is the best choice.
It’s incredibly straightforward to set up and use, so you can start collecting payments within minutes. In my opinion, WP Simple Pay is the perfect plugin when you need to sell a small number of products or services, or accept donations.
Do you need to collect information alongside your payments? Then WPForms is the most flexible option.
With its Stripe extension, you can add a payment field to any form – whether that’s a simple contact form or a detailed order form with conditional logic.
This makes WPForms an ideal choice for service providers or anyone who needs to collect extra details alongside their payments.
Beyond that, there’s a few Stripe payment plugins that are designed for specific use cases:
- If you want to set up a membership site or sell subscriptions: MemberPress is the most comprehensive plugin for creating a members-only website. It offers powerful content protection and robust subscription management, making it the clear winner in this category.
- If you want to sell digital products: Easy Digital Downloads is the perfect solution for selling digital goods like software, eBooks, or music. It’s streamlined to handle the unique needs of downloadable products, without the bloat of physical product features.
- If you’re a nonprofit or charitable organization: WP Charitable is purpose-built for fundraising. It’s designed specifically for donation campaigns, making it the most effective tool for charities and nonprofits.
- If you run a WooCommerce store: The FunnelKit Payment Gateway for Stripe is a free plugin that upgrades your existing WooCommerce store’s checkout with a better, more modern experience and multiple payment options.
Still unsure where to start? Then I recommend beginning with WP Simple Pay. Its ease of use and focused approach make it the ideal starting point for anyone looking for a Stripe payment plugin.
Stripe Payment Plugins for WordPress: Frequently Asked Questions
It’s completely normal to have questions when you’re searching for the perfect payment plugin.
To help you make your final decision with confidence, I’ve answered some of the most common questions I get from readers just like you.
What is a Stripe payment plugin for WordPress?
A Stripe payment plugin connects your WordPress site to Stripe’s payment processing system.
This means you can accept credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other payment methods directly on your website.
Do I need a Stripe account to use these plugins?
Yes, you’ll need to create a Stripe account before you can start accepting payments.
Thankfully, the account setup process is straightforward: Stripe will ask for some basic business information and bank account details, and then you’ll be ready to start accepting payments.
Are Stripe payment plugins secure?
Yes, reputable Stripe payment plugins are very secure because they use Stripe’s infrastructure for processing payments. In fact, Stripe is Level 1 PCI compliant, which is a very high level of payment security certificate.
When customers enter their payment information on your site, that sensitive data is sent directly to Stripe’s secure servers rather than being stored on your WordPress site.
Essentially, you get the benefit of a highly secure system without having to worry about compliance on your own server.
What’s the difference between these plugins and WooCommerce’s built-in Stripe support?
The built-in WooCommerce Stripe gateway is designed for full-featured eCommerce stores with a shopping cart, inventory management, and a complex product catalog.
If you’re selling multiple products with shipping and inventory needs, it’s the ideal solution and worth the time it takes to set up.
By contrast, most of the plugins in this guide focus on very specific use cases. For example, accepting donations or setting up simple payment forms without the complexity of a full eCommerce platform.
My recommendation is simple: For a full-scale online store, use WooCommerce. For simpler or more specialized scenarios, consider using one of the alternative plugins I covered in this guide.
How much do Stripe transactions cost?
It’s important to understand that Stripe charges its own fees for every successful transaction. For most card payments in the U.S, this fee is 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction.
However, it’s worth noting that some plugins may add a small fee on top of Stripe’s standard charges. This is especially true for free Stripe payment plugins.
I hope this guide helped you choose the right Stripe payment plugin for your WordPress site. Next, I recommend checking out our ultimate WordPress toolkit: everything you need for your website. It’s packed with all our favorite plugins, themes, and tools for building successful websites.
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