diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9c96b6f97..54b686fac 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -65,7 +65,10 @@ Want to know where Deno SaaSKit is headed? Check out
 3. Click `Generate a new client secret` and copy the resulting client secret to
    the `GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET` environment variable in your `.env` file.
 
-### Payments and Subscriptions (Stripe)
+### Payments and Subscriptions using Stripe (optional)
+
+> Note: Stripe is only enabled if the `STRIPE_SECRET_KEY` environment variable
+> is set.
 
 1. Copy your Stripe secret key as `STRIPE_SECRET_KEY` into your `.env` file. We
    recommend using the test key for your development environment.
diff --git a/components/Layout.tsx b/components/Layout.tsx
index 75f58c9ac..0fe0af868 100644
--- a/components/Layout.tsx
+++ b/components/Layout.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
   SITE_WIDTH_STYLES,
 } from "@/utils/constants.ts";
 import Logo from "./Logo.tsx";
+import { stripe } from "../utils/payments.ts";
 
 function Notice() {
   return (
@@ -87,10 +88,6 @@ interface LayoutProps {
 
 export default function Layout(props: LayoutProps) {
   const headerNavItems = [
-    {
-      href: "/pricing",
-      inner: "Pricing",
-    },
     props.session
       ? {
         href: "/account",
@@ -106,6 +103,13 @@ export default function Layout(props: LayoutProps) {
     },
   ];
 
+  if (stripe !== undefined) {
+    headerNavItems.unshift({
+      href: "/pricing",
+      inner: "Pricing",
+    });
+  }
+
   const footerNavItems = [
     {
       href: "/stats",
diff --git a/routes/_app.tsx b/routes/_app.tsx
index 08266d26b..988f0d513 100644
--- a/routes/_app.tsx
+++ b/routes/_app.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import Layout from "@/components/Layout.tsx";
 export default function App({ Component, data }: AppProps) {
   return (
     <div>
-      <Layout session={data.sessionId}>
+      <Layout session={data?.sessionId}>
         <Component />
       </Layout>
     </div>
diff --git a/routes/account/index.tsx b/routes/account/index.tsx
index 658d9f960..ebc25223e 100644
--- a/routes/account/index.tsx
+++ b/routes/account/index.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import Head from "@/components/Head.tsx";
 import type { AccountState } from "./_middleware.ts";
 import { BUTTON_STYLES } from "@/utils/constants.ts";
 import { ComponentChild } from "preact";
+import { stripe } from "@/utils/payments.ts";
 
 export const handler: Handlers<AccountState, AccountState> = {
   GET(_request, ctx) {
@@ -55,12 +56,14 @@ export default function AccountPage(props: PageProps<AccountState>) {
             title="Subscription"
             text={props.data.user.isSubscribed ? "Premium 🦕" : "Free"}
           >
-            <a
-              class="underline"
-              href={`/account/${action.toLowerCase()}`}
-            >
-              {action}
-            </a>
+            {stripe && (
+              <a
+                class="underline"
+                href={`/account/${action.toLowerCase()}`}
+              >
+                {action}
+              </a>
+            )}
           </Row>
         </ul>
         <a
diff --git a/routes/account/manage.ts b/routes/account/manage.ts
index a249a6b80..6e893f7e1 100644
--- a/routes/account/manage.ts
+++ b/routes/account/manage.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import { redirect } from "@/utils/redirect.ts";
 // deno-lint-ignore no-explicit-any
 export const handler: Handlers<any, AccountState> = {
   async GET(req, ctx) {
+    if (stripe === undefined) return ctx.renderNotFound();
+
     const { url } = await stripe.billingPortal.sessions.create({
       customer: ctx.state.user.stripeCustomerId,
       return_url: new URL(req.url).origin + "/account",
diff --git a/routes/account/upgrade.ts b/routes/account/upgrade.ts
index bbc1ffee2..b07684983 100644
--- a/routes/account/upgrade.ts
+++ b/routes/account/upgrade.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@ const STRIPE_PREMIUM_PLAN_PRICE_ID = Deno.env.get(
 
 export const handler: Handlers<null, AccountState> = {
   async GET(req, ctx) {
-    if (!STRIPE_PREMIUM_PLAN_PRICE_ID || !ctx.state.sessionId) {
+    if (
+      !STRIPE_PREMIUM_PLAN_PRICE_ID || !ctx.state.sessionId ||
+      stripe === undefined
+    ) {
       return ctx.renderNotFound();
     }
 
diff --git a/routes/api/stripe-webhooks.ts b/routes/api/stripe-webhooks.ts
index 2faf15b14..c52390ddd 100644
--- a/routes/api/stripe-webhooks.ts
+++ b/routes/api/stripe-webhooks.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ export const handler: Handlers = {
    * 1. customer.subscription.created (when a user subscribes to the premium plan)
    * 2. customer.subscription.deleted (when a user cancels the premium plan)
    */
-  async POST(req) {
+  async POST(req, ctx) {
+    if (stripe === undefined) return ctx.renderNotFound();
+
     const body = await req.text();
     const signature = req.headers.get("stripe-signature")!;
     const signingSecret = Deno.env.get("STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET")!;
diff --git a/routes/callback.ts b/routes/callback.ts
index ed4a87bfb..a821fe6d3 100644
--- a/routes/callback.ts
+++ b/routes/callback.ts
@@ -51,14 +51,18 @@ export const handler: Handlers<any, State> = {
 
     const user = await getUser(githubUser.id.toString());
     if (!user) {
-      const customer = await stripe.customers.create({
-        email: githubUser.email,
-      });
+      let stripeCustomerId = undefined;
+      if (stripe) {
+        const customer = await stripe.customers.create({
+          email: githubUser.email,
+        });
+        stripeCustomerId = customer.id;
+      }
       const user: User = {
         id: githubUser.id.toString(),
         login: githubUser.login,
         avatarUrl: githubUser.avatar_url,
-        stripeCustomerId: customer.id,
+        stripeCustomerId,
         sessionId,
         ...newUserProps(),
       };
diff --git a/routes/pricing.tsx b/routes/pricing.tsx
index 437401409..9f75e5427 100644
--- a/routes/pricing.tsx
+++ b/routes/pricing.tsx
@@ -13,13 +13,18 @@ interface PricingPageData extends State {
   user: User | null;
 }
 
-function comparePrices(productA: Stripe.Product, productB: Stripe.Product) {
+function comparePrices(
+  productA: Stripe.Product,
+  productB: Stripe.Product,
+) {
   return ((productA.default_price as Stripe.Price).unit_amount || 0) -
     ((productB.default_price as Stripe.Price).unit_amount || 0);
 }
 
 export const handler: Handlers<PricingPageData, State> = {
   async GET(_req, ctx) {
+    if (stripe === undefined) return ctx.renderNotFound();
+
     const { data } = await stripe.products.list({
       expand: ["data.default_price"],
       active: true,
diff --git a/tools/init_stripe.ts b/tools/init_stripe.ts
index abd976aa4..4edd98f4f 100644
--- a/tools/init_stripe.ts
+++ b/tools/init_stripe.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ async function createDefaultPortalConfiguration(
 }
 
 async function main() {
+  if (stripe === undefined) throw new Error("Stripe is disabled.");
+
   const product = await createPremiumTierProduct(stripe);
 
   if (typeof product.default_price !== "string") return;
diff --git a/utils/payments.ts b/utils/payments.ts
index a80d672d8..61079f208 100644
--- a/utils/payments.ts
+++ b/utils/payments.ts
@@ -1,25 +1,29 @@
 // Copyright 2023 the Deno authors. All rights reserved. MIT license.
 import Stripe from "stripe";
 
-/** This constant allows preview deployments to successfully start up, making everything outside of the dashboard viewable. */
-const DUMMY_SECRET_KEY =
-  "sk_test_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx";
+const STRIPE_SECRET_KEY = Deno.env.get("STRIPE_SECRET_KEY");
 
-if (!Deno.env.get("STRIPE_SECRET_KEY")) {
-  console.warn(
-    "`STRIPE_SECRET_KEY` environment variable is not defined. Dummy Stripe API key is currently in use. Stripe functionality is now limited.",
+export const stripe = STRIPE_SECRET_KEY !== undefined
+  ? new Stripe(
+    STRIPE_SECRET_KEY,
+    {
+      apiVersion: "2022-11-15",
+      // Use the Fetch API instead of Node's HTTP client.
+      httpClient: Stripe.createFetchHttpClient(),
+    },
+  )
+  : undefined;
+
+if (stripe) {
+  console.log(
+    "`STRIPE_SECRET_KEY` environment variable is defined. Stripe is enabled.",
+  );
+} else {
+  console.log(
+    "`STRIPE_SECRET_KEY` environment variable is not defined. Stripe is disabled.",
   );
 }
 
-export const stripe = new Stripe(
-  Deno.env.get("STRIPE_SECRET_KEY") ?? DUMMY_SECRET_KEY,
-  {
-    apiVersion: "2022-11-15",
-    // Use the Fetch API instead of Node's HTTP client.
-    httpClient: Stripe.createFetchHttpClient(),
-  },
-);
-
 export function formatAmountForDisplay(
   amount: number,
   currency: string,