Stripe Link

What it is

Link is an accelerated checkout option offered by Stripe to merchants already processing payments with it. The shopper's card, billing address and contact details sit with Stripe, so a first time customer at one merchant can still be a returning Link user. Merchants enable it in the Stripe Dashboard and it appears as a payment option in supported checkout components.

Why it matters

Checkout friction is one of the largest sources of lost revenue, particularly on mobile where typing card details is slow. Faster, fewer field checkouts tend to lift completion rates, which changes the economics of paid acquisition and of any traffic arriving from AI assistants with high intent. Stripe's role in agent facing payments also makes Link part of the wider conversation about how AI led purchases will be paid for.

How it works

Teams enable Link in Stripe, confirm it renders correctly in their checkout and then measure completion against the previous baseline. Common practice is to keep Link alongside wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay rather than replacing them, since shoppers differ in what they already trust. Analytics are set up to separate Link transactions so adoption and conversion can be tracked over time.

When it applies

It applies to merchants using Stripe Checkout, Elements or the Payment Element who want a faster repeat checkout. It is most valuable where mobile traffic is high and average basket values are small enough that abandonment is driven by effort rather than price.

Examples

• A subscription box brand turns on Link in Stripe Checkout and tracks mobile completion rate for the following month.
• A shopper buying from a new independent retailer is recognised by email and pays with a saved card after entering a one time code.
• A payments lead compares authorisation rates for Link, wallets and manually entered cards before deciding the default option order.

How it is measured

• Share of transactions completed via Link
• Checkout completion rate, split by mobile and desktop, before and after enabling Link
• Median time from checkout start to payment confirmation
• Payment authorisation or success rate by payment method