Payment methods

MoveMentors does not collect payments centrally. Every mentor and studio chooses which payment methods they accept and the money moves directly from you to them. This is intentional: hosts on free tiers are not subsidising hosts on paid tiers, and there is no per-booking fee on top of the price you see.

Here is each method, how it works, and what to expect.

Card via Stripe (the fast path)

If a host has Stripe Connect set up, you can pay by card in one flow at booking time.

How it works:

1. You click "Book now" on the booking form.
2. We send you to Stripe's hosted Checkout page (it has the host's name at the top so you know who you are paying).
3. You enter your card details on Stripe directly. MoveMentors never sees your card number.
4. Stripe captures the payment and sends the funds to the host's Stripe Connect account immediately.
5. Stripe redirects you back to MoveMentors and your booking is CONFIRMED.

Receipts:

• Stripe sends you an automatic receipt to the email you used at checkout.
• MoveMentors sends a booking confirmation email separately, which doubles as a record of what you paid.

Refunds:

If you cancel within the policy window, the host (or admin support) issues a refund through Stripe. The refund goes back to the same card. Expect 5-10 business days; some banks process Stripe refunds faster than others.

Fees:

You pay no fees. The host pays a Stripe fee (~2.9% + 30¢ in the US, varies internationally) on top of any subscription tier they are on. None of that comes out of your pocket.

Bank transfer

If a host accepts bank transfer (most common in the EU, UK, Australia, parts of Latin America), they share their account details with you after you book.

How it works:

1. You book with payment method = "Bank transfer".
2. The booking is created as PENDING.
3. You receive a booking confirmation email with the host's IBAN / account number / SWIFT (if international) / sort code (UK) and a reference to use in the memo.
4. You initiate the transfer from your bank. The reference (typically your booking ID or your name) is important so the host can match the incoming transfer.
5. The host confirms receipt of the transfer in their dashboard. Your booking moves to CONFIRMED.

Receipts:

Your bank statement is the receipt. The booking confirmation email is the contractual record.

Refunds:

If the host needs to refund you, they send the money back to the account you sent it from. They need your account details to do this. The MoveMentors booking page does not automate bank refunds.

Timing:

Domestic transfers usually settle within 1 business day in most countries. International transfers (e.g. you in the US paying a EU mentor) can take 3-5 business days and may incur a foreign exchange fee on your end. If your class is in less than 3 days, do not pick bank transfer.

PayPal

If a host accepts PayPal, they share their PayPal handle (an email or @username) with you after booking.

How it works:

1. Book with payment method = "PayPal".
2. Booking is PENDING.
3. Email arrives with the host's PayPal handle.
4. You open PayPal (web or app), send the exact amount to that handle, with a memo containing your booking ID.
5. Host confirms receipt; booking moves to CONFIRMED.

Receipts:

PayPal sends a transaction confirmation. Save it.

Refunds:

Host initiates a refund inside PayPal. PayPal returns the funds to your original source (your PayPal balance, the card you used to fund, etc).

Heads-up on Friends and Family vs Goods and Services:

Hosts will generally ask you to send "Friends and Family" because it has no PayPal fee for them. This means you waive PayPal's buyer protection. If a class never happens and the host vanishes, your only recourse is the MoveMentors dispute system (see disputing a booking). For a small class with a host you have used before this is fine; for a large workshop with an unknown host, consider asking to pay via card / Stripe instead.

Venmo

US-only. Same flow as PayPal but via the Venmo app.

How it works:

1. Book with payment method = "Venmo".
2. Get the host's @venmo-handle in the email.
3. Open Venmo, send the amount with a memo of your booking ID.
4. Host confirms; booking CONFIRMED.

Refunds: Host initiates a refund inside Venmo. Money returns to your Venmo balance.

Cash App

US-only. Same shape as Venmo, but $cashtag instead of @venmo-handle.

Zelle

US-only. Bank-to-bank instant transfer through Zelle. Hosts share a phone number or email tied to their Zelle.

Note: Zelle has no recall mechanism. If you send to the wrong handle, you cannot reverse it through Zelle directly. Double-check the handle in the email before sending.

Cash

If the host accepts cash, you can book without paying upfront and bring cash on the day.

How it works:

1. Book with payment method = "Cash".
2. Booking is PENDING.
3. Show up to class with the exact (or close to exact) amount.
4. Host takes the cash and marks the booking paid in their dashboard. Booking moves to CONFIRMED retroactively.

Considerations:

• Some hosts cap the number of unpaid bookings per student to discourage no-shows; check the class detail page for any "max unpaid bookings" note.
• If you cancel a cash booking before class, no money has moved, so there is nothing to refund.
• Cash classes obviously require you to physically have the money. Plan for an ATM stop if you do not.

Crypto

A small number of hosts accept cryptocurrency. Each host configures which networks (Ethereum, Bitcoin, Solana, etc) and what currencies on each network.

How it works:

1. Book with payment method = "Crypto, network = X".
2. The email contains the wallet address and the amount.
3. You send from your wallet to that address.
4. The host watches their wallet for the incoming transfer and marks the booking paid.

Things to know:

• Network fees (gas) are your problem.
• Crypto refunds are tricky. If a refund is needed, the host sends the same amount back. Volatility means the dollar value at refund time can differ from when you paid.
• Confirmations: most hosts wait for at least one network confirmation before marking the booking paid. For Bitcoin that can take ~10 minutes; for Ethereum, ~1 minute.

Other / custom

Some hosts have a "custom" payment method (e.g. a local payment provider not on the list above). The booking email contains their custom instructions. Read carefully.

Choosing a method when multiple are available

If a host accepts both Stripe and manual methods, our advice:

• Pick Stripe for small, last-minute bookings. Instant, buyer protection if the class never runs (you can chargeback), and zero risk of typos in payment handles.
• Pick a manual method if you want to avoid card fees on the host's side (some students do this as a courtesy for hosts they know) or if you do not have a card.

If a host has Stripe set up and prefers it, the form will pre-select Stripe.

Common questions

Can I split a payment across methods? No. One method per booking. If you want to book 4 seats and 2 people pay separately, book 2 seats yourself and have your friend book 2 seats.

Do I pay any fees on top of the class price? No. The price on the class detail page is the price you pay. The host's payment processor takes a fee from their side; you are not charged.

Why does the host's IBAN look like a US routing/account combo, not an IBAN? US bank accounts use routing + account numbers, not IBAN. The form just labels everything "Bank account details" to be generic. If you are sending domestically (US to US), you have everything you need. If you are sending across borders, ask the host for their SWIFT/BIC.

My card was declined but I still got a booking confirmation email. That should not happen. For Stripe, the booking is not created until payment captures, so if Stripe rejected the card, you would not have received the email. If you did, screenshot it and email support; we will track it down.

Next steps

• Ready to book? Booking a class covers the full flow.
• Need a refund? Cancelling and refunds.
• Class never happened, host vanished, payment is in limbo? Disputing a booking.