Guide
Stripe checkout not working on my live site (works in test mode)
Updated
If Stripe checkout works in test mode but not live, something usually exists only in test mode: keys, webhooks, signing secrets, products or prices. The standard fix is to set them up again in live mode and finish activating the account.
In our checks of 44 live AI-built apps, 5 (11%) had a payment, price or checkout problem: payment could not be completed, or plans and prices contradicted each other.
What we add from real checks: the owner pays with a test card in test mode, and it works. The first real customer is the first to touch the live side.
Stripe says each mode has its own API keys and that objects in one mode are not accessible from the other. Put the live keys and the live webhook signing secret in the app.
Why it happens
Stripe says each mode has its own API keys and that objects in one mode are not accessible from the other. An app built and tried with test keys can look finished and still have nothing set up on the live side.
The causes, and how to fix each
1. The live site still uses test API keys
Stripe says you can't process live payments while your integration still uses test API keys.
How to fix it
- In the Stripe Dashboard, switch to live mode and open the API keys page.
- Put the live publishable key (starts with pk_live_) where the app's front end reads it, and the live secret key (sk_live_) in the server-side settings only.
- Publish or redeploy the app so the live site uses the new values.
Source: Stripe: API keys (test and live modes) · Stripe: Testing
2. The webhook that unlocks the purchase exists only in test mode
A Stripe account can have both test and live webhook endpoints. If the app unlocks the order when a webhook arrives, a test-only endpoint means a real payment never reaches it.
How to fix it
- In live mode, open Workbench, Webhooks and create an event destination with your live app's address.
- Choose the same events your test endpoint listens to.
- Confirm the live endpoint behaves exactly like the test one.
Source: Stripe: Go-live checklist · Stripe: Webhooks
3. The live webhook's signing secret is not the one the app holds
Stripe generates a unique secret for each endpoint, and if the same endpoint is used for test and live keys, the secret is different for each. Stripe says the most common cause of failed signature checks is using the wrong endpoint secret.
How to fix it
- Open the live endpoint in Workbench, Webhooks, and copy its signing secret (starts with whsec_).
- Put it in the app's server-side settings in place of the test secret, and redeploy.
- Open the endpoint's Event deliveries tab to see each attempt and its status, and resend a failed event once it is fixed.
Source: Stripe: Webhooks · Stripe: Manage webhook endpoints (signature verification)
4. The app points at test products and prices
Products, prices, plans and coupons created in test mode are not usable in live mode.
How to fix it
- Recreate the products and prices in live mode.
- Stripe recommends the same ID values (the same ID, not the same name) so the app's code keeps working; otherwise update the IDs the app uses.
Source: Stripe: Go-live checklist
5. The Stripe account is not activated for live payments
Stripe says that to use a service in live mode you verify your business and complete its activation requirements.
How to fix it
- In the Stripe Dashboard, finish the account activation steps Stripe lists for your business.
Source: Stripe: Activate your account
6. After payment, customers are sent to the wrong address
success_url is where Stripe sends customers when payment or setup is complete, and cancel_url, if set, is where they go if they decide to cancel. If these still name the preview or a test address, the customer lands somewhere that is not your live app.
How to fix it
- Find where the app creates the Checkout Session and set success_url and cancel_url to pages on your live address.
- Stripe recommends confirming payment with webhooks, not only with the success page.
Source: Stripe API: Create a Checkout Session (success_url, cancel_url)
How to tell it's fixed
- On your live address, make one real purchase with a real card, then refund it from the Stripe Dashboard.
- In live mode, open the endpoint in Workbench, Webhooks: the Event deliveries tab shows that payment's events delivered successfully.
- The customer lands on a page of your live app, and what they paid for is unlocked.
The main catch
Test cards do not work in live mode, and a purchase that works in test mode proves nothing about the live side. Check the live keys, the live webhook and its signing secret, and the live prices together, then make one real purchase.
Why you can't see it yourself
You're signed in, your customers aren't. You pay with a test card in test mode, so everything you try uses the test keys, test webhook and test products. A real customer is the first to touch the live side.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Stripe checkout work in test mode but not live?
Test and live mode have separate API keys, webhook endpoints and products. Each one has to be set up again in live mode.
Do I need a new webhook for live mode?
Yes. Test and live webhook endpoints are separate, and each endpoint has its own signing secret.
Why does Stripe say webhook signature verification failed?
Stripe says the most common cause is the wrong endpoint secret, for example the secret from a different endpoint or mode. A framework that changes the raw request body before verification also breaks it.
Where can I see whether Stripe reached my webhook?
In Workbench, Webhooks, open the endpoint and look at the Event deliveries tab for each attempt and its status.
Do I need to activate my Stripe account to take real payments?
Yes. Stripe asks you to verify your business and complete its activation requirements before using live mode.
Can VibeFix fix it for me?
Yes, if you ask. The free check confirms the problem first. Our AI agent can find the cause, fix it in your code and re-check your live app: $79 for one bug, paid up front. If we can't complete your re-check, you get your money back.
Sources (official documentation)
- Stripe: API keys (test and live modes)
- Stripe: Testing
- Stripe: Go-live checklist
- Stripe: Webhooks
- Stripe: Manage webhook endpoints (signature verification)
- Stripe: Activate your account
- Stripe API: Create a Checkout Session (success_url, cancel_url)
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