The person completing the signup process should be the primary account owner or an authorized decision-maker for your ThinkReservations account, with the ability to approve payment processing and banking details.

The first step is to schedule a call with the ThinkReservations Sales Team. You can use the link below to choose a time that works best for you:

During this conversation, the team will review your current setup, answer questions, and help determine the best pricing option for your business. From there, you will be guided through onboarding and next steps.

Completing the onboarding form does not automatically switch your payment processor. The ThinkReservations team will coordinate timing with you and confirm any changes to your account before making them.

Yes. The transition will only take place after timing has been confirmed and you have provided approval.

As with any change to a payment processor, you will lose access to the credit cards currently on file. This is because card data is securely stored with your existing processor and cannot be transferred. You will need to collect new payment details from guests moving forward.

Your EIN is required for tax reporting purposes and helps verify your business. It will also be used for year-end reporting related to your payment processing activity.

This information is part of Stripe’s verification and compliance requirements for lodging businesses. Certain questions, such as fire safety, help confirm that your property meets industry and regulatory standards. This is a standard part of the onboarding process and helps ensure your account is set up correctly for payment processing.

Most lodging properties already meet local fire safety requirements as part of their normal licensing and inspection processes. If you are unsure, you can refer to your local regulations or confirm with your local authorities. These questions are part of standard verification and are intended to ensure your property meets basic compliance requirements.

Your bank account is needed for two reasons:

This is a standard requirement for secure payment processing.

This may happen when the routing number and account number are entered incorrectly. Be sure each value is entered in the correct field, and try again.

No. A mobile phone number is required to complete verification during onboarding.

No. All payment activity is managed directly within ThinkReservations.

No. A special type of Stripe account is created during onboarding. However, all payment activity is managed directly within ThinkReservations. This ensures your payments, reservations, and reporting remain fully connected, without the need to log into a separate system or manage multiple platforms

No. All transactions and payment management are handled within ThinkReservations.

If a payment is declined or fails, it will appear in ThinkReservations, allowing your team to take action, such as retrying the payment or contacting the guest for updated payment information.

Refunds are processed directly within ThinkReservations and are tied to the original transaction. This ensures that all refund activity is tracked alongside the reservation and guest profile, making it easier to manage and reconcile.

Refunds are issued back to the original payment method and may take several business days to appear in the guest’s account, depending on their bank.

Yes. ThinkPayments supports blind credits, allowing you to issue a payment to a guest’s card without referencing a prior transaction. This is typically used when the original transaction is not available. Blind credits are processed securely through Stripe and may be subject to review or limitations based on your account.

No. Because payments are processed immediately, there is no void option. If a payment needs to be canceled or corrected, you can issue a refund and process a new transaction with the updated details.

Yes. ThinkPayments supports collecting multiple payments for a single reservation, including deposits, scheduled payments, and additional charges. All payments are tied to the reservation, making it easy to track balances and payment history in one place.

Guests receive payment confirmation as part of the reservation and transaction process. Payment details are also accessible within ThinkReservations, allowing your team to provide documentation if needed.

A separate email is not triggered to your customers when a payment is made automatically.

Payouts begin once your account is fully set up and your property has been switched over to ThinkPayments. Your first deposit may take up to 7–10 business days to process, as part of the initial account verification process required by Stripe and banking partners.

Payout timing depends on processing and bank settlement schedules, but ThinkPayments is designed to deliver fast, predictable payouts compared to traditional systems. Once established, daily batch payouts are typically deposited within 1–3 business days.

If a payout cannot be completed due to an issue with your bank account, the funds will remain in your account balance until the issue is resolved. The ThinkReservations team can help identify the issue and guide you through updating your banking details if needed.

Yes. Chargebacks may include a fee as part of the dispute process, regardless of the outcome. These fees are set by the payment processor and card networks and may change over time. The ThinkReservations team can provide the most up-to-date information if needed.

It depends on your pricing model. With the Flat Rate Pricing Plan, debit cards are processed at the same fixed rate as credit cards. With the Lodging Interchange Plus Pricing Plan, debit cards often carry lower interchange rates, resulting in lower overall processing costs.

No. There are no monthly or annual platform fees associated with ThinkPayments.

No. ThinkPayments operates on a month-to-month basis, providing flexibility without long-term commitments. This allows you to adapt as your business needs change over time.

No. There are no maintenance fees.

It depends on your pricing model. For properties using the Lodging Interchange Plus Pricing Plan, transactions may qualify for lodging-certified interchange rates when they are processed with the appropriate transaction data for lodging. This can apply to both in-person and card-not-present transactions.

For properties using the Flat Rate Pricing Plan, all transactions are processed at the fixed rate.

The right option depends on your transaction volume, payment mix, and how payments are processed within your business.

The ThinkReservations team can help review your current processing and recommend the best option. The decision is ultimately yours.

Yes. Pricing plans can be adjusted if your business needs change over time. To ensure consistency and accurate reporting, pricing plan changes are not intended to be made frequently. The ThinkReservations team can help review your processing and determine if a change makes sense.

You can choose which card brands to accept and may opt to exclude any of them within your ThinkReservations payments settings.

However, it is generally recommended to accept all major cards, including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. Limiting accepted payment types can create friction during booking and may result in lost reservations. With the Flat Rate Pricing Plan, you pay the same rate regardless of the card brand used, so accepting all cards helps maximize booking opportunities without increasing cost.

Yes. ThinkPayments supports international card payments. Additional fees may apply for international transactions or currency conversion, depending on the card and issuing bank.

Yes. Deposit and payment timing are managed within your ThinkReservations settings. ThinkPayments supports collecting payments based on those policies, whether at booking, before arrival, or at a later date.

ThinkPayments supports processing virtual credit cards, which are commonly used by OTAs. These cards often have specific activation dates and amounts, and payments can be managed directly within the reservation once the card becomes active.

Some third-party processors may support certain payment features, but they are not all fully integrated within ThinkReservations. ThinkPayments is built directly into the platform, enabling features such as contactless payments, mobile wallets, and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) to work seamlessly with reservations, guest profiles, and reporting. This level of integration ensures a more reliable and consistent experience compared to third-party processor connections.

Yes. BNPL is enabled by default, allowing guests to split payments into installments through Affirm or Klarna. This can help increase conversion, particularly for higher-value or longer stays. Properties can choose to disable BNPL at any time in their settings if it does not align with their payment strategy.

Cancellations and refunds are processed in the same way as any other payment within ThinkReservations. When a refund is issued, it is sent back through the BNPL provider (Affirm or Klarna), and the provider handles any adjustments to the guest’s payment plan. From the property’s perspective, the refund is processed as a standard transaction within ThinkPayments.

No. Surcharging is not permitted under the terms of the card networks and payment providers.

EMV devices (chip readers) can be purchased directly within the ThinkPayments section of ThinkReservations. Available devices are pre-approved for compatibility, and setup is quick and straightforward. The S710 Wireless EMV Terminal is available for purchase directly through ThinkReservations. Devices ship directly from Stripe and typically arrive within 2–5 business days.

You do not need to wait for the device to arrive to begin using ThinkPayments, as online and card-not-present payments can be processed immediately.

No. ThinkPayments requires the use of approved EMV devices configured to integrate with ThinkReservations. This ensures that all transactions are processed securely and that payment activity is properly connected to your reservations, guest profiles, and reporting. Using a supported device also enables the system to fully leverage features such as EMV security, tokenization, and real-time transaction visibility.

If you need a device, the S710 Wireless EMV Terminal is available for purchase directly through your ThinkPayments portal and works seamlessly with ThinkPayments.