Stripe is how most extension creators get paid after Google shut down Chrome Web Store in-app billing. Opening an account is free; you pay fees only when you sell. This guide walks non-developers through the first hour with Stripe, then shows the one-connection step to Payhook so you never maintain payment webhooks yourself.

You do not need to understand APIs to finish this checklist. You do need a government ID and a bank account when you go live.

What Stripe does (one sentence)

Stripe is the company that processes credit cards and sends you payouts. Your extension should not touch card numbers directly - it sends users to hosted checkout (Payhook opens that for you).

Before you sign up - decide your first offer

Pick one simple Pro offer:

Model	Good for
One-time “Lifetime Pro”	Focus tools, single-feature unlocks
Monthly subscription	Ongoing AI credits, sync, or updates

Write it down:

Product name: ___
Price: $___ per month OR $___ once
What Pro includes (3 bullet points): ___

You can change prices later. Start with one product, not five tiers.

Step 1 - Create your Stripe account

1. Go to https://stripe.com and click Start now
2. Use an email you check daily (password manager recommended)
3. Choose business type honestly - many solo extension creators use Individual / Sole proprietor
4. Complete profile questions (business name can be your personal name at first)

Stay in Test mode (toggle in the Stripe Dashboard) until your extension unlock flow works end-to-end.

Step 2 - Turn on Test mode and explore the Dashboard

Test mode lets you fake purchases without moving real money.

Dashboard area	What you will use it for
Products	Define “Pro” (Payhook can mirror these)
Payments	See test checkouts succeed
Customers	Created automatically at checkout
Developers → API keys	Advanced; Payhook Connect usually avoids copying keys manually

As a non-developer, you will spend most time in Products and later in Payhook, not in API logs.

Step 3 - Create your first Product (optional before Payhook)

In Stripe (Test mode):

1. Product catalog → Add product
2. Name it like your extension Pro tier
3. Add a Price (one-time or recurring)
4. Save

When you connect dashboard.payhook.link, Payhook aligns this catalog with your unlock button and hosted pages. Many creators configure the sellable tier primarily in Payhook after Connect - either path is fine as long as you end with one clear Pro price.

Step 4 - Connect Stripe to Payhook (the important part)

Payhook uses Stripe Connect so:

• You own the Stripe merchant relationship and payouts
• Payhook hosts checkout and entitlement for extensions

Do this once:

1. Sign in to dashboard.payhook.link
2. Complete the Connect Stripe flow (follow the screens - similar to “Sign in with Google”)
3. Create or select your Pro product in Payhook
4. Copy any account / hook identifiers the dashboard shows for your AI integration

You are not hiring a developer to deploy a server. You are linking accounts.

Step 5 - Test a purchase before you announce launch

1. Finish a minimal extension (Chrome, Firefox, or Safari)
2. Integrate Payhook (quickstart)
3. In Stripe Test mode, complete a checkout with Stripe test card numbers (for example 4242 4242 4242 4242, any future expiry, any CVC)
4. Confirm Pro unlocks in the extension

Only then switch Stripe to Live mode and connect live keys through Payhook if the dashboard prompts you.

Going live - checklist non-developers miss

Item	Why
Verify identity in Stripe	Required for live charges
Add bank account for payouts	Stripe sends your revenue there
Write a simple refund policy	Reduces support stress
Privacy policy URL	Chrome Web Store and AMO often require it
Tax settings	Stripe Tax or your accountant - depends on country

Payhook does not replace tax advice. It does replace building checkout and license servers yourself.

Why Payhook after Stripe (not Stripe alone)

Stripe alone gives you payments infrastructure. Extension creators still need:

• A checkout URL users can open from a popup
• A record of who paid
• Unlock logic in the extension

Payhook bundles those for browser extensions:

Stripe = money rail
Payhook = extension-ready checkout + entitlement

Read deeper: Stripe Connect for extension builders and Chrome in-app payments deprecated.

Agent prompt (hand to Cursor, Claude, etc.)

I connected Stripe to Payhook in test mode. Integrate Payhook into my extension:
- Upgrade button → hosted checkout on unlock.payhook.link
- Pro gating via Payhook entitlements
- Dashboard: https://dashboard.payhook.link
- Do not build custom Stripe webhooks or a license server

Next steps

• Monetize a browser extension without a payment backend
• Create your first Chrome extension with Claude Code (more technical, same monetization path)
• Payhook · Docs · MCP for agents