Payment methods
Card networks for online stores: what each one means for your checkout
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Cards are still the method almost every online shopper can use, but each network has its own reach, security check and dispute rules. Visa and Mastercard work for Stripe accounts in every country Stripe serves. American Express, Discover, Diners Club, JCB and UnionPay have shorter lists of seller countries. Local networks such as Cartes Bancaires and eftpos ride on co-badged cards. This guide covers each network from a store owner's side, with what PlatformDTC checkout does with it.
| Network | In short |
|---|---|
| Visa | The most widely accepted card network; works for Stripe sellers in every country. |
| Mastercard | Global card network; works for Stripe sellers everywhere, with its own chargeback programs. |
| American Express | Card network that issues most of its own cards; not available to Stripe sellers in four countries. |
| Discover | US-born network in Discover Global Network; Stripe sellers in the US, Canada, Japan, UK and most of Europe. |
| Diners Club | Charge and credit card brand in Discover Global Network; same Stripe seller countries as Discover. |
| JCB | Japan's card network; Stripe sellers in Asia-Pacific, North America, the UK and Europe can take it. |
| UnionPay | China's card network; Stripe sellers in Asia-Pacific, North America, the UK and Europe can take it. |
| Cartes Bancaires | France's local debit network; most cards are co-badged with Visa or Mastercard. |
| eftpos | Australia's local debit network; online only on cards co-branded with Visa or Mastercard. |
| Interac | Canada's debit network; on Stripe it is for in-person payments, not online card forms. |
Which networks PlatformDTC checkout takes
The card form at the bottom of PlatformDTC checkout is Stripe's Payment Element, charged on the store's own Stripe account. A store can also run cards through PayPal card fields, Authorize.Net, NMI, Airwallex, Checkout.com or, in the Gulf, MyFatoorah. Under Settings, Payments, Payment methods, Cards, an owner can refuse single brands or credit, debit or prepaid cards, and set a separate rule for subscription carts. People who already subscribe keep renewing on the card they have.
| Network | Stripe seller countries | 3D Secure on Stripe | Can a PlatformDTC store refuse it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | All Stripe countries | Yes (Visa Secure) | Yes |
| Mastercard | All Stripe countries | Yes (Mastercard Identity Check) | Yes |
| American Express | All except Brazil, Malaysia, Thailand, UAE | Yes (American Express SafeKey) | Yes |
| Discover and Diners Club | US, Canada, Japan, UK and most of the EEA plus Switzerland | Yes | Yes (each one separately) |
| JCB | Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, UK, US, EEA except Iceland | In some seller countries only | Yes |
| UnionPay | Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, UK, US, Switzerland, EEA except Iceland | Yes | Yes |
| Cartes Bancaires | SEPA countries plus Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, US | Yes | No separate switch |
| eftpos | Australia only | Yes | No separate switch |
Fees, disputes and security in plain words
Card fees depend on your processor and country. As one public example, Stripe's US price list shows 2.9% + 30¢ per domestic card payment, 1.5% more for an international card, 1% more when currency is converted, and a $15.00 fee for each dispute received.
A shopper can usually dispute a card payment within 120 days, and you get about 7 to 21 days to answer, depending on the network. 3D Secure asks the bank to confirm the cardholder; a fraud dispute on a payment that passed it usually moves to the bank, though Stripe says that is never guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a separate contract for each card network?
- Not on Stripe. Stripe says Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and Diners Club, JCB, UnionPay and eftpos work without extra setup where your account country allows them. Cartes Bancaires and Interac need extra configuration.
- Can I stop taking prepaid cards on subscriptions only?
- Yes. PlatformDTC lets you refuse credit, debit or prepaid cards for subscription carts separately from one-time orders. A refused card gets a plain message asking for a different card or PayPal.
- Which card network has the strictest dispute rules?
- Cartes Bancaires. Stripe says it needs stronger evidence before a cardholder can dispute, so disputes are rarer, but sellers in the SEPA area cannot contest them. Stripe charges no dispute fee on them.
Sources
- Cards: supported card brands — Stripe
- How disputes work — Stripe
- 3D Secure authentication — Stripe
- Pricing — Stripe