Apply Discounts in Stripe Checkout | Guide

TL;DR

Apply discounts in Stripe Checkout by creating a Coupon (percentage or fixed amount), optionally wrapping it in a Promotion Code, and passing it to your Checkout Session via discounts or allow_promotion_codes. Customers see the discount applied on the Stripe-hosted page before paying.

Discounts in Stripe Checkout: Coupons vs Promotion Codes

Stripe has two discount concepts: Coupons and Promotion Codes. A Coupon defines the discount (e.g., 20% off or $5 off). A Promotion Code wraps a Coupon in a customer-facing code string (e.g., SAVE20). You can auto-apply a coupon to a Checkout Session using the discounts array, or let customers enter a promotion code by enabling allow_promotion_codes. Both work for one-time payments and subscriptions.

Prerequisites

A Stripe account with test API keys
Node.js 18+ with the stripe npm package installed
A working Checkout Session endpoint (see 'How to Create a Checkout Session')

Step-by-step guide

Create a percentage-off Coupon

Create a Coupon that gives a percentage discount. Coupons can be reusable or limited to a certain number of redemptions.

typescript

1const stripe = require('stripe')(process.env.STRIPE_SECRET_KEY);
2
3// 20% off coupon
4const coupon = await stripe.coupons.create({
5  percent_off: 20,
6  duration: 'once',       // 'once', 'repeating', or 'forever'
7  name: '20% Off',        // Displayed to customers
8  max_redemptions: 100,   // Optional: limit total uses
9});
10
11console.log('Coupon ID:', coupon.id); // e.g., 'Z4OV52SU'

Expected result: A Coupon object is created. You'll use its ID to apply discounts to Checkout Sessions.

Create a fixed-amount Coupon

Create a Coupon that subtracts a specific dollar amount from the total.

typescript

1// $5 off coupon
2const fixedCoupon = await stripe.coupons.create({
3  amount_off: 500,        // $5.00 in cents
4  currency: 'usd',
5  duration: 'once',
6  name: '$5 Off Your Order',
7});

Expected result: A fixed-amount Coupon that deducts $5 from the checkout total.

Auto-apply a coupon to a Checkout Session

Pass the coupon ID in the discounts array when creating the Checkout Session. The discount is automatically applied — the customer sees the reduced price.

typescript

1const session = await stripe.checkout.sessions.create({
2  mode: 'payment',
3  line_items: [
4    {
5      price_data: {
6        currency: 'usd',
7        product_data: { name: 'Premium Plan' },
8        unit_amount: 5000, // $50.00
9      },
10      quantity: 1,
11    },
12  ],
13  discounts: [
14    { coupon: coupon.id }, // Auto-applies the discount
15  ],
16  success_url: 'https://yoursite.com/success',
17  cancel_url: 'https://yoursite.com/cancel',
18});

Expected result: The Checkout page shows the original price with a discount line (e.g., '$50.00 - 20% off = $40.00').

Let customers enter a Promotion Code

Instead of auto-applying, create a Promotion Code (a customer-facing string) and enable the promotion code field on Checkout. Customers type the code themselves.

typescript

1// Create a Promotion Code from a Coupon
2const promoCode = await stripe.promotionCodes.create({
3  coupon: coupon.id,
4  code: 'SAVE20',         // Customer-facing code
5  max_redemptions: 50,    // Optional limit
6  active: true,
7});
8
9// Enable promotion code entry in Checkout Session
10const session = await stripe.checkout.sessions.create({
11  mode: 'payment',
12  line_items: [{ price: 'price_xxx', quantity: 1 }],
13  allow_promotion_codes: true,  // Shows promo code input
14  success_url: 'https://yoursite.com/success',
15  cancel_url: 'https://yoursite.com/cancel',
16});

Expected result: The Checkout page shows a 'Add promotion code' link. Customers can enter SAVE20 to get 20% off.

Test the discount flow

Test in Stripe test mode to verify discounts display correctly and the final charge reflects the discount.

typescript

1// Test card: 4242 4242 4242 4242
2// With 20% off on a $50 item:
3// Subtotal: $50.00
4// Discount: -$10.00
5// Total: $40.00
6
7// Verify in Dashboard → Payments — the charge should be $40.00

Expected result: The Stripe Dashboard shows a payment for the discounted amount with the coupon noted.

Complete working example

discount-server.js

1const express = require('express');
2const stripe = require('stripe')(process.env.STRIPE_SECRET_KEY);
3
4const app = express();
5app.use(express.json());
6
7// Create a reusable coupon (run once or via admin)
8app.post('/create-coupon', async (req, res) => {
9  const { percent_off, amount_off, currency, duration, name } = req.body;
10
11  const params = { duration: duration || 'once', name };
12  if (percent_off) params.percent_off = percent_off;
13  if (amount_off) {
14    params.amount_off = amount_off;
15    params.currency = currency || 'usd';
16  }
17
18  const coupon = await stripe.coupons.create(params);
19  res.json({ couponId: coupon.id });
20});
21
22// Create a promotion code from a coupon
23app.post('/create-promo-code', async (req, res) => {
24  const { coupon_id, code } = req.body;
25  const promo = await stripe.promotionCodes.create({
26    coupon: coupon_id,
27    code: code.toUpperCase(),
28    active: true,
29  });
30  res.json({ promoCodeId: promo.id, code: promo.code });
31});
32
33// Checkout with auto-applied discount
34app.post('/checkout-with-discount', async (req, res) => {
35  const { coupon_id } = req.body;
36
37  const session = await stripe.checkout.sessions.create({
38    mode: 'payment',
39    line_items: [{
40      price_data: {
41        currency: 'usd',
42        product_data: { name: 'Premium Widget' },
43        unit_amount: 5000,
44      },
45      quantity: 1,
46    }],
47    discounts: coupon_id ? [{ coupon: coupon_id }] : [],
48    success_url: `${req.headers.origin}/success`,
49    cancel_url: `${req.headers.origin}/cancel`,
50  });
51
52  res.json({ url: session.url });
53});
54
55// Checkout with customer promo code entry
56app.post('/checkout-with-promo-field', async (req, res) => {
57  const session = await stripe.checkout.sessions.create({
58    mode: 'payment',
59    line_items: [{
60      price_data: {
61        currency: 'usd',
62        product_data: { name: 'Premium Widget' },
63        unit_amount: 5000,
64      },
65      quantity: 1,
66    }],
67    allow_promotion_codes: true,
68    success_url: `${req.headers.origin}/success`,
69    cancel_url: `${req.headers.origin}/cancel`,
70  });
71
72  res.json({ url: session.url });
73});
74
75app.listen(4000, () => console.log('Server on port 4000'));

Common mistakes when applying discounts in Stripe Checkout

Why it's a problem: Using both discounts and allow_promotion_codes on the same session

How to avoid: Stripe does not allow both. Use discounts to auto-apply a specific coupon, or use allow_promotion_codes to let the customer enter a code.

Why it's a problem: Confusing Coupons with Promotion Codes

How to avoid: A Coupon defines the discount rules (20% off, $5 off). A Promotion Code is a customer-facing code string (SAVE20) linked to a Coupon. Customers enter Promotion Codes, not Coupon IDs.

Why it's a problem: Creating fixed-amount coupons without specifying the currency

How to avoid: Fixed-amount Coupons (amount_off) require a currency field. Percentage Coupons (percent_off) do not.

Why it's a problem: Not setting max_redemptions or expiry on coupons

How to avoid: Without limits, coupons can be used indefinitely. Set max_redemptions and/or redeem_by (Unix timestamp) to control usage.

Best practices

Use Promotion Codes (SAVE20) for customer-facing discounts and Coupons for system-applied discounts
Set max_redemptions and redeem_by on coupons to prevent unlimited use
Use percent_off for percentage discounts and amount_off (in cents) for fixed discounts
Test discount flows in test mode with card 4242 4242 4242 4242 and verify the charged amount
For subscriptions, use duration: 'repeating' with duration_in_months to apply discounts over multiple cycles
Track coupon usage in Dashboard → Products → Coupons to monitor redemption rates

Still stuck?

Copy one of these prompts to get a personalized, step-by-step explanation.

ChatGPT Prompt

Write Node.js code to create a Stripe Coupon (20% off, one-time) and a Promotion Code (SAVE20). Then create a Checkout Session that allows the customer to enter the promotion code using allow_promotion_codes: true.

Stripe Prompt

Add discount support to my Stripe Checkout. Create: 1) A 20% off coupon. 2) A promotion code SAVE20 linked to it. 3) A checkout endpoint that enables the promotion code input field so customers can enter SAVE20 to get the discount.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply multiple discounts to one Checkout Session?

No. Stripe Checkout supports only one discount per session. If you need stacked discounts, calculate the combined discount and create a single coupon for it.

Can I create coupons from the Stripe Dashboard?

Yes. Go to Products → Coupons → Create coupon. You can set percentage or fixed amount, duration, and limits without writing any code.

Do discounts work with subscriptions?

Yes. Set duration to 'repeating' with duration_in_months for multi-cycle discounts, or 'forever' for a permanent discount on the subscription.

How do I prevent abuse of promotion codes?

Set max_redemptions to limit total uses, first_time_transaction: true to restrict to new customers, and minimum_amount to require a minimum order. You can also restrict codes to specific customers.

What if I need complex promotional logic?

For advanced discount scenarios — tiered pricing, bundle discounts, or dynamic promotions based on cart contents — RapidDev can help build custom discount logic on top of Stripe's coupon system.

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How to apply discounts in Stripe Checkout

What you'll learn

What you'll learn

Discounts in Stripe Checkout: Coupons vs Promotion Codes

Prerequisites

Step-by-step guide

Create a percentage-off Coupon

Create a percentage-off Coupon

Create a fixed-amount Coupon

Create a fixed-amount Coupon

Auto-apply a coupon to a Checkout Session

Auto-apply a coupon to a Checkout Session

Let customers enter a Promotion Code

Let customers enter a Promotion Code

Test the discount flow

Test the discount flow

Complete working example

Common mistakes when applying discounts in Stripe Checkout

Best practices

Still stuck?

Frequently asked questions

Talk to an Expert

Need help with your project?

We put the rapid in RapidDev

How to apply discounts in Stripe Checkout

What you'll learn

Discounts in Stripe Checkout: Coupons vs Promotion Codes

Prerequisites

Step-by-step guide

Create a percentage-off Coupon

Create a percentage-off Coupon

Create a fixed-amount Coupon

Create a fixed-amount Coupon

Auto-apply a coupon to a Checkout Session

Auto-apply a coupon to a Checkout Session

Let customers enter a Promotion Code

Let customers enter a Promotion Code

Test the discount flow

Test the discount flow

Complete working example

Common mistakes when applying discounts in Stripe Checkout

Best practices

Still stuck?

Related tutorials

How to Create a Checkout Session with Stripe

How to Accept Recurring Payments in Stripe

How to Collect Billing Details in Stripe Checkout

Explore related guides

Frequently asked questions

Talk to an Expert

Need help with your project?

We put the rapid in RapidDev