Does Flask Work With Stripe?
Flask integrates seamlessly with Stripe for payment processing via the official Stripe Python library.
Quick Facts
How Flask Works With Stripe
Flask and Stripe work together naturally because Stripe provides an excellent Python SDK that integrates directly into Flask request handlers. You install the stripe package, configure your API keys as environment variables, and make API calls within your route handlers or background tasks. The lightweight nature of Flask means minimal boilerplate—a single route can handle checkout, webhooks, and customer management.
The typical architecture involves creating dedicated routes for payment initiation, success/failure redirects, and webhook handling. Stripe's webhook signatures must be validated using their provided verification method to ensure requests genuinely come from Stripe. Flask's request context makes accessing POST data and headers straightforward. Many developers pair this with a database ORM like SQLAlchemy to store transaction records and customer references locally.
For production apps, consider using Celery or similar task queues for async operations like sending confirmation emails after successful payments. Stripe's idempotency keys prevent duplicate charges if requests are retried, which Flask developers should leverage. The combination is popular for SaaS platforms, subscription services, and e-commerce, particularly those prioritizing simplicity over complex frameworks.
Best Use Cases
Quick Setup
pip install flask stripe python-dotenvfrom flask import Flask, request, jsonify
import stripe
import os
from dotenv import load_dotenv
load_dotenv()
app = Flask(__name__)
stripe.api_key = os.getenv('STRIPE_SECRET_KEY')
@app.route('/create-checkout', methods=['POST'])
def create_checkout():
try:
session = stripe.checkout.Session.create(
payment_method_types=['card'],
line_items=[
{
'price_data': {
'currency': 'usd',
'product_data': {'name': 'Test Product'},
'unit_amount': 2000, # $20.00 in cents
},
'quantity': 1,
}
],
mode='payment',
success_url='https://example.com/success',
cancel_url='https://example.com/cancel',
)
return jsonify({'url': session.url}), 303
except stripe.error.StripeError as e:
return jsonify({'error': str(e)}), 400
@app.route('/webhook', methods=['POST'])
def webhook():
sig = request.headers.get('Stripe-Signature')
event = stripe.Webhook.construct_event(
request.data, sig, os.getenv('STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET')
)
if event['type'] == 'checkout.session.completed':
# Handle successful payment
pass
return jsonify({'success': True})
if __name__ == '__main__':
app.run(debug=True)Known Issues & Gotchas
Webhook signature verification skipped in development
Fix: Always validate webhook signatures using stripe.Webhook.construct_event() in production. Use Stripe CLI to test webhooks locally with proper signing.
API keys committed to version control
Fix: Store publishable and secret keys in environment variables only. Use python-dotenv for local development.
Race conditions with async payment confirmations
Fix: Rely on Stripe webhooks as the source of truth for payment status, not redirect URLs. Webhook events are more reliable than client-side redirects.
Handling currency decimals incorrectly
Fix: Stripe amounts are in cents. Convert your dollar amounts by multiplying by 100 before sending to the API.
Alternatives
- •Django + Stripe: More batteries-included framework with better ORM, heavier than Flask
- •FastAPI + Stripe: Modern async framework, better for high-concurrency payment APIs
- •Next.js + Stripe: Full-stack JavaScript approach with better frontend-backend integration for payments
Resources
Related Compatibility Guides
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