# Balances, Payouts and Stripe Connect — Stripe Payments

Source: https://www.skillbyai.com/en/stripe-payments/o-connect

> Getting money to your bank and to other sellers.

## Payouts, reconciliation and marketplaces

Settled funds land in your Stripe **balance**, first as `pending` and then `available`, and are sent to your bank as **payouts** on a schedule (or manually). Every movement is a **balance transaction**, and listing them by payout is how you reconcile a bank deposit with the payments, refunds and fees inside it. **Stripe Connect** lets a platform or marketplace route payments to other businesses. Connected accounts were traditionally described as **Standard**, **Express** and **Custom**, which differ in who handles onboarding, dashboards and liability; newer API versions describe this with controller settings, so check the docs. Charges can be **direct** (on the connected account) or **destination** charges (on the platform with funds transferred), and the platform can keep an **application fee**.

## Balances and a destination charge

Server-side Node.js.

```javascript
// what is in the balance right now
const balance = await stripe.balance.retrieve();
console.log(balance.available, balance.pending);

// reconcile one payout with its underlying transactions
const txns = await stripe.balanceTransactions.list({ payout: 'po_...', limit: 100 });

// marketplace: charge the buyer, send funds to the seller, keep a platform fee
await stripe.paymentIntents.create({
  amount: 10000,
  currency: 'usd',
  automatic_payment_methods: { enabled: true },
  application_fee_amount: 1000,                 // platform keeps 10.00
  transfer_data: { destination: 'acct_...' },   // the seller's connected account
});

// onboarding link for a connected account
const link = await stripe.accountLinks.create({
  account: 'acct_...',
  refresh_url: 'https://example.com/connect/retry',
  return_url: 'https://example.com/connect/done',
  type: 'account_onboarding',
});

```

## Reconcile with balance transactions, not payment totals

Bank deposits are net of fees, refunds and disputes. Balance transactions for each payout explain the exact deposited amount.

**Quiz:** In a destination charge, how does the platform keep its cut?

- [x] With application_fee_amount on the payment
- [ ] By refunding the seller
- [ ] By creating a separate subscription
- [ ] By changing the payout schedule

*Answer:* With application_fee_amount on the payment. The application fee stays with the platform; the rest is transferred.