Paid Bookings

Connecting Stripe lets you charge invitees at the moment of booking. Payment is collected upfront, payouts arrive in your bank account on Stripe’s normal schedule, and Bookme handles refunds when meetings are cancelled inside your policy.

1. Confirm Stripe Supports Your Country

Stripe Connect is supported in 40+ countries. Check stripe.com/global. If your country is not supported, use PayPal instead.

2. Open Settings, Then Payments

Click Settings, then Payments. Click the Connect Stripe button.

3. Complete Stripe Onboarding

You are redirected to Stripe. Stripe asks for: – Your business type. – Your tax identifier (SSN, EIN, or country equivalent). – Your bank details (for payouts). – An ID document.

Stripe usually verifies within 2 to 7 minutes.

4. Return To Bookme

You are redirected back to Bookme. The Connect Stripe button is replaced with a green “Connected as [business name]” badge.

5. Set A Price On An Event Type

Open any event type, click the Pricing tab, and: – Toggle Paid event ON. – Enter the price in your local currency. – Pick the currency. – Pick the refund policy.

6. Test With A Stripe Test Card

Use Stripe’s test card 4242 4242 4242 4242, any future expiry, any 3-digit CVC. The booking appears in your dashboard with a “Paid” badge.

7. Understand Fees And Payouts

Stripe takes its standard processing fee (typically 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction in the US). Bookme adds a small platform fee on the Free plan; waived on Pro and Elite.

Payouts land in your bank account on Stripe’s normal rolling schedule (usually 7 days for US, varies by country).

PayPal works alongside Stripe (or instead of it). Most useful in regions where Stripe is not supported, or for invitees who strongly prefer PayPal.

1. Open Settings, Then Payments

Click Connect PayPal.

2. Sign In With PayPal

A PayPal sign-in window opens. Use your PayPal business account (not personal). Bookme requests permission to: – Create payments on your behalf. – Issue refunds.

Click Agree.

3. Confirm The Connection

You are returned to Bookme with a green “Connected” badge next to PayPal.

4. Use PayPal As The Payment Method

PayPal becomes available for event types. Open any event type‘s Pricing tab and pick: – Stripe only. – PayPal only. – Both (invitee picks at checkout).

5. Invitee Experience

With PayPal: – Invitee picks a slot, fills out the form. – Sees the price and a “Pay with PayPal” button. – Redirects to PayPal to complete payment. – Returns to Bookme with a confirmation.

It is a few clicks more than Stripe (which can use saved cards), but invitees who insist on PayPal will use it.

6. Refunds Via PayPal

Same refund flow as Stripe. Bookme initiates the refund through PayPal’s API when: – An invitee cancels inside your refund policy window. – You manually issue a refund from the booking detail panel.

7. Fees

PayPal charges its own merchant fees (typically 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, varies by country). Plus Bookme’s platform fee on Free.

8. Disconnecting PayPal

Click Disconnect next to PayPal in Settings, then Payments. Existing bookings keep their PayPal payment record; new bookings cannot use PayPal until you reconnect.

Pricing is set per event type. You can have free events and paid events on the same booking page.

1. Open The Event Editor

Click the event you want to charge for. Click the Pricing tab.

2. Toggle Paid Event On

Toggle Paid event ON. Pricing fields appear.

3. Enter The Price

• Price. In your local currency, in whole units (e.g. 50 for $50).
• Currency. Pick from supported list.

4. Pick The Refund Policy

• Full refund anytime. Invitees can cancel and get all money back.
• Refund up to X hours before. Cancel within window = refund; after = no refund.
• No refunds. Even on cancellation, money is kept.

5. Pick The Cancellation Policy

Independent from refund: – Free cancellation anytime. – Free cancel up to X hours before. – No cancellations.

Common pairing: “Refund up to 24h, free cancellation anytime, no refund after 24h.” Invitee can cancel without paying twice, but the host keeps the money if it is last-minute.

6. Pick The Payment Method

• Stripe only.
• PayPal only.
• Both (invitee picks at checkout).

7. (Optional) Discount Codes

Click + Add discount code. Set: – Code (e.g. “EARLY10”). – Type: percentage or flat. – Amount. – Expiration date (optional). – Max uses (optional).

Invitees can enter the code at checkout to get the discount.

8. Save

Save. The event is now paid. Test by booking a slot with a Stripe test card or PayPal sandbox account.

Bookme supports 135+ currencies via Stripe and PayPal. The exact list depends on what your connected provider supports in your country.

1. Common Supported Currencies

The most widely used: – USD (US Dollar). – EUR (Euro). – GBP (British Pound). – CAD (Canadian Dollar). – AUD (Australian Dollar). – JPY (Japanese Yen). – CHF (Swiss Franc). – SEK (Swedish Krona). – NOK (Norwegian Krone). – DKK (Danish Krone). – PLN (Polish Zloty). – INR (Indian Rupee). – BRL (Brazilian Real). – MXN (Mexican Peso).

2. Pick A Currency Per Event Type

Each event type has its own currency. You can charge in USD for international clients and EUR for European clients on the same booking page.

3. Multi-Currency Considerations

Stripe and PayPal both: – Settle in your bank’s currency by default (with conversion if the charge currency differs). – Or settle in the charged currency if your account is configured for multi-currency.

Check your Stripe / PayPal dashboard for the right configuration.

4. Currency Conversion

• Stripe: Standard conversion at Stripe’s daily rate plus a small spread (typically 1%).
• PayPal: Standard conversion at PayPal’s daily rate plus a spread (typically 2.5-4%).

If you serve many international clients, Stripe usually has lower conversion costs.

5. Display Currency Symbol

The booking page shows the right symbol per currency (€, £, $, ¥, etc.). Set in the event editor.

6. Tax

Tax handling depends on your Stripe Tax or PayPal Tax configuration. Bookme does not collect tax separately; the price you set is what the invitee pays.

For VAT or sales tax, configure inside Stripe (Stripe Tax) or PayPal.

Refunds are governed by the refund policy you set on the event type. They are processed automatically when an invitee cancels inside the policy window.

1. Set The Refund Policy

On the event’s Pricing tab: – Full refund anytime. Invitee always gets a full refund on cancel. – Refund up to X hours before. Cancel within X hours of meeting = full refund. – No refunds. Cancellation does not refund.

2. The Invitee Cancel Flow

Invitee clicks Cancel meeting in their confirmation or reminder email. Bookme: – Marks the booking as cancelled. – Checks the refund policy. – If within window, processes the refund via Stripe or PayPal API. – Sends the invitee a cancellation confirmation noting the refund amount.

3. Host-Initiated Cancellation

If YOU cancel the booking (from the dashboard), the invitee always gets a full refund regardless of the policy. The reasoning: the cancellation is not their fault.

4. Partial Refunds

You can issue a partial refund from the booking detail panel. Click Refund and enter the amount.

Useful when: – The meeting partially happened (you ran 15 minutes instead of 30). – The invitee has a specific complaint you want to acknowledge. – You and the invitee agreed in advance to a smaller charge.

5. Refund Timing

• Stripe: 5 to 10 business days for the refund to appear on the invitee’s card statement.
• PayPal: Usually instant for PayPal balance; 3-5 days for bank-funded refunds.

6. Refund Notifications

The invitee gets: – An immediate confirmation email from Bookme. – A separate email from Stripe or PayPal when the refund completes.

7. Disputes And Chargebacks

If an invitee disputes a charge with their bank (instead of using Bookme’s cancel/refund flow), Stripe and PayPal handle the dispute. You will see it in their dashboards. Bookme does not have a separate dispute system; the upstream provider’s process applies.

Bookme’s fees depend on your plan. Stripe and PayPal also take their own merchant fees, separate from Bookme’s.

1. Bookme Platform Fees

| Plan | Bookme Fee Per Transaction | |—|—| | Free | 5% | | Pro | 0% | | Elite | 0% |

2. Stripe Fees (Separate From Bookme)

• US: 2.9% + $0.30 per successful charge.
• EU: 1.4% + €0.25 for European cards; 2.9% + €0.25 for non-European.
• UK: 1.5% + 20p for European cards; 2.5% + 20p for UK cards.
• Other regions: see stripe.com/pricing.

3. PayPal Fees (Separate From Bookme)

• US: 2.99% + $0.49 per transaction (standard).
• Higher fees for international transactions.
• See paypal.com/business/pricing for the exact rate in your country.

4. Total Cost Example

A US-based host on the Free plan charging $100: – Stripe fee: $2.90 + $0.30 = $3.20. – Bookme fee: $5.00. – Net payout to host: $91.80.

On Pro or Elite, the same transaction: – Stripe fee: $3.20. – Bookme fee: $0. – Net payout: $96.80.

5. Why Upgrade

If you charge for bookings even occasionally, the Pro plan typically pays for itself quickly. The 5% Bookme fee on Free quickly exceeds the Pro monthly fee.

6. Fee Display To Invitees

Bookme does NOT pass fees to invitees. The invitee pays the price you set; you absorb the fees.

If you want to pass Stripe fees through, manually add them to your price.

7. Tax

Fees are charged on top of the price you set, not after tax. If you collect tax separately via Stripe Tax, the fee calculation excludes tax.

8. Currency Conversion Fees

If the charge currency differs from your bank’s settlement currency, Stripe or PayPal apply conversion fees on top of the standard rate. These are NOT controlled by Bookme.

Payouts come from Stripe or PayPal, not from Bookme directly. The timing depends on the provider’s schedule for your country.

1. Stripe Payout Schedule

Stripe pays out on a rolling schedule: – US: 7-day rolling (a charge today pays out 7 days from now). – UK / EU: 7-day rolling. – Australia: 4-day rolling. – Other countries: Varies.

The first payout typically takes longer (7-14 days) as Stripe completes initial account verification.

2. PayPal Payout Schedule

• Default: Payments hit your PayPal balance immediately.
• To bank account: Transfer from PayPal balance to bank takes 1-5 business days (instant transfer available for a fee).

3. Change Payout Frequency (Stripe)

In your Stripe dashboard: – Daily. Payouts every business day. – Weekly. Payouts on a chosen day of the week. – Monthly. Payouts on a chosen day of the month.

Daily provides faster cash flow but more frequent bank fees on your end.

4. Where To Find Payout History

• Stripe: dashboard.stripe.com, “Payouts.”
• PayPal: paypal.com, “Activity” or “Reports.”
• Bookme: Settings, then Payments, then Payout history. Shows totals from both providers in one view.

5. Failed Or Delayed Payouts

Common causes: – Bank account details incorrect. – Bank rejected the deposit. – Stripe or PayPal account verification incomplete.

In your Stripe/PayPal dashboard, look for the failed payout and the reason. Fix the bank details and retry.

6. Multi-Currency Payouts

If you charge in multiple currencies: – Stripe: Settles each into your default settlement currency, with conversion fees applied. – PayPal: Holds each currency separately in your balance; you decide when to convert.

7. Tax Reporting

Both providers report your earnings to tax authorities (1099-K in the US). Track which provider paid out what for your accountant.

Bookme keeps a record of every paid booking with invoice generation included.

1. Open Payment History

Settings, then Payments, then Payment history.

You see a list of all transactions: – Invitee name. – Event type. – Date. – Amount. – Status (paid, refunded, partial refund). – Provider (Stripe / PayPal).

2. Filter And Search

Filter by: – Date range. – Event type. – Status. – Provider.

Search by invitee name or email.

3. Click A Transaction For Details

Click any row to see the booking detail panel with: – Full booking information. – Charge amount, fees, net. – Refund history (if any). – Provider transaction ID.

4. Download An Invoice

Click Download invoice (PDF) on any transaction. The invoice includes: – Your business name and address (from Settings, then Profile). – Invitee details. – Service description (event type name). – Amount, currency, tax breakdown. – Payment status.

Useful for invitees who need a tax-deductible receipt.

5. Bulk Export As CSV

Click Export CSV to get all filtered transactions as a spreadsheet. Useful for accounting.

6. Auto-Send Invoice To Invitee

By default, Bookme sends a basic confirmation, not a tax-style invoice. To always auto-send invoices:

Settings, then Payments, then toggle Auto-send invoice on payment. Invitees receive a PDF invoice attached to their confirmation email.

7. Customizing The Invoice

You can customize: – Your business name and address (Settings, then Profile). – Your logo (Settings, then Profile). – Invoice prefix (Settings, then Payments, Invoice numbering). – Tax line item (Settings, then Payments, Tax settings).

Payments can fail for many reasons: insufficient funds, expired cards, fraud filters. Bookme has built-in recovery flows to retry and notify.

1. What Happens On A Failed Payment

If a payment fails at the moment of booking: – The booking is NOT created. Invitee sees an error and is asked to try a different payment method. – The slot remains available.

This is fail-fast behavior; no half-completed bookings.

2. The Retry Flow

On the error screen, the invitee can: – Try a different card. – Switch to PayPal (if both are enabled on the event). – Contact you for help (a link is shown).

If the invitee leaves without retrying, the slot stays open for others.

3. Recovery Emails

If you have Cart recovery emails enabled (Settings, then Payments): – Bookme sends a follow-up email 30 minutes after a failed payment. – “Hi, we noticed your payment didn’t go through. Want to try again?” – Includes a link back to the booking flow.

Recovery emails fire once per failed attempt and are turned off if the invitee successfully books later.

4. Manual Recovery

On your dashboard, the Failed Payments view (in the Payments tab) shows recent failures. Click any to: – See the failure reason (insufficient funds, fraud filter, etc.). – Email the invitee directly via a pre-filled template. – Mark as resolved.

5. Common Causes And Fixes

• Insufficient funds. Invitee retries with a different card.
• Expired card. Same.
• Fraud filter. Stripe or PayPal flagged the transaction. Invitee can contact their bank or use PayPal.
• 3D Secure required. Invitee completes the bank’s 2FA step and retries.
• Foreign card refused. Some banks block international charges. Invitee tries a different card.

6. Disabling Recovery Emails

Some hosts find recovery emails feel like spam. Turn them off in Settings, then Payments.

Discount codes let you offer reduced or free bookings to specific people or campaigns.

1. Open The Event Editor

Click the paid event you want to add a code to. Click the Pricing tab.

2. Click + Add Discount Code

Set: – Code. The string invitees type at checkout (e.g. “WELCOME20,” “PODCAST50”). Auto-uppercased. – Discount type. Percentage or flat. – Amount. Number value. – Expiration date (optional). – Max total uses (optional, e.g. 50 redemptions total). – Per-invitee limit (optional, e.g. 1 redemption per email).

3. Examples

• WELCOME20: 20% off, expires in 30 days, max 100 uses.
• TWITTER50: 50% off, expires in 7 days, max 25 uses.
• VIP100: 100% off (effectively free), per-invitee limit 1.
• PODCASTGIFT: Flat $50 off, no expiration, max 200 uses.

4. Invitee Experience

At checkout, the invitee sees an Add discount code link. Enter the code and the price updates instantly.

If the code is expired or maxed out, the invitee sees a “This code is no longer valid” message.

5. 100% Off Codes (Free Bookings)

A code that makes the price $0: – Skips the Stripe / PayPal step entirely. – The booking is created instantly. – Payment status shows as “Paid with discount code.”

Useful for VIP guests, podcast listeners, conference attendees.

6. Track Code Redemptions

On the event editor, the Pricing tab shows redemption stats per code: – Times used. – Times remaining (if max set). – Total discount given.

7. Bulk Discount Codes

For a campaign with unique codes per invitee (one-time use codes for each member of your newsletter): – Settings, then Payments, then Bulk codes. – Upload a CSV of codes. – Each code is single-use.