Stripe knows more about your customers than almost any other system. When they upgrade, downgrade, cancel, or fail to pay, Stripe knows first. But most SaaS companies leave this data in Stripe, disconnected from their email marketing.

The companies that connect Stripe to email automation see the difference immediately. A customer upgrades and gets an email within seconds welcoming them to their new plan. A payment fails and recovery emails start before the customer even notices. A subscription is about to renew and they're reminded of the value they're getting.

This is what billing-aware email marketing looks like, and most companies aren't doing it.

This guide covers everything you need to build Stripe-triggered email automation: which webhook events matter, what emails to send for each, and complete templates you can implement today.

Why Stripe Email Automation Matters

Payment events are high-signal moments. When someone pays, they're engaged. When a payment fails, they need to know. When a subscription changes, they expect acknowledgment.

The timing of these emails matters enormously:

Event	Optimal Response Time	Why
New subscription	< 5 minutes	Capitalize on engagement
Upgrade	< 5 minutes	Help them use new features
Payment failed	< 1 hour	Start recovery before they forget
Trial ending	3-7 days before	Time to convert
Renewal upcoming	7-14 days before	Reduce surprise/chargebacks
Cancellation	Immediate	Last chance to save

The pattern is clear: billing events need automated, immediate responses. Manual processes can't keep up, and delayed emails see dramatically lower engagement.

Stripe Webhook Events for Email Triggers

Stripe sends webhooks for everything. Here are the events that warrant email automation:

Subscription Lifecycle Events

Webhook Event	What It Means	Email Action
`customer.subscription.created`	New subscription started	Welcome series, onboarding
`customer.subscription.updated`	Plan changed (up/down)	Acknowledge change, guide to features
`customer.subscription.deleted`	Subscription cancelled	Confirm cancellation, win-back offer
`customer.subscription.trial_will_end`	Trial ending in 3 days	Convert trial to paid
`customer.subscription.paused`	Subscription paused	Confirm pause, reactivation info
`customer.subscription.resumed`	Subscription resumed	Welcome back

Payment Events

Webhook Event	What It Means	Email Action
`invoice.payment_succeeded`	Payment processed	Receipt, value reminder
`invoice.payment_failed`	Payment didn't process	Recovery sequence
`invoice.upcoming`	Invoice coming (X days)	Renewal reminder
`invoice.finalized`	Invoice ready	Send invoice/receipt

Customer Events

Webhook Event	What It Means	Email Action
`customer.source.expiring`	Card expiring soon	Update payment method
`customer.updated`	Customer info changed	Confirm changes
`charge.refunded`	Refund processed	Confirm refund
`charge.dispute.created`	Chargeback initiated	Internal alert

Checkout Events

Webhook Event	What It Means	Email Action
`checkout.session.completed`	Checkout finished	Order confirmation
`checkout.session.expired`	Cart abandoned	Recovery sequence

Setting Up Stripe Webhooks

Before you can trigger emails, you need to receive Stripe events. Here's the technical setup:

Webhook Endpoint Basics

Your endpoint needs to:

Receive POST requests from Stripe
Verify the webhook signature
Process events idempotently
Return 200 quickly, then process async

Always verify webhook signatures. Without verification, anyone can send fake events to trigger emails.

Webhook Configuration in Stripe

In your Stripe Dashboard:

Go to Developers > Webhooks
Add endpoint URL
Select events to receive
Copy the webhook secret

Recommended events to subscribe to:

customer.subscription.created
customer.subscription.updated
customer.subscription.deleted
customer.subscription.trial_will_end
invoice.payment_succeeded
invoice.payment_failed
invoice.upcoming
customer.source.expiring
checkout.session.completed

Email Templates for Stripe Events

Now let's get to the actual emails. Here are templates for every major Stripe event.

New Subscription Emails

When customer.subscription.created fires, start your relationship right.

New paying customer

First email after first payment

Subject Line

Welcome to [planName] - you're all set

Email Body

Hi [firstName],

Welcome to [productName] [planName]!

Your subscription is active and you now have access to:

[Feature 1]
[Feature 2]
[Feature 3]

First things first: [Most important first action with link]

Here's what I recommend doing this week:

[Specific action 1]
[Specific action 2]
[Specific action 3]

If you have any questions, just reply to this email. I read every message personally.

Thanks for becoming a customer. I'm excited to see what you build.

[senderName] Founder, [productName]

P.S. Here's your receipt for [amount]: [receiptLink]

Plan Change Emails

When customer.subscription.updated indicates a plan change, acknowledge it appropriately.

Plan upgrade

When customer upgrades to higher plan

Subject Line

Welcome to [newPlanName] - here's what's new

Email Body

Hi [firstName],

Thanks for upgrading to [newPlanName]!

Your new features:

[New feature 1]: [Brief explanation]
[New feature 2]: [Brief explanation]
[New feature 3]: [Brief explanation]

Get started with your new features: [Most exciting feature] is available now. Here's how to use it: [link]

Billing update:

New plan: [newPlanName] at [newAmount]/[interval]
Change effective: Immediately
Prorated credit: [prorationAmount] applied to next invoice

If you have questions about any of your new features, just reply.

Thanks for growing with us!

[senderName]

Payment Success Emails

When invoice.payment_succeeded fires, acknowledge and reinforce value.

Recurring monthly payment

Regular monthly payment confirmation

Subject Line

Receipt for your [productName] subscription

Email Body

Hi [firstName],

Your payment was processed successfully.

Receipt:

Amount: [amount]
Date: [date]
Invoice: [invoiceLink]

Your [productName] summary this month:

[Usage metric 1]
[Usage metric 2]
[Achievement or milestone]

Your subscription continues and your next payment of [amount] will be charged on [nextBillingDate].

Need to update billing? [billingPortalLink]

[senderName]

Payment Failed Emails

When invoice.payment_failed fires, start recovery immediately.

First failed payment attempt

Initial failure notification

Subject Line

Issue with your [productName] payment

Email Body

Hi [firstName],

We tried to process your [productName] payment of [amount], but it didn't go through.

What to do: Update your payment method here: [updatePaymentLink]

What happens next:

We'll automatically retry in [retryDays] days
Your account remains fully active during this time
Update your card now to avoid any interruption

Common reasons this happens:

Card expired
Insufficient funds
Bank security hold

If you've recently gotten a new card, you may need to update even if the number is the same.

Questions? Reply to this email.

[senderName]

Trial Ending Emails

When customer.subscription.trial_will_end fires (typically 3 days before trial end), convert them.

Active trial user

For users who've been active

Subject Line

Your trial ends in 3 days - here's what happens

Email Body

Hi [firstName],

Your [productName] trial ends in 3 days.

What you've accomplished:

[Usage metric 1]
[Usage metric 2]
[Milestone reached]

What happens on [trialEndDate]:

If you have a card on file: You'll be charged [amount] and keep full access
If you don't: Your account will be downgraded to the free plan

Want to continue? Add a payment method: [addPaymentLink]

Not sure yet? Reply and tell me what you're trying to figure out. Happy to help you evaluate.

[senderName]

Renewal Reminder Emails

When invoice.upcoming fires (configurable in Stripe, typically 7-30 days before), remind them.

Large annual payment coming

Upcoming annual renewal notification

Subject Line

Your annual renewal is coming up ([amount] on [date])

Email Body

Hi [firstName],

Your [productName] subscription renews on [renewalDate] for [amount].

Your subscription:

Plan: [planName]
Amount: [amount]
Renewal date: [renewalDate]
Payment method: Card ending in [lastFour]

Your year with [productName]:

[Usage stat 1]
[Usage stat 2]
[Achievement or value delivered]

Need to make changes?

Update payment method: [billingPortalLink]
Change your plan: [changePlanLink]
Questions: Reply to this email

If everything looks good, no action needed. Your subscription will renew automatically.

[senderName]

Cancellation Emails

When customer.subscription.deleted fires, acknowledge and offer a path back.

Customer cancelled

Confirming subscription cancellation

Subject Line

Your [productName] subscription has been cancelled

Email Body

Hi [firstName],

Your [productName] subscription has been cancelled.

What happens now:

Access continues until: [accessEndDate]
After that: [What they'll lose access to]
Your data: Preserved for [dataRetentionPeriod]

If you change your mind: You can reactivate anytime: [reactivateLink]

Quick question: What was the main reason you cancelled? Reply with just a number:

Too expensive
Not using it enough
Missing features I need
Found a better alternative
Other

Your feedback genuinely helps me make [productName] better.

Thanks for giving us a try.

[senderName]

Implementation Architecture

Here's how to connect everything:

Webhook Processing Flow

Stripe Event → Webhook Endpoint → Event Processor → Email Trigger → Send

Key implementation considerations:

Respond to Stripe quickly (< 2s): Acknowledge the webhook, then process async
Handle idempotency: Check if you've already processed this event ID
Log everything: You'll need it for debugging
Retry failed sends: Email systems can fail; have retry logic

Customer Data Enrichment

Stripe webhooks contain payment data, but not all customer data. You may need to:

Look up customer in your database for name, email
Fetch additional Stripe data (customer object, subscription details)
Calculate usage/engagement metrics from your application

The email should feel personalized, not like a generic payment notification.

Testing Your Stripe Integration

Before going live:

Use Stripe test mode: All webhooks work the same in test mode
Send test webhooks from CLI: stripe trigger invoice.payment_failed
Verify email content: Actually receive and read every automated email
Test edge cases: Partial refunds, prorations, plan changes mid-cycle
Check timing: Ensure emails arrive within expected timeframes

The Bottom Line

Stripe email automation isn't optional for serious SaaS. The billing events Stripe captures are too important to leave unconnected from your customer communication.

Start with the essentials:

New subscription welcome
Payment failed recovery
Cancellation confirmation

Then expand to: 4. Upgrade/downgrade acknowledgment 5. Trial ending conversion 6. Renewal reminders

Each automated email based on Stripe events recovers revenue, reduces churn, or improves customer experience. The ROI is immediate and measurable.

If you're looking for a platform that makes Stripe email automation straightforward, Sequenzy has native Stripe integration that triggers emails from any webhook event. But whatever tool you use, the principle is the same: connect your billing to your email and watch retention improve.

For more on billing-related emails, check out our guide on payment recovery sequences for advanced dunning strategies, and dunning email sequences for the foundational payment recovery playbook.

Your billing events are talking. Make sure your emails are listening.