Stripe Reviews 

Initial Compliance and False Hope (Sept 2023 - Jan 2024)

Stripe's Initial Request for Information (September 28, 2023): Stripe sought additional details about our business for compliance, temporarily suspending our payouts.

Our Comprehensive Response: We provided detailed information about our products, marketing strategies, and logistics, fully complying with Stripe's request.

Account Reactivation (October 1, 2023): Stripe reactivated our account, recognizing our compliance, which initially seemed like a positive development.

This early interaction with Stripe created an illusion of understanding and support for our business operations, which was dramatically disrupted by their later actions.

2024: Crisis Intensifies Despite Account Reopening

Enhanced Holiday Marketing Efforts: Our increased advertisement spending resulted in significant sales growth.

Unexpected Account Closure (January 1, 2024): Despite adhering to the vetted business model, Stripe abruptly closed our accounts at the height of our holiday sales without any prior warning or clear explanation.

Account Re-Review and Reopening (January 8, 2024): After considerable effort and communication with Stripe, our account was re-reviewed and reopened. The reason given for the initial closure is as follows:
“It looks like some transactions on your account were misidentified as unauthorised, which led us to close your account. This was a mistake on our end, and we've just re-enabled your account. We're very sorry….”

However, this has not resolved our issues as our funds remain inaccessible since January 1st.

The Vicious Cycle Continues..
Chargebacks and Fund Delays: The initial account closure by Stripe initiated a damaging cycle of chargebacks, leading to further delays in fund access (which we still do not have!).

Broken Support System: Our repeated attempts to seek help through Stripe's support channels, including emails to “heretohelp@stripe”, were met with automated, unhelpful responses, showcasing a deeply flawed support system.

Ongoing Financial and Reputational Damage: The continual delay in accessing our funds, coupled with the increasing chargebacks, poses a severe risk of liquidation for our business. It also threatens to blacklist us from payment processors and erodes the trust of our customers.

Government and Regulatory Bodies: Ineffective Response
UK Government - Small Business Commissioner's Liz Barclay’s Response: "I understand that this too will have a negative impact on your cashflow. Since these practices were first brought to our attention in the summer, we have been gathering complaints and experiences, and have raised our serious concerns with Minister for Small Business and his Office. However, currently there is no legislation that allows us to act on your behalf" - This response highlights a complete lack of legislative support for UK businesses in our situation.

Financial Conduct Authority's Neutral Position: The FCA maintained their stance of impartiality, offering no direct assistance or intervention in our dispute with Stripe. Their advice was for us to consider business loans, a suggestion that does not address the immediate issue with Stripe.

Immediate Need for Fund Release: We reiterate our urgent appeal to Stripe to release our withheld funds to prevent our business from irreversible financial damage. The lack of access to these funds severely hampers our ability to fulfill customer orders and sustain operations.

Call for Reform: This ongoing crisis underlines the need for UK regulatory reform to protect small businesses from arbitrary/automated decisions of large payment processors.

In conclusion, despite Stripe reopening our account, our crisis persists. We find ourselves in a destructive financial loop, exacerbated by Stripe's ineffective support system. Continual responses of 'under review' have led us nowhere, deepening our financial distress. Repeated attempts to reach out to 'heretohelp@stripe' result in automated, non-assistive replies, edging us closer to potential liquidation and the threat of being blacklisted by major payment processors. Stripe's conduct, reminiscent of a corporate-style social credit system, leaves us powerless and jeopardizes our directors' future entrepreneurial endeavors, especially with the looming risk of being barred from Visa/Mastercard networks due to Stripe’s actions and the incoming chargebacks caused by the delays. Such practices are in stark contradiction to the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) regulations, highlighting an urgent need for stronger regulatory measures to safeguard small businesses against such unchecked and consequential decisions.

I got an email from Stripe on 29 September 2023 saying that they are closing my account due to the elevated dispute risk associated with my business although there have been ZERO disputes in my account so far since opening it. After the closure of my account, they have blocked the customer support call and chat options for me and only kept the email option available which they don't respond to. Now they are holding all my funds (€1,168.72) and I can't get them back.

doesn't exist, you cannot even review them, they are not getting back to us for ages and ghosted our case

Stripe's customer service is the most miserable experience of my life!!!!!!
I have never known such incompetent people who prematurely end online chat and repeat the same rubbish each time you get reconnect to a different operator.
let me put you on hold for 3-5 minutes..... 20 minutes later, can you confirm something that you have already confirmed ten minutes ago aaaaaaaaHHHH

clearly a case of the lowest bidder in a call centre somewhere, whilst they collect everyones money and hold onto it for as long as they can.

dont understand how they get away with it, a simple search online tells you all you need to know with the negative reviews.
time to find a reliable merchant but certainly not stripe

please please please do not use stripe

My website is Treasurentreats

I sell on Etsy and have many happy clients, returning buyers, over 1000 sales on Etsy and over 430 5 star reviews from my happy buyers but that still isn't good enough for Stripe.

Out of the blue, I Stripe told me I could not longer use them as a payment processor. they refuse to tell me why, I asked them why so I could remedy whatever problem but their spokespeople give deliberately vague answers.

My website has not one refund, return or chargeback.

This is called debanking, it is not right, it is discrimination.

Go broke stripe.

My payment has been paid to stripe in Oct and still not received my package

Pitiful! It's now 5 weeks since I subscribed to sell on a platform. All good & easy to do.

Problems arose when I tried to go through the Stripe verification process with so many issues, it's unbelievable. I was told at the time that there was a bug which was not allowing my ID to be verified & the issue would be escalated

I've written 58 emails to them asking why, in 2023, they can't solve this issue in 5 weeks. Bear in mind that I already have a Stripe account & this should have been such a simple thing to do. I've even been told that they're working on this issue 24/7. Really??

Stripe are slow to answer emails, leading to more frustrations. I've even been told that this new platform is verified, yet when I look at that account it's still is not. Hmmmm!!! Yet another email.

In desperation I emailed the Complaints Dept a week ago & no reply received. So, either they don't have a Complaints Dept or they really couldn't care less.

I would have preferred to give Stripe minus stars, but sadly this isn't an option.

Do NOT use!

Horrendous customer services, accounts disabled for no reason, missing funds!

Do not trust this company to look after your money

My account was closed without warning. I was told I had breached the terms of service when I sell toys for under 10 year olds online and in store.

I was told stripe do not accept payment for

"gambling, including fantasy sports, games of chance, and games of skill with prizes of value"

When I sell none of these things.

When I emailed and asked what item I sell that breaches this they just said:

"We are required to follow strict guidelines on the types of businesses we can and can't support. We're unable to work with any business that we believe poses elevated financial risk, legal liability, or violates our own policies; in this case, after a thorough review of your account, we have determined that your business falls within these categories."

So basically can't tell me what I sell that breaches any terms.

Absolutely ridiculous.

The good thing is I will now move on to another payment service.

I recently had a very disappointing experience with Stripe. Despite running a clean and legitimate business, my funds were unexpectedly frozen, which had a significant impact on my company. I did everything in my power to resolve the situation, but unfortunately, no solution was found.

I am deeply disappointed with the lack of support and understanding from Stripe. As the owner of a transparent and honest business, I expected better handling of this situation. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

I want to caution other entrepreneurs and small business owners about the risks associated with using Stripe. Make sure to explore all available options and take steps to protect your funds and your business.

Ultimately, this experience has taught me the importance of choosing reliable financial partners and always being prepared to handle unexpected situations. I will continue to seek solutions to resolve this situation and look for more dependable alternatives for my online transactions.

I would like to share my unfortunate experience with Stripe, which has resulted in substantial financial losses exceeding $22,000. This ordeal has had a profound impact on both my personal life and the viability of my small business. It is my belief that this situation has arisen through a questionable collaboration with Comenity Bank. I am writing this review not only to document my own grievances but also to extend a call to action to others who may find themselves in a similar predicament.

My interaction with Stripe has regrettably proven to be detrimental, as I have incurred significant financial hardships. The losses I have suffered have far-reaching consequences, both personally and in terms of my business's financial stability. This experience has underscored the need for transparency and accountability in financial transactions, particularly when they involve partnerships with financial institutions such as Comenity Bank.

I am of the firm conviction that I am not alone in facing these challenges. To this end, I invite individuals who have encountered similar issues with Stripe and Comenity Bank to reach out to me. By collectively sharing our experiences and grievances, we can initiate a concerted effort to address these concerns and seek appropriate redress. It is essential to recognize that the more voices that come together to report instances of abuse, the stronger our collective position becomes in advocating for fairness and accountability.

In conclusion, my intention in sharing this review is to shed light on the challenges I have faced with Stripe and Comenity Bank, as well as to serve as a catalyst for collective action. I believe that by uniting in our efforts to bring these issues to light, we can effect positive change and hold accountable those responsible for any unjust practices. Your support and collaboration in this endeavor would be greatly appreciated.

Absolutely no contact numbers whatsoever! Emailed them regarding capital loans, they forwarded links that just don't work!
What a horrible company to deal with!

Why is this Company still allowed to be trading????? Surely the Fraud Office at Trading Standards should have them wiped off all markets

Just crap! dont use it its a scam

What a total load of crap.funds are held in processing for days and days , then once it says funds processed and available ,you still have to wait days for it to be paid into your account. been waiting for days and days to be paid into bank, and still nothing . How many people do they do this to and hold there money for so long.they say the reason it takes so long to get funds is because your account settings are not set to instant payout , well I've done that and still been waiting nearly a week. Absolute joke!

They put a rolling 90 day reserve on our account, meaning they take 25% of revenue and only release it 3 months later.

This is absolutely scandalous and has the potential to bring our small hospitality business to its knees. We need money to fund our business during peak season, not once it's over! Absolutely criminal.

The reason for the hold? Because they think we're high risk for charge backs!

We're a small self catering lodge park in Loch Ness! We've had two chargebacks in eight years!

Crooks. Having to change merchant providers ASAP!

I want to share my disappointing experience with Stripe, a once-promising payment provider. In recent years, their support services have deteriorated, policies have become confusing, and they now hold funds without justification. It's frustrating to see a company that was once reliable and customer-focused lose its way.

Stripe's support services have taken a turn for the worse. What was once exceptional has become a nightmare. It seems their customer service is now outsourced, leaving them clueless about account issues and leaving us, the customers, feeling abandoned.

Adding to the frustration, Stripe's ever-changing policies have left users confused and helpless. They rely too heavily on platform settings and automation, making issue resolution incredibly challenging. Addressing customer concerns and ensuring a smooth payment experience are no longer their priorities.

However, the most concerning issue is their practice of holding funds without explanation. They even hold funds of customers outside the US, despite having US bank accounts and a history of seamless USD transactions. This double punishment, coupled with increased fees and arbitrary minimum thresholds, causes havoc for businesses. It's unacceptable for a company claiming to be an intermediary to engage in such exploitative behavior.

Stripe's actions resemble those of scammers, not a trustworthy payment provider. They seize a portion of our hard-earned money and hold it indefinitely, leaving us wondering about the fate of these accumulated funds. Their lack of transparency is deeply concerning and erodes any remaining trust.

As a small business owner, I know the significance of cash availability and timely payments. Sadly, Stripe shows complete disregard for these vital aspects. By holding funds, they jeopardize the financial stability and success of countless businesses, including mine.

As a victim of the abuses committed by financial gateway companies, I strongly urge everyone affected to take action. It is essential to properly fill out a complaint with the Ombedusman or your local financial court. I speak from personal experience, having won several cases against their biggest competitor. These victories resulted in the release of funds and even financial compensation for the damages inflicted upon my business.

‪Be very careful of this Rob dog payment platform. They add on charge backs to steal more money from you on top of their high fees. Dont use them under any circumstances. Plenty of other better payment platforms out there. ‬

IF YOU WANT YOUR BUSINESS TO BE RUINED USE STRIPE- AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE- ZERO CARE- STUCK UP ENTITLED BUSINESS TEAM

The absolute worst customer service I have ever experienced in my whole life. Do not trust Stripe with your business transactions, they will make a mess of your payments and make you look very unprofessional in front of your own clients, damaging your reputation.