Collecting match fees and subs
Most weekly games and small clubs pay for the pitch, court or hall out of match fees. This page covers the usual ways to collect them, what tends to go wrong, and exactly how online payments work in Squadable.
Cash, bank transfer or card
| Method | What works | What goes wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Cash on the day | No fees and nothing to set up. | Someone has to bring change, keep a tally and bank it. Anyone who drops out late usually never pays. |
| Bank transfer | Often free between UK bank accounts, and there is a record of every payment. | You match payments to names by hand, references are missing or vague, and chasing is up to you. Club money can end up mixed with personal money. |
| Card through an app | Players pay when they say they're in, and the app keeps track of who has paid. | There is a fee on each payment, and the organiser has to set up a payout account once. |
Practical advice, whichever method you use
- Take the money when people commit. A place that has been paid for is a place people turn up for, and nobody needs chasing after the game.
- Work the price out from the booking. Divide the pitch or court cost by the number of players you usually get, then round up a little to cover the weeks you are short.
- Agree the drop-out rule before you need it. Decide whether someone who pulls out late gets their money back, tell the group, and stick to it.
- Keep one list of who owes what. If some people pay in cash, record it in the same place as everyone else.
- Chase once, soon and in private. A short message the day after the game works better than a list of names in the group chat a month later.
- Don't quietly cover the gap. If fees don't cover the booking, raise the price or the minimum numbers and say why.
- Keep club money in a club account. It makes handing over to the next treasurer or organiser much simpler.
How match fees work in Squadable
Setting a price
- Organising in Squadable is free. To take payments, connect a Stripe account from your club or group settings using Set Up Payments. You need a connected account before you can set a price.
- Set a price per player on a session. Sessions in a group take their details from the group, and you can change the price on any single session.
- Enter the pitch cost, the total venue hire, if you like. Squadable then shows the contribution per player and how much has been collected towards the cost.
- Clubs can also charge an annual membership fee.
- You can exempt organisers and owners from paying session fees in the club or group payment settings.
How players pay
- A player opting in to a paid session pays at checkout to take their place. Payments are processed by Stripe, and players can use a debit or credit card, or Apple Pay, Google Pay and other methods where their device and region support them.
- Guests without an account can pay through a payment link. Create it from the guest's player card and send it by WhatsApp, text or email. The guest is marked as paid once they complete the payment.
- If someone pays you in cash or by transfer, mark them as paid on the session so the list stays right.
- Card details are handled by Stripe and are not stored on Squadable's servers.
What it costs
- Organiser receives
- The full price they set
- Player pays
- The price plus a service fee
- Standard margin cap
- £3, €10 or $3 per payment
The service fee is added on top of the price so the organiser always receives the full amount. It includes card and currency-conversion processing, which is not shown separately. Squadable's standard margin is 10% of the price, capped at £3, €10 or $3 per payment, and the percentage can vary for a club or group. The total service fee can be more than the cap where that is needed to cover processing costs. Players see the total at checkout before they pay.
Refunds
- Cancelling a session: when you cancel, you choose whether to refund everyone who paid or cancel without refunds. Everyone attending is notified.
- Players dropping out: a player who opts out of a paid session can ask for a refund if the organiser allows refunds on opt-out. If the organiser has switched that off, no refund is made.
- When a payment is refunded through Squadable, the service fee is refunded too.
Full sessions and the waiting list
When a session is full, players can join the waiting list, and joining it costs nothing. When a place opens up, the next player on the list is promoted and notified. On a paid session they pay when they confirm the place, so money is only taken from people who are actually playing.
Chasing unpaid fees
When anyone still owes for a paid session, the organiser sees the total outstanding and who owes it on the session page. One button, Remind all unpaid, sends a reminder to everyone who still owes, so you don't have to message people one at a time.
Set up your next session
Create a club or group, connect payouts once, and set a price. Squadable works on the web, iPhone and Android, and it is free for organisers.
Questions about match fees
Is Squadable free for organisers?
Yes. Creating clubs, groups and sessions is free. When you collect payments online, players pay a service fee on top of your price.
Do I receive the full match fee?
Yes. You receive the full price you set. The service fee is added on top and paid by the player at checkout.
How much is the service fee?
The service fee covers card and currency-conversion processing plus Squadable's margin. The standard margin is 10% of the price, capped at £3, €10 or $3 per payment, and the percentage can vary for a club or group. The total service fee can be more than the cap where that is needed to cover processing costs. Players see the total before they pay.
Which payment methods can players use?
Payments are processed by Stripe. Players can pay by debit or credit card, and by Apple Pay, Google Pay and other methods where their device and region support them.
What happens to payments if I cancel a session?
When you cancel, you choose whether to refund everyone who paid or cancel without refunds. When a payment is refunded through Squadable, the service fee is refunded too.
Can players get a refund if they drop out?
A player who opts out of a paid session can ask for a refund if the organiser allows refunds on opt-out. If the organiser has switched that off, no refund is made.
Can some players still pay in cash?
Yes. Organisers can mark a player as paid on the session, so the list of who has paid stays accurate however the money arrived.
Can guests without an account pay?
Yes. Add them as a guest and create a payment link from their player card. Send the link by WhatsApp, text or email, and the guest is marked as paid once they complete the payment.
The full payment and refund terms are in the Terms of Service. For anything else, see Help.