If you run a WooCommerce marketplace and need to split each payment between you and your sellers, you need a plugin that supports Stripe Connect. The main options are the multi-vendor plugins Dokan, WCFM Marketplace, WC Vendors and MultiVendorX with their Stripe add-ons or modules, plus YITH Stripe Connect for WooCommerce and, for service marketplaces, WP Sell Services Pro. A normal Stripe gateway plugin is not enough, because it only pays you.
Stripe gateway or Stripe Connect: the difference that decides your plugin
Many lists of Stripe plugins for WooCommerce mix two different jobs, and that causes real mistakes. Check which one you have.
- A Stripe payment gateway lets customers pay your store by card or wallet. All the money lands in your Stripe account. You are the only merchant.
- Stripe Connect is Stripe’s product for platforms and marketplaces. It lets you collect a payment and route parts of it to other people’s connected Stripe accounts, such as your sellers, while you keep a commission.
If you sell your own products, you want a gateway. If other people sell on your site and you want the payouts to happen automatically, you want Connect, and you usually get it through the marketplace plugin you already use. The gateways are listed lower down so you can tell them apart.
How Stripe Connect works, briefly
Stripe describes three account types for connected sellers: Standard, Express and Custom. With Standard, the seller has a full Stripe account and manages their own dashboard. With Express, Stripe hosts a lighter dashboard and onboarding, and you control more of the experience. With Custom, you build the whole experience yourself and take on more responsibility. Most WooCommerce plugins use Standard or Express because Stripe handles identity checks and payout rules.
Stripe also supports different ways to move the money. A direct charge puts the payment on the seller’s account, with your fee taken off. A destination charge creates the payment on your platform and sends the seller their share. Separate charges and transfers let you split one order across several sellers. Which one a plugin uses affects who appears on the card statement, who handles disputes and how refunds work. Read the plugin documentation for the exact model, and read Stripe’s Connect documentation for the rules in your country.
How to set up Stripe Connect with WooCommerce
- Check Stripe supports your country for platforms, and for the countries your sellers live in. Connect is not available everywhere.
- Create your Stripe account and enable Connect in the Stripe Dashboard. Fill in your platform details and branding.
- Install the marketplace plugin and its Stripe module. Some Stripe features sit in a paid tier of the plugin.
- Add your keys in test mode. Choose the account type and the charge model the plugin offers.
- Onboard a test seller. Walk through the seller’s identity checks as a real seller would.
- Buy a product, check the split, then refund it and check the refund. Confirm your commission and the seller’s share in the Stripe Dashboard.
- Switch to live keys only after the whole flow works in test mode.
Marketplace plugins that support Stripe Connect
Dokan
Dokan is one of the best-known multi-vendor plugins for WooCommerce. Its free version covers the marketplace basics, and its paid Pro version adds payment modules, including Stripe Connect and Stripe Express for vendor payouts. Choose it when you want a mature marketplace plugin with a large add-on range. See Dokan on wordpress.org.
WCFM Marketplace
WCFM Marketplace is a multi-vendor plugin that lists Stripe Split Pay among its features, which splits payments between the platform and vendors at checkout. Vendor tools and payout rules are part of the same family. See WCFM Marketplace.
WC Vendors
WC Vendors is a multi-vendor marketplace plugin with flexible commissions and payout management. For Stripe, it points to an official add-on, Stripe Connect Commissions and Gateway. It is a good fit when you want a lighter marketplace core and add features one by one. See WC Vendors.
MultiVendorX
MultiVendorX is a multi-vendor marketplace plugin that offers Stripe among its payout options, with some payment features in its paid tier. Check the feature table to confirm that the Stripe mode you need is in the tier you buy. See MultiVendorX.
YITH Stripe Connect for WooCommerce
YITH’s premium plugin is built to split an order payment between different partners and move funds between parties, for example when you share profits automatically. It suits stores with a small set of partners, such as affiliates or collaborators, more than a large open marketplace. See YITH Stripe Connect.
WP Sell Services, for service marketplaces
If your sellers offer services rather than physical products, WP Sell Services is our own services marketplace plugin. The free version gives you service listings, seller profiles, orders with Stripe and PayPal checkout, milestones and commissions. Stripe Connect and PayPal payouts are in WP Sell Services Pro, together with tiered commission rules, vendor plans and analytics. So the free version can take Stripe payments, and automated seller payouts need Pro. See the WP Sell Services page, or the marketplace build guide.
Stripe gateway plugins for WooCommerce, and what they do not do
These plugins take payments into your own Stripe account. They are good choices for a normal store, and they are not marketplace payout tools.
WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway
The official plugin, created by Stripe and WooCommerce, offers a responsive checkout and a wide range of payment methods, including Link, Apple Pay and Google Pay. It is where most stores start. See WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway.
Payment Plugins for Stripe WooCommerce
A popular alternative gateway with its own settings for payment methods and checkout layout. Choose it if you want a second opinion on checkout options. See Payment Plugins for Stripe.
FunnelKit Payment Gateway for Stripe WooCommerce
This gateway comes from the FunnelKit team, so it is worth considering if you already build checkout pages and funnels with their tools. See FunnelKit Payment Gateway for Stripe.
Comparison
| Option | Type | Splits payouts |
|---|---|---|
| Dokan Pro | Marketplace plugin | Yes, through its Stripe modules |
| WCFM Marketplace | Marketplace plugin | Yes, Stripe Split Pay |
| WC Vendors | Marketplace plugin | Yes, through its Stripe Connect add-on |
| MultiVendorX | Marketplace plugin | Stripe in its payout options |
| YITH Stripe Connect | Split payment add-on | Yes |
| WP Sell Services Pro | Services marketplace | Yes, Stripe Connect payouts |
| WooCommerce Stripe Gateway | Payment gateway | No, pays your account |
| Payment Plugins for Stripe | Payment gateway | No, pays your account |
| FunnelKit Stripe gateway | Payment gateway | No, pays your account |
Questions to settle before you launch a marketplace
The plugin is the easy part. These business questions affect which one you choose.
- Who is the merchant of record? Depending on the charge model, either you or the seller appears to the customer and carries dispute liability.
- When do sellers get paid? Instantly, on a schedule, or after an order is completed. Holding funds until delivery protects buyers, but some payout models limit how long you can hold.
- How are refunds handled? Decide whether your commission is returned and whether the seller’s share is pulled back.
- What do sellers need to provide? Identity checks are done by Stripe, but you should tell sellers what to expect before they start.
- Which countries will you serve? Stripe’s support differs by country, and so do tax rules.
- How will you handle tax? Marketplaces can carry tax collection duties in some regions. Get local advice.
Our guide to the best multi-vendor WordPress theme and the marketplace picker help with the platform choice before you pick a payment plugin.
Fees, commissions and who pays what
A marketplace has three kinds of cost, and your plugin choice touches all of them. Stripe charges processing fees on each payment, and Connect can add platform charges on top, so read Stripe’s current terms for your country. Your marketplace plugin may charge for the Stripe module itself, either as part of a paid tier or as a separate add-on. And you decide the commission you keep from each sale.
Plan the commission model before you pick the plugin. Some marketplaces take a flat share, some vary it by category or seller plan, and some add a fixed fee per order. Check that the plugin can express your model, and that it shows sellers a clear statement of what they earned and what was taken. Sellers who understand their statement raise fewer support tickets, and that saves you more time than any single plugin feature.
Related reading
Payments sit inside a bigger checkout. See our guides to WooCommerce checkout plugins and WooCommerce subscription plugins, and the note on wallet-style payments.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Stripe Connect for WooCommerce?
Only if other people sell on your site and you want to pay them through Stripe. If you sell your own products, a standard Stripe gateway is enough and Connect adds nothing.
Is the official WooCommerce Stripe plugin a Stripe Connect plugin?
No. It takes payments into your Stripe account and gives customers a modern checkout. It does not split payments between sellers. For that you need a marketplace plugin or an add-on with Connect support.
Which multi-vendor plugin supports Stripe Connect?
Dokan Pro, WCFM Marketplace, WC Vendors with its Stripe Connect add-on and MultiVendorX all offer Stripe payout options. The exact features sit in different tiers, so confirm the Stripe mode on the vendor page before you buy.
What is the difference between Express and Standard accounts?
With Standard accounts, sellers use a full Stripe account and dashboard of their own. With Express accounts, Stripe hosts a lighter dashboard and onboarding flow and you have more control over the experience. Stripe’s Connect documentation explains the trade-offs.
Does WP Sell Services support Stripe Connect payouts for free?
No. The free version supports orders with Stripe and PayPal checkout, milestones and commissions. Stripe Connect and PayPal payouts are in WP Sell Services Pro.
Can I use Stripe Connect for physical and service marketplaces?
Yes. Connect works for any platform that pays sellers, so the choice depends on what is sold. Product marketplaces usually use a multi-vendor plugin, and service marketplaces can use a purpose-built plugin such as WP Sell Services.
Will Stripe Connect work in every country?
No. Stripe supports platforms and connected accounts in a limited list of countries, and the options for sellers differ by region. Check Stripe’s documentation for your country and your sellers’ countries before you commit.
Try a marketplace layout
A payout plugin is only half of a marketplace. Sellers and buyers need pages they trust. Open the Reign demos to see marketplace layouts, follow the marketplace build guide, and see pricing for how theme licences work.