> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://documentation.outpost.pub/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Stripe Setup Questions

> Common questions about connecting and configuring Stripe with Outpost.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Do I need a Stripe account?">
    Yes if you are running a subscription site or want to take donations. Stripe is required for processing paid subscriptions. You can sign up for a free Stripe account at stripe.com. Stripe approval (which verifies your business) is typically instant for most business types.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What Stripe permissions does Outpost need?">
    When you connect Stripe, Outpost requests permission to:

    * Read and manage subscribers, subscriptions, products, prices, and invoices
    * Set up automatic payment notifications

    You connect Stripe through Stripe's official OAuth flow — you never paste your Stripe secret key into Outpost. Outpost stores the OAuth access token Stripe issues, not your raw account credentials.

    If the OAuth connection ever gets lost or corrupted, an admin can paste your Stripe secret key in directly to restore access. Most publishers will never need to do this.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I use a Stripe account that's already connected to Ghost?">
    Yes. If your Ghost site is already connected to a Stripe account, Outpost connects to the same account. Tiers you create in Outpost are set up separately and don't interfere with anything Ghost has already created.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I disconnect Stripe?">
    Disconnecting Stripe from Outpost stops Outpost from receiving subscription updates. Existing Stripe subscriptions continue to renew directly through Stripe, but member statuses in Outpost won't update. Reconnect Stripe to resume syncing.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I use Stripe test mode?">
    Outpost does not have its own test/live toggle — the mode is set by which Stripe account you connect. To test the full subscription flow without real charges, connect a Stripe test account to your Outpost publication.

    Test-mode tiers and prices are separate from live-mode tiers and prices in Stripe. You will need to recreate your tiers when you connect a live Stripe account.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need to set up anything in Stripe manually?">
    No. Outpost handles all the Stripe configuration automatically when you connect. You don't need to set up anything in your Stripe dashboard. See [Connecting Stripe](/getting-started/connecting-stripe) for details.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>