FREE NOW uses Stripe experts for its marketplace implementation

FREE NOW gives consumers access to book the nearest taxi, private hire vehicle, car share, or micromobility option, as well as the option to purchase public transport tickets—all within a single application. Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, FREE NOW is available in 16 markets and more than 170 cities around the globe.

Products used

    Connect
    Payments
Europe
Enterprise

Challenge

FREE NOW was looking to optimise costs for its mobility marketplace. A single customer transaction required multiple authorisations (e.g., a temporary authorisation hold at the start of trips and a final one at the end), and this complex process demanded high payment approval rates to maintain a seamless customer experience. FREE NOW looked to Stripe to provide a flexible and efficient solution for multiparty payments.

FREE NOW needed its Stripe integration to meet its timeline goals and align with its existing architecture, including multiple authorisations per transaction and the ability to accept multiple forms of payments, such as cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and local payment methods. It needed a way to streamline managing several merchant accounts at once while providing a smooth user experience and simplified backend.

Solution

Stripe professional services worked closely with FREE NOW's dedicated project team to integrate Stripe into the company’s multiparty payment infrastructure. Together they built the following solutions to navigate complex implementation requirements:

  • Authorisation overcaptures: The company can authorise an estimated amount when a customer orders a ride and collect the final amount at the end, even if it exceeds the originally authorised amount.
  • Shared wallets: Standard Connect allows customers to seamlessly travel between countries with the experience of a single user account on the frontend while FREE NOW manages 30 accounts on the backend.
  • Single sign-on implementation: This enables FREE NOW to securely manage 30 merchant accounts from a single Dashboard.
  • Stripe reporting via API: FREE NOW can securely deliver financial reports over secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) across its teams.

FREE NOW also benefited from weekly syncs and technical workshops hosted by Stripe, which helped both teams build a responsive and transparent relationship. This collaborative approach helped prevent blockers and ensure the project launched on time.

Results

With help from Stripe professional services, FREE NOW was able to meet its original implementation milestones and launch on time.

FREE NOW’s solution is now live in 10 countries, and the company plans to expand with more payment methods and business lines.

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