9.8.1 – 2025-08-15

Important Fixes and Updates

• Fix – Remove connection type requirement from PMC sync migration attempt
• Fix – Relax customer validation that was preventing payments from the pay for order page
• Fix – Prevent the PMC migration to run when the plugin is not connected to Stripe
• Fix – Fixes a fatal error in the OC inbox note when the new checkout is disabled

9.8.0 – 2025-08-11

New Features

• Optimized Checkout is now available to all users via a configuration setting.
  • Optimized Checkout maximizes conversion by displaying the most relevant payment methods for each customer.
• After several consecutive 401 (Unauthorized) responses, we will now temporarily stop making Stripe API calls to prevent further authentication failures. API calls will resume automatically after a cooldown period.
• When we detect the official Affirm or Klarna plugin is active, we will deactivate the related Stripe payment method.

Important Fixes and Updates

• Fix – Reduce number of calls to Stripe payment_methods API
• Fix – Fixes issues related to booking multiple slots with express checkout payment methods enabled
• Fix – 3DS authentication modal not shown when using Google Pay
• Fix – Remove validation error check from classic checkout before payment method creation
• Fix – Only clear customer cache when an action has been performed
• Fix – Free trial subscription orders with payment methods that require redirection (eg: iDeal, Bancontact)
• Add – Adds a new bulk action option to the subscriptions listing screen to check for detached payment methods
• Update – Improve Stripe API connector logging to include request/response context

Other Fixes

• Fix – Require credit cards to be enabled before Apple Pay and Google Pay can be enabled in PMC
• Fix – Force the card payment method to be enabled when the Optimized Checkout is enabled in the merchant’s Payment Method Configuration
• Fix – Handle missing customer when calling payment_methods API
• Add – Adds the current setting value for the Optimized Checkout to the Stripe System Status Report data
• Add – A new pill to the payment methods page to indicate the credit card requirement when the Optimized Checkout feature is enabled
• Fix – Update the Optimized Checkout promotional inbox note to link to the relevant section in the Stripe settings page
• Add – Introduces a new banner to promote the Optimized Checkout feature in the Stripe settings page for versions 9.8 and above
• Add – Introduces a new inbox note to promote the Optimized Checkout feature on version 9.8 and later
• Tweak – Use wp_ajax prefix for its built-in security for Add Payment Method action
• Update – Removes the ability to change the title for the Optimized Checkout payment element, as it is now set to “Stripe” by default
• Fix – Add get_icon_url() to Payment Method base class

Internal Changes and Upcoming Features

• Add – Tracks the toggle of the Optimized Checkout feature in the promotional banner
• Dev – Use product type constants that were added in WooCommerce 9.7
• Dev – Removes the inclusion of the deprecated WC_Stripe_Order class
• Tweak – Update checkout error message for invalid API key to be more generic and user-friendly
• Update – Copy for the Optimized Checkout settings and notices
• Tweak – Disable Amazon Pay in the merchant’s Payment Method Configuration object if it is still behind a feature flag
• Dev – Clean up LPM (Local Payment Method) feature flags and related code
• Dev – Move some testing and compiler node dependencies to devDependencies
• Dev – Minor CSS change to comply with a SASS rule deprecation
• Dev – Update SCSS to replace @import with @use and @forward

See changelog for full details across versions.