Stripe Test Mode
Stripe test mode lets you connect a separate Stripe account that only accepts test cards (like 4242 4242 4242 4242) so you can run end-to-end practice bookings without charging real cards. Test bookings are clearly tagged with a TEST badge across the dashboard, your customer's emails, and every payment screen — so they never get mixed up with real reservations.
It is most useful when:
- You are still onboarding and want to try a complete booking flow before going live.
- You need to demo EquipDash to a teammate without taking a real payment.
- You are debugging a customer-reported booking issue and want to reproduce it safely.
- A developer or agency is integrating your widget and needs a sandbox.
Before You Start
- You will need a Stripe account in test mode. You can either use your existing Stripe account's test environment (toggle in the top-right of the Stripe Dashboard) or create a dedicated test Stripe account.
- Your live Stripe account stays connected and unchanged the entire time — test mode is a parallel connection, not a replacement.
- Test bookings are excluded from revenue totals and reports automatically. Switching back to live mode does not affect them — they stay visible in your bookings list with a TEST badge.
Connecting Stripe in Test Mode
- Click Settings in the sidebar.
- Select Payments from the settings menu.
- Scroll to the Stripe Connect (TEST) card (it has a dashed amber border so it stands out from the live card above).
- Click Connect Stripe (Test).
- Stripe's onboarding screen opens in test mode. Either sign in or create a test account.
- Complete the test-mode onboarding form. Stripe lets you skip many real-world verification steps in test mode — just use placeholder data.
- Stripe redirects you back to EquipDash and the card flips to Test account connected.
EquipDash also automatically registers a simulated card reader ("Test Reader (Simulated)") on your test account so you can immediately exercise the Tap to Pay flow without ordering a physical test reader.
Switching Between Live and Test Mode
Once both accounts are connected, a Stripe mode toggle appears at the top of Settings → Payments:
- Live mode — real cards charge real money. This is your normal day-to-day state.
- Test mode — only test cards work. Real cards are rejected with
the request was made in live mode. Revenue reports skip test bookings entirely.
Switching modes requires one click + a confirm. Bookings, payments, and refunds made AFTER the switch follow the new mode. Existing bookings are unchanged.
When you are in test mode, EquipDash shows a sticky amber banner at the top of every page — so you can never forget which mode you are in.
Where Test Bookings Show Up
| Surface | What changes |
|---|---|
| Bookings list | Test rows get an amber row tint and a TEST badge next to the booking number |
| Booking detail | Big TEST BOOKING pill in the hero strip; payment and refund buttons keep working with test cards |
| Dashboard / revenue reports | Test bookings are excluded from totals (Sales, Bookings Received, Revenue charts, etc.) |
| Customer emails | Subject lines are prefixed with [TEST] so the customer immediately knows |
| Magic-link pages | Banner across the top: "This is a test booking. No real charge or rental will occur." |
| Widget receipt | Same banner |
| Stripe Dashboard | Test transactions appear in https://dashboard.stripe.com/test/ — never in your live dashboard |
Test Card Numbers
Use any of these in the widget while in test mode:
| Scenario | Card number | CVC | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Successful payment | 4242 4242 4242 4242 | Any 3 digits | Any future date |
| 3D Secure authentication | 4000 0027 6000 3184 | Any 3 digits | Any future date |
| Declined card | 4000 0000 0000 9995 | Any 3 digits | Any future date |
| Insufficient funds | 4000 0000 0000 9995 | Any 3 digits | Any future date |
| Disputed payment | 4000 0000 0000 0259 | Any 3 digits | Any future date |
The full list lives in Stripe's test cards documentation.
Cleaning Up Test Data
Test bookings accumulate over time. To wipe them out:
- Settings → Payments → Stripe Connect (TEST) card
- Click Delete all test bookings
- Confirm
This permanently deletes every test booking, test payment, and test refund for your supplier. Live data is not affected. There is no undo.
The button only appears once you have at least one test booking on file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my real customers see test bookings?
No. Test bookings only show in your supplier dashboard. They are excluded from revenue, do not appear on real customer accounts, and emails sent for test bookings have a [TEST] subject prefix.
Can I move a test booking to live, or vice versa?
No. The mode is locked at booking creation time. Make a new booking in the right mode instead.
Does test mode use up my AI credits?
Yes — AI credits are consumed normally in test mode (the AI still runs to generate descriptions, answer questions, etc.). Only Stripe payments are sandboxed.
Will Stripe webhooks fire in test mode?
Yes. Stripe sends test webhooks to the same EquipDash webhook URL as live webhooks; we route them based on the livemode flag in each event. You do not need to configure a separate webhook endpoint.
Does test mode need its own EquipDash plan?
No. Test mode is included on every plan, including the free trial. Use it as much as you want.
What happens to the test account when I disconnect it?
Disconnecting your test Stripe account leaves all existing test bookings visible (history is preserved with TEST badges) but new test bookings cannot be created until you reconnect. Your live account is unaffected.
Related Articles
- Connecting Stripe — set up your live Stripe account first
- Payment Methods — configure how you accept payments
- Deposit and Refund Policies — how deposits work