Payments That Feel Like Part of the Sign-Up
If you've ever tried to collect money for a school event, camp registration, or ticket sale, you know the patchwork: a sign-up form over here, a Venmo request over there, a paper check dropped off at the office, someone's spouse who "will get you the cash tomorrow." Every extra step is a reconciliation headache for the organizer and a friction point that lowers completion rates.
Signup Square's built-in payments collapse all of that into a single flow: a participant fills out the sign-up, pays at checkout, and you receive both the registration data and the payment in one place. No separate payment processor to log into, no manual matching between a sign-up form and a bank statement, no follow-ups chasing down people who said they'd pay later.
Behind the scenes, payments flow through Stripe — the same payment infrastructure used by Shopify, DoorDash, Lyft, and hundreds of thousands of businesses. That means the security standards are among the highest in the industry, fraud protection is built in, and the buyer experience feels identical to a normal online purchase.
Secure, Fast, and Built for Mobile
Accept All Major Cards
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Apple Pay, and Google Pay are supported out of the box. Your buyers pay with what they already have in their wallet.
Powered by Stripe
Every payment flows through Stripe, the trusted payment infrastructure used by millions of businesses worldwide. Your buyers get bank-grade security on every transaction.
Instant Checkout
Buyers pay without leaving your sign-up page. The checkout is optimized for mobile and loads in milliseconds — no redirects, no account creation, no friction.
Mobile-First by Default
Most sign-ups and purchases happen on phones. Apple Pay and Google Pay let mobile buyers complete checkout in one tap using stored payment info.
Automatic Receipts
Every payment triggers an instant email receipt to the buyer with the amount, item, date, and reference. Your records are always in sync with what buyers see.
Direct Payouts to Your Account
Funds flow from Stripe directly to your connected bank account on a rolling schedule — typically within 2 business days of the payment. No middleman holding your money.
Fraud Protection
Stripe Radar screens every transaction in real time for suspicious activity. Machine-learning fraud detection protects both buyers and sellers from the most common attacks.
International Payments
Accept payments in multiple currencies and from buyers around the world. Especially useful for camps, conferences, and events that draw participants across borders.
Security You Don't Have to Think About
Payment security is one of the most technically demanding things on the internet. We handle it so you don't have to.
PCI-DSS Level 1 Certified
Stripe is certified to the highest level of payment card industry compliance — the same standard used by Fortune 500 retailers and major banks.
Card Data Never Touches Our Servers
Full card numbers flow directly from the buyer's browser to Stripe using tokenization. Signup Square never stores or processes raw card data.
Real-Time Fraud Screening
Stripe Radar uses machine learning trained on billions of transactions to catch fraud before it succeeds, protecting both buyers and sellers.
Strong Customer Authentication
When regulations require it (like in Europe), Stripe handles 3D Secure challenges automatically — protecting you from chargeback liability.
Encrypted Connections Everywhere
Every Signup Square page and payment flow uses HTTPS with modern TLS. Data is encrypted in transit and at rest using industry-standard cryptography.
What Organizers Use Payments For
Event Tickets and Registrations
Sell tickets for concerts, performances, galas, and conferences with different pricing tiers, early-bird rates, and capacity limits. Buyers get confirmation emails with their ticket details for check-in.
Learn moreCamp and Class Registrations
Collect registration fees for summer camps, swim lessons, music classes, and after-school programs at the same time participants sign up. Rosters and payments arrive together, ready for your instructors.
Learn moreSchool Spirit Wear Orders
Replace paper order forms and cash collection. Families browse items, pick sizes, and pay online. You get a clean export organized by item, size, and family — ready to hand to your vendor.
Learn moreFundraising and Donations
Accept donations and charitable gifts with the same infrastructure. See our dedicated donations page for fundraising-specific features like goal tracking and recurring gifts.
Learn moreSimple, Transparent Fees
One flat, all-in rate: 5% + $0.50 per transaction. That's everything — platform fees and secure card processing, powered by Stripe. No surprise deductions, no reconciling against processor statements.
Payments are processed through Stripe, the trusted payment infrastructure used by millions of businesses worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I accept payments on a sign-up?
Sign up for a Signup Square account, connect your Stripe account (takes about 5 minutes), and add paid items or slots to your sign-up. Buyers pay at the moment they sign up. Payouts land in your bank account on a rolling schedule from Stripe.
What are the payment processing fees?
Signup Square charges a flat, all-in rate of 5% + $0.50 per transaction. That covers everything — platform fees and secure card processing, powered by Stripe. One number, no hidden line items, no reconciling against separate processor statements.
How quickly do I receive the money?
Stripe transfers funds to your connected bank account on a rolling schedule — typically within 2 business days for established US accounts. New Stripe accounts may have a longer initial hold. You can track all pending and paid-out transfers in your Stripe dashboard.
Is it safe to collect payments through Signup Square?
Yes. All payments are processed by Stripe, which is PCI-DSS Level 1 certified — the highest level of payment security compliance. Signup Square never stores full card numbers; they go directly from the buyer's browser to Stripe. Stripe Radar also screens every transaction for fraud.
Do buyers need a Stripe account?
No. Buyers pay with a standard card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay — the same way they'd pay on any other website. Only the organizer needs a Stripe account to receive the funds. Buyer-side checkout is designed to feel identical to a normal e-commerce purchase.
Can I issue refunds?
Yes. Refunds are issued through your Stripe dashboard, linked to the original transaction. Full and partial refunds are both supported. Refund processing typically takes 5-10 business days to show up on the buyer's statement, depending on their card issuer.
What happens if a card is declined?
The buyer sees an immediate error message and can retry with a different card. The sign-up isn't marked as complete until payment succeeds, so you never end up with a roster spot claimed by someone whose payment failed. Declined attempts don't count toward your capacity.
Can I charge different prices for different items or tiers?
Yes. Each sign-up item or slot can have its own price, and you can create tiers (early bird, general, VIP) with different amounts and quantities. Paid plans also support discount codes and quantity-based pricing for group orders.