How Registration Payments Work
Understanding payment flow, withdrawals, and refunds for conference registration
How Registration Payments Work
This guide explains how registration payments work for conference chairs using PaperFox.
Payment Flow
When an attendee registers for your conference and pays:
Attendee pays $100
↓
Stripe processes payment
↓
┌────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Your Conference's Stripe Balance │
│ ~$96.80 available │
│ ($100 - $2.20 Stripe fee - $1 fee) │
└────────────────────────────────────┘
↓
You click "Withdraw" when ready
↓
Money arrives in your bank (1-2 days)Key points:
- Money goes to your Stripe balance first, not directly to your bank
- You control when to withdraw funds
- PaperFox charges a $1 platform fee per registration
- Stripe charges approximately 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee
Withdrawing Funds
To withdraw funds from your Stripe balance:
- Go to Registrations → Payment Settings
- View your available balance
- Click Withdraw to Bank
- Enter the amount you want to withdraw
- Confirm the withdrawal
Funds typically arrive in your bank account within 1-2 business days.
Tip: Keep some balance available for potential refunds. If you withdraw everything and need to issue a refund, Stripe will debit your bank account.
Refunds
Issuing a Refund
When an attendee requests a refund:
- Go to Registrations → Refund Approvals
- Find the pending refund request
- Review the request details
- Click Approve or Reject
If approved, the refund is processed automatically through Stripe.
What if I Already Withdrew the Money?
No problem! PaperFox handles this automatically.
When you approve a refund:
| Your Stripe Balance | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Has enough funds | Refund processes instantly |
| Insufficient funds | Stripe debits your bank account (5-7 days) |
You don't need to do anything extra—Stripe handles it automatically.
Example: Refund with Insufficient Balance
Scenario: You have $50 in Stripe balance, need to refund $100
1. You approve the refund in PaperFox
2. Stripe uses your $50 balance
3. Stripe debits $50 from your bank account
4. Attendee receives full $100 refund
5. Bank debit takes 5-7 business daysThe attendee receives their refund once the bank debit completes.
Fees Summary
| Fee | Amount | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe processing | ~2.9% + $0.30 | Deducted from each payment |
| PaperFox platform | $1.00 | Deducted from each payment |
Example calculation for a $100 registration:
- Stripe fee: ~$3.20
- PaperFox fee: $1.00
- You receive: ~$95.80
Multi-Currency Support
Your Stripe account determines which currencies you can accept:
- US-based account: Accepts USD
- Canadian account: Accepts CAD
- European account: Accepts EUR
The currency is determined by your Stripe account's country and settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long until funds are available to withdraw?
Funds are typically available within 2 business days after payment. This is Stripe's standard processing time.
Can I see payment details in Stripe?
Yes! Click "Open Stripe Dashboard" on the Payment Settings page to access your Stripe Express dashboard. There you can see all transactions, payouts, and detailed reports.
What if a refund fails?
Stripe will automatically retry the refund. If your bank account can't be debited after multiple attempts, the refund will fail and you'll need to contact PaperFox support.
Do attendees see PaperFox on their statement?
The statement descriptor shows "PAPERFOX AI* REG" so attendees know it's related to their conference registration.
Can I set up automatic payouts?
Currently, PaperFox uses manual payouts so you have full control over when funds are transferred. This helps ensure you always have enough balance available for potential refunds.