Stripe + Flask Recurring Revenue Guide

Overview

This guide explains how the Stripe integration works in a Flask app and gives a beginner-friendly overview of the Stripe concepts used. It documents the current app flow and where Stripe connects into it.

The repository also includes two additional branches for common use cases:

• Switch to the free_trial branch for a solution with a 7-day trial period.
• Switch to the discount_codes branch for a solution with discount code support.

Why I Built This

When building GolfOptimise, I implemented the Stripe integration by following YouTube guides. While it worked, it left me without a solid understanding of how Stripe actually works or how to use it correctly in a recurring subscription model for a web application.

I then wrote a thorough README so that other Flask developers can learn the best practices when it comes to Stripe — and so that I can quickly implement a clean Stripe solution in any future project without starting from scratch.

This involved reading through the official Stripe documentation, completing the official Stripe training, and then structuring everything I had learned into a logical, digestible format for my future self and others.

What it covers

• Core Stripe concepts: Customers, Products, Prices, PaymentIntents and Subscriptions
• Setting up recurring subscription billing in Flask end-to-end
• Handling Stripe webhooks correctly and securely
• Managing subscription lifecycle events (upgrades, cancellations, failures)
• Implementing a free trial period
• Adding discount code support