> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.clarely.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Accept card payments

> Let clients pay you by card, processed through your own Stripe account.

Venmo, Cash App, and Zelle cover most clients, but some want to pay by card. Connect your own Stripe account and Clarely adds a **Pay by card** option to every invoice — money goes straight into your Stripe balance, and Clarely never touches it.

## How it works

You connect your own Stripe account once. After that, every invoice you send shows a Pay by card button alongside your other payment options. When a client pays by card, Clarely creates the charge through your Stripe account and marks the invoice paid automatically — you don't have to record anything yourself.

<Note>
  This is different from recording a card payment manually. If a client pays you by card some other way — say, through a payment terminal you already use — you can still note that on the invoice. See [Payment handling](/invoices/payment-handling) for that option. This page is about accepting card payments directly through Clarely.
</Note>

## Setting it up

See [Connect Stripe](/invoices/connect-stripe) for the full walkthrough.

## What your client sees

A client opening an invoice with card payments connected sees a **Pay by card** button next to your other payment options. Tapping it takes them to a secure Stripe checkout page — they never leave a trusted payment screen to enter their card details.

## Fees

Stripe charges its standard processing fee (2.9% + \$0.30 for U.S. cards) on each payment. Clarely doesn't add anything on top.

## Refunds

Refunds happen in your Stripe account, not in Clarely. If you refund a client through Stripe, go back to the invoice in Clarely and update it yourself — refunding in Stripe doesn't automatically change the invoice's paid status.

## Plan requirement

Accepting card payments is available on **Professional plan and above**. On Free and Starter, clients pay through Venmo, Cash App, or Zelle only — see [Payment handling](/invoices/payment-handling).

## What to do next

Ready to turn this on? Head to [Connect Stripe](/invoices/connect-stripe) to link your account, or check [Card payment problems](/invoices/stripe-troubleshooting) if something's not working.