> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.coachiq.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Understanding CoachIQ Payments

> Learn how CoachIQ Payments works and how money flows from your clients to your bank account

<Info>
  **Where to find this**: Payments section in the left sidebar
</Info>

## What CoachIQ Payments does

CoachIQ Payments handles all revenue operations for your coaching business:

* Accept one-time and recurring payments
* Manage subscription billing automatically
* Issue and track session credits
* Apply discounts with coupons
* Track all transactions in one place
* Send payment receipts to clients

All payment processing runs through Stripe, which deposits funds directly into your bank account.

## How money flows

<Steps>
  <Step title="Connect Stripe">
    Link your Stripe account to CoachIQ to enable payment processing.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create products">
    Build products for sessions, memberships, programs, or access codes.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Attach to offerings">
    Connect products to:

    * Session schedulers (for bookings)
    * Programs (for content access)
    * Forms (for registrations)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Customer pays">
    Client selects offering → Payment screen → Completes purchase
  </Step>

  <Step title="Money deposited">
    Stripe processes payment → Deposits to your bank account (typically 2 business days)

    <Check>
      You receive funds automatically. CoachIQ tracks everything in the Transactions dashboard.
    </Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Key concepts

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Products" icon="box" href="/payments/products-overview">
    One-time purchases, recurring subscriptions, or access code redemptions
  </Card>

  <Card title="Transactions" icon="receipt" href="/payments/transactions-dashboard">
    Complete record of all payments, refunds, and failed charges
  </Card>

  <Card title="Subscriptions" icon="rotate" href="/payments/subscriptions-dashboard">
    Recurring billing that renews automatically on schedule
  </Card>

  <Card title="Credits" icon="ticket" href="/payments/credits-and-products">
    Pre-purchased session credits clients can redeem for bookings
  </Card>

  <Card title="Coupons" icon="tag" href="/payments/coupons-overview">
    Discount codes for promotions, partnerships, and special offers
  </Card>

  <Card title="Products Usage" icon="link" href="/payments/products-integration">
    How to attach products to sessions, programs, and forms
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Three ways clients pay

**Direct purchase** Client books session → Selects time → Pays with card → Confirmed

**Subscription billing** Client subscribes → Card charged monthly → Receives credits/access automatically

**Access code** Client enters code → Discount applied (or free) → Access granted

## Your first three steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Connect Stripe">
    Enable payment processing by linking your Stripe account.

    [Connect Stripe →](/payments/connecting-stripe)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a product">
    Build your first product for a session, membership, or program.

    [Create Product →](/payments/product-builder)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Attach to sessions">
    Link your product to a session scheduler so clients can book and pay.

    [Attach Products →](/payments/attach-products)
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Where everything lives

Navigate the Payments section from your left sidebar:

* **Products**: Create and manage all payment offerings
* **Transactions**: View all payment activity and history
* **Subscriptions**: Monitor recurring billing and active memberships
* **Coupons**: Create and track discount codes

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/coachiq/NgpVUjVeSvTgnaVD/images/payments-sidebar.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=NgpVUjVeSvTgnaVD&q=85&s=ff99f8b2451994656fcf8bdc2bc04aa2" alt="CoachIQ left sidebar showing Payments navigation menu" width="684" height="1092" data-path="images/payments-sidebar.png" />
</Frame>

## Payment processing fees

Stripe charges 2.9% + \$0.30 per successful transaction (US rates). You can configure products to either:

* Absorb the fee (you receive less)
* Pass to customer (they pay slightly more)

<Note>
  Fees are set by Stripe, not CoachIQ. International rates and currency conversions may differ.
</Note>

## What you need to know

**Stripe handles everything**: CoachIQ doesn't store card numbers or process payments directly. Stripe manages all payment security, PCI compliance, and fraud prevention.

**Automatic reconciliation**: Every transaction in CoachIQ syncs with Stripe in real-time. Your records always match.

**Bank deposits**: Stripe deposits funds to your bank account on a rolling basis. First payout takes 7-10 days; subsequent payouts are typically daily or weekly based on your Stripe settings.

**Refunds**: Issue full or partial refunds directly from CoachIQ. Money returns to client's original payment method.

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Do I need a business bank account?">
    No. You can connect Stripe to any bank account—personal or business. However, a business account is recommended for accounting and tax purposes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I accept payments without Stripe?">
    No. Stripe is the payment processor for CoachIQ. You must have a Stripe account to accept payments through the platform.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What currencies are supported?">
    CoachIQ supports all currencies that Stripe supports. Set your currency in Stripe, and it applies to all CoachIQ transactions.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do taxes work?">
    CoachIQ doesn't calculate or collect sales tax automatically. You're responsible for:

    * Determining if you need to collect sales tax
    * Setting prices that include tax
    * Reporting and remitting taxes to appropriate authorities

    Consider consulting a tax professional for your specific situation.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Ready to start?

Begin by connecting your Stripe account to enable payment processing.

[Connect Stripe →](/payments/connecting-stripe)