Save a card without bank authentication

First, you need a Stripe account. Register now.

Set up the iOS and server Stripe SDKs before starting your integration.

Server-side

This integration requires endpoints on your server that talk to the Stripe API. Use our official libraries:

# Available as a gem
sudo gem install stripe

# If you use bundler, you can add this line to your Gemfile
gem 'stripe'

Client-side

The Stripe iOS SDK is open source, fully documented, and compatible with apps supporting iOS 13 or above.

Configure the SDK with your Stripe publishable key on app start. This enables your app to make requests to the Stripe API.

import UIKit
import StripePaymentsUI

@main
class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate {

    func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {
        StripeAPI.defaultPublishableKey = 
"pk_test_TYooMQauvdEDq54NiTphI7jx"
        // do any other necessary launch configuration
        return true
    }
}

Start by displaying a payment form to your customer. Collect card details from the customer using STPPaymentCardTextField, a drop-in UI component provided by the SDK that collects the card number, expiration date, CVC, and postal code.

Pass the card details to createPaymentMethod to create a PaymentMethod.

class CheckoutViewController: UIViewController {
    lazy var cardTextField: STPPaymentCardTextField = {
        let cardTextField = STPPaymentCardTextField()
        return cardTextField
    }()

    @objc
    func pay() {
        // Collect card details on the client
        STPAPIClient.shared.createPaymentMethod(with: cardTextField.paymentMethodParams) { [weak self] paymentMethod, error in
            guard let paymentMethod = paymentMethod else {
                // Display the error to the user
                return
            }
            let paymentMethodId = paymentMethod.stripeId
            // Send paymentMethodId to your server for the next steps
        }
    }
}

Send the resulting PaymentMethod ID to your server and follow the remaining steps to save the card to a customer and charge the card in the future.

Save the card by attaching the PaymentMethod to a Customer. You can use the Customer object to store other information about your customer, such as shipping details and email address.

curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/customers \
  -u "
sk_test_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc
:" \
  -d payment_method={{PAYMENT_METHOD_ID}}

If you have an existing Customer, you can attach the PaymentMethod to that object instead.

curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/payment_methods/{{PAYMENT_METHOD_ID}}/attach \
  -u "
sk_test_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc
:" \
  -d customer=
{{CUSTOMER_ID}}

At this point, associate the ID of the Customer object and the ID of the PaymentMethod with your own internal representation of a customer, if you have one.

When you are ready to charge the Customer, look up the PaymentMethod ID to charge. You can do this by either storing the IDs of both in your database, or by using the Customer ID to look up all the Customer’s available PaymentMethods.

curl -G https://api.stripe.com/v1/payment_methods \
  -u "
sk_test_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc
:" \
  -d customer=
{{CUSTOMER_ID}} \
  -d type=card

Use the PaymentMethod ID and the Customer ID to create a new PaymentIntent. Set error_on_requires_action to true to decline payments that require any actions from your customer, such as two-factor authentication.

curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/payment_intents \
  -u "
sk_test_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc
:" \
  -d amount=1099 \
  -d currency=usd \
  -d "payment_method_types[]"=card \
  -d customer=
{{CUSTOMER_ID}} \
  -d payment_method={{PAYMENT_METHOD_ID}} \
  -d error_on_requires_action=true \
  -d confirm=true

When a payment attempt fails, the request also fails with a 402 HTTP status code and Stripe throws an error. You need to notify your customer to return to your application (for example, by sending an in-app notification) to complete the payment. Check the code of the Error raised by the Stripe API library or check the last_payment_error.decline_code on the PaymentIntent to inspect why the card issuer declined the payment.

Notify your customer that the payment failed and direct them to the payment form you made in Step 1 where they can enter new card details. Send that new PaymentMethod ID to your server to attach to the Customer object and make the payment again.

Alternatively, you can create a PaymentIntent and save a card all in one API call if you have already created a Customer.

curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/payment_intents \
  -u "
sk_test_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc
:" \
  -d amount=1099 \
  -d currency=usd \
  -d "payment_method_types[]"=card \
  -d customer=
{{CUSTOMER_ID}} \
  -d payment_method={{PAYMENT_METHOD_ID}} \
  -d error_on_requires_action=true \
  -d confirm=true \
  -d setup_future_usage=on_session

Setting setup_future_usage to on_session indicates to Stripe that you wish to save the card for later, without triggering unnecessary authentication.

Stripe provides test cards you can use in test mode to simulate different cards’ behavior. Use these cards with any CVC, postal code, and expiry date in the future.