Credit Card Processing

Direct answer: Card and wallet payments at checkout are processed through your connected Stripe account. CharityAuctions keeps no separate card menu. Your Stripe settings control what bidders can use.

Connect your Stripe account on the Payments tab (left sidebar, CAMPAIGN > Campaign Settings > Payments). Full setup: What Payment Methods Are Supported?.

The helper text is:

Connect your Stripe account to receive bidder payments directly. When connected, 100% of payments go to your account (no platform processing) and refunds are handled from your account.

How bidder card checkout works

Invoices after the close. When bidding ends, invoices are created and sent to winning bidders.
Pay from the invoice link. Bidders open the payment link and complete checkout with a method available on your connected Stripe account.
Secure processing. Card data is handled by Stripe through secure, tokenized systems. Raw card numbers are not stored on CharityAuctions.
Where the money goes. When you use Connect Stripe for direct payments, funds go to your Stripe account. If CharityAuctions collected the money instead, you use Payouts. See How Payouts Work in CharityAuctions.

Payment security

Checkout uses Stripe and industry-standard protections:

PCI-oriented processing through Stripe and compliant providers
Tokenization so raw card numbers are not stored on CharityAuctions
HTTPS encryption for data in transit

Processing fees

Standard card processing fees from Stripe apply to bidder payments. Platform fees for CharityAuctions are separate.

For platform plan fees, see CharityAuctions Plans and Included Fundraising Modules.

Declines and unpaid invoices

If a bidder's card is declined, they can update their payment method and try again from the invoice link. CharityAuctions can send payment reminders on unpaid invoices.

You can monitor invoice status from the auction dashboard and follow up with anyone still unpaid.

Best practices

Tell bidders they will get an invoice email with a payment link after the auction ends
Ask winners to pay promptly from that link
Confirm Connect Stripe is done before go-live on the Payments tab
Contact support if you see unexpected declines or payment errors

Need help with payments? See How to Contact CharityAuctions Support. Email support@charityauctions.com.

Frequently asked questions

Does CharityAuctions store card numbers?

No. Card data is processed through Stripe and secure, tokenized payment systems. Raw card numbers are never stored on the CharityAuctions platform.

Are credit card payments secure?

Yes. Checkout uses Stripe and industry-standard security, including encryption and PCI-compliant processing, to protect transaction data.

Do I need to set up a payment processor?

Yes. Connect your Stripe account on the Payments tab. From the dashboard, click Manage auction. In the left sidebar, under CAMPAIGN, click Campaign Settings. Open the Payments tab. Under Your Stripe account (direct payments), click Connect Stripe.

Can bidders use Apple Pay or Google Pay?

Often yes, when those methods are already enabled on your connected Stripe account. CharityAuctions does not list wallets in a separate menu. Stripe accounts often have methods such as credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Those are examples from Stripe, not a CharityAuctions checklist.

When are credit cards charged?

Bidders pay their invoices when the auction ends, using the payment link in the invoice. Payments go through your connected Stripe account as they complete checkout.