Stripe Payment Integration for Event Organisers
Accept payments for workshops, classes, and ticketed events — from Stripe Connect setup to payout management, refund handling, and PCI compliance. No code required.
Collecting payments for events has traditionally meant either using a full-blown ticketing platform like Eventbrite (and paying their fees), cobbling together a PayPal.me link in your WhatsApp group (and chasing people who "forgot"), or building a custom Stripe integration (and maintaining it forever). Who's In takes a different approach: full Stripe Connect integration built into the platform, available on the free tier, with transparent fees and zero code required.
This guide walks through exactly how payment processing works on Who's In — from initial Stripe account connection to managing refunds, tracking payouts, and understanding the fee structure. Whether you're running paid yoga classes, ticketed workshops, or fundraising events, this is the authoritative reference. For the short version, see how ticket sales work on Who's In.
How Stripe Connect Works on Who's In
Who's In uses Stripe Connect — the same payment infrastructure used by Shopify, Lyft, and DoorDash — to handle payments between guests and organisers. Here's the architecture in plain language.
The Payment Flow
Guest clicks "Pay & RSVP"
On the event page, the guest sees the ticket price and clicks to RSVP. They are redirected to a Stripe-hosted checkout page — Who's In never sees or handles card details.
Stripe processes the payment
Stripe validates the card, handles 3D Secure authentication if required, processes the charge, and sends a payment confirmation to the guest.
Who's In confirms the RSVP
Once Stripe confirms the payment via webhook, Who's In automatically moves the guest to confirmed status, sends a confirmation email with event details and calendar links, and updates the organiser dashboard.
Organiser receives payout
Stripe transfers the earnings (minus fees) to the organiser's connected bank account on their configured schedule. Payouts are tracked in both the Who's In dashboard and Stripe dashboard.
Why Stripe Connect specifically? Unlike basic Stripe integrations where payments go to a single account, Stripe Connect creates a marketplace model. Each organiser has their own Stripe account. Who's In acts as the platform that facilitates the transaction. This means organisers own their Stripe relationship, have full access to their Stripe dashboard, and can export transaction history independently.
Setting Up Stripe on Your Account
Connecting Stripe takes approximately 5 minutes. Here's what the process involves.
Navigate to Settings > Payments
From your organiser dashboard, open Settings and click the Payments tab. You'll see a "Connect Stripe" button.
Authenticate with Stripe
Clicking the button redirects you to Stripe's OAuth flow. If you already have a Stripe account, you can connect it. If not, Stripe will guide you through creating one — they need your name, address, bank details, and tax information.
Return to Who's In
Once authorised, you're redirected back to Who's In with your Stripe account connected. Your dashboard now shows a Payments section with earnings tracking, payout history, and per-event revenue.
Create a paid event
When creating any event, you now see a "Paid Event" toggle. Enable it, set the ticket price, and optionally add multiple ticket tiers (e.g. Early Bird, Standard, VIP). Guests will pay through Stripe Checkout when they RSVP.
Individual or Business? What to Enter During Stripe Onboarding
The first real decision in Stripe's onboarding is whether you're signing up as an individual or a company. Plenty of organisers stall here — so here's the plain-English version.
Individual
Pick this if you're a person collecting money under your own name — a supper club host, a run-club coach, someone charging for a weekly class. You do not need an LLC, a limited company, or any registered business. A sole human running events is a fully supported, completely normal Stripe user.
Stripe will ask for your legal name, date of birth, home address, the last four digits of your SSN (US) or your local equivalent, and the bank account where payouts should land.
Company
Pick this if you have a registered business entity — a limited company, LLC, charity, or similar — and want ticket income paid to the business. Stripe asks for the registration number (EIN in the US, company number in the UK), the registered address, and details of the people who own or control it.
Not sure which applies? If the money is going into your personal bank account, choose individual. You can always create a separate business Stripe account later.
Why does Stripe ask for ID details at all? It's standard identity verification (Know Your Customer) that financial regulators require of every payment provider. The same questions appear on every platform built on Stripe. The answers go to Stripe directly — Who's In never sees or stores them.
Fee Structure: What You Actually Pay
Transparency on fees is important. Here's exactly what organisers pay on each plan — no hidden charges.
All Plans (Free)
flat platform fee per paid transaction
- No per-ticket surcharge, no monthly fee
- Stripe processing (~2.9% + $0.30) paid to Stripe on top
- Fee automatically returned when you refund
- Membership management and paid tiers
- Custom branding on event pages
Fee Comparison: Who's In vs. Competitors
What Happens to the Money (the Full Journey)
The most common question from organisers selling tickets for the first time: where exactly does the money go, and when do I actually see it? Here's the complete journey of every ticket sale.
A buyer pays for a ticket
The funds land in YOUR Stripe account instantly. Who's In never holds your money — there is no platform wallet, no escrow period, no "available balance" to release. The charge settles directly into the Stripe account you connected.
Stripe pays out to your bank on a rolling schedule
For an established Stripe account, each sale typically reaches your bank within 2–3 business days. You can configure daily, weekly, or monthly payouts from your Stripe dashboard if you prefer batching.
First-ever payout for a new account takes longer
If you created your Stripe account during onboarding, expect the first payout to take around 7 days while Stripe completes identity and bank verification. After that one-time delay, payouts move to the normal rolling schedule.
Every sale is visible in real time
Your Who's In earnings dashboard and your Stripe dashboard both update the moment a payment completes — who paid, how much, and which payout it belongs to. No waiting for an end-of-month statement.
Payout Timing by Situation
Quick reference for when ticket money actually reaches your bank account.
| Situation | When money reaches your bank |
|---|---|
| Established Stripe account | ~2–3 business days after each sale (rolling) |
| Brand-new Stripe account | First payout ~7 days, then rolling |
| Refund issued | Buyer refunded immediately; our 2.7% fee returned to you automatically |
| Non-USD attendee | Stripe converts at checkout; you're paid in your account currency (135+ supported) |
Managing Payments Day-to-Day
Once Stripe is connected, here's what the ongoing management looks like.
Earnings dashboard
See total revenue, per-event breakdowns, transaction history, and payout schedule — all from the Who's In dashboard. No need to log into Stripe separately (though you can).
Automatic receipts
Every guest receives a Stripe-generated receipt immediately after payment. Receipts include event details, amount paid, and a transaction ID for their records.
Refund processing
Process full or partial refunds from your dashboard or Stripe. Set refund policies per event (e.g. full refund until 48 hours before, 50% after that, no refund day-of). Who's In's 2.7% fee is automatically returned to you on refunds.
Payout schedule
Configure payouts as daily, weekly, or monthly through your Stripe dashboard. Stripe deposits directly to your linked bank account, typically within 2-3 business days on the rolling schedule (a brand-new account's first payout can take ~7 days).
Multi-currency support
Accept payments in 135+ currencies. Set ticket prices in your preferred currency. Stripe handles conversion for international guests and pays you in your local currency.
Tax & reporting
Export full transaction history for accounting and tax purposes. Stripe provides 1099-K forms (US) and equivalents for other jurisdictions. CSV export available for all transactions.
Security and PCI Compliance
Payment security is non-negotiable. Here's how Who's In + Stripe ensures every transaction is secure.
Zero card data on Who's In servers
Who's In never sees, transmits, or stores credit card numbers. All card entry happens on Stripe's hosted checkout page (Stripe Checkout). This means Who's In doesn't need to maintain PCI DSS certification — Stripe handles it entirely.
PCI DSS Level 1 (Stripe)
Stripe maintains PCI DSS Level 1 certification — the highest level of payment security compliance. This covers all card processing, storage, and transmission. Stripe undergoes annual audits by a PCI-qualified security assessor.
3D Secure authentication
Stripe automatically triggers 3D Secure (3DS) verification when required by the cardholder's bank or by Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) regulations in the EU/UK. This adds a second authentication step without any configuration from the organiser.
Fraud detection
Stripe Radar machine learning monitors every transaction for fraud indicators. Suspicious payments are flagged or blocked automatically. Organisers can review flagged transactions from their Stripe dashboard.
Paid Events with Waitlist Integration
When you combine paid events with Who's In's automated waitlist system, the payment flow adapts intelligently.
Joining the waitlist
No payment is taken. The guest is informed they're on the waitlist and will be notified if a spot opens.
Promoted from waitlist
The guest receives a promotion email with a secure payment link. They must pay within the acceptance window (default 12 hours) to confirm their spot.
Payment completed
Once paid, the guest is moved to confirmed status and receives a confirmation email with event details and calendar links.
Payment not completed
If the guest doesn't pay within the window, the spot automatically cascades to the next waitlisted person. No manual intervention needed.
Confirmed attendee cancels
Refund is processed according to the organiser's policy. The freed spot triggers waitlist promotion for the next person.
Common Use Cases for Paid Events
Organisers use Who's In's payment integration across a wide range of event types.
Fitness classes
Yoga, pilates, HIIT, personal training sessions. Weekly or drop-in pricing with recurring event support.
Workshops & courses
Cooking classes, photography workshops, coding bootcamps. Multi-session pricing supported.
Fundraising events
Charity dinners, community fundraisers, school events. Track donations alongside ticket sales.
Social events
Dinners, wine tastings, game nights. Cover venue costs with ticket fees.
Sports leagues
Match fees, tournament entries, seasonal subscriptions. Combine with membership management for clubs.
Professional events
Networking events, conferences, training sessions. CSV export for expense reporting.
Common Stripe Connection Questions
Why does Stripe ask for my date of birth or the last four digits of my SSN?
It's identity verification (Know Your Customer), required of every payment provider by financial regulators. Stripe collects it for any account that receives money — the same checks apply on every platform built on Stripe. The information goes to Stripe directly; Who's In never sees or stores it.
Can I use an existing Stripe account with Who's In?
Yes. During the connect flow, sign in to your existing Stripe account and link it instead of creating a new one. Your existing payout schedule, bank details, and transaction history stay exactly where they are.
Can I disconnect Stripe later?
Yes, at any time from Settings > Payments. Past payouts are unaffected — money already paid out or sitting in your Stripe account stays yours. Disconnecting simply stops new paid events from collecting payments until you reconnect.
What does Who's In see when I connect my Stripe account?
Sale events — who paid, how much, and for which event — so your earnings dashboard works. Who's In never sees your bank details, your Stripe login, or your guests' full card numbers.
Do I owe tax on ticket income?
Ticket revenue is income, and reporting thresholds vary by country. Export your full transaction history as CSV from your dashboard and talk to a local accountant. Stripe also provides tax documents such as the 1099-K in the US.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the payment processing fees on Who's In
A flat 2.7% platform fee per paid transaction — no per-ticket surcharge, no monthly fees, no setup fees, no minimum transaction requirements. Stripe's processing fee (~2.9% + $0.30 in the US, varies by country) applies on top and goes to Stripe directly, same as on any platform built on Stripe.
How do refunds work for paid events?
Organisers can process full or partial refunds through their dashboard or directly through Stripe. Refund policies are set per event. When you refund, Who's In's 2.7% fee is automatically returned to you. Stripe's processing fee is non-refundable per their standard policy.
Does Who's In support multi-currency payments?
Yes. Stripe Connect supports 135+ currencies. Set ticket prices in your preferred currency and Stripe handles conversion for international guests. Payouts are made in your local currency.
Is Who's In PCI compliant?
Who's In never touches card data. All payment processing happens on Stripe's infrastructure, which is PCI DSS Level 1 certified — the highest level of security certification.
Can I run free and paid events at the same time?
Absolutely. Each event is configured independently. Run free community meetups alongside paid workshops, classes, or ticketed events. Connecting Stripe doesn't require charging for all events.
How quickly do I get paid?
Stripe deposits earnings directly to your bank account, typically within 2-3 business days of each sale on the rolling schedule. A brand-new Stripe account's first-ever payout can take around 7 days while verification completes. Configure daily, weekly, or monthly payouts through your Stripe dashboard.
Start Collecting Payments in 5 Minutes
Connect Stripe, set a ticket price, share your event link. Guests pay securely, you get paid automatically. No monthly fees, no code, no minimum transactions.
Related Reading
Fill Every Spot and Maximise Revenue
Breakeven analysis, waitlists, and data-driven scheduling.
Pricing Psychology for Events
Scarcity, anchoring, and commitment bias in event pricing.
Event Revenue Playbook
Monetisation strategies for coaches, studios, and clubs.
Monetise Without Losing Attendance
Free vs paid models and hybrid event economics.
