Overview

Every organizer must connect Stripe before publishing their first trip. Stripe is the primary gateway and supports all payment methods. Stripe processes card payments, Apple Pay, and all Buy Now, Pay Later options (Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm). You don't need a business EIN -- personal information and SSN are sufficient to create a Stripe account.

Where to Connect Stripe

You connect Stripe once for your whole account — it then applies to every trip you run, so there’s no need to connect it separately for each trip. You can start the connection from any of these places:

During signup (recommended). The setup wizard finishes on a “Link to Stripe” step headed “Daily payouts with Stripe.” Click “Link To Stripe Connect” to connect right away, or “Skip for Now” to do it later.
From the trip builder. At the top of any trip-builder page there’s a “Payment account” indicator. When it reads “Not connected,” click it and then click “Connect Now →” in the pop-up.
When you publish a trip. If you click Publish before a payment account is connected, SquadTrip prompts you to connect first — follow the “Connect to Stripe” / “Continue” prompts, then finish publishing.
From your settings, any time. Go to Settings → Company Settings and scroll to the Payment Settings section. Click “Add Payment Processing Account” (or “Change Payment Processing Account” if one is already connected), choose Stripe, and click Continue.

Whichever route you take, they all lead to the same Stripe connection page.

Connect Your Stripe Account

You’re taken to Stripe’s secure connection page.
Log in if you already have a Stripe account, or create one if you don’t.
Follow the prompts to add your bank account details and business information.
Complete identity verification (SSN or EIN).
Stripe returns you to SquadTrip, and your Payment account indicator now shows “Connected.”

Connect only one Stripe account. If Stripe offers to create a new account when you already have one, log into your existing account instead — a brand-new account starts empty and won’t carry over any balance you’ve already collected. To review or change which account is connected later, go to Settings → Company Settings → Payment Settings (see Change Connected Stripe Account).

The Link To Stripe Connect button that starts the Stripe connection

Tips for new Stripe accounts:

Use your own name as the business name if you don't have a registered business
Your personal website or Instagram link works for the business website field
Stripe account creation is free

Where Your Money Goes: Stripe Is Your Bank, Not Ours

When a traveler pays, the money goes directly into your own Stripe account — it never passes through or sits in a SquadTrip account. SquadTrip is the software that rings up the sale; Stripe is your bank.

Money flow: a traveler's payment goes directly into your own Stripe account and then to your bank account. SquadTrip is only the checkout and never receives or holds your money.

SquadTrip cannot see, hold, or release your balance, and cannot send you a payout.
You control when your balance reaches your bank, through your Stripe payout schedule.
For anything about your balance, payouts, or bank transfers, the answer lives in your Stripe dashboard, not in SquadTrip.

Check your payout schedule now: in your Stripe dashboard, go to Settings → Payouts. It can be automatic (Stripe sends your balance to your bank on a schedule) or manual (your balance waits in Stripe until you release it yourself). If you want to be paid without any extra steps, set it to automatic.

What Stripe Enables

Feature	Details
Card Payments	All major credit and debit cards
Apple Pay	One-tap checkout on supported devices
Klarna	Buy Now, Pay Later. USD, GBP
Afterpay	Buy Now, Pay Later. USD, CAD, GBP, AUD, NZD
Affirm	Buy Now, Pay Later. USD only
Payouts to Your Bank	You choose the schedule — automatic (daily/weekly) or manual — in your Stripe dashboard under Settings → Payouts

BNPL options are automatically available through your Stripe connection -- no additional setup needed. Just toggle them on in your trip's Payment Options settings.

Important Notes

Stripe is required before you can publish a trip (Square is available as a fallback if Stripe restricts your account)
SquadTrip charges a flat 6% processing fee that covers standard Stripe card processing
International cards add 1.5% and currency conversion adds 1%, both deducted from the organizer's payout
SquadTrip cannot access your Stripe account, payout schedule, or funds
First Stripe payouts have a mandatory 7-day waiting period for security compliance
Travelers see your company name + trip name (truncated to 21 characters) on their credit card statements

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
Not sure where to connect Stripe	You can connect from the setup wizard’s “Link to Stripe” step, the “Payment account” indicator at the top of the trip builder, the Publish prompt, or Settings → Company Settings → Payment Settings. If you don’t see a connect option anywhere, you’re likely already connected.
Stripe asking for EIN but I don't have one	Select "Individual" or "Sole Proprietor" as your business type. SSN is sufficient -- no EIN required.
Connection failed or stuck	Clear your browser cache, try a different browser, or disable ad blockers that may interfere with Stripe's redirect.
Payouts paused by Stripe	Log in to your Stripe dashboard at dashboard.stripe.com and provide any requested updates. Stripe pauses payouts when verification information is outdated.
First payout taking longer than expected	First-time Stripe payouts have a 7-day waiting period. After that, transfers arrive in about 2 business days if your payout schedule is set to automatic. If it’s set to manual, your balance stays in Stripe until you log in and release it — check Stripe → Settings → Payouts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need to set up Klarna, Affirm, or Afterpay separately after connecting Stripe? A: No. BNPL options are automatically available through your Stripe connection. Go to your trip's Payments page, expand "Payments Options," and toggle on whichever BNPL providers you want to offer. No additional accounts or setup required.

Q: What will travelers see on their credit card statements? A: Travelers see your company name plus the trip name, truncated to 21 characters total. For example, "ELEVATE TRAVEL*BALI W" -- this helps minimize complaints about unrecognized charges.

Q: Can SquadTrip help me with Stripe account issues? A: No. Payment processing is governed by your direct agreement with Stripe. For account issues, payout delays, or verification problems, contact Stripe support directly through your Stripe dashboard.

Q: Can I use Square instead of Stripe? A: Square is available as a fallback if Stripe has restricted or rejected your account. You connect one gateway at a time, not both simultaneously. Square supports card payments only -- no BNPL or Apple Pay. If you need BNPL (Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm), you must use Stripe.

Q: What fees are associated with Stripe on SquadTrip? A: SquadTrip bundles fees at 6% total for standard U.S. card transactions. This covers both Stripe's processing fees and SquadTrip's platform fee. International cards add 1.5%, and currency conversion adds 1%. BNPL adds a 4% convenience fee charged to the traveler.