Stripe Corporate Card Review

Pros

• Customizable card program
• No setup fees
• Automatic reconciliation
• Virtual & physical cards
• Multi-currency support

Cons

• Not all businesses will qualify
• Must be an existing Stripe user
• Fees for cards can add up

What Is Stripe Issuing?

If you want a truly personalized card program for your business, Stripe Issuing may be worth looking into, especially if you already use Stripe for payment processing.

Stripe Issuing allows you to create a customized card issuing program for your business. Stripe Issuing is a compliance-first program, with bank partners and an experienced compliance team to help you launch your card program. You can also opt for a processing only model that allows you to maintain your own banking relationships and licenses.

Fintech-focused businesses that want a truly personalized experience for employees and customers — from expense management and fleet management to credit programs and customer rewards — will appreciate what Stripe has to offer.

At the time of our last review, Stripe offered a rewards corporate card available by invitation only. There are no updates on this card, and it is no longer promoted by Stripe.

Stripe Issuing Rewards & Perks

As mentioned, Stripe once promoted a corporate card with cash-back rewards. Currently, that product no longer seems to be available.

However, under Stripe Issuing, you can earn a share of interchange revenue from every purchase. You can opt to keep this revenue for your business, or you can use it to provide rewards for your customers.

Unfortunately, Stripe doesn’t appear to offer any perks, discounts, or other rewards directly through Stripe Issuing. However, partner discounts and perks may be available through other products in the Stripe ecosystem, such as Stripe Atlas for startups.

Access To Other Stripe Services

One of the biggest perks of Stripe Issuing is that it integrates directly with Stripe and gives you access to other key stripe services like:

• Stripe Payment Processing
• Stripe Capital
• Stripe Invoices
• Stripe Treasury

Based on how you set up your card program, users may benefit from some of these services. For example, users can hold funds, pay bills, and earn yield with Stripe Treasury, and customers can access funding through Stripe Capital.

Stripe Issuing Pricing & Fees

You won’t find traditional card fees like monthly or annual fees when you create your corporate card program through Stripe Issuing. These cards aren’t completely fee-free, though.

The following fees apply:

Stripe doesn’t list specific guidelines for Issuing eligibility besides the fact that you must have a Stripe account. You will need to contact Stripe Sales for more information about the program.

Stripe does note that Issuing is “the preferred card issuance infrastructure provider for disruptive startups, innovative software platforms, and evolving enterprises.”

Stripe Issuing Application Process

Stripe users in the US, UK, and certain countries in the EU have access to Issuing’s test mode right within their dashboard. This allows Stripe users to see how Issuing works, get hands-on with the service, and determine if it’s a good fit for their business.

Access to test mode does not mean you’re approved for Stripe Issuing. You will need to contact Stripe Sales directly to request access to live mode. You can do this directly from the Stripe Issuing landing page.

After providing details about your business, Stripe will determine if your use case is supported and will contact you with more information about getting started.

Stripe Issuing Features

Stripe Issuing allows you to create a corporate card program customized for your users.

Notable features include:

• Multi-currency support
• Real-time transaction approval
• Create physical & virtual cards
• Cards can be used with digital wallets
• Custom card branding
• Set spending controls for cards & cardholders, including category restrictions, spending limits, & geographic controls
• Automated categorization
• Earn interchange revenue with card usage
• Attach cards to Stripe Treasury or Stripe Capital

Stripe Issuing Customer Service

Stripe offers 24/7 phone & live chat support for all customers.

When paired with the knowledgebase and extensive developer documentation, Stripe’s support options are quite solid. However, customers have mixed reviews on the quality of the customer support representatives.

Stripe Issuing Customer Reviews

Stripe has a large online presence with mixed reviews. Stripe gets a lot of praise for the quality of its service. However, it also gets a high volume of complaints regarding account stability, although this happens with all third-party processors due to the inherent risk of account holds & terminations.

For Stripe Issuing specifically, there are far fewer reviews. Stripe Issuing earns a 4.3 out of 5 on G2 (based on 19+ reviews) and a 3.7 out of 5 on Capterra (based on 3 reviews).

Negative Stripe Issuing Reviews & Complaints

• Long payout times
• Couldn’t get approved to use Stripe Issuing
• Global accessibility is limited
• Limited reporting features

Positive Stripe Issuing Reviews

• Great customization & control
• User-friendly platform
• No setup fees
• Easy to create & manage cards
• Real-time tracking & card management

Is Stripe Issuing Safe?

As an eCommerce-focused payment processor, Stripe is a PCI Service Provider Level 1, which is the strongest certification level available in the payments industry.

Final Verdict: Is Stripe Issuing Worth It?

Stripe Issuing isn’t like most corporate cards we review. Instead, this platform allows you to create a custom card program that’s right for your business. Whether you want to use your existing licenses or want to use Stripe’s compliance team and bank partners to launch your program, Stripe Issuing has what you’re looking for.

However, there are a few things worth noting here. You have to have a Stripe account to qualify, and even then, not all businesses will qualify for Stripe Issuing — you must prove your use case before being approved to go live. This also isn’t a plug-and-play solution. If you’re looking for a corporate card program that offers rewards or is already set up for you, try one of the best corporate cards instead.

When To Choose Stripe For Corporate Cards

When To Pass On Stripe For Corporate Cards

If you already use Stripe for processing and want a truly customized card program, it’s worth reaching out to Stripe to learn more and to see if you qualify.

Corporate Card Review Methodology

Merchant Maverick has been researching and reviewing business credit cards and corporate cards since 2018. Our writers have evaluated over sixty different business card products. In each corporate card review, we evaluate rewards and perks, rates and fees, features, eligibility requirements, customer service, and user reviews. Read more about how we rate corporate cards.

Note: We use a different credit card rating methodology to evaluate traditional business credit cards, as they often differ from corporate cards in benefits, qualifications, and use cases.

When comparing corporate cards, we consider many data points, including the specifics of cash back and spending rewards, the presence of annual fees, the breadth and flexibility of reward redemption options, revenue and time in business qualifications, credit score requirements, and extra perks. Our lists of the best corporate cards include only those we’ve deemed worthwhile from multiple vantage points and often share qualities such as widespread availability, low fees, competitive rewards, and reasonable revenue, cash-on-hand, and time in business requirements.

We spend an average of 10-15 hours researching and updating each one of our lists, making sure the corporate cards included meet our internal standards for quality and reputation.

The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆

Stripe Issuing	Apply Now

After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Stripe Issuing for yourself.

The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆

Stripe Issuing	Apply Now

After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Stripe Issuing for yourself.