📝 Overview
GoCardless is a direct debit and ACH payment provider that integrates with your dashboard. It makes it easy to accept recurring and one-off payments online, offering a simple setup process for both you and your customers.
This guide covers what GoCardless is, why it's a great payment option, and how to get it connected.
🌍 What Is GoCardless?
GoCardless is one of Europe's leading Direct Debit providers, processing payments for thousands of businesses worldwide. Below are some key details about the integration.
Supports Direct Debit payments (UK/EU) and ACH payments (USA)
Accepts recurring and one-off payments online
Bank-level security - learn more here
First payments typically take around 7 working days - learn more about payment timings here
From the second month of a recurring subscription, you can expect funds within 2–3 days of the billing date
Supports businesses in many countries and multiple currencies - see a full list of supported countries and currencies here
⭐ Why Use GoCardless?
GoCardless offers several advantages for businesses looking to streamline their payment collection process.
No setup fees - GoCardless charges a per-transaction fee only. View pricing for your country here
Automate everything - GoCardless automates the taking, tracking, and reconciliation of your payments
Get started in minutes - All you need to get started is a bank account
Simple setup process for your customers - Customers can easily add their payment details through a secure authorization form
💡 Please Note: GoCardless transaction fees are separate from your regular subscription fees, and are deducted directly from payments being processed. There is also an additional app fee of 0.20% applied to all GoCardless transactions to cover the costs of maintaining the integration.
🛠️ How To Set Up GoCardless
Integrating GoCardless is quick and easy. Follow the steps below to connect your account.
From your dashboard, navigate to Settings ➜ Collect Payments ➜ Manage Payment Methods
Click Integrate beside GoCardless
Click Connect with GoCardless
You will be redirected to GoCardless to create a new account or sign in to an existing one
Once GoCardless is integrated, customers will be able to select this payment type when adding a payment method to an applicable event.
💡 Tips for Managing GoCardless Payments
Once GoCardless is connected, here are some important things to keep in mind when managing your payments day to day.
Click the arrow to view tips for managing GoCardless payments
Click the arrow to view tips for managing GoCardless payments
⏳ Payment Processing Timing
GoCardless begins processing payments several days before the billing date. This means that if you need to make changes to a customer's membership price or cancel a payment, you should do so well in advance of the billing date. Changes made after processing has started may not apply until the following billing cycle.
⚠️ Plan ahead: If you need to adjust a membership price or cancel a scheduled payment, make the change at least 7–8 days before the billing date to ensure it takes effect.
💳 Using GoCardless Alongside Stripe
GoCardless can be used alongside a credit/debit card provider like Stripe. This gives your customers the flexibility to pay by either bank debit or card. You can enable or disable specific purchase types for each payment provider from Settings ➜ Collect Payments ➜ click Edit next to the payment processor ➜ select Enabled or Disabled under each purchase type.
💡For a detailed comparison, see the GoCardless vs Stripe guide here.
🔍 Identifying Which Customers Use GoCardless
If you need to find which customers are paying through GoCardless (for example, to update their prices separately from Stripe customers), you can use the Memberships Report. Navigate to Reports ➜ Memberships, then use the Payment Processor filter to select GoCardless. This will display a filtered list of customers with active GoCardless memberships.
📝 Pending Offline Payments
In some cases, a customer's first GoCardless payment may appear as "offline" (cash) if their bank details haven't fully been linked before the billing date. If you see a pending offline payment for a customer who has since added their GoCardless details, you can convert it to an online bill. Navigate to To-Dos ➜ Pending Offline Payments, open the relevant invoice, and select Convert to bill. This will send the customer an email to complete the payment online.
💡For more details, see the guide on processing pending offline payments here.
🔄 Refunds & the Safe Refund Period
GoCardless recommends waiting before issuing a refund after a payment is collected. This allows sufficient time for the payment to fully settle into your account before the refund is processed.
💡For more information on the safe refund period, see the GoCardless safe refunds guide here.
⛔ Canceling a Pending GoCardless Payment
If you need to cancel a GoCardless payment that has just been submitted for processing (i.e. it is still in a pending state), there is a short window to do so. After that window, you will need to wait for the payment to clear and then process a refund.
💡For step-by-step instructions, see the guide on canceling a pending GoCardless payment here.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Find answers to common questions or additional details that may not be covered in the main instructions.
Click the arrow to view frequently asked questions
Click the arrow to view frequently asked questions
What fees would I pay for using GoCardless?
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Click the arrow to see the answer
There are two types of fees when using GoCardless. First, GoCardless charges a per-transaction fee that depends on the plan you are on — you can view current pricing on their website here.
Second, there is an app fee of 0.20% applied to all GoCardless transactions. This fee is charged by the platform (not by GoCardless) and covers the costs of maintaining the integration. Both fees are deducted directly from the payments being processed.
How long do GoCardless payments take to process?
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Click the arrow to see the answer
The first time a customer makes a payment with GoCardless, it typically takes around 7 working days to reach your account. From the second payment onwards, funds generally arrive within 2–3 business days of the billing date.
💡For more details on payment timings, visit the GoCardless website here.
Can I use GoCardless alongside Stripe?
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Click the arrow to see the answer
Yes. GoCardless can be used alongside a credit/debit card payment provider like Stripe. You can enable or disable specific purchase types for each provider from Settings ➜ Collect Payments ➜ click Edit next to the payment processor.
💡For a detailed comparison, see the GoCardless vs Stripe guide here.
Why is my customer's first payment showing as offline?
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Click the arrow to see the answer
If a customer's GoCardless bank details have not been fully linked before their billing date, their payment may appear as a pending offline (cash) payment. Once the customer's GoCardless details are in place, you can convert the offline payment to an online bill from To-Dos ➜ Pending Offline Payments.
💡For step-by-step instructions, see the guide here.
How do I find which customers are paying with GoCardless?
Click the arrow to see the answer
Click the arrow to see the answer
Navigate to Reports ➜ Memberships and use the Payment Processor filter to select GoCardless. This will display a list of customers with active GoCardless memberships. This is helpful when you need to make bulk price changes for GoCardless customers separately from Stripe customers.
I changed a price or cancelled a payment, but it didn't take effect. Why?
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Click the arrow to see the answer
GoCardless begins processing payments several days before the billing date. If a payment has already started processing, changes such as price adjustments or cancellations may not take effect until the next billing cycle. To ensure changes apply, make them well in advance, at least 7–8 days before the billing date.
Can I refund a GoCardless payment?
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Click the arrow to see the answer
Yes, but GoCardless recommends waiting for the payment to fully settle before issuing a refund. There is a safe refund period after a payment is collected to ensure the funds have cleared.
💡For details on refund timing, see the safe refunds guide here.
How do I cancel a GoCardless payment that's already been submitted?
Click the arrow to see the answer
Click the arrow to see the answer
If a payment is still in a pending state, there is a short window to cancel it. After that window closes, you will need to wait for the payment to clear and then issue a refund.
💡For step-by-step instructions, see the guide here.