Payment Processing & Platform Fees
Foundations partners with Stripe to handle secure payments and payouts. Your clients can pay by card or directly from their bank account with Pay by Bank. Two fees are deducted from every transaction you process through the platform:
- Stripe processing fee – charged by Stripe
- Foundations platform fee (0.7%) – helps us operate and improve the service. It is the only cost to you for using the platform.
Current Fee Structure
| Payment method | Stripe fee | Foundations fee | Total fee you pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay by Bank (UK bank account) | 0.5 % + 20p (capped at £5) | 0.7 % | 1.2 % + 20p |
| Standard UK cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) | 1.5 % + 20p | 0.7 % | 2.2 % + 20p |
| Premium / corporate UK cards | 1.9 % + 20p | 0.7 % | 2.6 % + 20p |
| EEA (European Economic Area) cards | 2.5 % + 20p | 0.7 % | 3.2 % + 20p |
| International (non-EEA) cards | 3.25 % + 20p | 0.7 % | 3.95 % + 20p |
Stripe’s fees are set by Stripe and may vary for currency conversion, international cards, or future pricing changes. We’ll notify you if Stripe updates its rates.
What Your Client Sees
Clients see a single total amount at checkout. Stripe’s processing fee and Foundations’ 0.7% platform fee are deducted automatically before funds are paid out to you.
Pay by Bank
Pay by Bank lets your clients pay straight from their bank account via open banking, with no card involved. They pick their bank at checkout, approve the payment in their banking app, and the money moves instantly. Because Stripe's Pay by Bank fee is capped at £5, it is significantly cheaper than card payments, especially on larger invoices like session blocks.
Payout Examples
For a £100 session paid with a standard UK card (Visa, Mastercard, or Amex):
- Stripe fee: £1.50 + £0.20 = £1.70
- Foundations fee: 0.7 % of £100 = £0.70
- Total fees: £2.40
- Net payout: £97.60 (deposited into your Stripe balance, then paid out according to your payout schedule)
The same £100 session paid with Pay by Bank:
- Stripe fee: £0.50 + £0.20 = £0.70
- Foundations fee: 0.7 % of £100 = £0.70
- Total fees: £1.40
- Net payout: £98.60
The savings grow with the invoice size, because Stripe's Pay by Bank fee is capped at £5. For a £2,000 session block paid with a standard UK card:
- Stripe fee: £30.00 + £0.20 = £30.20
- Foundations fee: 0.7 % of £2,000 = £14.00
- Total fees: £44.20
- Net payout: £1,955.80
The same £2,000 session block paid with Pay by Bank:
- Stripe fee: capped at £5.00
- Foundations fee: 0.7 % of £2,000 = £14.00
- Total fees: £19.00
- Net payout: £1,981.00
That is £25.20 more in your pocket from a single block, simply because your client chose Pay by Bank at checkout.
Receiving Your Money
To get paid, you must complete the one-time Stripe Connect onboarding from within Foundations. Stripe handles compliance checks and deposits your earnings directly to your bank account. Payout timing depends on your Stripe account settings. We recommend setting up your payout schedule to be automatic, so you don't have to worry about managing it manually.
Questions? Email support@usefoundations.app