Platform Stripe Connector

Overview

The Platform Stripe Connector enables organizations on Sell and Scale tiers to monetize their AI products directly through the Agent Delivery System (ADS). This feature provides seamless payment collection from end-users interacting with deployed widgets, supporting one-time payments, recurring subscriptions, usage-based billing, and free trials for AI-powered services.

Core Capabilities

Payment Collection

Organizations can accept payments directly within their ADS widgets:

• One-time payments: Single transactions for access to specific AI services, workflows, or expert consultations
• Recurring subscriptions: Monthly or annual billing for continuous access to AI agents, apps, and libraries
• Usage-based billing: Pay-per-use model based on AI consumption, workflow completions, or data processing
• Free trials: 7, 14, or 21-day trial periods with automatic conversion to paid subscriptions
• Payment methods: Credit/debit cards (primary), with ACH/wire support for enterprise customers

Stripe Connect Architecture

The platform uses Stripe Connect to enable multi-party payment flows:

1. Platform account: MECLABS maintains the primary Stripe account for platform subscriptions
2. Connected accounts: Each organization connects their own Stripe account for ADS revenue
3. Revenue splitting: Automatic distribution between organization (primary) and platform (commission)
4. Compliance: PCI DSS compliance handled by Stripe, reducing security burden

Widget Payment Integration

Payment capabilities embedded directly in ADS widgets:

• In-widget checkout: Users complete purchases without leaving the conversation interface
• Subscription management: End-users can view, upgrade, or cancel subscriptions within the widget
• Payment method storage: Secure tokenization for repeat customers
• Multi-currency support: Automatic currency conversion based on user location
• Invoice generation: Automated receipts and tax-compliant invoices

Revenue Models

Subscription Tiers

Organizations can offer tiered access to their AI products:

Model Type	Use Case	Billing Frequency	Typical Price Range
Basic Access	Limited queries, essential features	Monthly	$19-49
Professional	Unlimited queries, advanced features	Monthly/Annual	$99-299
Enterprise	Custom limits, white-label, priority support	Annual	$500+
Usage-Based	Pay per interaction or credit consumption	Monthly (post-paid)	Variable

Commission Structure

Platform fee structure for ADS transactions:

• Standard commission: 10% of gross revenue for payment processing and platform services
• Volume discounts: Reduced rates for organizations processing >$10k monthly
• Partner program: 40% lifetime commission for certified partners on referred accounts
• White-label option: Fixed monthly fee for complete platform branding removal (Scale tier)

Credit Pass-Through

Organizations can resell platform credits through their ADS:

• Customer Kit pricing: Base $20/month includes 1,000 MLC credits
• Markup flexibility: Organizations set their own pricing (typically $49-99)
• Credit allocation: Automatic provisioning when customers subscribe
• Usage tracking: Real-time consumption monitoring and overage handling

Technical Implementation

Stripe Connect Setup

Organizations connect their Stripe account through a guided process:

1. OAuth connection: Secure authorization via Stripe Connect OAuth flow
2. Account verification: Business entity validation and bank account confirmation
3. Webhook configuration: Automatic webhook endpoint creation for payment events
4. Test mode: Sandbox environment for integration testing before go-live

API Integration Points

Key endpoints for payment processing:

// Widget subscription management
/api/widget/:widgetId/stripe/subscription/create
/api/widget/:widgetId/stripe/subscription/update
/api/widget/:widgetId/stripe/subscription/cancel

// Payment method management
/api/widget/:widgetId/stripe/payment-methods
/api/widget/:widgetId/stripe/payment-method/attach
/api/widget/:widgetId/stripe/payment-method/detach

// Usage and billing
/api/widget/:widgetId/stripe/usage/record
/api/widget/:widgetId/stripe/invoice/preview
/api/widget/:widgetId/stripe/billing-portal

Database Schema

Widget payment configuration:

{
  widgetId: string,
  orgId: string,
  stripeConnectId: string, // Connected account ID
  paymentEnabled: boolean,
  pricing: {
    model: "subscription" | "usage" | "hybrid",
    tiers: [{
      id: string,
      name: string,
      price: number,
      interval: "month" | "year",
      features: string[],
      credits?: number
    }],
    trialDays?: number,
    usageRates?: {
      perQuery?: number,
      perWorkflow?: number,
      perCredit?: number
    }
  },
  metadata: {
    currency: string,
    taxConfig?: TaxConfiguration,
    invoiceSettings?: InvoiceSettings
  }
}

Widget user payment records:

{
  userId: string,
  widgetId: string,
  stripeCustomerId: string,
  subscriptions: [{
    id: string,
    status: "active" | "trialing" | "past_due" | "canceled",
    tier: string,
    currentPeriodEnd: Timestamp,
    cancelAtPeriodEnd: boolean
  }],
  paymentMethods: [{
    id: string,
    type: "card",
    last4: string,
    isDefault: boolean
  }],
  creditBalance?: number,
  usageThisMonth?: number
}

Webhook Processing

Critical payment events handled via webhooks:

• customer.subscription.created: Provision access and allocate credits
• customer.subscription.updated: Sync tier changes and feature access
• invoice.payment_succeeded: Record payment and reset usage counters
• invoice.payment_failed: Initiate dunning sequence and access restrictions
• customer.subscription.deleted: Revoke access and archive user data

User Experience

End-User Payment Flow

1. Discovery: User interacts with free tier or trial of ADS widget
2. Upgrade prompt: Contextual upgrade suggestions based on usage patterns
3. Plan selection: Clear tier comparison with feature differentiation
4. Payment: Secure checkout within widget interface
5. Confirmation: Immediate access grant and welcome sequence
6. Management: Self-service portal for subscription changes

Organization Dashboard

Payment management interface for organizations:

• Revenue analytics: Real-time MRR, churn rate, and LTV metrics
• Customer management: Subscriber list with payment status and usage data
• Payout history: Transaction logs and pending transfer amounts
• Pricing configuration: A/B testing tools for pricing optimization
• Tax settings: Automated tax calculation and reporting

Compliance & Security

Payment Security

• PCI DSS Level 1: Full compliance via Stripe's infrastructure
• SCA/3D Secure: Strong customer authentication for European transactions
• Tokenization: No raw card data stored in platform databases
• Encryption: TLS 1.3 for all payment data transmission

Tax Compliance

• Stripe Tax: Automatic calculation for 30+ countries
• VAT/GST handling: Reverse charge for B2B, standard rates for B2C
• Tax reporting: Automated 1099 generation for US organizations
• Invoice compliance: Legally compliant invoices with required fields

Data Privacy

• GDPR compliance: User consent management and data portability
• CCPA compliance: California privacy rights implementation
• Data retention: 7-year financial record retention per regulations
• Audit logging: Complete payment action history for compliance

Integration Requirements

Prerequisites

• Plan requirement: Sell or Scale tier subscription
• Stripe account: Active Stripe account with completed onboarding
• Business verification: Valid business entity and tax information
• Bank account: Verified bank account for payouts

Setup Process

1. Enable connector: Activate Stripe Connector in organization settings
2. Connect account: Complete Stripe Connect OAuth flow
3. Configure pricing: Set up subscription tiers or usage rates
4. Test integration: Process test payments in sandbox mode
5. Go live: Switch to production mode and begin accepting payments

Migration Support

For organizations with existing payment systems:

• Customer import: Bulk migration of existing Stripe customers
• Subscription sync: Grandfathering of legacy pricing plans
• Historical data: Revenue history preservation for analytics
• Parallel running: Gradual migration with dual-system support

Performance & Scalability

Transaction Limits

• Processing capacity: 1,000+ transactions per minute per organization
• Webhook processing: Sub-second event handling with retry logic
• Currency support: 135+ currencies with automatic conversion
• Geographic coverage: Payment acceptance in 195 countries

Reliability

• Uptime SLA: 99.99% availability for payment processing
• Failover: Automatic retry with exponential backoff
• Idempotency: Duplicate payment prevention via idempotency keys
• Monitoring: Real-time alerts for payment failures or anomalies

Best Practices

Pricing Strategy

• Value-based tiers: Align pricing with customer value perception
• Credit bundling: Include MLC credits to encourage platform adoption
• Annual discounts: 15-20% discount to improve cash flow and retention
• Trial optimization: Test 7, 14, and 21-day trials for conversion rates

Revenue Optimization

• Dunning management: Automated retry sequences for failed payments
• Upgrade prompts: Usage-triggered upgrade suggestions
• Churn prevention: Proactive outreach before cancellation
• Referral incentives: Revenue sharing for customer referrals

Compliance Checklist

• Terms of service: Include payment terms and refund policy
• Privacy policy: Disclose payment data handling practices
• Tax registration: Register for sales tax where required
• Financial records: Maintain transaction logs for audit purposes