Stripe Connect

Stripe is one of the simplest and most popular gateways for selling courses with LearnDash. With Stripe Connect, you can quickly link your Stripe account and start accepting payments without extra plugins.

Connecting Stripe

  1. From your WordPress dashboard, go to LearnDash LMS > Settings > Payments.
  2. Locate the Stripe option and click Manage.
  3. Click Connect Stripe.
    • You’ll be redirected to the Stripe website to sign in or create a new Stripe account.
    • After connecting, you’ll return to your WordPress dashboard where you’ll see instructions for configuring the webhook in Stripe.

Test Mode vs. Live Mode

  • Test Mode: Use while testing your site. No real money changes hands, but Stripe records whether transactions succeed or fail.
  • Live Mode: Use once your site is ready to launch. All payments are processed as real transactions.

Toggle between the two modes using the Test Mode switch in your Stripe settings.

Payment Methods

Currently supported methods:

  • Credit Card
  • iDEAL (optional)

Ensure Credit Card is enabled and save your changes.

Return URL

  • By default, users stay on the course page after purchase.
  • You can set a custom confirmation page URL to redirect learners after successful checkout.

Webhook Setup

LearnDash generates a Webhook URL automatically. To configure it in Stripe:

  1. Log in to your Stripe account.
  2. Go to Developers > Webhooks.
  3. Toggle on Test Mode.
  4. Click Add Endpoint.
  5. Paste the LearnDash-generated webhook URL, add a description, and select the latest API version.
  6. Enable the required events.
  7. Repeat the setup with Test Mode toggled off.
  8. Save your changes.

Configuring Course Payments

Once Stripe (and PayPal, if desired) is set up, you need to configure payment options for each course.

  1. In WordPress, go to LearnDash LMS > Courses.
  2. Select the course you’d like to sell and click Edit.
  3. Go to the Settings tab.
  4. Under Course Access Settings, choose:
    • Buy Now: Requires a one-time payment through Stripe or PayPal. Enter your course price and set the course enrollment URL.
    • Recurring: Requires ongoing payments. Set your price, billing cycle (days, weeks, months, or years), number of payments, trial price, trial duration, and redirect URL.
  5. Click Update or Publish to save.

Learner Experience

  • On the course page, users see a Take This Course button.
  • Clicking the button prompts them to register (username, email, name, and password).
  • After registering, learners are redirected to checkout where they can pay by credit card (Stripe) or PayPal.
  • Upon successful payment, learners are redirected to either the course page or the custom URL you defined.

Why This Matters

Stripe Connect makes it easy to accept secure, professional payments directly on your LearnDash site. With support for one-time and recurring payments, you can build sustainable revenue streams without complicated integrations.

Tip: Use a branded confirmation page as your return URL to thank learners, provide next steps, and reinforce your course value immediately after purchase.

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