Creating Products & Prices
Learn to define and manage products and their associated pricing models within the Stripe dashboard and via API.
Creating Products & Prices is a free AI Powered SaaS: Stripe + Auth + Billing + Deploy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 2 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the AI Powered SaaS: Stripe + Auth + Billing + Deploy learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
What are Stripe Products?
In Stripe, a Product represents what you sell. This could be a physical good, a service, or, in our case, a feature or access level for your SaaS application.
A Price defines how much a product costs, in what currency, and whether it's a one-time payment or recurring subscription. Together, they form the foundation for processing payments.
Creating Products via Dashboard
For simple setups, you can define products directly in the Stripe Dashboard. This is great for getting started quickly and understanding the concepts.
- Navigate to Products in your Stripe Dashboard.
- Click + Add product.
- Enter a Name (e.g., "Premium AI Access") and optionally a Description and Image.
Attaching Prices via Dashboard
Once a product is created, you need to add a price to it. A product can have multiple prices.
- On the product details page, scroll down to the Pricing section.
- Click + Add another price.
- Specify the Amount, Currency (e.g., USD), and set Billing period to "One-time" for this lesson.
Automating with the Stripe API
While the dashboard is useful, a real SaaS application needs to create and manage products and prices programmatically. This allows for:
- Automation: Create products on the fly.
- Dynamic Pricing: Adjust prices based on user segments or promotions.
- Integration: Link directly with your application's backend logic.
API Setup: Keys & Client
To interact with Stripe's API, you need your secret API key and the official Stripe client library. We'll use Python for our examples.
Ensure you have your STRIPE_SECRET_KEY from the Stripe Dashboard (Developers > API keys).
import stripe
import os
# In a real app, use environment variables!
# For this demo, replace 'sk_test_YOUR_KEY' with your actual secret key
stripe.api_key = os.getenv("STRIPE_SECRET_KEY", "sk_test_YOUR_KEY")
def main():
if stripe.api_key == "sk_test_YOUR_KEY":
print("Stripe API key is a placeholder. Update it!")
else:
print("Stripe API client initialized!")
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()API: Create Your First Product
Now, let's create a product using the Stripe API. We'll specify its name, description, and set it as active.
Run this code to see a new product appear in your Stripe Dashboard!
import stripe
import os
stripe.api_key = os.getenv("STRIPE_SECRET_KEY", "sk_test_YOUR_KEY")
def create_product(name, description):
try:
product = stripe.Product.create(
name=name,
description=description,
active=True
)
print(f"Product created! ID: {product.id}")
print(f"Name: {product.name}")
return product
except stripe.error.StripeError as e:
print(f"Error creating product: {e}")
return None
def main():
print("Attempting to create a sample product...")
my_product = create_product(
"Pro AI Feature Pack",
"Unlock advanced AI capabilities for your users."
)
if my_product:
print("Product creation successful!")
else:
print("Product creation failed.")
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()API: Attach a Price to Product
After creating a product, we need to define a price for it. For one-time payments, we specify the unit_amount in cents and set recurring=None.
The price must be linked to an existing product using its ID.
import stripe
import os
stripe.api_key = os.getenv("STRIPE_SECRET_KEY", "sk_test_YOUR_KEY")
# Helper to create product and get its ID
def create_product_for_price(name, description):
try:
product = stripe.Product.create(
name=name,
description=description,
active=True
)
return product.id
except stripe.error.StripeError as e:
print(f"Error creating product for price: {e}")
return None
def create_one_time_price(product_id, amount_in_cents, currency="usd"):
try:
price = stripe.Price.create(
product=product_id,
unit_amount=amount_in_cents,
currency=currency,
recurring=None, # This specifies a one-time payment
)
print(f"Price created! ID: {price.id}")
print(f"Amount: {price.unit_amount / 100} {price.currency.upper()}")
return price
except stripe.error.StripeError as e:
print(f"Error creating price: {e}")
return None
def main():
product_id = create_product_for_price(
"Ultimate AI Access",
"Access to all AI features, forever."
)
if product_id:
print(f"Product ID for price: {product_id}")
print("Creating a one-time price for the product...")
my_price = create_one_time_price(product_id, 4999) # $49.99
if my_price:
print("Price creation successful!")
else:
print("Price creation failed.")
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()Key Price Parameters
When creating a price via API, these parameters are crucial:
product: The ID of the product this price belongs to.unit_amount: The price amount in the smallest currency unit (e.g., cents for USD).currency: The three-letter ISO currency code (e.g., 'usd', 'eur').recurring: Set toNonefor one-time payments. For subscriptions, this would be an object with details likeinterval.lookup_key(optional): A custom string you can use to retrieve prices without knowing their Stripe ID.
Retrieving & Updating
You can retrieve products and prices by their IDs using stripe.Product.retrieve(product_id) and stripe.Price.retrieve(price_id).
Important: Stripe Prices are immutable. Once created, you cannot change their amount or currency. If you need to change a price, you must create a new one and deactivate the old one.
Products, however, can be updated (e.g., their name or description).
Product & Price Check
Let's check your understanding of creating products and prices in Stripe.
Recap: Products & Prices
Great job! You've learned how to define and manage products and their associated one-time prices in Stripe.
- Products represent what you sell.
- Prices define how much something costs.
- You can manage them via the Stripe Dashboard or programmatically via the API.
- Key API parameters include
productID,unit_amount(in cents),currency, and settingrecurring=Nonefor one-time charges. - Remember that Stripe Prices are immutable!
Next, we'll use these products and prices to implement Stripe Checkout sessions.
Frequently asked questions
Is the “Creating Products & Prices” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “Creating Products & Prices” is free to read here on the web, and the AI Powered SaaS: Stripe + Auth + Billing + Deploy course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the AI Powered SaaS: Stripe + Auth + Billing + Deploy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “Creating Products & Prices”?
Learn to define and manage products and their associated pricing models within the Stripe dashboard and via API. You practise AI Powered SaaS: Stripe + Auth + Billing + Deploy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start AI Powered SaaS: Stripe + Auth + Billing + Deploy?
No prior experience is required. AI Powered SaaS: Stripe + Auth + Billing + Deploy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 2 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “Creating Products & Prices” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this AI Powered SaaS: Stripe + Auth + Billing + Deploy lesson?
Yes. Every AI Powered SaaS: Stripe + Auth + Billing + Deploy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- Stripe Account & API Keys
- Creating Products & Prices
- Implementing Checkout Sessions
- Handling Refunds & Disputes