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Limitations of Stripe Integration (vs. PbN Payments)

Alyssa Elso avatar
Written by Alyssa Elso
Updated yesterday

While Stripe is a widely known and trusted payment processor, practices integrating it with Practice by Numbers (PbN) experience a different workflow than those using PbN Payments. Below is a side-by-side breakdown of the core limitations and functional differences to help practices choose the best solution for their needs.


Integration and Workflow Alignment

  • Stripe: Payments are tracked in PbN, and practices can still trigger automated follow-up sequences using standard PbN workflows. However, refunds must be processed externally via Stripe, and are not initiated or tracked directly within PbN.

  • PbN Payments: Offers a fully embedded experience, including refunds managed within the PbN platform and synced directly to patient records for a complete audit trail.


Patient Payment Access

  • Stripe: Patients can make payments using a hosted widget link, which practices can share via SMS, email, or campaigns. This allows access to balances and supports automated reminders.

  • PbN Payments: Provides the same portal access and widget functionality—but with deeper integration. Payment interactions are more tightly tied to other patient communication and reporting tools.


Surcharge and Fee Handling

  • Stripe: Practices can choose to pass the card processing fee to the patient, but cannot customize surcharges based on card type, state law, or country. Additionally, a 1% platform fee from PbN is always applied to transactions made via Stripe.

  • PbN Payments: Offers a customizable surcharge engine (ZeroPay).


In-Office Payments (Point of Sale)

  • Stripe: Does not support physical terminals or in-office card readers through the PbN interface. All payments must be processed online.

  • PbN Payments: Includes seamless point-of-sale support, including P400 Plus or S1F2 terminals for front-desk and chairside transactions.


Reporting

  • Stripe: Payment data appears in PbN with the same reporting visibility as PbN Payments. Practices can use standard filters and dashboards to analyze payment performance.

  • PbN Payments: Offers the same reporting tools, with no difference in visibility or filtering, but additional context such as refunds initiated in-platform.


Payment Plans

  • Stripe: Does not support structured payment plans within PbN. Practices cannot set up automated installment schedules or track plan progress.

  • PbN Payments: Includes robust payment plan functionality, with scheduled installments, automated charges, notifications, and plan management directly from the patient account.


Summary Table

Feature

Stripe Integration

PbN Payments

Payment Tracking

✅ (within PbN)

Refunds in PbN

❌ (handled in Stripe)

Follow-Up Automation

Patient Portal Access

Customizable Surcharges

Point of Sale (POS)

PbN Platform Fee

1%

0%

Payment Plan Support

Reporting

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