Payment Method

A payment method is how a customer pays you. It can be a credit or debit card, a bank debit like ACH, or a wallet like Apple Pay. In Stripe it is a PaymentMethod object that stands in for those details, and you charge it through a PaymentIntent.

Tokens, not raw card data

Stripe collects the payment details and gives you back a reference through tokenization. Your servers never handle the raw card number, which keeps most PCI DSS requirements off your systems.

Types of payment method

• Cards, which run over a card network.
• Bank debits, such as ACH in the US and SEPA in Europe.
• Wallets, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Each type has its own fees, settlement time, and dispute rules. The method a customer picks affects how fast you get paid and how much you pay in fees.