> ## 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.

# Set up a Stripe account

> Create and activate a Stripe account so you can accept card and bank payments.

If you don't have a Stripe account yet, here's how to set one up — it takes about ten minutes, most of it Stripe verifying your business.

## Create your account

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign up">
    Go to [dashboard.stripe.com/register](https://dashboard.stripe.com/register) and create an account.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify your email">
    Stripe emails you a verification link right after signup — click it before continuing.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete your business profile">
    Stripe asks for your legal business details, identity verification, and a bank account for payouts. This is required before your account can accept live payments — Stripe calls this "activating" your account.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  The bank account you add here is where **your own money** lands after a client pays you. It's separate from turning on bank payments as something your clients can pay *with* — that's the next step.
</Note>

## Turn on bank payments (ACH)

This is the step most people miss: enabling bank payments for your clients isn't automatic, even after your account is fully activated.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Payment methods">
    In your Stripe Dashboard, go to **Payments → Payment methods**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Turn on Bank debits">
    Find **Bank debits** and switch it on.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Stripe won't let you turn this on until your account is fully activated with no outstanding verification requirements. If the toggle is grayed out, go back to your business profile and finish anything Stripe is still asking for.
</Warning>

Card payments don't need this extra step — connecting your account is enough for those to work right away.

## Already have a Stripe account for something else?

If you use Stripe with another platform, a point-of-sale system, or your own website, you don't need a second account — you can connect that same one to Clarely. Just make sure it isn't already connected to another platform first; Stripe only allows one connection at a time. See [Connect Stripe](/invoices/connect-stripe) for what to do if that's the case.

## What to do next

Once your account is activated and Bank debits is on, head to [Connect Stripe](/invoices/connect-stripe) to link it to Clarely.