Overview
SquadTrip supports two payment processors: Stripe and Square. All traveler payments flow through your connected gateway and transfer directly to your bank account. Stripe is the primary gateway and supports the widest range of payment methods including Buy Now, Pay Later. Square is offered as an alternative when Stripe isn't available to you.
Stripe (Default Payment Processor)
Stripe is the primary payment processor. Organizers connect Stripe before publishing their first trip.
Payment methods through Stripe:
Method | Details |
Credit and Debit Cards | All major card brands |
Apple Pay | One-tap checkout on supported devices |
Klarna | Buy Now, Pay Later. Supports USD and GBP |
Afterpay | Buy Now, Pay Later. Supports USD, GBP |
Affirm | Buy Now, Pay Later. USD only |
Stripe handles automatic fund transfers to your bank account, typically arriving 2 business days after the charge.
Square (Fallback Payment Processor)
Square is offered as an alternative when Stripe isn't available to you.
Payment methods through Square:
Method | Details |
Credit and Debit Cards | All major card brands |
Apple Pay | Not available -- Apple Pay is Stripe-only in the current checkout |
Buy Now, Pay Later options (Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm) are not available through Square -- they require a Stripe connection.
Stripe vs Square: One Gateway at a Time
You connect one payment gateway at a time -- either Stripe or Square, not both simultaneously:
Stripe is the primary gateway and supports all payment methods (cards, Apple Pay, BNPL)
Square is offered as an alternative when Stripe isn't available to you -- choose it under Settings > Company Settings > Change Payment Processing Account; if both are ever connected, Square is used
Square supports card payments only -- no BNPL or Apple Pay
Important Notes
Every organizer must connect at least one payment gateway before publishing a trip
Stripe is required if you want to offer BNPL payment options
Both gateways are covered by SquadTrip's standard 6% processing fee
Stripe charges an additional 1.5% on international cards and 1% for currency conversion — these are Stripe's fees, not SquadTrip's (stripe.com/pricing, checked September 2026), and Stripe deducts them from the organizer's payout
SquadTrip never has access to your payment gateway account or payout schedule
Troubleshooting
Problem | Solution |
Stripe connection fails during setup | Ensure you are using a supported browser (Chrome, Safari, Edge). Clear cache and cookies, then retry. If the issue persists, verify your Stripe account is fully activated at dashboard.stripe.com. |
Square not appearing as a payment option | Square is chosen instead of Stripe: Add Payment Processing Account always goes to Stripe, and the Square option only appears under Change Payment Processing Account when SquadTrip has flagged your Stripe account as restricted (or Square is already connected). To use Square from the start, contact [email protected]. |
BNPL options not showing at checkout | BNPL requires a Stripe connection and a supported currency (USD or GBP). EUR is not supported for BNPL. Verify these conditions are met and that BNPL is enabled on your trip's payment settings. |
Funds not depositing to bank account | Check your payout schedule in your Stripe or Square dashboard. Initial payouts may take 7-14 days. If deposits have stopped, verify your bank account is still linked in your gateway dashboard. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need both Stripe and Square, or is one enough? A: You only use one gateway at a time. Most organizers use Stripe since it supports all payment methods including BNPL and Apple Pay. Square is available as a fallback if Stripe restricts your account, but only supports card payments.
Q: Does SquadTrip charge different fees for Stripe vs. Square? A: No. The same 6% processing fee applies regardless of which gateway processes the payment. The fee covers all standard card and Apple Pay transactions. BNPL adds a separate 4% convenience fee charged to the traveler.
Q: Can I switch from Stripe to Square (or vice versa) after publishing? A: Not freely. Change Payment Processing Account goes straight to Stripe unless SquadTrip has flagged your Stripe account as restricted or Square is already connected -- only then does the Stripe / Square chooser appear. To move a healthy Stripe account to Square, contact [email protected]. Past payments stay with the account that collected them, but scheduled installments on existing bookings are charged through whichever account is connected when they run -- switch between trips, or talk to us first if travelers are mid-plan.
Q: Where do my funds go after a traveler pays? A: Funds go directly to the bank account connected to your payment gateway. Stripe transfers automatically (typically 2-day rolling deposits). Square follows its own payout schedule. SquadTrip never holds or has access to your funds.
Q: Can travelers see which payment processor I use? A: Only in the small print -- the checkout footer says "Powered by Stripe" or "Powered by Square". The payment form itself looks the same either way.
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