Understanding Stripe Fees
creavio uses Stripe to process all client payments. Understanding how fees work helps you price your services accurately and know exactly what to expect in your bank account.
Processing Fees
Stripe charges a standard processing fee on every transaction:
- Card payments: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
- ACH bank transfers: 0.8% per transaction (capped at $5)
These fees are deducted automatically before the payout reaches your bank account. For example, on a $1,000 invoice paid by card, Stripe deducts $29.30, and you receive $970.70.
Who Pays the Fee?
By default, you (the photographer) absorb the processing fee. This is standard industry practice. However, many photographers build processing fees into their pricing. If you charge $1,030 for a session that you value at $1,000, you effectively pass the fee to the client without making it visible.
Payout Timing
Stripe sends payouts to your connected bank account on a rolling basis:
- Standard: 2 business days after payment is received
- New accounts: 7-14 day hold on first few payouts while Stripe verifies your account
- Large transactions: Payments over $5,000 may have a brief additional hold
Viewing Your Payouts
In creavio, go to Money > Payouts to see all completed and pending payouts. Each payout shows which invoices were included, the gross amount, fees deducted, and net amount deposited.
Stripe Dashboard
For detailed transaction records, tax documents, and payout settings, access your Stripe dashboard directly at dashboard.stripe.com. Your creavio login is separate from Stripe. You created a Stripe account during setup.
Tax Season
Stripe issues a 1099-K if your annual processing volume exceeds the IRS threshold. This form is available in your Stripe dashboard under Documents each January. Keep your own records too since creavio's revenue reports can be exported for your accountant.
creavio does not charge any additional transaction fees on top of Stripe's processing costs. You pay Stripe's standard rates and nothing more.