The purpose of the API is to simplify financial operations for businesses. It helps automate card creation, manage employee expenses, and handle payouts quickly. Companies can use it for things like issuing employee expense cards, managing customer rewards, or creating on-demand payment systems. By using Stripe Issuing API, businesses save time, reduce paperwork, and improve financial control.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
How Stripe Issuing API Works
The Stripe Issuing API works by allowing businesses to create and manage their own payment cards directly through Stripe’s system. Once a company sets up its account, it can issue both physical and virtual cards to employees, customers, or partners. These cards can be used for different business needs, such as expense tracking, payouts, or rewards. The API gives full control over each card, including setting spending limits, usage areas, and merchant restrictions.
When a card is used, the Stripe Issuing API processes the transaction in real time. Businesses can instantly approve or decline transactions based on custom rules. This helps prevent unauthorized spending and ensures better control over company funds. The API also connects smoothly with Stripe’s existing payment network, so managing balances and transfers becomes easy.
The dashboard offers complete visibility into every transaction. Businesses can monitor activity, generate reports, and review spending patterns with ease. This real-time insight helps maintain transparency and supports better budgeting decisions.
Key Features of Stripe Issuing
Virtual and Physical Card Creation
Stripe Issuing allows businesses to create both physical and virtual cards instantly. Physical cards can be branded with your company’s logo, while virtual cards are ready to use online within seconds. This feature is perfect for employee expenses, customer rewards, or digital payments. It helps businesses control their finances without needing traditional banks.
Real-Time Authorization and Controls
With real-time authorization, businesses can approve or decline transactions as they happen. You can set spending limits, define allowed merchants, and monitor transactions immediately. This gives you complete control over how company funds are used and helps prevent unauthorized purchases.
Detailed Reporting and Analytics
Stripe Issuing includes powerful reporting tools that track every transaction. Businesses can view detailed spending insights, identify patterns, and make smarter financial decisions. It simplifies expense tracking, making it easy to stay organized and manage budgets effectively.
Strong Security Features
Security is a major focus in Stripe Issuing. It includes built-in fraud prevention, data encryption, and customizable spending rules. These tools protect your business and cardholders from financial risks. With these safeguards, businesses can confidently manage all their payment activities through Stripe.
Card Creation and Management Fees
Cost of Virtual Cards
Virtual cards are quick to issue and very affordable. In the US, a virtual card typically costs around $0.10 USD. In the UK and EU, the cost is roughly £0.10 or €0.10 per card. Since these cards are digital, there are no production or delivery charges. They are ideal for online payments and frequent use.
Cost of Physical Cards
Creating a physical card comes with a one-time production fee. In the US, the typical cost is about $3.50 USD per card, while in the UK and EU, it is around £3.50 or €3.50. The price can increase if you choose custom designs, company logos, or premium materials. These fees cover manufacturing and standard delivery.
Management and Maintenance Charges
Stripe Issuing does not charge a monthly fee for keeping cards active. Businesses can manage cards, including activating, deactivating, or updating details, directly from the dashboard at no extra cost. Replacing lost or expired physical cards may require an additional charge, mainly for production and shipping, while virtual cards are cheaper to replace.
Transaction and Processing Costs
Stripe Issuing charges fees for each transaction made using its cards. Domestic transactions, which happen within the same country, usually cost around 0.2% to 0.3% of the transaction amount, depending on the type of card and payment method. This small percentage covers the processing of payments and ensures the transaction is secure and authorized in real time.
For international transactions, there is an additional fee. Cross-border payments typically incur an extra 1% on top of the standard transaction fee. This covers currency conversion and the costs associated with handling payments across different countries.
Each transaction, whether domestic or international, is processed instantly. Businesses can monitor every transaction through the Stripe dashboard, giving them complete visibility over spending and authorizations. This setup helps prevent fraud and ensures all payments are tracked accurately.
Currency Conversion and International Fees
Stripe Issuing applies additional fees when cards are used for transactions in a different currency than the card’s default. For most businesses, currency conversion usually costs around 1% of the transaction amount. This fee covers the process of converting the payment into the card’s currency and ensures the transaction is processed smoothly across borders.
International transactions may also include cross-border fees. These are typically an extra 1% on top of the standard transaction charge. The fees vary depending on the country and payment network used. Businesses can check these costs in advance to avoid surprises when issuing cards globally.
The Stripe dashboard provides full visibility into these charges. Every converted transaction is listed with the amount, currency, and applicable fees. This helps businesses track international spending clearly and maintain control over global expenses.
Card Replacement and Delivery Charges
Replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged physical card usually involves a one-time fee. In the US, the average cost for a replacement card is about $3.50 USD, while in the UK and EU, it is around £3.50 or €3.50. This fee covers the cost of producing a new card.
Delivery charges for physical cards depend on the shipping method and destination. Standard delivery is often included in the production fee, but expedited shipping may incur an extra cost. Virtual cards, on the other hand, can be replaced instantly at a much lower cost, usually around $0.10 USD or £0.10 / €0.10, since no physical production or shipping is required.
Businesses can manage replacements directly from the Stripe dashboard. Cards can be deactivated, reissued, or updated without extra monthly fees. This makes it easy to maintain control over employee or customer cards while keeping costs predictable.
Ways to Reduce Stripe Issuing Expenses
Use Virtual Cards Whenever Possible
Using virtual cards instead of physical cards can save money. Virtual cards are cheaper to create and replace. They are ideal for online transactions and frequent spending, helping reduce overall card production costs.
Set Spending Limits and Controls
Businesses can lower fees by setting spending limits and usage restrictions on each card. This prevents unnecessary or unauthorized transactions, which helps reduce processing and replacement costs.
Monitor Transactions Regularly
Regularly checking transactions through the Stripe dashboard helps identify unusual or excessive spending early. Active monitoring ensures better control over costs and prevents avoidable fees.
Choose Standard Shipping for Physical Cards
Opting for standard delivery rather than expedited shipping can save on replacement costs for physical cards. This small change can reduce expenses without affecting card functionality.
Consolidate Transactions and Reduce Replacements
Combining smaller payments into fewer cards and educating cardholders on proper usage helps avoid frequent replacements. This strategy minimizes production and replacement fees, keeping costs predictable.
Conclusion
Stripe Issuing API pricing is simple and mostly pay-as-you-go. Businesses pay for creating virtual or physical cards, processing transactions, and optional replacements. Virtual cards are very cheap, while physical cards cost more due to production and shipping. International transactions and currency conversions may add small extra fees.
By using spending controls, monitoring transactions, and choosing virtual cards when possible, businesses can manage costs effectively. Overall, Stripe Issuing provides transparency and flexibility. It helps businesses control expenses, track payments, and issue cards efficiently without hidden fees, making it a reliable solution for modern financial management.
