Should our nonprofit switch to Stripe?

Swell clients prior to April 29, 2022 utilize Authorize.net or CardConnect/Bluepay to process online credit card payments. All clients have the option to set up and/or connect their existing Swell account to Stripe from the management dashboard.

What if you cannot see the tab for 'Setup Stripe Account' from the dashboard? 

If you do not see the Setup Stripe Account tab on your dashboard, it may be that you are not the owner of your Swell account. The owner of the Swell account is the only level with access to the payment gateway setup. If you have questions about this access, please reach out to support@swellfundraising.com 

Should we change to Stripe? 

The decision to change to Stripe can impact several in your organization including your accounting / gift processing personnel. Discuss this decision with your financial management team. The change will alter the distribution processes.

What are the payout / distribution changes?

(1) The Stripe payment processor distributes payments in daily batches net of fees whereas CardConnect/Bluepay deposits in daily batches and deducts fees at the end of each month. 

(2) Future payments and the timing of payments is easier to see in the Stripe dashboard. 

Why switch to Stripe? 

There are many reasons that Swell selected Stripe as its next payment integration partner. Those include the following: 

(1) Better Service: The Swell system is connected to the CardConnect/Bluepay gateway which was acquired by CardConnect and later Fiserv. Since that time, service to the Bluepay gateway and customer support for our clients via an automated system diminished. For example, the process to change the organization's bank account is difficult with CardConnect while Stripe provides an easier process for nonprofit teams. (Here is the information to change the bank account with Stripe). 

(2) Lower merchant fees: Stripe offers nonprofits special pricing. Please see their information here.  Nonprofits can lower their merchant fees by switching to Stripe. 

(3) Nonprofits already use Stripe: Stripe is a commonly used payment platform and your organization may already have an account. 

(4) Easy to Open Account: The Stripe account is easy to create and use instantly.  

(5) Designed for modern payments: The Stripe platform is constantly adapting and adding forms of payment. The latest digital wallet and online payment methods will be available and easier to activate with Stripe.