Set up card payments with Stripe

Clients can pay your deposit by card in Cake. You turn it on in two parts: set up Stripe, then pick how requests take deposits.

1. In Cake, open Settings , then Payments .

2. Under Card, press Connect Stripe.

3. Stripe opens its own pages and asks for what it needs, such as your ID, personal or business details, a bank account for payouts, and Stripe's terms.

4. When you finish, Stripe sends you back to Cake. If you stop partway, press Continue setup to pick up where you left off.

5. When Stripe has turned on card payments and payouts for your account and nothing is due, go to Deposit and pick Card payments or Both.

Note: Cake makes a new Stripe account in your name. Stripe pays your card deposits out of it to the bank account you give it. Your client pays the deposit. Stripe takes its card processing fee from your payout.

Under Card in Payments, Cake shows one of these:

• Not set up

  You haven't started. Press Connect Stripe.

• In progress

  You started, and Stripe either still needs something or is checking your details. Cake names anything Stripe still needs. Press Continue setup to finish.

• Stripe needs info

  Stripe still needs something it asked for, such as your ID or your bank account for payouts. Cake names it. Press Continue setup.

• Ready for card payments

  Stripe has turned on card payments for your Stripe account. The label shows your status. If Cake names something under it, Stripe still needs it, and Card payments and Both stay greyed out until you add it in your Stripe dashboard. They also stay greyed out until Stripe has turned on your payouts. Press the Stripe dashboard link under Card to get there.

• Paused

  Something stopped your setup, and we're fixing it. There's nothing for you to do. If it stays paused, write to us.

Each request uses one of these:

• Card payments: clients pay the deposit by card through Cake. Stripe takes its card processing fee from your payout. The time locks when the deposit lands.
• Both: clients choose card or a payment app. Card locks the time when paid. You confirm payment-app deposits.
• Payment apps: clients pay straight to you through Venmo, Zelle, Cash App or your own payment link, then tell Cake they paid. The time locks when you confirm the money arrived.
• No deposit: a client picks a time from your offer.

Under Deposit in Payments, pick the one every request opens on. You can change it on any one request when you approve it.

Cake doesn't switch you over. Your requests keep the deposit setting you saved, or Payment apps if you never saved one, until you pick Card payments or Both.

When you refund a card deposit in Cake, it goes back in full, and you cover Stripe's fee.

Confirming a deposit that came through a payment app? Read Where a deposit stands.

Looking for your records at tax time? Read Your card deposits are already organized for tax time.

Waiting on a payout? Read When card deposits reach your bank.

Stripe takes its card processing fee from your payout. If you'd like your client to carry it, quote a deposit that already includes it.

Type your amount in the Deposit $ box when you approve a request, or in Quick add. Every request is its own number, so change it on any one. Settings , then Payments , then Deposit only picks how clients can pay: card, payment apps, both or no deposit.

Stripe's standard US card rate is 2.9% plus 30¢, and your own Stripe account pays it on each card deposit. Your rate may differ, so check your Stripe dashboard. Here's what you keep:

The $104 covers the card fee with 68 cents to spare. Every client sees the same deposit, whichever way they pay.

Cake has no "client pays the fee" switch. Your deposit amount is yours to set, so you can include the fee in it.

In Settings , then Payments , If a client cancels sits below Deposit, and below your payment app details if you take them. Pick the rule clients read before they pay:

• Non-refundable: clients read "Wren's deposits are non-refundable." You can still refund anyone.
• Refundable until a cutoff: you pick how long before the session. Clients read "Cancel at least 48 hours before and Wren refunds your deposit. After that, it's non-refundable."
• Refundable until the session: clients read "Cancel any time before your appointment and Wren refunds your deposit." On a no-show, you keep the deposit.

Clients read the rule on the pay page, above the button, and at the top of Cancellations on your page. When you change it, your page changes too. Each request keeps the rule it was approved under, so a change never moves a client who already paid.

Cake starts you on Non-refundable. If your policies already mention refunds, Cake shows a card with two buttons, Use Cake's line and Keep my words. Clients see no rule until you answer.

The rule tells clients what to expect. It doesn't move money. When you close a request, you still choose Keep deposit or a refund. The If a client cancels section is hidden while Deposit is set to No deposit.

Note: Wren and the cutoff are made up. Your clients see your first name and your rule.

Write to support@cake.ink or tell us in Discord. A screenshot of Payments in Settings helps us see what you see.