Stripe Integration with InvoiceOcean – How to Connect Stripe with InvoiceOcean?

The creator economy is booming – and it needs better tools

The digital creator economy has grown far beyond e-books and online courses. Today, entrepreneurs build full SaaS applications using AI tools like Lovable, Replit and Cursor. Others monetise paid newsletters on Substack or sell professional training through platforms like Kajabi. All these creators share a common challenge: collecting payments professionally and generating invoices that comply with local tax regulations. In the United Kingdom, this means connecting a payment platform like Stripe to an invoicing system like InvoiceOcean. But how exactly do you do that?

What is Stripe? Its role in the new economy

Stripe is the world's leading online payment infrastructure platform. According to the Stripe Annual Update 2024, Stripe processes over one trillion dollars in annual transactions and serves millions of businesses in more than 40 countries. As the analysis Stripe: Thinking Like a Civilization describes, Stripe is not just a payment processor – it is the financial backbone of the internet.

For UK-based entrepreneurs, Stripe offers support for card payments, Direct Debit, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and more. Its comprehensive API enables automation of everything from one-off charges to complex subscription models with trials, proration and automatic renewals. Stripe is the natural choice for startups, SaaS creators and digital entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses globally whilst maintaining a seamless payment experience for their customers.

What is InvoiceOcean and why use it?

InvoiceOcean is a cloud-based invoicing platform designed to support businesses across multiple European markets, including the United Kingdom. Developed by the team behind Fakturownia (VosFactures), InvoiceOcean has been adapted to meet local invoicing requirements and tax rules in various countries.

Key features of InvoiceOcean:

- Professional invoicing with customisable templates and automatic numbering
- Recurring invoices with scheduled generation and email delivery
- VAT handling with support for UK VAT rates (20% standard, 5% reduced, 0% zero-rated)
- Client database with contact management and address records
- Product catalogue with item registry and pricing management
- Multi-user access with role-based permissions
- Reports and analytics on sales, outstanding invoices and cash flow
- Multi-currency support for international transactions
- Credit notes and proforma invoices for flexible billing workflows
- PDF export and direct email sending from the platform
- Developer API via app.invoiceocean.com/api
- Integration-ready architecture for connecting with payment platforms and accounting systems

InvoiceOcean stands out for its flexibility and international reach – it is particularly well-suited for businesses operating across multiple European markets that need a consistent invoicing system with local compliance.

Can you connect InvoiceOcean with Stripe?

InvoiceOcean provides a well-documented API that allows you to create invoices, manage clients and products programmatically. This makes it technically possible to build an automated workflow where each Stripe transaction generates a corresponding invoice in InvoiceOcean.

However, there is no native built-in integration between Stripe and InvoiceOcean. To connect them, you need a middleware solution that reads Stripe events (completed payments, subscription renewals, refunds), maps customer and product data, and creates invoices in InvoiceOcean with all legally required fields – including correct VAT rates, sequential invoice numbers and proper formatting.

This is where striptu.com comes in. It is a global tool designed to connect Stripe with local accounting and invoicing systems across Europe. The striptu.com team can build a fully functional Stripe–InvoiceOcean integration in just seven days, with an affordable subscription plan that includes ongoing support and transaction data orchestration.

Use the form below to request your integration.

Invoice requirements in the United Kingdom

According to HMRC regulations and the Value Added Tax Act 1994, a valid VAT invoice in the UK must include:

- Supplier's name, address and VAT registration number
- Customer's name and address (and VAT number for B2B transactions)
- Unique invoice number following a sequential numbering system
- Invoice date and date of supply if different from the invoice date
- Description of goods or services supplied
- Quantity and unit price excluding VAT
- VAT rate applied: 20% (standard), 5% (reduced) or 0% (zero-rated)
- Total amount of VAT charged, broken down by rate
- Total amount including and excluding VAT
- Currency of the transaction
- Discount details if applicable
- Reverse charge notation where applicable (e.g., for certain construction services)

There are three types of VAT invoices in the UK: full VAT invoices (required for supplies over £250), simplified invoices (for supplies under £250) and modified invoices (for retail supplies over £250). Invoices must be retained for at least 6 years for HMRC compliance.

Making Tax Digital (MTD) in the United Kingdom

The UK does not currently mandate B2B or B2G e-invoicing in the European sense. Instead, it operates the Making Tax Digital (MTD) programme, managed by HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs).

MTD for VAT has been in effect since April 2019 for businesses with taxable turnover above £85,000, and was extended to all VAT-registered businesses from April 2022. Under MTD, businesses must:

- Keep digital records of all VAT transactions
- Use MTD-compatible software to file VAT returns
- Maintain digital links between records (no manual re-keying of data)

MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA) is being rolled out from April 2026 for self-employed individuals and landlords with income above £50,000, with the threshold lowering to £30,000 from April 2027.

The UK voluntarily accepts e-invoices through the PEPPOL network, but this is not mandatory. Following Brexit, the UK is not subject to the EU's ViDA (VAT in the Digital Age) directive, though HMRC is exploring its own digital invoicing and reporting requirements.

InvoiceOcean generates digital invoices that can be stored and managed electronically, supporting the digital record-keeping requirements of MTD. For formal MTD VAT return filing, businesses typically use dedicated MTD-compatible accounting software.

Summary

InvoiceOcean is a flexible and internationally-minded invoicing platform that serves UK businesses well, especially those with cross-border operations. Combined with Stripe as a payment gateway, it enables a streamlined workflow from payment to invoice. Through striptu.com, this integration can be operational in just seven days. With MTD requirements tightening and digital record-keeping becoming the standard in the UK, having connected and compliant tools is no longer optional – it is essential for any serious digital business.