> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://sailia-mintlify-donation-export-1774886756.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Payments and Stripe

> Process payments, manage refunds, and handle payouts with Stripe.

Sailia uses [Stripe](https://stripe.com) as its payment processor. All online and card-based POS transactions flow through your connected Stripe account, giving you a single place to manage charges, refunds, and payouts.

## Connect Stripe

Before you can accept payments, connect your Stripe account in your Sailia settings.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open payment settings">
    Navigate to your account settings and select the payments section.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect to Stripe">
    Click **Connect to Stripe**. You are redirected to Stripe to authorize the connection. If you do not have a Stripe account, you can create one during this process.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify your account">
    Complete Stripe's onboarding to verify your identity and bank details. Once verified, you can start accepting payments.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Connecting Stripe is required before you can go live. Online bookings and card-based POS sales cannot be processed without an active Stripe connection.
</Warning>

## Payment methods

| Method            | Where it works      | How it's processed                                     |
| ----------------- | ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Card (online)** | Online booking page | Processed through Stripe checkout                      |
| **Card (POS)**    | Point of sale       | Processed through Stripe terminal or manual card entry |
| **Cash**          | Point of sale only  | Recorded in Sailia, not processed through Stripe       |

## Payouts

Stripe sends payouts to your connected bank account on a regular schedule (typically daily or weekly, depending on your Stripe settings). Each payout includes the net amount after Stripe processing fees.

In Sailia, you can view payout details in the finances section, including:

* The gross amount collected
* Stripe processing fees
* The net payout amount
* A breakdown of individual transactions included in the payout

If you have [Xero accounting sync](/integrations/accounting-sync) enabled, each payout is automatically sent to Xero as a categorized invoice.

## Refunds

You can process refunds from the booking details in your dashboard:

1. Open the booking you want to refund.
2. Select **Refund** and choose the amount — full or partial.
3. The refund is processed through Stripe and returned to the customer's original payment method.

<Note>
  Refunds typically take 5–10 business days to appear on the customer's statement, depending on their bank.
</Note>

## Fees

Stripe charges a processing fee on each transaction. The fee is deducted from the payout before it reaches your bank account. If you use the [accounting sync](/integrations/accounting-sync), fees are mapped to a dedicated Xero account code for accurate bookkeeping.

## Related guides

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Accounting sync" icon="arrows-rotate" href="/integrations/accounting-sync">
    Sync payouts and fees to Xero automatically.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Point of sale" icon="cash-register" href="/point-of-sale/overview">
    Process in-person card and cash payments.
  </Card>
</Columns>