# How to switch from Stripe without losing customers' cards

URL: https://www.paydude.io/resources/how-to-switch-from-stripe
Type: Guide
Published: 2026-10-19 · Updated: 2026-10-19
Summary: How to migrate off Stripe without customers re-entering cards: request the PCI card export, recreate subscriptions, run in parallel, then cut over.

## Summary

You can leave Stripe without customers re-entering their cards, because Stripe exports saved card data to another PCI Level 1 processor on request. The card export does not include payment history, subscriptions or CVVs, so subscription schedules are recreated on the new processor against the imported cards. Stripe's export queue is usually the slowest step, so request it first and build the new integration while you wait. Run both processors in parallel and keep the Stripe account open for refunds and disputes after cutover.

The hardest part of leaving any payment processor is not the code. It is the **saved cards**: a stored payment method is a token that only works with the processor that issued it. Lose those and every subscriber has to re-enter a card, which some of them will not do. The good news is that Stripe has a formal process for handing card data to another processor, and it works.

## What transfers, and what does not

**What a Stripe card data export contains**

| Data | Moves in the card export? | How to bring it across |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Card numbers and expiry dates | Yes | Encrypted PCI export from Stripe |
| Customer emails and metadata | Yes | Included in the export |
| CVVs | No | Never stored; not needed for saved-card charges |
| Cards saved via Link | No | Customers re-enter on next purchase |
| Subscriptions and plans | No | Export via Stripe's API, recreate on the new platform |
| Payment history | No | Export via the API or dashboard for your records |

## The migration, step by step

1. **Get approved with the new processor** — Apply and complete underwriting first. Card imports go into an approved merchant account, and you will want production keys ready before the data arrives.
2. **Request the export from Stripe** — Contact Stripe support, name the new processor, and send its PCI Attestation of Compliance and PGP public key. For Paydude, email support@paydude.io for the current AOC. Do this early: the queue on Stripe's side is usually the slowest part of the whole migration.
3. **Build the new integration in sandbox** — While you wait, swap the payment calls behind your checkout. If you abstract the processor behind one internal interface, the cutover becomes a configuration change rather than a deploy.
4. **Export your subscriptions and mapping** — Pull plans, prices, billing intervals and next billing dates from Stripe's API, keyed by Stripe customer ID. Ask the new processor for a mapping from old Stripe IDs to the imported ones; it is how you reattach each subscription to the right card.
5. **Import the cards** — Stripe sends the encrypted file to the new processor. Paydude imports it at no cost, usually within 3–5 business days of receiving it.
6. **Recreate subscriptions** — Create each subscription on the new platform against its imported card, anchored to the existing next billing date so nobody is charged twice or skipped.
7. **Run in parallel** — Send new customers through the new processor first while renewals stay on Stripe. Watch authorisation rates, webhooks and payouts for a week or two before moving anything else.
8. **Cut over and keep Stripe open** — Move renewals, then turn off Stripe for new payments. Leave the account open so refunds and disputes on old payments can still be handled — they can arrive for months.

## The mistakes that hurt

- **Cancelling Stripe subscriptions before the new ones exist.** Recreate first, then cancel, or customers are skipped for a cycle.
- **Double-charging during the overlap.** Make sure a renewal can only fire on one processor. Guard writes with [idempotency](https://www.paydude.io/resources/idempotency-keys-explained) on your side.
- **Forgetting webhooks.** Every place your app listens for a Stripe event needs an equivalent. See [handling webhooks reliably](https://www.paydude.io/resources/handling-webhooks-reliably).
- **An unrecognisable descriptor.** A new name on a statement causes "I don't recognise this" disputes. Set your [billing descriptor](https://www.paydude.io/resources/what-is-a-descriptor) clearly and tell subscribers about the change.
- **Closing Stripe too early.** Old disputes and refunds need somewhere to land.

> **Migration help is included:** Paydude imports Stripe card data free of charge, and our team will plan the subscription rebuild and parallel run with you. See the [Stripe alternative](https://www.paydude.io/stripe-alternative) page or [custom integrations](https://www.paydude.io/products/custom) for how that works.

## Is it worth switching?

Work out the annual saving before committing engineering time. The [cheaper Stripe alternatives](https://www.paydude.io/resources/cheaper-stripe-alternatives) guide prices the gap at different volumes, and the [best Stripe alternatives](https://www.paydude.io/resources/best-stripe-alternatives) guide helps you pick where to go. If the saving is a few hundred dollars a year, it may not be worth the migration. At tens of thousands, it almost always is.

**Ready to leave Stripe?** Free card migration, a plan for your subscriptions, and 2.6% + 25¢ from day one. — [Start your switch](https://www.paydude.io/stripe-alternative)

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I export my customers' card data from Stripe?

Yes, but only to another processor. Stripe will send full card data to a PCI DSS Level 1 compliant processor that provides its Attestation of Compliance and a PGP encryption key. You start the request by contacting Stripe support and naming the new processor. Stripe will not send raw card numbers to you directly.

### What data transfers in a Stripe card export?

Card numbers, expiry dates, cardholder names, billing addresses where stored, customer email addresses and attached metadata. Payment history, subscriptions and CVVs are not included. Cards saved through Stripe's Link wallet cannot be exported.

### How long does it take to switch from Stripe?

The integration is usually days to a couple of weeks. Stripe's export queue is typically the longest step and can take several weeks, so request it as early as possible. Once the file arrives, Paydude imports it at no cost, usually within 3–5 business days.

### Will customers notice the switch?

Usually not, if the cards are migrated rather than re-collected. The visible change is the billing descriptor on their statements, so set it to something they will recognise and consider telling subscribers in advance.

### Do I have to close my Stripe account?

No, and you should not close it immediately. Keep it open to handle refunds and disputes on payments it processed, which can arrive for months after the cutover.