Can Stripe hold or close my account, and how do I avoid it?

Stripe accepts everyone at signup and does its checks after you start processing volume, unlike traditional bank processors that underwrite you up front. Stripe looks at risk: if a customer disputes a large charge, Stripe has to chase you for the money.

Stripe likes consistency. Recurring customers at similar price points look stable. A sudden jump from clients paying $100 a month to a single $20,000 transaction looks different and can make Stripe nervous. If you have a very large bill for a client and are not processing other volume, consider asking for a check or a wire transfer instead of putting it through Stripe.

Agencies charging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars a month are in a good range. Larger amounts make credit card processing harder. Also avoid typing many clients' cards in yourself while your Stripe account is new; let clients enter their own cards.