Overview

SquadTrip's Payments & Settings page is the central hub for managing how travelers pay for your trip. You can toggle payment methods on or off, configure auto-billing behavior, and set up installment plans -- all from one page. Stripe is the primary payment gateway. Square is available as a fallback if Stripe restricts your account. Card payments are always enabled by default.

Getting to Payments & Settings

Log in to your organizer dashboard
Open your trip from Trip Management
Click "Payments" in the left sidebar (under Main Flow)
The page has three expandable sections:
- Payments Options -- toggle payment methods on or off
- Payments Settings -- configure auto-billing and retry behavior
- Payment Plans -- set up deposits, installments, and pricing

Toggle Payment Methods On or Off

Expand the "Payments Options" section to see all available payment methods. Each method has a toggle that saves automatically when clicked.

Method	Type	Availability	Notes
Card Payments	Credit/debit cards	Always on	Cannot be disabled
Apple Pay	Digital wallet	Stripe & Square	Toggle to enable
Klarna	Buy Now, Pay Later	Stripe only	4% traveler fee. Supports USD, GBP
Afterpay	Buy Now, Pay Later	Stripe only	4% traveler fee. Supports USD, CAD, GBP, AUD, NZD
Affirm	Buy Now, Pay Later	Stripe only	4% traveler fee. USD only

BNPL options are only available when the traveler selects "Pay in Full" -- they cannot be used with installment plans.

Payments Options accordion showing toggle switches for Klarna, Affirm, AfterPay, and Apple Pay

Configure Auto-Billing Settings

Expand the "Payments Settings" section to control how payments are collected. All settings are ON by default and auto-save on toggle.

Setting	What It Does
Auto-Charge Travelers on Due Dates	Automatically processes scheduled installment payments
Retry Failed Payments Every 2 Days	Retries unsuccessful transactions without manual intervention
Let Travelers Reschedule Payments	Gives travelers flexibility to move payment dates before the deadline
Allow Travelers to Update Payment Method	Lets travelers change their saved card anytime

Payments Settings accordion showing four auto-billing and collection behavior toggles all set to ON

Set Up Payment Plans

In the "Payment Plans" section, select a package from the dropdown, then choose Pay in Full, Pay in Installments, or both.

When enabling installments, configure:

Minimum Deposit -- at least $35 required
First Payment Date -- when monthly installments begin after the deposit
Duration -- number of months; SquadTrip calculates installment amounts automatically
Additional Fee (Optional) -- extra charge for travelers who choose installments

Use "Apply to all packages" to bulk-apply the same plan settings across all packages at once. Click "Save Changes" to save your payment plan configuration.

Payment plan editing form with deposit amount, payment schedule, duration fields, and Save Changes button

Payment Gateway Setup

Gateway	How to Connect	What It Supports
Stripe (default)	Required before publishing. Click "Link To Stripe Connect" when prompted	Cards, Apple Pay, Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm
Square (optional)	Connect from the Payments page	Cards, Apple Pay only

When both gateways are connected, Square is used as the primary gateway for card payments. BNPL payments always process through Stripe.

Important Notes

All payment options and settings are free for organizers -- no additional cost to enable
Toggles in Payments Options and Payments Settings save automatically -- no Save button needed
Payment Plans require clicking "Save Changes" after editing
BNPL charges a 4% convenience fee to the traveler, not the organizer
Package pricing must be at least $99 to offer installment plans; minimum deposit is $35
SquadTrip sends automated payment reminders 5 days before each installment due date

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
"Pay in Installments" not showing for a package	Package must be priced at $99 or above. Also verify the trip start date is more than one month away.
Can't set the desired number of installments	SquadTrip ensures all payments complete before the trip start date. Set an earlier first payment date to allow more installments.
BNPL options not appearing	BNPL requires a connected Stripe account (not Square). Check that your Stripe account has BNPL capabilities enabled.
Toggle reverts after clicking	Auto-save failed. Check your internet connection and refresh the page.
Travelers not being auto-charged	Verify "Auto-Charge Travelers on Due Dates" is toggled ON in Payments Settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are all payment options and settings free for organizers? A: Yes. Publishing trips and collecting payments are completely free. All payment method toggles, auto-billing settings, and installment plan features are included at no cost. The only fees are the standard 6% processing fee per transaction, paid by the traveler.

Q: Can I use Square instead of Stripe? A: Yes, but you connect one gateway at a time -- not both simultaneously. Square is available as a fallback if Stripe has restricted or rejected your account. Square supports card payments only. BNPL and Apple Pay require Stripe.

Q: Do Buy Now, Pay Later options have additional fees? A: Yes. BNPL providers charge a 4% convenience fee added to the traveler's total at checkout. The organizer receives 100% of their listed trip price. Additional interest or fees may apply depending on the provider and repayment plan selected by the traveler.

Q: Can I offer both Pay in Full and installments for the same package? A: Yes. In the Payment Plans section, check both "Pay in Full" and "Pay in Installments" for any package. Most organizers enable both to give travelers flexibility. Packages must be priced at $99 or above to offer installments.

Q: How does auto-billing work with installment plans? A: When auto-billing is enabled, SquadTrip automatically charges travelers on their scheduled installment dates. Reminder emails are sent 5 days before each due date. Failed payments are retried every 2 days if that setting is also enabled.