Stripe关闭了我的独立文字游戏，并且不愿解释原因。
我最近在我的每日网络单词游戏 Omiword（https://www.omiword.com/）上做了一些最后的润色。这个游戏甚至在最近的 HN Show HN 讨论中被提及过[1]。游戏的构思是让玩家在不同的区域内拖动拼图块，拼出四个常见的英语单词。
在与一些人分享游戏并获得大部分积极反馈后，玩家们频繁请求的一个功能是支付小额一次性费用以解锁拼图档案。我决定在向更广泛的受众宣布游戏之前，先把这个功能搞定。
我在这类项目中使用 Stripe 已超过 10 年，感觉它非常适合这个小游戏。我创建了一个支付链接，编写了一个 webhook，经过几天的编码和测试，似乎一切运转良好。甚至有几位早期用户选择支付 5 美元的费用来解锁档案。
然而在 2025 年 5 月 8 日，我收到了来自 Stripe 的一封邮件：
> <i>我们写信通知您，我们已确定您的业务 Omiword（账户 ID：[已编辑]）违反了 Stripe 服务协议。具体来说，我们无法以不符合其预期用途的方式接受 Stripe 的支付，例如滥用数据或将其用于存储价值，如我们限制业务列表中所提到的。</i>
我查看了 Stripe 的限制业务列表[2]，并没有看到任何与 Omiword 类似的内容。我回复解释这只是一个免费的每日单词游戏，玩家可以选择支付以解锁旧拼图。没有赌博，没有游戏内货币，没有成人内容。Stripe 最终回复说：
> <i>不幸的是，在对您的账户进行进一步审查后，我们仍然无法支持您的业务，因为它属于我们的限制业务类别之一。</i>
在与他们的支持团队进一步交流后，我终于得到了一个线索：账户上的最初几笔收费是来自我自己的信用卡。我解释说这些只是测试交易，目的是让 webhook 在生产环境中正常工作。我并不知道这会成为问题。5 月 13 日，他们回复说：
> <i>只要所有未来的交易都来自客户而不是您，我们就能够继续接受您业务的支付。</i>
好的，我承认并同意了这一条款。我一直遵守。然而，Stripe 仍然不断向我发送关于我的账户即将关闭的自动消息。我再次联系支持，他们只是不断回复类似“我的团队和我正在审查细节。我们致力于尽快完成这项审查。”的内容。
今天，在收到初始通知大约两周后，我收到了来自 Stripe 的这条消息：
> <i>这是我们的最终通知，通知您我们已确定您的业务 Omiword（账户 ID：[已编辑]）违反了 Stripe 服务协议。[...] 因此，您的账户现已关闭，无法再接受支付。</i>
果然，Omiword 中的支付链接现在指向一个“出现问题”的页面。
根据我的经验，Stripe 过去一直很好。但现在他们却花费数周的时间“调查”一个简单的网络独立游戏。此外，这个游戏的拥有者是一位与 Stripe 有超过 10 年良好合作记录的客户。到目前为止，他们已经浪费了我数小时的时间，我不得不重新开始寻找其他支付提供商，或者放弃我对这个游戏的微薄盈利希望（顺便问一下，有什么支付替代方案的推荐吗？）。
我知道 Stripe 并没有义务与任何人，包括我，做生意。他们甚至不需要解释自己。但如果他们要提供服务，然后又给那些真诚使用他们服务的人带来巨大的麻烦，他们的行为应该对他们的声誉产生适当的后果。
[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43654350
[2] https://stripe.com/legal/restricted-businesses
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I've been putting some finishing touches on my daily web-based word game Omiword (https://www.omiword.com/). It was even discussed on HN in a recent Show HN thread[1]. The idea is for the player to drag tiles within sectors to spell four common English words.<p>After sharing the game with some people, and receiving mostly positive feedback, one of the frequently requested features was the ability to pay a small one-time fee to unlock access to the puzzle archive. I decided I should get that working before I announce the game to the intended wider audience.<p>I've been using Stripe for these sorts of projects for over 10 years, and it seemed like a perfect fit for this little game. I created a payment link, coded a webhook, and with a few days of coding and testing, it seemed to be working swimmingly. A few early adopters even elected to pay the $5 USD fee to unlock the archive.<p>Then on 08 May 2025, I received an email from Stripe:<p>> <i>We’re writing to let you know that we have determined that your business, Omiword (account ID: [redacted]), is in violation of the Stripe Services Agreement. Specifically, we are unable to accept payments for the use of Stripe in a manner inconsistent with its intended use such as misusing data, or using it to store value, as mentioned on our Restricted Businesses list.</i><p>I looked through the Stripe restricted business list[2], and I don't see anything resembling Omiword. I wrote back, explaining that this is just a free daily word game, and players have the option to pay to unlock access to older puzzles. No gambling, no in-game currency, no adult content. Stripe eventually wrote back to say:<p>> <i>Unfortunately, following an additional review of your account we’re still unable to support your business as it falls under one of our restricted businesses categories.</i><p>After further exchanges with their support, I finally got a hint what the issue might be: the initial handful of charges on the account were to my own credit card. I explained that these were just test transactions, getting the webhook working properly in production. I wasn't aware this was an issue. On 13 May they replied:<p>> <i>We're able to continue accepting payments for your business moving forward as long as all future transactions come from customers and not from you.</i><p>Okay, I acknowledged and agreed to this stipulation. I've stuck to it. Nevertheless, Stripe kept sending me automated messages about my account's imminent closure. I contacted support again, and they just kept replying along the lines of, "My team and I are reviewing the details. We're committed to completing this review as soon as possible."<p>Today, about two weeks after the initial notice, I received this from Stripe:<p>> <i>This is our final notice, informing you that we’ve determined that your business, Omiword (account ID: [redacted]) is in violation of the Stripe Services Agreement. [...] As a result, your account has now been closed and can no longer accept payments.</i><p>Sure enough, the payment link in Omiword now leads to a "Something went wrong" page.<p>In my experience, Stripe used to be great. But now they spend weeks "investigating" a simple web-based indie game. Further, this game is owned by a Stripe customer with over 10 years in good standing. At this point they've wasted hours of my life, and I have to start over with another payment provider, or give up my modest monetization hopes for this game (speaking of which, any recommendations for a payment alternative?).<p>I know that Stripe is not obligated to do business with anybody, including me. They're not even required to explain themselves. But if they are going to offer their services, and then cause enormous hassles for people who take them up on it in good faith, their actions should have appropriate consequences for their reputation.<p>[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43654350<p>[2] https://stripe.com/legal/restricted-businesses