How to Import Your Stripe & PayPal Payments into GigAnalytics (Step-by-Step)

Why Import Instead of Connect?

GigAnalytics supports both direct API connections (for Stripe) and manual CSV imports. CSV import works for any platform — even ones without an API — and keeps your data local. Here's when each approach makes sense:

• Direct connection: Stripe (webhook-based, syncs automatically)
• CSV import: PayPal, Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal, Etsy, Gumroad, anywhere else

Both end up in the same ROI dashboard. The import path takes about 5 minutes per platform and only needs to be done once per time period.

Platform-by-Platform Export Instructions

📦 Stripe

Stripe has the cleanest export of any payment platform.

1. Log into your Stripe Dashboard
2. Navigate to Payments → All transactions
3. Set your date range (we recommend 90-day chunks for first import)
4. Click Export (top right) → choose CSV
5. Select columns: Date, Amount, Fee, Net, Description, Status
6. Download and save as stripe-payments.csv

GigAnalytics auto-detects Stripe CSVs by the column headers. No field mapping needed.

💙 PayPal

PayPal's export is slightly buried but works well once you find it.

1. Log into PayPal and go to Activity
2. Click Statements → Activity Download
3. Set date range → select All Transactions
4. Choose CSV (Comma Delimited) format
5. Click Create Report → Download when ready

PayPal CSVs include fees inline. GigAnalytics parses the Net column automatically, so your ROI calculations account for PayPal's 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.

🔵 Upwork

1. Open Upwork → Reports → Billings & Earnings
2. Set your date range
3. Click Download CSV

Upwork exports include contract names, hourly vs. fixed breakdowns, and platform service fees (sliding scale from 5–20%). Import this into GigAnalytics as the "Upwork" income stream.

🟠 Fiverr

1. Go to Analytics → Earnings
2. Click Download (the icon next to the date range picker)
3. Choose CSV format

Fiverr shows gross earnings. The 20% platform fee is deducted before payout, so GigAnalytics uses the "Cleared Earnings" column as your net income.

🟡 Gumroad / Lemon Squeezy / Paddle

All three use similar export flows: Dashboard → Payouts or Sales → Export as CSV. Column names vary, but GigAnalytics accepts a custom field map during import — you can drag-assign columns to Date, Amount, Fee, and Description in 30 seconds.

GigAnalytics CSV Format

If you're building your own CSV (e.g., from a bank export or custom invoicing system), use this structure:

Required: date, amount. Optional but recommended: fee,description, source. The fee column is used to calculate your net income and true ROI — skip it and GigAnalytics estimates based on platform defaults.

Download our pre-formatted templates: Stripe, PayPal, Generic

Importing into GigAnalytics: Step by Step

1. Go to Dashboard → Import (or hit the Import button on the sidebar)
2. Click Upload CSV and select your file
3. GigAnalytics will auto-detect the platform if it recognizes the headers
4. If auto-detect fails, use the field mapper: drag Date, Amount, Fee, Description to the right columns
5. Choose or create an Income Stream to assign transactions to (e.g., "Upwork Design" or "PayPal Consulting")
6. Click Import — GigAnalytics deduplicates automatically using transaction IDs

After import, your ROI dashboard updates instantly: true hourly rate, gross vs. net breakdown, platform fee analysis, and the heatmap of your best earning days.

Pro Tips for Clean Imports

• Import in 90-day chunks for large accounts. Stripe and PayPal exports over 12 months can hit 10,000+ rows — processing time stays fast with smaller batches.
• Use consistent source names. If you label one import "Stripe" and another "stripe", GigAnalytics treats them as different streams. Pick one casing and stick to it.
• Include the fee column when possible. Without it, GigAnalytics estimates fees using platform defaults (Upwork 10%, PayPal 3.2%, Stripe 2.9%). Your actual fees may differ.
• Run imports monthly. Set a calendar reminder for the first of each month to export last month's data and re-import. The ROI dashboard stays current.

What Happens After Import

Once your data is in, GigAnalytics calculates:

• True hourly rate — if you log time, revenue ÷ hours ÷ (1 − fee rate)
• Platform ROI — which platforms earn you the most per hour
• Monthly trends — seasonality, best months, income stability score
• Earnings heatmap — best days/times to accept work based on your data

The more data you import, the more accurate the AI suggestions become. With 6+ months of data, the benchmark layer activates — comparing your rates anonymously against other freelancers in your category.