Setting up Stripe to accept client payments

Why Stripe Connect is the backbone of Coachful billing

Getting paid shouldn't be the hard part of running a coaching business. But if you've ever wrestled with invoice tools, manual bank transfers, or third-party payment links, you know how much time disappears into billing admin every month. Coachful uses Stripe Connect to wire payments directly to your bank account — no middleman holding your money, no payout delays, no separate merchant account to manage.

When you set up Stripe to accept client payments inside Coachful, you unlock the full billing stack: one-time offers, recurring subscriptions, multi-tier pricing, payment plans, and coupon codes. Everything your clients see at checkout — and everything you collect — flows through your own connected Stripe account.

TL;DR — Quick setup summary

• Go to Settings → Billing → Connect Stripe in your Coachful dashboard.
• Complete Stripe's onboarding (takes 5–10 minutes; have your bank details ready).
• Return to Coachful — your account is linked and you can start creating paid offers immediately.
• Payouts go directly to your bank on Stripe's standard schedule (typically 2 business days after a charge).

What you need before you start

Before you click Connect Stripe, gather the following. Having everything ready cuts the setup time to under ten minutes.

• A Stripe account — free to create at stripe.com. If you already have one for another business, you can use it or create a separate account for your coaching practice.
• Government-issued ID — Stripe requires identity verification for compliance (KYC). A passport or driver's license works in most countries.
• Bank account details — the routing and account number (US) or IBAN/sort code (international) where payouts will land.
• Business or personal details — legal name, address, date of birth, and the last four digits of your SSN/tax ID (US) or local equivalent.
• A Coachful account on the Growth or Scale plan — billing features require an active paid plan. Start a free trial if you haven't yet.

You do not need a registered business entity. Stripe supports individual sole traders and freelancers in most countries.

Step-by-step: connecting Stripe to Coachful

1. Open your Coachful dashboard and navigate to Settings → Billing in the left sidebar.
2. Click the Connect Stripe button. Coachful will redirect you to Stripe's secure onboarding flow (OAuth).
3. Sign in or create a Stripe account. If you already have a Stripe account, sign in with your existing credentials. Stripe will ask you to confirm which account to connect — double-check you're selecting the correct one.
4. Complete Stripe's onboarding form. Fill in your personal or business details, verify your identity, and add your bank account. Stripe saves progress, so you can pause and return if needed.
5. Authorize the connection. On the final Stripe screen, click Authorize access to this account. You'll be redirected back to Coachful automatically.
6. Confirm the connection in Coachful. Back in Settings → Billing, you'll see your Stripe account ID and a green "Connected" badge. Your payout currency and account name are also shown here.
7. Set your default currency (optional). If Stripe's detected currency isn't correct, update it now. This is the currency your offers will be priced in by default.

That's it. You're ready to create paid offers and start collecting payments.

Coachful tip: Once Stripe is connected, every offer you create — programs, 1:1 coaching packages, group sessions — can be sold directly from your Coachful website or booking page. No third-party checkout link required.

Creating your first paid offer after connecting Stripe

Connecting Stripe unlocks the entire billing catalogue inside Coachful. Here's a quick tour of what you can set up immediately.

One-time payments

A one-time payment is the simplest offer type — a client pays once and gets access. This works well for single-session packages, standalone workshops, or course-style programs. Navigate to Offers → Create offer, choose One-time, set your price, and attach it to a program or booking type.

Recurring subscriptions

Monthly or annual recurring billing is ideal for ongoing 1:1 coaching retainers or community memberships. When a client subscribes, Stripe handles every renewal charge automatically. You can set the billing interval (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual) and specify a number of billing cycles if you want the subscription to expire after, say, 12 months.

Payment plans

If you're selling a high-ticket program priced at $2,000+, a payment plan splits the total into installments. Coachful lets you define the number of installments, the amount per installment, and the interval. Stripe charges each installment on schedule — and if a payment fails, Stripe's automatic retry logic kicks in before alerting the client.

Multi-tier offers

Running a group program with a "Standard" and a "VIP" tier? Create multiple price points for the same program. Each tier can unlock different content, a private squad, or additional 1:1 sessions. Clients choose their tier at checkout; Stripe handles the correct charge.

Coupons and discounts

Go to Offers → Coupons to create percentage or fixed-amount discount codes. Attach a coupon to any offer and share the code with clients or on social media. Stripe tracks redemptions, so you always know which promotion drove signups.

Understanding payouts and fees

Coachful does not add a platform fee on top of transactions — you keep everything Stripe doesn't take. Stripe's standard fee in the US is 2.9% + $0.30 per successful card charge. International cards and certain payment methods carry slightly higher rates. Check Stripe's pricing page for your country.

Payouts from Stripe to your bank account follow Stripe's standard schedule, which is typically 2 business days after a charge (US) once your account is fully verified. New accounts may have a 7-day rolling payout schedule initially; this shortens automatically as your account builds history. You can view all payouts in your Stripe dashboard under Balances → Payouts.

For recurring subscriptions, Stripe generates an invoice for each billing cycle. Clients receive a receipt by email automatically — you don't need to send anything manually.

Pro tips for smoother client billing

Set your Stripe statement descriptor. In your Stripe dashboard, go to Settings → Public details and update the statement descriptor to your coaching brand name (e.g., "Jane Smith Coaching"). This is what appears on your client's bank statement. A recognizable descriptor dramatically reduces friendly-fraud chargebacks.

• Enable Stripe Radar rules for fraud protection. Stripe Radar is included at no extra cost and automatically blocks high-risk cards before a charge goes through.
• Use Stripe's customer portal link for subscription management. Coachful surfaces a "Manage billing" link in the client portal so clients can update their card, view invoices, or cancel a subscription without emailing you.
• Test checkout end-to-end before launching. In your Stripe dashboard, switch to Test mode, then use Stripe's test card number 4242 4242 4242 4242 to simulate a purchase in Coachful. Confirm the program unlocks and the client receives an enrollment email.
• Connect a second Stripe account for a separate brand. If you run two coaching businesses, each can have its own Coachful workspace with its own Stripe connection. Keep revenue streams clean and separate.

Troubleshooting common Stripe setup issues

The "Connect Stripe" button returns an error

This usually means your browser is blocking the Stripe OAuth popup. Disable any popup blocker for app.coachful.co and try again. If you're on a managed device with strict browser policies, try Chrome in an incognito window.

Stripe says my account is "restricted" after connecting

Stripe restricts accounts that haven't completed identity verification. Log in to your Stripe dashboard — there will be a banner listing the required steps (usually uploading an ID document or confirming your bank details). Complete those steps, and restrictions lift within 1–2 business days.

Payments are succeeding but I can't see payouts

New Stripe accounts start in a "pending" payout state for the first 7 days. Check Balances → Payouts in Stripe. If payouts are paused beyond 7 days, Stripe likely needs additional verification — look for a notification email from Stripe or a banner in your dashboard.

A client's payment failed at checkout

Card declines are handled by Stripe and fall into two categories: hard declines (invalid card, stolen card) and soft declines (insufficient funds, do-not-honor). Coachful displays the decline reason to the client at checkout so they know to use a different card. For subscription renewals, Stripe retries failed charges automatically on days 3, 5, and 7 before marking the invoice as uncollectible.

I connected the wrong Stripe account

Go to Settings → Billing in Coachful and click Disconnect Stripe. This does not cancel any active subscriptions — those remain in your Stripe account. Reconnect with the correct Stripe account. Note: existing active subscriptions won't automatically migrate to the new account; new purchases will go to the newly connected account.

My currency isn't available

Coachful supports any currency that Stripe supports in your country. If your currency isn't showing as an option, confirm that your Stripe account's settlement currency is set correctly in Stripe Dashboard → Settings → Bank accounts and scheduling. Stripe supports 135+ currencies for presentment, though settlement currencies depend on your country.

How Michelle (your AI assistant) can help with billing questions

Inside your Coachful dashboard, the Michelle AI assistant can answer billing questions without you needing to dig through docs. Ask Michelle things like "How do I create a payment plan for my 6-month program?" or "Why did my client's payment fail?" and she'll walk you through the exact steps or surface the relevant settings panel directly. You can access Michelle via the chat icon in the bottom-right corner of your dashboard.

Related billing guides

Once Stripe is connected, you may want to explore these next:

• Creating offers and pricing your programs
• Setting up payment plans for high-ticket programs
• Using coupons and discount codes
• Managing and canceling client subscriptions
• Connecting a custom domain to your coaching site

Ready to start getting paid for your coaching?

Stripe setup takes less than ten minutes, and once it's done, your entire Coachful coaching business is monetized — programs, group cohorts, 1:1 bookings, and community memberships. No chasing invoices, no manual reconciliation, no platform cuts eating into your revenue.

If you haven't connected Stripe yet, sign in to your Coachful workspace and head to Settings → Billing to get started. Not on Coachful yet? Start your free trial and have your first paid offer live before the end of the day.