Stripe Payment Failed: How to Diagnose and Fix It

Diagnose in Order

1. Check if Stripe is in live mode

   Go to Settings → Payments → Stripe. If it shows Test Mode, real card payments will always fail. Switch to live mode.

2. Read the Stripe decline code

   Open Commerce → Orders, find the failed order, and note the decline reason. Then log into your Stripe dashboard to find the specific error code.

3. Card decline by issuer

   The most common failure. The customer's bank declined the charge. Ask the customer to try a different card or contact their bank.

4. Insufficient funds

   The card does not have enough balance. Ask the customer to use a different payment method.

5. Expired card

   The card on file has expired. Ask the customer to update to a current card.

6. Stripe account verification issue

   If your Stripe account has outstanding verification requirements, Stripe may pause payouts or block charges. Check your Stripe dashboard for any outstanding requirements or notices.