ThunderPOS can link with Stripe for easy in-person credit card processing in the US or Canada, with predictable processing fees published on Stripe’s website.
In previous versions, we have offered a paid connector that would allow for processing credit cards through Stripe. While functional, this required a level of technical know-how to configure, as you needed to create your own Stripe account, get hardware from them, and generate and plug your credentials into the system. Moving forward once version 25.7.1 is released, we’re happy to announce that through a partnership with Stripe we’re able to streamline this process and remove the paywall to the connector. You can now sign up for a Stripe account through ThunderPOS for Windows or through thunderpos.net and your credentials will automatically be linked into the software.
To manage your Stripe account through the windows client, you’ll just go to system administration -> settings, click on the plus sign next to Credit Cards, and go to Stripe Settings. Hitting the Stripe Settings button on this screen will launch the management screen you see above. This account has already been set up, but if you are creating a new one the Stripe Account button will launch you into a web browser with Stripe’s signup process.
If you’re using thunderpos.net, you can manage a Stripe account through a similar screen available through the Payments menu and then Stripe. When you are ordering your Stripe Terminal hardware during this process, there are specific readers we are able to support. As of this writing, those are the Stripe Reader S700 and the BBPOS WisePOS E. You’ll want to get a terminal device for each register you’re going to be processing from.
You’ll also need certain business information for signing up, the same as you would for any credit card processing account – bank account information for deposits, proof of identity, tax ids, address information, etc. Stripe’s signup process will guide you through this, and you can always resume later in the event that you need to retrieve information elsewhere.
Once you’ve signed up and received the hardware, Stripe’s devices are easy to set up. On first booting one up, you’ll be walked through connecting it to your wifi network, and then presented with a connection code, which will be a few words separated by dashes. To connect the terminal to your point of sale, you’ll navigate back to the settings screen described above. You’ll need to have one or more locations created, which are the physical addresses the terminals will be operating at, and then within the location this register will be at you can add and select the terminal.
Also through settings, you can set the currency you want to use. This may be restricted based on the country of your account – for example, to do Canadian Dollars or support Canadian Debit, you’ll need to have your account in Stripe created in Canada, not in the United States. Once you’ve linked the terminal, the device will apply updates and restart. This may take a few minutes, but once the screen is back to the Stripe idle screen, you’re ready to process. Processing cards is easy – when you’re finished adding items to the transaction, just go to complete transaction, then press the Credit Card button. The transaction will be sent to your connected terminal.
At this point, the customer will be able to insert or tap their card or contactless payment. You can cancel the credit transaction by clicking cancel, or the transaction will automatically time out after about ninety seconds. If the customer runs a card and it is approved, it’ll be applied to the transaction, and if the funds cover the full transaction amount the transaction will automatically complete and a receipt will print.
Refunds through Stripe can only be done to the card used for the original transaction, and the return must be created through the transaction details screen. If no credit card was used on the original transaction, you won’t be able to refund money to a credit card. However, the card will not need to be present at the time of refund; Stripe will automatically link it to the prior transaction and protect you from return frauds like attempting to do multiple returns of the same item. We’re very hopeful that this simple solution for card processing will help you all out and are happy to answer any questions regarding it through the usual support contacts – support@thunderpos.com or (919) 387-7597×101. This feature will be available very soon with the release of 25.7.1.