Stripe Setup

Get started with Stripe integration by setting up your API keys and verifying the configuration.

Quick Start

# Stripe Keys
STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=sk_test_...
NEXT_PUBLIC_STRIPE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=pk_test_...

# Webhook Secret (after webhook setup)
STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET=whsec_...

import { stripe } from "@better-auth/stripe";

export const auth = betterAuth({
  plugins: [
    stripe({
      stripeSecretKey: process.env.STRIPE_SECRET_KEY!,
    }),
  ],
});

Test Mode vs Live Mode

Stripe has two modes:

Test Mode

• API keys start with sk_test_ and pk_test_
• Use test card numbers (e.g., 4242 4242 4242 4242)
• No real charges occur
• Perfect for development

Live Mode

• API keys start with sk_live_ and pk_live_
• Real charges to real cards
• Use only in production
• Requires business verification

Test Cards

Use these test cards in test mode:

Use any future expiry date and any 3-digit CVC.

Switching to Live Mode

STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=sk_live_...
NEXT_PUBLIC_STRIPE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=pk_live_...

Configuration Options

Advanced Stripe plugin configuration:

stripe({
  stripeSecretKey: process.env.STRIPE_SECRET_KEY!,
  
  // Optional: Custom configuration
  apiVersion: '2023-10-16', // Lock API version
  
  // Optional: Retry configuration
  maxNetworkRetries: 2,
  
  // Optional: Timeout
  timeout: 30000, // 30 seconds
})

Verification

Test your setup with a simple API call:

import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
import Stripe from 'stripe';

const stripe = new Stripe(process.env.STRIPE_SECRET_KEY!);

export async function GET() {
  try {
    // Test API call
    const account = await stripe.account.retrieve();
    
    return NextResponse.json({
      success: true,
      account: {
        id: account.id,
        email: account.email,
        type: account.type,
      },
    });
  } catch (error) {
    return NextResponse.json(
      { success: false, error: error.message },
      { status: 500 }
    );
  }
}

Visit /api/test-stripe to verify your setup.

Troubleshooting

Invalid API Key

• Check that the key matches the mode (test/live)
• Ensure no extra spaces or quotes
• Verify environment variable is loaded

CORS Errors

• Use Stripe publishable key on client-side only
• Secret key must stay server-side
• Use server actions or API routes

Network Errors

• Check firewall settings
• Verify internet connection
• Stripe might be down (check status.stripe.com)

Next Steps

Now that Stripe is configured, proceed to:

• Create Products & Pricing
• Implement Checkout
• Set Up Webhooks