---
title: Let customers decide what to pay
subtitle: Accept tips and donations, or sell pay-what-you-want products and services.
route: /payments/checkout/pay-what-you-want
---

# Let customers decide what to pay

Accept tips and donations, or sell pay-what-you-want products and services.

# Stripe-hosted page

> This is a Stripe-hosted page for when payment-ui is stripe-hosted. View the original doc at https://docs.stripe.com/payments/checkout/pay-what-you-want?payment-ui=stripe-hosted.

If you maintain your product catalog outside of Stripe, you might want to use [inline pricing](https://docs.stripe.com/products-prices/pricing-models.md#inline-pricing). With inline pricing, you set inline prices for products or services when you create a Checkout Session.

You can also use inline pricing to collect donations. However, unlike pay-what-you-want pricing, you can’t reuse or update inline prices, and they’re only available through the API.

You can use this feature to collect a tip for a service provided, accept donations for a cause, or give your customers the option to pay what they want for your product or service. Go to Stripe Support to learn more about Stripe’s [requirements for accepting tips or donations](https://support.stripe.com/questions/requirements-for-accepting-tips-or-donations).

Pay-what-you-want payments have the following limitations:

- You can’t add any other line items and the quantity can only be 1.
- You can’t use promotion codes or discounts with them.
- They don’t support recurring payments or optional items.

![Custom amounts](images/no-code/custom-amount.png)

## Set up your product catalog

Stripe Checkout uses *Products* and *Prices* to structure pay-what-you-want payments. In the following example, Togethere is selling tickets to a fundraising dinner and wants to allow their customers to pay what they want for their tickets.

To create a pay-what-you-want model on Stripe through the Dashboard, complete these steps:

1. Create the `Fundraising dinner` product.

   1. Go to **More** > **Product catalog**.
   1. Click **+Add product**.
   1. Enter the **Name** of the product (`Fundraising dinner`).
   1. _(Optional)_ Add a **Description**. The customer sees the description at checkout.

1. Create the price for the `Fundraising dinner` product:

   1. Click on **More pricing options** at the bottom.
   1. Select **One-off**.
   1. Select **Customer chooses price** in the **Choose your pricing model** dropdown.
   1. _(Optional)_ Add a suggested price.
   1. _(Optional)_ Specify limits that the customer can input.
   1. Click **Next** and **Add product**.

To create a pay-what-you-want pricing model on Stripe through the [Products](https://docs.stripe.com/api/products.md) and [Prices](https://docs.stripe.com/api/prices.md) APIs:

1. Create the `Fundraising dinner` product.

```dotnet
StripeConfiguration.ApiKey = "<<secret key>>";

var options = new ProductCreateOptions { Name = "Fundraising dinner" };
var service = new ProductService();
Product product = service.Create(options);
```

```go
stripe.Key = "<<secret key>>"

params := &stripe.ProductParams{Name: stripe.String("Fundraising dinner")};
result, err := product.New(params);
```

```java
Stripe.apiKey = "<<secret key>>";

ProductCreateParams params = ProductCreateParams.builder().setName("Fundraising dinner").build();

Product product = Product.create(params);
```

```node
const stripe = require('stripe')('<<secret key>>');

const product = await stripe.products.create({
  name: 'Fundraising dinner',
});
```

```python
import stripe
stripe.api_key = "<<secret key>>"

product = stripe.Product.create(name="Fundraising dinner")
```

```php
$stripe = new \Stripe\StripeClient('<<secret key>>');

$product = $stripe->products->create(['name' => 'Fundraising dinner']);
```

```ruby
Stripe.api_key = '<<secret key>>'

product = Stripe::Product.create({name: 'Fundraising dinner'})
```

2. Create a price for the customer input. You can optionally specify a `preset` price, which is the initial amount on the payment page that your customer can update. You can also set a `minimum` and `maximum` bound for the price.

```dotnet
StripeConfiguration.ApiKey = "<<secret key>>";

var options = new PriceCreateOptions
{
    Currency = "usd",
    CustomUnitAmount = new PriceCustomUnitAmountOptions { Enabled = true },
    Product = "<<product>>",
};
var service = new PriceService();
Price price = service.Create(options);
```

```go
stripe.Key = "<<secret key>>"

params := &stripe.PriceParams{
  Currency: stripe.String(string(stripe.CurrencyUSD)),
  CustomUnitAmount: &stripe.PriceCustomUnitAmountParams{Enabled: stripe.Bool(true)},
  Product: stripe.String("<<product>>"),
};
result, err := price.New(params);
```

```java
Stripe.apiKey = "<<secret key>>";

PriceCreateParams params =
  PriceCreateParams.builder()
    .setCurrency("usd")
    .setCustomUnitAmount(PriceCreateParams.CustomUnitAmount.builder().setEnabled(true).build())
    .setProduct("<<product>>")
    .build();

Price price = Price.create(params);
```

```node
const stripe = require('stripe')('<<secret key>>');

const price = await stripe.prices.create({
  currency: 'usd',
  custom_unit_amount: {
    enabled: true,
  },
  product: '<<product>>',
});
```

```python
import stripe
stripe.api_key = "<<secret key>>"

price = stripe.Price.create(
  currency="usd",
  custom_unit_amount={"enabled": True},
  product="<<product>>",
)
```

```php
$stripe = new \Stripe\StripeClient('<<secret key>>');

$price = $stripe->prices->create([
  'currency' => 'usd',
  'custom_unit_amount' => ['enabled' => true],
  'product' => '<<product>>',
]);
```

```ruby
Stripe.api_key = '<<secret key>>'

price = Stripe::Price.create({
  currency: 'usd',
  custom_unit_amount: {enabled: true},
  product: '<<product>>',
})
```

## Create a Checkout Session

To enable customers to change the amount on the payment page, use the price ID when you create a Checkout Session. If you select **Customer chooses price** as your pricing model, you can’t add any other line items and the quantity can only be 1.

```dotnet
StripeConfiguration.ApiKey = "<<secret key>>";

var options = new Stripe.Checkout.SessionCreateOptions
{
    CancelUrl = "https://example.com",
    LineItems = new List<Stripe.Checkout.SessionLineItemOptions>
    {
        new Stripe.Checkout.SessionLineItemOptions { Price = "<<price>>", Quantity = 1 },
    },
    Mode = "payment",
    SuccessUrl = "https://example.com/success",
};
var service = new Stripe.Checkout.SessionService();
Stripe.Checkout.Session session = service.Create(options);
```

```go
stripe.Key = "<<secret key>>"

params := &stripe.CheckoutSessionParams{
  CancelURL: stripe.String("https://example.com"),
  LineItems: []*stripe.CheckoutSessionLineItemParams{
    &stripe.CheckoutSessionLineItemParams{
      Price: stripe.String("<<price>>"),
      Quantity: stripe.Int64(1),
    },
  },
  Mode: stripe.String(string(stripe.CheckoutSessionModePayment)),
  SuccessURL: stripe.String("https://example.com/success"),
};
result, err := session.New(params);
```

```java
Stripe.apiKey = "<<secret key>>";

SessionCreateParams params =
  SessionCreateParams.builder()
    .setCancelUrl("https://example.com")
    .addLineItem(
      SessionCreateParams.LineItem.builder().setPrice("<<price>>").setQuantity(1L).build()
    )
    .setMode(SessionCreateParams.Mode.PAYMENT)
    .setSuccessUrl("https://example.com/success")
    .build();

Session session = Session.create(params);
```

```node
const stripe = require('stripe')('<<secret key>>');

const session = await stripe.checkout.sessions.create({
  cancel_url: 'https://example.com',
  line_items: [
    {
      price: '<<price>>',
      quantity: 1,
    },
  ],
  mode: 'payment',
  success_url: 'https://example.com/success',
});
```

```python
import stripe
stripe.api_key = "<<secret key>>"

session = stripe.checkout.Session.create(
  cancel_url="https://example.com",
  line_items=[{"price": "<<price>>", "quantity": 1}],
  mode="payment",
  success_url="https://example.com/success",
)
```

```php
$stripe = new \Stripe\StripeClient('<<secret key>>');

$session = $stripe->checkout->sessions->create([
  'cancel_url' => 'https://example.com',
  'line_items' => [
    [
      'price' => '<<price>>',
      'quantity' => 1,
    ],
  ],
  'mode' => 'payment',
  'success_url' => 'https://example.com/success',
]);
```

```ruby
Stripe.api_key = '<<secret key>>'

session = Stripe::Checkout::Session.create({
  cancel_url: 'https://example.com',
  line_items: [
    {
      price: '<<price>>',
      quantity: 1,
    },
  ],
  mode: 'payment',
  success_url: 'https://example.com/success',
})
```

# Embedded form

> This is a Embedded form for when payment-ui is embedded-form. View the original doc at https://docs.stripe.com/payments/checkout/pay-what-you-want?payment-ui=embedded-form.

If you maintain your product catalog outside of Stripe, you might want to use [inline pricing](https://docs.stripe.com/products-prices/pricing-models.md#inline-pricing). With inline pricing, you set inline prices for products or services when you create a Checkout Session.

You can also use inline pricing to collect donations. However, unlike pay-what-you-want pricing, you can’t reuse or update inline prices, and they’re only available through the API.

You can use this feature to collect a tip for a service provided, accept donations for a cause, or give your customers the option to pay what they want for your product or service. Go to Stripe Support to learn more about Stripe’s [requirements for accepting tips or donations](https://support.stripe.com/questions/requirements-for-accepting-tips-or-donations).

Pay-what-you-want payments have the following limitations:

- You can’t add any other line items and the quantity can only be 1.
- You can’t use promotion codes or discounts with them.
- They don’t support recurring payments or optional items.

![Custom amounts](images/no-code/custom-amount.png)

## Set up your product catalog

Stripe Checkout uses *Products* and *Prices* to structure pay-what-you-want payments. In the following example, Togethere is selling tickets to a fundraising dinner and wants to allow their customers to pay what they want for their tickets.

To create a pay-what-you-want model on Stripe through the Dashboard, complete these steps:

1. Create the `Fundraising dinner` product.

   1. Go to **More** > **Product catalog**.
   1. Click **+Add product**.
   1. Enter the **Name** of the product (`Fundraising dinner`).
   1. _(Optional)_ Add a **Description**. The customer sees the description at checkout.

1. Create the price for the `Fundraising dinner` product:

   1. Click on **More pricing options** at the bottom.
   1. Select **One-off**.
   1. Select **Customer chooses price** in the **Choose your pricing model** dropdown.
   1. _(Optional)_ Add a suggested price.
   1. _(Optional)_ Specify limits that the customer can input.
   1. Click **Next** and **Add product**.

To create a pay-what-you-want pricing model on Stripe through the [Products](https://docs.stripe.com/api/products.md) and [Prices](https://docs.stripe.com/api/prices.md) APIs:

1. Create the `Fundraising dinner` product.

```dotnet
StripeConfiguration.ApiKey = "<<secret key>>";

var options = new ProductCreateOptions { Name = "Fundraising dinner" };
var service = new ProductService();
Product product = service.Create(options);
```

```go
stripe.Key = "<<secret key>>"

params := &stripe.ProductParams{Name: stripe.String("Fundraising dinner")};
result, err := product.New(params);
```

```java
Stripe.apiKey = "<<secret key>>";

ProductCreateParams params = ProductCreateParams.builder().setName("Fundraising dinner").build();

Product product = Product.create(params);
```

```node
const stripe = require('stripe')('<<secret key>>');

const product = await stripe.products.create({
  name: 'Fundraising dinner',
});
```

```python
import stripe
stripe.api_key = "<<secret key>>"

product = stripe.Product.create(name="Fundraising dinner")
```

```php
$stripe = new \Stripe\StripeClient('<<secret key>>');

$product = $stripe->products->create(['name' => 'Fundraising dinner']);
```

```ruby
Stripe.api_key = '<<secret key>>'

product = Stripe::Product.create({name: 'Fundraising dinner'})
```

2. Create a price for the customer input. You can optionally specify a `preset` price, which is the initial amount on the payment page that your customer can update. You can also set a `minimum` and `maximum` bound for the price.

```dotnet
StripeConfiguration.ApiKey = "<<secret key>>";

var options = new PriceCreateOptions
{
    Currency = "usd",
    CustomUnitAmount = new PriceCustomUnitAmountOptions { Enabled = true },
    Product = "<<product>>",
};
var service = new PriceService();
Price price = service.Create(options);
```

```go
stripe.Key = "<<secret key>>"

params := &stripe.PriceParams{
  Currency: stripe.String(string(stripe.CurrencyUSD)),
  CustomUnitAmount: &stripe.PriceCustomUnitAmountParams{Enabled: stripe.Bool(true)},
  Product: stripe.String("<<product>>"),
};
result, err := price.New(params);
```

```java
Stripe.apiKey = "<<secret key>>";

PriceCreateParams params =
  PriceCreateParams.builder()
    .setCurrency("usd")
    .setCustomUnitAmount(PriceCreateParams.CustomUnitAmount.builder().setEnabled(true).build())
    .setProduct("<<product>>")
    .build();

Price price = Price.create(params);
```

```node
const stripe = require('stripe')('<<secret key>>');

const price = await stripe.prices.create({
  currency: 'usd',
  custom_unit_amount: {
    enabled: true,
  },
  product: '<<product>>',
});
```

```python
import stripe
stripe.api_key = "<<secret key>>"

price = stripe.Price.create(
  currency="usd",
  custom_unit_amount={"enabled": True},
  product="<<product>>",
)
```

```php
$stripe = new \Stripe\StripeClient('<<secret key>>');

$price = $stripe->prices->create([
  'currency' => 'usd',
  'custom_unit_amount' => ['enabled' => true],
  'product' => '<<product>>',
]);
```

```ruby
Stripe.api_key = '<<secret key>>'

price = Stripe::Price.create({
  currency: 'usd',
  custom_unit_amount: {enabled: true},
  product: '<<product>>',
})
```

## Create a Checkout Session

To enable customers to change the amount on the payment page, use the price ID when you create a Checkout Session. If you select **Customer chooses price** as your pricing model, you can’t add any other line items and the quantity can only be 1.

```dotnet
StripeConfiguration.ApiKey = "<<secret key>>";

var options = new Stripe.Checkout.SessionCreateOptions
{
    LineItems = new List<Stripe.Checkout.SessionLineItemOptions>
    {
        new Stripe.Checkout.SessionLineItemOptions { Price = "<<price>>", Quantity = 1 },
    },
    Mode = "payment",
    UiMode = "embedded",
    ReturnUrl = "https://example.com/checkout/return?session_id={CHECKOUT_SESSION_ID}",
};
var service = new Stripe.Checkout.SessionService();
Stripe.Checkout.Session session = service.Create(options);
```

```go
stripe.Key = "<<secret key>>"

params := &stripe.CheckoutSessionParams{
  LineItems: []*stripe.CheckoutSessionLineItemParams{
    &stripe.CheckoutSessionLineItemParams{
      Price: stripe.String("<<price>>"),
      Quantity: stripe.Int64(1),
    },
  },
  Mode: stripe.String(string(stripe.CheckoutSessionModePayment)),
  UIMode: stripe.String(string(stripe.CheckoutSessionUIModeEmbedded)),
  ReturnURL: stripe.String("https://example.com/checkout/return?session_id={CHECKOUT_SESSION_ID}"),
};
result, err := session.New(params);
```

```java
Stripe.apiKey = "<<secret key>>";

SessionCreateParams params =
  SessionCreateParams.builder()
    .addLineItem(
      SessionCreateParams.LineItem.builder().setPrice("<<price>>").setQuantity(1L).build()
    )
    .setMode(SessionCreateParams.Mode.PAYMENT)
    .setUiMode(SessionCreateParams.UiMode.EMBEDDED)
    .setReturnUrl("https://example.com/checkout/return?session_id={CHECKOUT_SESSION_ID}")
    .build();

Session session = Session.create(params);
```

```node
const stripe = require('stripe')('<<secret key>>');

const session = await stripe.checkout.sessions.create({
  line_items: [
    {
      price: '<<price>>',
      quantity: 1,
    },
  ],
  mode: 'payment',
  ui_mode: 'embedded',
  return_url: 'https://example.com/checkout/return?session_id={CHECKOUT_SESSION_ID}',
});
```

```python
import stripe
stripe.api_key = "<<secret key>>"

session = stripe.checkout.Session.create(
  line_items=[{"price": "<<price>>", "quantity": 1}],
  mode="payment",
  ui_mode="embedded",
  return_url="https://example.com/checkout/return?session_id={CHECKOUT_SESSION_ID}",
)
```

```php
$stripe = new \Stripe\StripeClient('<<secret key>>');

$session = $stripe->checkout->sessions->create([
  'line_items' => [
    [
      'price' => '<<price>>',
      'quantity' => 1,
    ],
  ],
  'mode' => 'payment',
  'ui_mode' => 'embedded',
  'return_url' => 'https://example.com/checkout/return?session_id={CHECKOUT_SESSION_ID}',
]);
```

```ruby
Stripe.api_key = '<<secret key>>'

session = Stripe::Checkout::Session.create({
  line_items: [
    {
      price: '<<price>>',
      quantity: 1,
    },
  ],
  mode: 'payment',
  ui_mode: 'embedded',
  return_url: 'https://example.com/checkout/return?session_id={CHECKOUT_SESSION_ID}',
})
```

# Embedded components

> This is a Embedded components for when payment-ui is embedded-components. View the original doc at https://docs.stripe.com/payments/checkout/pay-what-you-want?payment-ui=embedded-components.

Custom amounts aren’t supported when using Elements.