Testing Payments

Before processing real payments, thoroughly test your integration using Stripe’s test mode. This guide covers the complete testing workflow from local development to production readiness.

Test Mode vs Live Mode

Aspect	Test Mode	Live Mode
API Keys	`pk_test_`, `sk_test_`	`pk_live_`, `sk_live_`
Card Numbers	Stripe test cards	Real credit cards
Charges	No real money	Real transactions
Webhook URL	`.../webhooks/{id}/test`	`.../webhooks/{id}/live`

Development Testing Workflow

Step 1: Configure Test Mode

In Cloud Admin, navigate to Payments > Settings and enter your test credentials:

Get Test Keys from Stripe

Go to Stripe Dashboard > Developers > API keysCopy:

Publishable key: pk_test_...
Secret key: sk_test_...

Enter Keys in Cloud Admin

Paste both keys in the Test Mode section and click Validate.

Copy Webhook URL

Copy the test webhook URL displayed on the settings page.

Step 2: Set Up Local Webhook Testing

Use Stripe CLI to forward webhooks to your local development environment:

# Install Stripe CLI
brew install stripe/stripe-cli/stripe

# Login to Stripe
stripe login

# Forward webhooks to Cloud API
stripe listen --forward-to https://api.devkit4ai.com/api/v1/payments/stripe/webhooks/{your-project-id}/test

Replace {your-project-id} with your actual project UUID from Cloud Admin.

The CLI will display a webhook signing secret:

Ready! Your webhook signing secret is whsec_...

Add this secret to your Cloud Admin webhook configuration.

Step 3: Trigger Test Events

Use Stripe CLI to simulate events:

# Trigger a checkout completion
stripe trigger checkout.session.completed

# Trigger subscription lifecycle events
stripe trigger customer.subscription.created
stripe trigger customer.subscription.updated
stripe trigger invoice.payment_succeeded

# Trigger payment failure
stripe trigger invoice.payment_failed

Test Card Numbers

Use these Stripe test cards to simulate various scenarios:

Successful Payments

Card Number	Description
`4242 4242 4242 4242`	Standard successful payment
`4000 0025 0000 3155`	Requires 3D Secure authentication
`5555 5555 5555 4444`	Mastercard (successful)
`3782 822463 10005`	American Express (successful)

Failed Payments

Card Number	Failure Type
`4000 0000 0000 0002`	Card declined
`4000 0000 0000 9995`	Insufficient funds
`4000 0000 0000 9987`	Lost card
`4000 0000 0000 9979`	Stolen card
`4000 0000 0000 0069`	Expired card
`4000 0000 0000 0127`	Incorrect CVC

Special Scenarios

Card Number	Scenario
`4000 0027 6000 3184`	Requires authentication (fails if not completed)
`4000 0000 0000 3220`	3D Secure 2 required
`4000 0000 0000 0341`	Attach payment method fails

For all test cards, use any future expiry date and any 3-digit CVC.

Testing Subscription Scenarios

New Subscription Flow

Start Subscription

In your app, navigate to the pricing page and select a plan.

Complete Checkout

Use test card 4242 4242 4242 4242 with any future date and CVC.

Verify in Cloud Admin

Check Payments > Subscriptions - new subscription should appear.

Verify in Stripe

Check Stripe Dashboard > Customers > Your test customer.

Test Plan Changes

# Simulate upgrade (proration charge)
stripe trigger customer.subscription.updated

# Check Cloud Admin for updated subscription

Test Payment Failure

Create Subscription

Complete checkout with 4242 4242 4242 4242.

Update to Failing Card

In Stripe Dashboard, update the customer’s payment method to 4000 0000 0000 0341.

Trigger Invoice

stripe trigger invoice.payment_failed

Verify Status

Check Payments > Subscriptions - status should change to past_due.

Test Cancellation

Cancel via Customer Portal

In your app, open the Customer Portal and cancel the subscription.

Verify Webhook

Check Stripe CLI output for customer.subscription.updated with cancel_at_period_end.

Check Cloud Admin

Subscription should show as cancelled with access until period end.

Monitoring Test Events

Stripe CLI Output

Watch the CLI for incoming webhooks:

2024-01-15 14:30:22  --> checkout.session.completed [evt_...]
2024-01-15 14:30:22  <-- 200 OK [POST] took 245ms
2024-01-15 14:30:23  --> customer.subscription.created [evt_...]
2024-01-15 14:30:23  <-- 200 OK [POST] took 189ms

Cloud Admin Dashboard

After test events:

Statistics - Verify subscription and transaction counts update
Subscriptions - New subscription appears in the list
Transactions - Payment record shows in transaction history

Stripe Dashboard

Check webhook logs for delivery status:

Go to Developers > Webhooks
Select your test endpoint
View recent deliveries and response codes

(((REPLACE_THIS_WITH_IMAGE: cloud-admin-testing-stripe-webhook-logs.png: Stripe Dashboard webhook logs showing successful delivery attempts)))

Testing Checklist

Use this checklist before going live:

Going Live Checklist

When testing is complete, prepare for production:

Configure Live Credentials

In Cloud Admin: Payments > Settings > Live ModeEnter your live Stripe keys (pk_live_*, sk_live_*).

Create Live Webhook

In Stripe Dashboard, create a new webhook endpoint with your live URL:https://api.devkit4ai.com/api/v1/payments/stripe/webhooks/{project_id}/live

Update Environment

Ensure your deployed application uses the live mode configuration.

Make a Real Test

Process a small real transaction (e.g., $1) and immediately refund it to verify the live integration.

Monitor First Customers

Watch the first few real customers closely:

Verify webhooks are received
Confirm subscription status updates
Check email receipts are sent

Never use live credentials in development. Keep test and live environments completely separate.

Troubleshooting Tests

Webhooks not received locally

Verify Stripe CLI is running: stripe listen --forward-to ...
Check the forwarding URL is correct
Ensure no firewall blocking outbound connections
Try stripe listen --print-json for detailed output

Signature verification failed

Use the webhook secret from the current stripe listen session
Secrets change each time you restart Stripe CLI
For persistent secrets, create an endpoint in Stripe Dashboard

Test payment not appearing

Check webhook delivery in Stripe Dashboard
Verify the project_id in the webhook URL matches your project
Check Cloud API logs for processing errors

3D Secure not triggering

Use card 4000 0025 0000 3155 which requires authentication
Ensure your checkout session has correct billing address fields

Payment Setup

Complete payment integration guide

Monitor Subscriptions

View subscriptions created during testing

Subscription Billing

Subscription lifecycle and billing workflows

Stripe Tutorial

Step-by-step implementation guide

Getting Started

Project Management

API Key Management

User Management

Payment Management

Console Features

Test Mode vs Live Mode

Development Testing Workflow

Step 1: Configure Test Mode

Step 2: Set Up Local Webhook Testing

Step 3: Trigger Test Events

Test Card Numbers

Successful Payments

Failed Payments

Special Scenarios

Testing Subscription Scenarios

New Subscription Flow

Test Plan Changes

Test Payment Failure

Test Cancellation

Monitoring Test Events

Stripe CLI Output

Cloud Admin Dashboard

Stripe Dashboard

Testing Checklist

Going Live Checklist

Troubleshooting Tests

Payment Setup

Monitor Subscriptions

Subscription Billing

Stripe Tutorial

​Test Mode vs Live Mode

​Development Testing Workflow

​Step 1: Configure Test Mode

​Step 2: Set Up Local Webhook Testing

​Step 3: Trigger Test Events

​Test Card Numbers

​Successful Payments

​Failed Payments

​Special Scenarios

​Testing Subscription Scenarios

​New Subscription Flow

​Test Plan Changes

​Test Payment Failure

​Test Cancellation

​Monitoring Test Events

​Stripe CLI Output

​Cloud Admin Dashboard

​Stripe Dashboard

​Testing Checklist

​Going Live Checklist

​Troubleshooting Tests

​Related Documentation

Payment Setup

Monitor Subscriptions

Subscription Billing

Stripe Tutorial

Test Mode vs Live Mode

Development Testing Workflow

Step 1: Configure Test Mode

Step 2: Set Up Local Webhook Testing

Step 3: Trigger Test Events

Test Card Numbers

Successful Payments

Failed Payments

Special Scenarios

Testing Subscription Scenarios

New Subscription Flow

Test Plan Changes

Test Payment Failure

Test Cancellation

Monitoring Test Events

Stripe CLI Output

Cloud Admin Dashboard

Stripe Dashboard

Testing Checklist

Going Live Checklist

Troubleshooting Tests

Related Documentation