Setting Up Stripe to Accept Credit Cards

Connecting Stripe to Lawnager lets your customers pay invoices online with a credit or debit card — directly from their email or the client portal. This guide walks you through the full setup.

Before You Start

• •You'll need a Stripe account. If you don't have one, you can create it for free at stripe.com — it only takes a few minutes.
• •Have your business details handy (legal name, EIN or SSN, bank account info). Stripe requires this to verify your identity and deposit payouts.
• •Stripe is available on all Lawnager plans, including the free Starter plan.

How to Connect Stripe

1. •In Lawnager, go to Settings → Payments.
2. •Under the Online Payments section, click Connect with Stripe.
3. •You'll be redirected to Stripe's secure onboarding flow.
4. •Log in to your existing Stripe account — or click Create account if you're new to Stripe.
5. •Follow Stripe's steps to verify your identity and link your bank account for payouts.
6. •Once complete, Stripe will redirect you back to Lawnager automatically.
7. •You'll see a green Connected status next to Stripe in your Payment settings. You're ready to accept cards.

Tip: Stripe payouts typically arrive in your bank account within 2 business days once your account is fully verified.

What Happens After You Connect

Once Stripe is connected:

• •Invoices sent to customers will include a Pay Now button that accepts credit and debit cards.
• •Customers can also pay through the client portal using a saved card.
• •Payments are automatically recorded on the invoice — no manual entry needed.
• •You can still accept cash, check, and Venmo alongside Stripe. These options are all managed in Settings → Payments.

Stripe Processing Fees

Stripe charges a transaction fee per payment (typically 2.9% + 30¢ for card payments in the US). This is collected by Stripe directly — Lawnager does not add any additional fees on top.

You can choose to pass the processing fee on to customers or absorb it yourself. To set this up, go to Settings → Payments and look for the Pass credit card fees to customer toggle.

Common Issues

I clicked "Connect with Stripe" but nothing happened. Make sure your browser isn't blocking pop-ups. Try disabling your ad blocker or opening Lawnager in a different browser.

Stripe says my account needs more information. This usually means Stripe needs additional identity or business verification. Log in directly at dashboard.stripe.com to see what's required. Your Lawnager connection will activate once verification is complete.

The "Connected" status isn't showing after I finished Stripe setup. Refresh the Settings → Payments page. If it still shows as disconnected, try clicking Connect with Stripe again — Stripe will recognize your existing account and re-link it without requiring you to re-enter your details.

I want to disconnect Stripe. Go to Settings → Payments and click Disconnect next to Stripe. Note that any pending payouts will still process through Stripe after disconnecting. Customers will no longer see the online payment option on new invoices.

Testing Payments Before Going Live

Lawnager includes a Test Mode for notifications, but payment testing is handled on Stripe's side. If you want to do a test transaction before charging real customers, you can temporarily enable Test Mode in your Stripe dashboard and use Stripe's test card numbers. Just remember to switch Stripe back to live mode when you're done.

Tip: You can also enable Test Mode in Lawnager under Settings → Notifications to safely test how invoices and payment reminders are delivered without sending real emails to customers.

Related Articles

• •Tax & Payment Settings
• •Invoicing & Payments
• •Managing Notifications & Test Mode