Let clients pay in instalments, and never chase a payment
Offer weekly or fortnightly payment plans on wall art and albums. Each instalment is taken automatically from the client’s credit or debit card by Stripe, and the money lands in your own Stripe account.
A client who loves a collection but flinches at the total usually does not say no. They say “let me think about it”, and the order never comes back. Splitting the same total into smaller payments removes the flinch without a discount.
How it works
- Turn it on and set your limit. In Account, then Client payments, switch on payment plans and choose the longest repayment period you will offer, from 1 to 52 weeks.
- The client chooses a plan. At checkout they pick weekly or fortnightly, a length within your limit, and a first payment date. The full schedule is shown before they confirm.
- They authorise their card once. Stripe collects their credit or debit card and their agreement to the schedule. That is the last time they enter anything.
- Stripe takes every payment. Each instalment is charged automatically, then the plan ends by itself after the agreed number of payments. Nothing to invoice or chase.
What you control, and what the client sees
| Setting | Detail |
|---|---|
| Longest plan | You choose 1 to 52 weeks. Clients can pick anything within that limit. |
| Frequency | Weekly or fortnightly, chosen by the client. |
| First payment | Today, or any date up to 14 days ahead. |
| What is split | The whole order after discounts, including postage and any processing fee you add. Rounding cents go into the first payment. |
| Payment method | Credit or debit card, authorised once through Stripe. |
| Default | Off until you enable it. Changing it never alters plans already running. |
Your files stay safe until you are paid
The order is submitted as soon as the client authorises their plan, so you can start work straight away. Paid digital photos unlock only when the full total has been collected, and free digital photos you included are available immediately. Refunds and disputes withdraw access to paid files.
Straight about the limits
Automatic collection is not a guarantee of payment. Cards can be declined or expire mid-plan, and Stripe’s retry rules decide what happens next. Stripe Billing fees also apply on top of normal card fees. Because paid files are held back until the last instalment, a missed payment costs you time but not your images.
Questions photographers ask
Do I have to chase clients for each payment?
No. The client authorises their card once at checkout, agreeing to the exact schedule they can see. Stripe then charges each instalment on its date, with no invoices for you to send and no reminders for you to write.
Which cards can clients use?
Credit and debit cards, saved securely by Stripe. Card details never touch Portrait Reveal or your own records.
Where does the money go?
Straight to your own Stripe account, the same one that takes your one-off orders. Portrait Reveal takes no commission on what you sell.
What does it cost?
Payment plans are included in your subscription. Stripe charges its normal processing fees, and because plans run on Stripe Billing, Stripe's Billing fees apply on top. Check Stripe's current pricing for your country before you switch plans on.
What happens if a payment fails?
Stripe retries according to the recovery settings in your connected Stripe account. The outstanding invoice link appears on the order for both you and the client, so they can pay it themselves with another card. You decide whether to keep waiting, cancel or refund, in Stripe.
When do clients get their digital files?
Paid digital photos unlock once the full order has been collected. Any free digital photos you included are available straight away, and physical products can be ordered as normal. Refunds and disputes remove access to paid files.
How long can a plan run?
You set the longest period you will allow, from 1 to 52 weeks. The client picks weekly or fortnightly payments and a period within your limit, and the schedule shows every payment before they confirm.
Can the first payment be later?
Yes. The client can start today or choose a date up to 14 days ahead, for example payday. Their card is authorised at checkout but not charged until that date.
Is it on by default?
No. Payment plans are off until you switch them on under Account, then Client payments. Turning the setting off later does not change plans that are already running.
Does this change my tax obligations?
No. The order total, including any tax you already charge, is simply split into instalments. Nothing extra is added and Stripe Tax is not set up for you, so speak to your accountant about how instalment sales are treated where you are.
Close the sale without the awkward money conversation.
14 days free, no credit card, no minimum term. Connect Stripe and switch on payment plans when you are ready.
No credit card required · Then $14.99 USD/month · Cancel anytime
Related reading: what in-person sales software does and Portrait Reveal pricing.