How do I take card payments for a direct booking?
Take the payment on a secure card checkout from a processor such as Stripe, linked from your booking page, so the guest never sends card numbers by message and the money goes to your bank. On StayPerk a $500 stay paid online leaves you about $480 after StayPerk's 1% and the card fee.
By StayPerk Team ยท Last checked
How to set it up
- Connect a payment account, such as Stripe, to your booking page, so payouts go to your bank.
- Choose how guests book: pay at once and be confirmed, or send a request and pay through a secure link once you approve.
- Write your cancellation terms on the page, so guests see what they get back before they pay.
- Send the confirmation with the address and the guest guide link only after the payment succeeds.
- Refund through the same checkout, never by a separate transfer, so the records match.
Ways to take payment, compared
| Method | What it costs | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card checkout on your booking page | Stripe's card fee (about 2.9% plus a fixed fee for most cards; it varies by country), plus 1% on StayPerk | Most guests; instant confirmation | Card disputes, which the processor handles |
| Bank transfer or e-transfer | Usually nothing | Repeat guests you know | Slow to confirm, and no refund flow |
| A payment link you send | The processor's fee | One-off stays | Keeping the booking and payment records together |
| Cash on arrival | Nothing | Rarely a good idea | No-shows and no record |
Payment methods for a direct stay
Card checkout on your booking page
- What it costs
- Stripe's card fee (about 2.9% plus a fixed fee for most cards; it varies by country), plus 1% on StayPerk
- Good for
- Most guests; instant confirmation
- Watch out for
- Card disputes, which the processor handles
Bank transfer or e-transfer
- What it costs
- Usually nothing
- Good for
- Repeat guests you know
- Watch out for
- Slow to confirm, and no refund flow
A payment link you send
- What it costs
- The processor's fee
- Good for
- One-off stays
- Watch out for
- Keeping the booking and payment records together
Cash on arrival
- What it costs
- Nothing
- Good for
- Rarely a good idea
- Watch out for
- No-shows and no record
Never ask guests to send card numbers by message or email.
Try the checkout on a demo booking page: a lakeside cabin. Booking is turned off on the demo, so nothing is charged.
Direct booking payout calculator
Enter what the guest pays for the stay. StayPerk keeps 1% and Stripe's card fee is passed on; the rest is paid to your bank by Stripe.
Guest pays
500
StayPerk fee
5
Card fee (Stripe)
14.80
You receive
480.20
What StayPerk does here
StayPerk's booking page takes card payments through Stripe, with instant booking or request to book. StayPerk keeps 1% and Stripe's card fee is passed on; Stripe pays the rest to your bank.
If you collect payment yourself, choose request to book and write how guests pay; StayPerk takes nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need my own Stripe account?
With StayPerk you connect a free Stripe account, and guests pay on a secure Stripe checkout. Stripe pays you out to your bank.
Who handles a card dispute?
The card processor runs the dispute, and you answer it with your evidence: the booking, the terms the guest agreed to, your messages and photos of the stay. Clear terms on the booking page are the best protection.
Still have a question?
Write to us and a person will reply, or look it up in the Help Center.
Sources
- Stripe pricing - Stripe
- Direct booking payment question: PayPal, Stripe, Zelle - BiggerPockets