How to Find Your Stripe Test API Keys

When local businesses step into the world of online payments—whether to bill customers, sell products, or automate service subscriptions—Stripe is often the first stop. It’s reliable, well-documented, and trusted by companies of every size. And if you’re building anything that touches payments, the first step is always the same: get your test API keys.

At Talloo, we work with neighborhood businesses every day. We help you build websites, power subscriptions, and connect with customers nearby. Part of that work includes helping businesses get their technical foundation right so they can grow without friction. This guide walks you through how to access your Stripe test keys so you can safely experiment, troubleshoot, and build before you ever process a real transaction.

Why Stripe Test Keys Matter

Before taking payments in the real world, you need a space to practice. Stripe provides two environments:

Live Mode
Where real customers pay with real cards, and money moves.

Test Mode
A protected sandbox where you can simulate transactions, test automations, and validate your setup—without charging anyone.

Test keys are what make that possible. They allow developers, agencies, and business owners to build confidently, knowing that nothing risky is happening in the background.

Step-by-Step: How to Access Your Stripe Test Keys

Below is a detailed walkthrough you can follow inside your Stripe Dashboard.

1. Log in to Your Stripe Dashboard

Go to the Stripe website and sign in. Once you’re in, you’ll land on your main dashboard where your account and activity summary live.

2. Navigate to “API Keys”

Look to the left-hand sidebar, select Developers, then click API Keys.
This is where Stripe keeps all the credential pairs that allow software to speak to your Stripe account.

3. Switch to Test Data

By default, Stripe displays your live keys. To get your test keys, flip the toggle labeled View test data near the top of the screen.

This switches your dashboard into Test Mode, ensuring everything you see—payments, logs, webhooks, keys—is for safe testing only.

4. Copy Your Test Publishable Key

Under Standard Keys, you’ll see your test publishable key. It typically begins with:

“pk_test_”

This key is safe to use in browsers and mobile apps. It tells Stripe you’re working in test mode but does not give access to sensitive functions.

5. Reveal and Copy Your Test Secret Key

Just below the publishable key is your test secret key. It begins with:

“sk_test_”

Click Reveal test key to display the full value. Stripe may prompt you to re-enter your password for security.

Copy this key and store it somewhere secure. This secret key is powerful: treat it the same way you’d treat the PIN for your business bank account.

A Few Important Notes for Local Businesses

Use the right environment for the right task.
Test keys for testing. Live keys for production. Mixing them up will make your payment integration behave unpredictably.

Never expose your secret key publicly.
Keep it out of your website, out of JavaScript, and out of public repositories. Treat it as private credentials.

Test Mode is your safety net.
Before your first customer pays you online, your team should run through a full test transaction—from checkout to confirmation—to ensure everything works.

Final Thought

Whether you're building a membership portal, launching subscription services, or adding online payments to streamline your business, getting familiar with Stripe’s API keys is a foundational step. It’s the quiet plumbing that makes modern commerce work.

At Talloo, we’re proud to help neighborhood businesses build systems that add clarity, speed, and confidence to their operations. If you're getting ready to set up payments, or you want support integrating Stripe into your website or service platform, we’re always happy to help.

Your business deserves tools that work as hard as you do—and it all starts here.