Accessing Payment Settings
To configure your payment gateways and payout options, navigate to the Payments or Payment Gateways section from the left-hand sidebar in your CaptainBook dashboard. This area is accessible to users with payment management permissions, typically administrators or managers.
Payment gateway settings control how your customers pay for bookings, while payout settings determine how you receive funds from those transactions.
Understanding Payment Gateways
A payment gateway is the service that processes your customers' payments when they book an experience. CaptainBook supports multiple payment gateway providers, allowing you to choose the one that best fits your business needs and geographic location.
Common payment gateway options may include providers such as Stripe, PayPal, or other regional payment processors. The available gateways depend on your subscription plan and region.
Configuring a Payment Gateway
To set up or change your payment gateway:
Go to the Payment Gateways page.
Select the payment provider you want to use.
Follow the setup wizard to connect your account with the payment provider — this typically involves entering API credentials or completing an OAuth authorization flow.
Configure your preferred settings such as accepted currencies, payment methods (credit card, bank transfer, etc.), and default payment terms.
Save your configuration.
Once configured, the payment gateway will be used automatically for all online bookings made through your booking pages and connected channels.
Managing Multiple Gateways
Depending on your plan, you may be able to configure multiple payment gateways. This can be useful if you operate in different regions or want to offer your customers multiple payment options. Each gateway can be assigned to specific business units or experience types as needed.
Payout Operations
Payouts refer to the process of transferring collected booking funds to your bank account or designated financial account. The payout section allows you to:
View payout history — see a record of all past payouts including amounts, dates, and statuses.
Configure payout schedules — set how frequently payouts are processed (daily, weekly, monthly).
Manage payout destinations — specify the bank accounts or financial accounts where funds should be deposited.
Track pending payouts — monitor upcoming payouts and their expected arrival dates.
Payment Permissions
Access to payment gateway and payout settings is controlled by user permissions. Typically:
Administrators have full access to configure gateways and manage all payout operations.
Managers may have access to view payment information and manage payouts within their scope.
Other roles generally do not have access to payment configuration settings.
You can configure these permissions in the Roles and Permissions settings for your team.
Booking Payment Flow
When a customer makes a booking and pays online, the payment flows through several stages:
The customer enters their payment details on the checkout page.
The payment gateway processes the transaction and confirms the charge.
CaptainBook records the payment against the booking.
Funds are held by the payment provider until the next payout cycle.
At the scheduled payout time, funds are transferred to your designated account.
Tips for Payment Gateway Setup
Test your payment gateway with a small transaction before going live to ensure everything is configured correctly.
Keep API credentials secure — never share your payment provider credentials with unauthorized users.
Review payout schedules to ensure they align with your cash flow needs.
Enable payment notifications so you are alerted to successful payments, failures, and payout completions.
Check supported currencies to ensure your payment gateway supports the currencies your customers use.