Customers Can't Pay on My Website
Customers are trying to buy something on your website and the payment isn't going through. Maybe they see an error, the page spins forever, or the payment button does nothing when clicked. Every minute this is broken, you're losing real money.
Payment problems are especially frustrating because there are so many possible causes — your payment provider (Stripe, PayPal, Square), your website code, your hosting, or even the customer's bank could all be the problem. And unlike other bugs, you often won't know about this one until customers complain or you notice sales have dropped to zero.
The good news is that most payment issues have straightforward fixes once you identify which part of the chain is broken.
Error Messages You Might See
Common Causes
- Using test API keys in production — Your app is still using Stripe or PayPal test/sandbox keys instead of live keys, so real payments silently fail
- API keys expired or revoked — Your payment provider credentials stopped working and need to be updated
- SSL certificate missing — Payment providers require HTTPS. If your SSL expired, payments will be blocked
- Payment form not loading — The payment widget (Stripe Elements, PayPal button) fails to load due to a JavaScript error
- Currency or region mismatch — Your Stripe account is set to one currency but your website is trying to charge in another
- 3D Secure failing — European customers need extra bank verification (3DS) and your app doesn't handle it
How to Fix It
- Test a payment yourself — Try to make a purchase on your own site to see exactly what error appears
- Check your payment provider dashboard — Log into Stripe, PayPal, or your payment provider to see if there are failed charges or error logs
- Verify you're using live API keys — Make sure your production site uses live/production keys, not test/sandbox keys
- Check the browser console for errors — Press F12 and look for red error messages when the payment fails
- Verify SSL is active — Make sure your URL shows the padlock icon (HTTPS). Payment forms won't work on HTTP
- Contact your payment provider's support — They can see exactly why payments are being declined on their end
Real developers can help you.
Vlad Temian
15+ years shipping production infrastructure for startups. Former CTO at qed.builders (acquired by The Sandbox).
Cursor ambassador and agentic tooling builder.
I've scaled systems, automated deployments, and built observability tools for AI coding workflows. I specialize in taking vibe-coded apps from broken prototype to production-ready: fixing Supabase auth/RLS, Stripe integrations, deployment pipelines, and cleaning up AI-generated spaghetti.
I build tools in this space (agentprobe, claudebin, micode) and understand both sides: how AI generates code and why it breaks.
https://blog.vtemian.com/
prajwalfullstack
Hi Im a full stack developer, a vibe coded MVP to Market ready product, I'm here to help
Jaime Orts-Caroff
I'm a Senior Android developer, open to work in various fields
Nam Tran
10 years as fullstack developer
Bastien Labelle
Full stack dev w/ 20+ years of experience
Victor Denisov
Developer
Meïr Ankri
Full-stack developer specializing in React / Next.js / Node.js with 6+ years of experience. I've worked across various sectors including automotive (Reezocar/Société Générale), healthcare (Medical Link SaaS), and e-commerce (Glasman). I build web apps end-to-end, from architecture to production, with a focus on scalability, performance, and code quality. I also mentor junior developers and contribute to technical decisions and code reviews.
Mehdi Ben Haddou
- Founder of Chessigma (1M+ users) & many small projects
- ex Founding Engineer @Uplane (YC F25)
- ex Software Engineer @Amazon and @Booking.com
AUXLE
I am a Full Stack Developer experienced in building Websites, Web apps and Cross Platform Mobile Apps for Startups and Companies.
Milan Surelia
Milan Surelia is a Mobile App Developer with 5+ years of experience crafting scalable, cross-platform apps at 7Span and Meticha. At 7Span, he engineers feature-rich Flutter apps with smooth performance and modern UI. As the Co-Founder of Meticha, he builds open-source tools and developer-focused products that solve real-world problems.
Expertise:
💡 Developing cross-platform apps using Flutter, Dart, and Jetpack Compose for Android, iOS, and Web.
🖋️ Sharing insights through technical writing, blogging, and open-source contributions.
🤝 Collaborating closely with designers, PMs, and developers to build seamless mobile experiences.
Notable Achievements:
🎯 Revamped the Vepaar app into Vepaar Store & CRM with a 2x performance boost and smoother UX.
🚀 Launched Compose101 — a Jetpack Compose starter kit to speed up Android development.
🌟 Open source contributions on Github & StackOverflow for Flutter & Dart
🎖️ Worked on improving app performance and user experience with smart solutions.
Milan is always happy to connect, work on new ideas, and explore the latest in technology.
Describe what's wrong in plain English. No technical knowledge needed.
Get HelpFrequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I'm using test keys vs live keys?
Stripe test keys start with 'sk_test_' and live keys start with 'sk_live_'. Check your website's settings or environment variables. If you see 'test' in the key, that's your problem — payments will appear to work but no real money is charged.
A customer says they were charged but I don't see the order. What happened?
The payment went through on Stripe's side but your website failed to record the order. Check your Stripe dashboard for the charge. This usually means there's an error in the code that runs after the payment succeeds.