Connecting Stripe for Online Payments
Connecting Stripe lets your families pay invoices online by card, directly from a link in the invoice email. Octavia uses Stripe Connect, which means payments go straight to your bank account. This setup step is optional
What Stripe Enables
Without Stripe, families can pay by bank transfer or cash, and you record those payments manually in the platform. This works well and is how many studios operate.
With Stripe connected, invoices include a Pay Now link. Families click it, pay by card through a Stripe-hosted checkout page, and the payment is automatically recorded in Octavia — no manual entry required on your end. Once the invoice is fully paid, a receipt is generated automatically.
Both payment methods (manual and Stripe) work side by side. You can accept a bank transfer for one student and have another pay online — the platform handles both.
Stripe Connect
Octavia uses Stripe Connect, a version of Stripe designed for platforms where third-party businesses (studios like yours) accept payments through the platform. This means:
- You create your own Stripe account during the connection process (or connect an existing one).
- Payments from families go directly into your connected Stripe account, not through Octavia.
- Octavia never holds your money.
Connecting Your Stripe Account
To connect Stripe, go to your billing settings and look for the Stripe connection section. You'll see one of three states:
| State | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Connect Stripe | No Stripe account is linked yet — click to start onboarding |
| Finish setup | A Stripe account exists but onboarding is not complete |
| Update Stripe details | Stripe is fully connected — click to update bank or compliance details |
Clicking Connect Stripe takes you to Stripe's own onboarding flow, where you'll enter your business details, bank account, and any compliance information Stripe requires. When you're done, Stripe returns you to the billing settings page in Octavia.
After Connecting
Once Stripe is fully connected (charges_enabled and payouts_enabled are both active on your Stripe account), the setup guide step marks itself as complete. Invoices will automatically include a Pay Now link from this point on.
If Stripe is connected but your account is not fully verified yet (for example, Stripe is requesting additional information), the Finish setup state will persist until verification is complete.
Skipping Stripe for Now
Stripe is not required to use Octavia. You can skip this step and connect Stripe later from your billing settings. The setup guide step can be dismissed with "Skip for now" and will remain accessible whenever you're ready.
Previous: Adding Your First Student
Related articles:
- Recording a Payment
- Sending Invoices and Receipts