ToolChat

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Billing & Payments ​

ToolChat uses Stripe to handle all payments. This guide covers everything you need to know about billing.

Connecting Stripe ​

First-Time Setup ​

  1. Go to Admin → Billing
  2. Click Connect Stripe Account
  3. You'll be redirected to Stripe

Stripe Onboarding ​

Complete Stripe's verification:

  • Business/personal information
  • Bank account for payouts
  • Identity verification
  • Tax information

Complete All Steps

You cannot accept live payments until Stripe verification is complete. This typically takes 1-2 business days.

Stripe Dashboard Access ​

After connecting, you can access your Stripe Dashboard for:

  • Detailed payment analytics
  • Issuing refunds
  • Managing disputes
  • Tax reporting

How Payments Work ​

Member Checkout Flow ​

Member Signs Up → Selects Tier → Stripe Checkout → Payment Processed → Access Granted
  1. Member receives invite or visits your checkout page
  2. Selects their desired tier (if multiple)
  3. Enters payment information on Stripe Checkout
  4. Payment is processed
  5. Member account is activated automatically

Subscription Billing ​

  • Monthly: Charged on the same date each month
  • Yearly: Charged once per year on signup anniversary

Stripe handles:

  • Recurring charges
  • Failed payment retries
  • Card expiration updates
  • Subscription lifecycle

Viewing Billing Information ​

Admin Dashboard ​

Go to Admin → Billing to see:

  • Connected Stripe account status
  • Quick revenue metrics
  • Recent transactions

Detailed Analytics ​

For detailed billing data, use your Stripe Dashboard:

  • Revenue trends
  • Subscription analytics
  • Customer lifetime value
  • Churn rates

Managing Subscriptions ​

Changing a Member's Tier ​

  1. Go to Admin → Members
  2. Click on the member
  3. Select new tier
  4. Changes take effect immediately

Proration: When upgrading, Stripe prorates the charge. When downgrading, credit is applied to next invoice.

Cancelling a Subscription ​

You can cancel on behalf of a member:

  1. Go to Admin → Members
  2. Click on the member
  3. Click Cancel Subscription

Members can also self-cancel through their account settings.

Issuing Refunds ​

Refunds are handled through Stripe:

  1. Log into your Stripe Dashboard
  2. Find the payment
  3. Click Refund
  4. Choose full or partial refund

Refund Policy

Establish a clear refund policy and communicate it to members during signup.

Failed Payments ​

What Happens ​

When a payment fails:

  1. Stripe automatically retries (up to 4 times over ~3 weeks)
  2. Member status changes to "Past Due"
  3. After all retries fail, subscription is cancelled

Grace Period ​

Members in "Past Due" status:

  • May still have limited access (configurable)
  • Can update their payment method
  • Will be charged immediately upon updating

Pricing & Fees ​

Stripe Fees ​

Standard Stripe processing fees:

  • 2.9% + $0.30 per successful card charge
  • Additional fees for international cards

ToolChat Fees ​

ToolChat platform fees:

  • Check your current plan for applicable fees
  • Fees are deducted from your Stripe payouts

Example Calculation ​

Member pays: $49/month
Stripe fee: -$1.72 (2.9% + $0.30)
Your payout: $47.28

Payouts ​

When You Get Paid ​

Stripe payouts to your bank:

  • US: 2 business days (standard)
  • Other countries: Varies by country

Payout Schedule ​

  • Daily payouts (default)
  • Weekly payouts
  • Monthly payouts

Configure in your Stripe Dashboard.

Tax Considerations ​

Your Responsibility ​

You are responsible for:

  • Collecting applicable taxes
  • Sales tax / VAT compliance
  • Tax reporting and filing

Stripe Tax ​

Consider enabling Stripe Tax for automatic:

  • Tax calculation
  • Tax collection
  • Tax reporting

Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.

Troubleshooting ​

"Connect Stripe" Not Working ​

  1. Clear browser cache
  2. Disable ad blockers
  3. Try a different browser
  4. Contact support if issue persists

Payment Failed ​

  1. Ask member to update payment method
  2. Check Stripe Dashboard for decline reason
  3. Common reasons: insufficient funds, expired card, fraud prevention

Subscription Not Active ​

  1. Verify payment was successful in Stripe
  2. Check member status in Admin → Members
  3. Try having member log out and back in
  4. Contact support if issue persists