> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.disco.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Stripe

Stripe is the payment processor that handles every transaction in your Disco Academy, from one-time Program purchases to recurring Membership subscriptions.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/disco-e32b1565/P1hzDW8XN9fJBf-q/images/Integrations-Stripe.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=P1hzDW8XN9fJBf-q&q=85&s=c472fc8361a4759d4e4b86468976c73e" alt="Integrations Stripe" width="1120" height="560" data-path="images/Integrations-Stripe.png" />

## Overview

All payments in Disco are processed through Stripe. When a Member purchases access to a Program or Membership, the funds are transferred directly to your connected bank account. Stripe handles payment security, PCI compliance, refunds, disputes, and discount logic. Disco never charges any transaction fees, though Stripe applies its own credit card processing fees (typically 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction).

Before you can monetize Programs or Memberships in Disco, you must connect a verified Stripe account to your Academy.

## Connect Stripe to your Academy

Connecting Stripe authorizes Disco to create products, process payments, and route funds to your bank account.

1. From the **Admin** tab, select **Integrations**.
2. Find Stripe in the list and click **Connect Stripe**.
3. Sign in to your existing Stripe account, or follow the prompts to create a new one.
4. Authorize the connection and return to Disco.

If you do not have a Stripe account, follow [this guide](https://support.stripe.com/questions/getting-started-with-stripe-create-or-connect-an-account) to create one before starting the connection.

Make sure the email associated with your Stripe account matches the Owner email on your Disco Academy. Mismatched accounts are the most common reason a connection fails to validate.

## Disconnect or replace a Stripe account

If you connected the wrong Stripe account or need to swap to a different one, contact Disco Support. Disconnecting a live Stripe account is not a self-serve action because active subscriptions and Member access depend on the connection.

## Process a refund

Refunds are handled entirely from your Stripe dashboard, not from Disco.

1. Log in to your Stripe dashboard and open the **Payments** page.
2. Find the charge you want to refund.
3. Click the `•••` icon to the right of the charge and select **Refund charge**.
4. Enter the refund amount. The default is a full refund. For a partial refund, enter a smaller amount.
5. Select a reason. If you choose **Other**, add an explanatory note.
6. Click **Refund**.

Refer to [Stripe's refund guide](https://support.stripe.com/questions/refund-a-customer) for additional detail.

<Tip>
  Issuing a refund in Stripe does not automatically revoke a Member's access to the Program or Membership they purchased.
</Tip>

## Reissue a receipt to a Member

Members automatically receive an invoice from Stripe when they purchase a Program. If a Member needs the receipt resent:

1. Log in to your Stripe dashboard.
2. Click the **Payments** tab.
3. Find the Member's payment and open it.
4. Scroll to **Receipt History**.
5. Click **Send receipt**.

## Enable receipts for Membership payments

Membership payments do not send receipts by default. To turn them on:

1. From your Stripe dashboard, go to **Settings** → **Customer Emails**.
2. Enable **Successful Payments** under the Payments section.

Members will now receive an invoice and receipt each time their Membership renews.

## Manage discounts and promotion codes

Discounts for Programs and Memberships are managed entirely from your Stripe dashboard. Stripe uses two related concepts:

* A **Coupon** defines the discount itself (percentage or fixed amount, duration, redemption limits).
* A **Promotion Code** is the customer-facing code that maps to a Coupon. Members enter the Promotion Code at checkout to apply the discount.

You must create both. Creating only a Coupon will not produce a working discount code for Members.

### Create a Coupon

1. From your Stripe dashboard, go to **Products** → **Coupons**.
2. Click **+ New**.
3. Fill in the Coupon details:
   * **Name:** A descriptive label for internal use.
   * **ID:** Optional. Stripe generates one if left blank.
   * **Type:** Percentage discount or fixed amount.
   * **Discount Amount:** The percentage or dollar value.
   * **Duration:** Once, repeating, or forever.
   * **Apply to specific products:** Optional. Limit the Coupon to certain products.
   * **Redemption Limits:** Optional. Cap the total number of uses.
4. Click **Create coupon**.

### Create a Promotion Code

1. On the Coupon detail page, click **Use customer-facing coupon codes**.
2. Enter the code Members will type at checkout (for example, `FALLPROMO`). Leave blank to have Stripe generate one.
3. Set any usage requirements, such as first-time customer only or expiration date.
4. Save the Promotion Code.

### Apply a Coupon to an existing subscription

To attach a Coupon to a Member's existing Membership:

1. From your Stripe dashboard, go to **Billing** → **Subscriptions**.
2. Click the relevant subscription.
3. Click **Actions** → **Update subscription**.
4. Click **Add coupon** and select the Coupon from the dropdown.
5. Click **Submit**.

Refer to [Stripe's coupon documentation](https://docs.stripe.com/billing/subscriptions/coupons) for additional detail.

## Examples

A bootcamp Academy creates a `LAUNCH50` Promotion Code for a 50% off, one-time-use Coupon and shares it with their early waitlist for a new cohort Program.

A professional community offers a `MEMBER25` recurring Coupon that applies 25% off every monthly Membership renewal for accredited partners.

A Membership Academy creates a 100% off forever Coupon for staff and contractors who need free internal access to a paid Program.

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How do I get Stripe to validate when I click Connect?">
    Confirm that you are logged into the correct Disco Academy (not the public Disco marketing site) and that the Stripe account you are signing into uses the same email as your Disco Owner account. Mismatched accounts and being on the wrong Academy are the two most common causes of failed validation.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I disconnect my Stripe account and connect a different one?">
    Not from the Disco UI. Reach out to Disco Support to disconnect the current Stripe integration so you can connect a different account. This protects active subscriptions and Member access.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why didn't my Memberships migrate when I upgraded the Stripe integration?">
    Programs and Memberships migrate separately. If only your Programs came across, contact Disco Support to migrate your Memberships. Do not rebuild them manually, since this can break active subscriptions.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Will a Member be automatically unenrolled from a Program after I issue a refund?">
    No. A refund in Stripe does not revoke access. You must manually unenroll the Member in Disco using [this guide](https://support.disco.co/hc/en-us/articles/34820957889172-How-to-Unenroll-a-Member-from-a-Learning-Program).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why is my discount code not working at checkout even though I created the Coupon?">
    A Coupon by itself is internal to Stripe. Members can only apply a discount through a Promotion Code that maps to the Coupon. Open the Coupon, click **Use customer-facing coupon codes**, and create a Promotion Code with the value Members will type at checkout.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I make a 100% off code that lets a Member skip entering a credit card?">
    Yes for Programs (one-time purchases). When the Member applies a 100% off code, the credit card fields are removed and only billing address is required. For Memberships, Stripe still requires a card on file because Memberships are recurring subscriptions and Stripe needs a payment method to attempt the next renewal. There is no workaround for this on Memberships.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can a Promotion Code be used multiple times?">
    Yes. Set the redemption limit on the Promotion Code in your Stripe dashboard to control how many times it can be used in total or per Member.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can my Members pay with PayPal or other non-card methods?">
    Stripe supports several alternative payment methods, including Klarna and Afterpay installment options. Configure which methods are available from your Stripe dashboard under **Settings** → **Payment methods**. PayPal is supported by Stripe in some regions; check your Stripe account's available payment methods to confirm.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where do Members find their invoices and receipts?">
    Members receive an invoice by email from Stripe at the time of purchase for Programs. For Memberships, receipts are sent only if you have enabled **Successful Payments** under **Customer Emails** in your Stripe settings. Members can also request a copy directly, and you can resend it from the **Payments** tab in your Stripe dashboard.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does Disco charge transaction fees on top of Stripe's fees?">
    No. Disco never adds transaction fees. Stripe charges its standard credit card processing fee (typically 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What benefits do I get by using Stripe through Disco? ">
    Stripe provides [automated tax collection](https://stripe.com/en-ca/tax), [flexible discount management](https://docs.stripe.com/billing/subscriptions/coupons), [multiple payment options](https://stripe.com/en-ca/payments/payment-methods) including installment plans, and [revenue reporting](https://support.stripe.com/questions/stripe-reports) directly from your dashboard.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>