How to Hire a Stripe Developer: Questions to Ask, Skills to Expect, and More

As a business, you want to make money. To do this, you must give your customers the possibility to pay for your products and services quickly and easily. Payment gateway integration to websites or apps using Stripe API is one of the best ways to achieve this. 

A big advantage is that Stripe provides detailed developer documentation. But following it without previous Stripe API development experience can be quite tricky. This is why the most cost-efficient way to enable Stripe for your website and apps is to hire a Stripe expert who can help avoid costly blunders and mistakes.

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Relevant is a software development company with in-depth expertise in financial app development and building enterprise-grade products like TradeSherpa. Our team has significant experience with Stripe API integration services, and we can help you deal with any challenge related to this payment gateway. 

This article covers the questions you will have to answer if you decide to hire a developer to integrate Stripe API. Read on to learn where to find Stripe programmers and what skills to expect from candidates for this position. We’ll also discuss how to select the best tech partner should you choose to hire remote developers for your project.

What exactly does Stripe do?

Stripe is a SaaS provider of payment processing APIs and related software that enables online payments for websites and mobile applications. It provides various payment processing and related services, from API integration with multiple payment processors to fraud prevention, invoicing, issuing physical cards, raising capital, controlling corporate expenditures, and much more.

With Stripe, online businesses get a full set of products needed to send and accept payments via web platforms and mobile apps. This helps business owners concentrate on growing their company instead of handling various routine aspects of billing manually.

There are a lot of Stripe integration tutorials out there. So many people wonder: does one need to be a developer to use Stripe? 

The answer is “yes, definitely.” With all its detailed guides, Stripe is still a complex system of interconnected tools that must be correctly configured to work as intended. In addition, should you want a custom Stripe integration, you will need a certain background and skills that are hard to come by unless you hire a Stripe developer.

What skills should a Stripe developer possess?

To use Stripe payment processing and API integration to the fullest, one needs to have a wide array of skills. Here is what a good Stripe developer must deliver:

• An in-depth understanding of Stripe platform features, functions, and configuration
• Ample hands-on experience with developing and integrating Stripe APIs, services, and products
• In-detail knowledge of developing robust RESTful APIs
• Solid command of Java, Go, Scala, Ruby on Rails, and other programming languages for enterprise-grade software
• Excellent handling of SQL and NoSQL databases
• Expertise with HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript
• Deep knowledge of Linux OS and CLI scripting
• Good grip of modern networking and DevOps tools and concepts.

On top of that, they should have an excellent understanding of all the Stripe product range. Besides Payments, this includes Radar, Invoicing, Dashboard and Analytics, various plugins, subscription management, and other functionalities.

So, it can be quite challenging to find a specialist with a strong command of all these skills—yet it must be done. Let’s see how you can lay out all these requirements in a job description to hire a remote developer for a Stripe project.

An example of a job description for a Stripe developer position

Now that you have a picture of an ideal Stripe developer in your mind, it’s time to write a job posting. Usually, you don’t need to hire a Stripe API expert full time, as their services are required only at the development stage. At the same time, their input is crucial for the lasting success of your projects, so you do want to find the best fit for your needs.

Here is a sample job description for a Stripe developer. 

***

We are looking for a Stripe API developer with expertise in integrating Stripe with crowdfunding iOS and Android apps and a website in Laravel.  An ideal candidate needs to have proven experience with Stripe integrations for fintech and provide testimonials from previous clients.

Responsibilities will include the following:

• Integrating Stripe API, Payments, Radar, Invoicing, Dashboard, and Analytics with iOS and Android mobile apps and a website in Laravel
• Building an efficient CI/CD pipeline for AWS, Docker, SQL, and PHP/Laravel and for adjusting the dependencies with future app updates
• Creating detailed developer documentation for all Stripe integrations implemented.

We also expect that the candidate will be:

• A strategic thinker who can present and defend their ideas
• A persistent executor who can see their tasks through 
• A team worker who can listen to other opinions and adjust their plans accordingly.

We offer hourly rates instead of a fixed-price budget to ensure that your work is fairly compensated.

***

Keep in mind, though, that top-quality Stripe experts are not easy to find. So, having described what you expect them to deliver, try to show the value YOU can provide to them.

Let’s assume you have shortlisted several promising candidates. How to hire a Stripe developer that best fits your expectations and project requirements? We’ll talk about this next.

Interview questions for a Stripe developer

Naturally, you would like your Stripe expert to be a team player, so it’s important to evaluate their soft skills. It’s also crucial for developers to deliver on their promises, so checking their technical background is a must. Here are a few questions you might want to ask, along with the answers you should expect to receive.

Q1: What are the key principles of good software engineering?

This general question shows whether the candidate has read all the technical requirements in the job description and if they share your company’s values and philosophy. Transparent, scalable, and reusable code might be one of the principles here, but the actual list depends on what you need.

Q2: Could you please describe your process of integrating Stripe into the software?

A candidate should show critical thinking, planning, time management, and prioritization skills. They should be able to demonstrate they will not need to restart the work mid-project due to some oversight at the planning stage.

Q3: Could you please describe the difference between C# and Java from Stripe’s point of view?

The key difference is that with C#, you write once, compile everywhere, and with Java, you write once, run everywhere. Thus, C# is platform-dependent, while Java is independent. This question helps understand the depth of the developer’s background and whether they are aware of minute technical details. 

Q4: Please iterate through items in a string to find matches in a given order.

Depending on the programming language the candidate uses, the code will differ, so it’s important to have tech expertise at hand to evaluate the solution. Prepare a workstation or a tablet, create the task in the CoderPad—or let the candidate use their own environment. Just make sure you have an expert who can assess the task completion and the tests the candidate will write.

Q5: Please share your experience of improving some business processes.

This is important, as payments are among the most crucial interactions with customers. You want your Stripe developers to be able to highlight issues and correct them to ensure maximum efficiency—both in the app and in the development workflow.

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Q6: Please design a system for storing a large number of payment transactions.

The candidate must demonstrate software architect skills since incorrect system design and implementation can become a show-stopper for your app. The implementations will vary, but the design must demonstrate that the candidate understands common payment workflows and knows how to use Stripe products to build a functioning ecosystem.

Q7: Please allocate and deallocate servers. Determine the minimum available number of servers.

This question should show the command of CLI scripting, as well as understanding and expertise with DevOps tools and Agile workflows. It’s essential to ensure the Stripe developer will not slow down the team and will be able to create deliverables in such a way as to ensure their swift deployment and updates (Docker containers, microservices, event brokers, etc.)

Overall, your interview must cover both the candidate’s cultural fit and the technical background. The questions should highlight their expertise with Stripe products and the programming languages you need them to work with. 

This approach will help you select a good Stripe developer anywhere in the world. Talking about locations, Ukraine has been ranked one of the best IT outsourcing destinations for years now. Let’s see what advantages you get by outsourcing Stripe API integration services to Ukrainian developers.

Why do Ukrainian Stripe experts stand out?

Ukraine is known for being one of the most popular IT outsourcing destinations in Europe. SkillValue puts Ukrainian software engineers among the top 5 worldwide. 

Here is what you can expect from them:

• Expertise. Ukraine is a well-known IT outsourcing hub, with the multiple US and EU-based startups trusting the development of their products to Ukrainian dedicated software development teams.
• Dedication to quality. A lot of Ukrainian developer teams are in top positions of HackerRank challenges for their domains, scoring 91% on average. You can be sure you will get high-quality deliverables.
• Cultural fit and English fluency. Ukraine follows the Western business culture best practices, and most mid-level and senior software developers speak English well enough, leaving no room for miscommunication.
• Lower costs. Given the lower cost of living and the taxation system geared towards IT specialists, outsourcing to Ukraine is much more affordable than to the US or Western Europe.

In addition, Ukraine has been ranking top in IT outsourcing ratings for years in a row. Geographical proximity, time zone overlap, cultural fit, and good technical background make Ukraine one of the best countries to outsource software development to. 

These are just the tip of the iceberg, though, but don’t take our words at face value. Talk with people, ask for references, read reviews—and select the most fitting way to hire Stripe developers for your goals. Let’s talk about this next.

How to hire Stripe experts in Ukraine: Three most common ways

There are three approaches you can take to gain access to Stripe expertise in Ukraine:

• Hire freelance Stripe experts
• Hire Stripe developers in Ukraine via recruiting agencies
• Augment your staff with remote Stripe integration expertise.

Below we briefly describe the benefits and shortcomings of each approach.

Hire freelancers in Ukraine

There’s a big pool of skilled Stripe developers in Ukraine who don’t want to be tied to any particular company and provide contract-based freelance services instead. You can find them on portals like TopTal, Upwork, Clutch, etc. 

Pros:

• You contact a person explicitly interested in accomplishing your tasks and evaluate their skills based on public reviews and ratings
• You avoid all the recruitment and HR hassle
• You pay only for the job done.

Cons:

• Risk the contractor passing the task to a subcontractor, which might result in subpar quality code
• Managerial overhead with project progress tracking
• Risk of sensitive data disclosure
• Risk of missed deadlines or poor code quality
• Risk of a freelancer walking out without delivering your project

When to use: for short-time and small-scale tasks.

Work with Ukrainian recruiting agencies

You can quickly hire remote Stripe developers as your remote full-time employees with the help of recruitment agencies, too.

Pros:

• You have the recruitment tasks handled for you by Ukrainian recruiting agencies with access to large pools of candidates
• You get remote employees who comply with your NDA and SLA requirements
• These talents use your communication channels and task tracking systems of choice, reducing managerial overhead.

Cons:

• You have to pay for recruiting services
• Some onboarding time is needed before new talents become part of your team
• You have to pay Stripe developers on standby or else fire them
• If experts leave, their expertise leaves with them.

When to use: for one-time tasks with a big scope.

Expand Stripe projects with Ukrainian IT staff augmentation companies

To combine the best of two worlds, you can augment your team with remote specialists employed by Ukrainian IT companies. This way, you rent the expertise you need, gain instant value, pay only for the period of engagement, and part ways without hard feelings.

Pros:

• You get instant access to highly qualified Stripe developers at a fraction of the cost of hiring them in-house in the US
• There is legal coverage under contractual obligations (NDA, SLA, replacement if needed)
• You pay only for the work done.

Cons:

• Managerial overhead is present. But it’s usually minimal, and you can eliminate this risk by partnering with proven companies with strong project management culture, like Relevant
• Due to various software outsourcing challenges, the agency you select might not be able to deliver on its promises, as it might lack the needed expertise. But, again, if you find a reliable outsourcing company, you won’t need to worry about this.  

When to use: for lasting contracts with uncertain deadlines where you might need long-term post-release support and/or updates.

Why choose Relevant as a tech partner

As you can see, going for IT outsourcing is the best way to leverage Stripe integration expertise cost-efficiently and without major downsides. The only concern here is selecting a trustworthy technology partner with the necessary expertise—to handle the rest.

Providing fintech software development services for many companies, Relevant fits the bill and can become a reliable partner for your business. You can check out our portfolio and references from satisfied customers on Clutch, G2Crowd, GoodFirms, and other platforms—and we can guarantee the high quality of the deliverables.

Why are we so confident? The reason is that Relevant hires mostly senior and mid-level software developers with solid expertise in their respective domains. Your project will be completed on time and in line with all the requirements, providing a positive experience and value to end-users. 

In addition, when working on Stripe integration projects, we provide our clients with professional advice, helping them avoid common traps and issues. 

For example, a common case is when a client wants to sell some digital goods (content, subscriptions, etc.) through an iOS app and requests Stripe integration. However, all purchases in the App Store can be made only via Apple, so Stripe won’t work there.

In situations like this, we always think about alternative options that can satisfy the client’s needs. In general, our advice helps clients save time and money and maximize the value delivered by their products and services. 

Summary

As you can see, there are multiple ways to hire a developer for the Stripe integration project —from in-house recruitment to freelancers or team augmentation with external experts. The best course of action is to find a reliable IT outsourcing partner. This way, you avoid the sourcing and recruitment hurdles and gain access to Stripe integration professionals from day one.

Relevant can help with custom Stripe API integration services to ensure your mobile app or website can seamlessly process incoming and outgoing payments using Stripe toolkit. Our reputation as a trustworthy technology partner guarantees a good return on your investment. Contact us, we are always ready to assist!

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