# Start taking payments

> Choose between Stripe and Shopify for what you sell, connect a Stripe account from the Revenue tab, and know when you can take your first payment.

Last updated: October 16, 2026

Source: https://www.willo.ai/docs/payments/get-started

Willo takes payments in one of two ways, and which one fits depends on what you sell. Decide that first; it saves setting up the wrong one.

## Stripe or Shopify

| If you sell | Use | Because |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Services, bookings, courses, digital products, subscriptions, consulting | **Stripe** | Willo creates the products and checkout links for you, and reads your revenue and customers. |
| Physical products that you ship | **Shopify** | Shopify handles stock, shipping, tax and checkout. Willo builds the storefront on your site. |
| Both, such as consulting and merch | Both | They are independent. Each runs its own checkout. |
| Nothing yet | Neither | Set one up once you know what you are selling. |

The rest of this page is the Stripe path. For Shopify, see [Run a headless Shopify store](https://www.willo.ai/docs/payments/run-a-headless-shopify-store).

## Before you start

- **A paid plan.** Stripe payments come with Starter and up. On Free, the Revenue tab asks you to upgrade instead of offering setup.
- **Owner or admin.** Setting up payments needs an owner or admin of the business.
- **Stripe where you are.** Willo's payments run on Stripe, which doesn't operate in every country. If Stripe won't open an account for you, see [Payments troubleshooting](https://www.willo.ai/docs/troubleshooting/payments#stripe-isnt-available-where-i-am).

Willo takes no fee on the payments you collect. Stripe's own processing fees apply, and vary by country; see Stripe's pricing page.

## Connect Stripe

1. In your business, open **Business** in the left rail, then **Revenue**.
2. Click **Setup Payments**. A chooser opens, titled **Set up payments**.
3. Pick one:
   - **Create a new Stripe account**, then **Start setup**. Willo opens Stripe's own sign-up, where Stripe checks your identity and business details.
   - **I already have a Stripe account**. Click **Connect with Stripe**, sign in to Stripe, and allow Willo to work with that account. Use this if you already take payments through Stripe.
4. Finish the steps on Stripe's site. You come back to Willo when they are done.

Signing in with an existing account takes seconds. A new account can take minutes, or longer when Stripe needs to review documents. Until then, **Settings → Connections** shows **Pending verification**. Once Stripe approves it, the card shows **Connected**, with **Express** or **Standard** for the kind of account, and you can take payments straight away.

[How Stripe Connect works](https://www.willo.ai/docs/payments/stripe-connect) explains the two kinds of account and what each shows you.

## Take your first payment

Ask Willo in chat:

> Create a product called "60-minute consultation" for £90, and add a Book now button to the services page.

Willo creates the product, gets its checkout link, and puts it on the page. [Sell something with Stripe](https://www.willo.ai/docs/payments/sell-something-with-stripe) walks through it in full.

## Check it's working

Ask "Is Stripe connected?" at any time. Willo checks the live status rather than remembering it, so ask again after you finish a step on Stripe's site.