When should I create my Stripe account and switch it to live mode?

Create your Stripe account, and switch it to live mode, only once your business and website are ready: your company is formed, your website is live with your domain connected, your logo and correct business name are on it, your phone number works and your AI answers it, your email works, and any privacy policy link works. Stripe can crawl your website as soon as you create the account and when you turn on live mode. If the business does not look real and ready, or the details you give Stripe do not match your website, Stripe could close your account before you start.

To turn on live mode, Stripe asks for details such as your business name, address, phone number, entity details and tax ID (EIN), and may ask for extra verification such as two-factor authentication, business documents or a selfie. Make sure everything matches the business name on your website.

You do not have to wait for Stripe to get started. If your business entity is still pending, do everything else first: build your website, create your social media accounts and start posting. You can take early sales another way, such as a mailed check or PayPal, and set up Stripe later. Once you are ready, creating a Stripe account takes about five minutes.