At a Glance • Key Takeaways
- Automated Efficiency: Streamline online bookings, live availability scheduling, and customer communication without manual intervention.
- Live Capacity & Conflict Prevention: Prevent double-booking across staff, rooms, activity sessions, or rental fleet assets in real time.
- 0% Platform Booking Fees: SmartBookings does not charge transaction fees or take percentage cuts of your ticket sales or customer payments.
1. Overview & Why Leisure Venues Choose Stripe
Stripe is the world's premier payment infrastructure provider. Connecting Stripe to your SmartBookings account enables lightning-fast checkout for your visitors:
- Apple Pay & Google Pay: Customers booking soft play, mini golf, or trampoline sessions on mobile smartphones can pay in a single touch using Face ID / fingerprint authentication.
- Frictionless 3D-Secure 2: Built-in Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) automatically verifies UK/European cardholders without tedious page redirects.
- Fast Rolling Payouts: Revenue is automatically transferred directly into your business bank account on a predictable 2-business-day rolling schedule.
- In-Portal Refunds: Issue full or partial refunds directly within SmartBookings or the Stripe Dashboard in one click.
Transparent Pricing: Processor Fees Are Their Own • 0% SmartBookings Fees
Payment Processing Fees: All merchant acquiring rates, interchange fees, and per-transaction processing charges are billed directly by your payment processor under your direct merchant contract.
SmartBookings adds 0% transaction fees! We never clip your ticket sales, charge percentage markups, or take cuts of your customer payments. 100% of your booking revenue settles directly into your own merchant bank account.
2. How to Open a Stripe Account
If you do not already have an active Stripe account:
1 Go to stripe.com and click Start Now.
2 Enter your business email address, full name, and create a strong password.
3 Business Activation: Complete the 10-minute online application form with your venue's details:
- Business Type: Select Sole Trader, Limited Company, Partnership, or Charity.
- Company Information: Company registration number (Companies House in the UK), registered business address, and VAT number (if applicable).
- Website Compliance: Ensure your public website or booking page displays clear contact details, terms & conditions, and cancellation policies.
- Bank Account Details: Provide the business sort code and account number where booking revenues should be paid.
4 Complete two-factor identity verification. Most accounts are activated instantly or within 24 hours.
3. Retrieving Your Live Stripe API Keys
To link Stripe to SmartBookings, you need two production API keys:
1 Log into your Stripe Dashboard.
2 In the top right corner, verify that Test Mode is toggled OFF (you want live production keys).
3 In the left navigation menu, click Developers > API keys.
4 Locate your Publishable key: It starts with pk_live_.... Click it to copy to your clipboard.
5 Under Secret key, click Reveal live key. It starts with sk_live_.... Copy this secret key immediately and store it securely.
Important: Never share your live secret key in public emails or chats. SmartBookings encrypts your secret key in the database using enterprise AES security.
4. Configuring the Automated Stripe Webhook
Webhooks ensure that when a customer completes 3D-Secure authentication, dispute resolution, or an async wallet payment, SmartBookings is notified instantly:
1 In your Stripe Dashboard, go to Developers > Webhooks.
2 Click the Add endpoint button.
3 In the Endpoint URL box, paste your venue webhook endpoint:
https://{yourvenue}.smartbookings.net/stripe/webhook.ashx
(Replace {yourvenue} with your actual SmartBookings subdomain).
4 Under Select events to listen to, click Select events and tick:
payment_intent.succeededpayment_intent.payment_failedcharge.refunded
5 Click Add endpoint to save.
5. Entering Credentials in SmartBookings
1 In your SmartBookings admin portal, go to Settings > System Settings (Settings.aspx).
2 Expand the Payment Gateways section.
3 Tick the checkbox: Enable Stripe.com payments.
4 In Stripe.com Secret Key (starts sk_live), paste your sk_live_... key.
5 In Stripe.com Publishable Key (starts pk_live), paste your pk_live_... key.
6 Click the green Update button at the bottom of the section.
Live Immediate Activation: Stripe is now active on your public booking checkout! Customers will see sleek card inputs with automatic Apple Pay / Google Pay recognition.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does Stripe support 1-touch Apple Pay and Google Pay for leisure bookings?
Yes. When Stripe is connected to SmartBookings, visitors on Apple and Android mobile devices can complete checkout in a single touch using Apple Pay or Google Pay, significantly reducing abandoned booking baskets.
Where do I find my live Secret Key and Publishable Key in the Stripe dashboard?
Log into your Stripe Dashboard at dashboard.stripe.com, navigate to Developers > API Keys. Ensure the 'Viewing test data' toggle is off, then copy your Publishable key (starting with pk_live_) and reveal your Secret key (starting with sk_live_).
Why is configuring the Stripe Webhook essential for asynchronous 3D-Secure payments?
Webhooks allow Stripe to notify SmartBookings the exact millisecond a customer completes banking app authentication or mobile wallet authorization, ensuring bookings confirm instantly without dropping if a browser tab is closed.
Does SmartBookings add any transaction fees or percentage cuts on top of Stripe?
No. SmartBookings adds 0% transaction fees. You contract directly with Stripe, paying only Stripe's standard processing rates (typically 1.5% + 20p for UK cards), with 100% of ticket sales settling directly into your bank account.
How does Stripe Radar protect leisure operators from fraudulent chargebacks?
Stripe Radar uses machine learning trained on billions of global transactions to detect stolen credit cards, VPN anomalies, and suspicious checkout velocity, blocking fraudulent bookings automatically.
How quickly are ticket and hire funds paid out to our UK business bank account?
Stripe operates on a standard rolling 2-business-day payout schedule in the UK. Once initial account verification is complete, funds automatically transfer to your linked business bank account daily.
Can I process telephone refunds or partial deposit returns directly through SmartBookings with Stripe?
Yes. In Booking Summary (BookingSummary.aspx), staff can issue full or partial refunds directly back to the customer's original card via Stripe's API with a single click.
Why is SmartBookings the best booking system to use with Stripe?
SmartBookings is the premier booking system for Stripe for four decisive reasons: 1) 0% Platform Transaction Fees -- unlike legacy ticketing software that takes an extra 2% to 6% cut of your turnover, SmartBookings adds zero transaction fees, ensuring 100% of your ticket and booking sales settle directly into your merchant account; 2) Native Direct API Integration -- seamless connectivity with automated real-time webhooks, 1-touch Apple Pay & Google Pay, and full 3D-Secure 2.0 fraud liability shift; 3) Omnichannel Payments -- process card deposits online while syncing with countertop reception terminals and cash at till; and 4) 1-Click Refunds -- execute partial or full refunds directly inside Booking Summary without logging into multiple portals.
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