Free guide for shop owners
How to set up Stripe and take card payments online
Stripe is the payment processor behind your online payments in MeraFix: customers pay service-call deposits and invoices by card from their phone, and the money lands directly in your bank account. Setup is one guided form — about 15 minutes. Here's every screen and what it asks for.
Before you start: what Stripe will ask for
Stripe is legally required to verify every business it pays out to (federal KYC rules — every processor does this). Have ready: your EIN and legal business name, business address, the owner's date of birth and SSN (usually last 4), and your bank's routing + account numbers for payouts. No EIN yet?
Free step-by-step EIN guide →Setup, screen by screen
- 1
Start from MeraFix — one button
In your MeraFix admin: Settings → Integrations → Stripe → click “Set up payments”.
You'll be redirected to Stripe's own secure onboarding — MeraFix never sees or stores your SSN, bank numbers, or documents. No API keys to copy, nothing technical.
- 2
Create your Stripe login
Enter your work email and a strong password, verify the code they send.
Already have a Stripe account? Sign in with it instead — the connection will link to your existing account.
💡 Use the same work email you use for the business. Turn on two-factor authentication when offered — this account moves your money.
- 3
Business details
Type of business: choose your entity (LLC / Sole proprietorship / Corporation).
Legal business name + EIN — exactly as on your IRS letter (CP 575); mismatches are the #1 cause of verification delays.
Business address, phone, and website — your MeraFix website URL works perfectly here.
Industry: pick something like “Home services” / “Repairs” — appliance repair fits.
- 4
Owner identity verification
Your legal name, date of birth, home address, and SSN (usually last 4 digits; occasionally Stripe asks for the full SSN or a photo ID).
This is the federal know-your-customer requirement — every payment processor asks the same. It's filled on Stripe's secure forms only.
- 5
Bank account for payouts
Enter your business bank account's routing number and account number — this is where Stripe deposits your money.
Double-check both numbers digit by digit. A typo here is the most painful mistake to fix later.
- 6
Review and submit
Stripe shows a summary — check the EIN, name, and bank digits one more time, then submit.
You're sent back to MeraFix automatically. The Stripe card on the integrations page should show “Connected” with charges enabled.
Verification is usually instant; sometimes Stripe emails within a day or two asking for one more document — just follow their prompt.
- 7
What happens next
Customers can now pay deposits and invoices by card — from the estimate/invoice your MeraFix sends them, on their phone.
Money flow: customer's card → your Stripe account → automatic payout to your bank. The first payout takes ~7 days (standard for new accounts); after that it's a rolling ~2-business-day schedule.
Your money lives in your own Stripe account — see every payment and payout at dashboard.stripe.com.
If something goes wrong
MeraFix shows “Connected” but charges are disabled
Stripe wants one more piece of verification. Log in to dashboard.stripe.com — a banner at the top says exactly what's missing (usually a document or a detail that didn't match). Fix it there and MeraFix updates automatically.
My EIN keeps failing verification
Enter the legal name letter-for-letter as it appears on your IRS CP 575 letter — including punctuation and “LLC”. If you got your EIN very recently, the IRS database can lag a few days; wait and retry.
Where's my first payout?
New Stripe accounts hold the first payout ~7 days — it's an industry-standard risk window, not a problem. Check Balance → Payouts in the Stripe dashboard for the exact date.
This guide is general information, not financial or legal advice. Stripe's screens, fees, and requirements are Stripe's and may change. Verified: July 2026.
Payments on? Complete the front office
With Stripe connected, MeraFix sends estimates customers approve and pay from their phone, collects service-call deposits at booking, auto-generates invoices and receipts, and tracks every dollar in your Finances dashboard — alongside the AI receptionist and automated texting.