Payments, fees, payouts & refunds

Updated October 27, 2026

How a payment works

When you pay a bill, you pay exactly the amount you choose. Stripe charges your card or Apple Pay. BillGoat never holds your card details.

Fees

The bill poster pays the fees, not the payer. From each payment: Stripe processing (2.9% + $0.30) plus a 10% BillGoat fee. The full amount you paid counts toward the bill's progress; the poster receives the amount minus fees. The breakdown is shown before you confirm.

Payouts to posters

Posters connect a Stripe account (bank account or debit card). Payments transfer to it automatically. If a poster hasn't finished setup when they're paid, the money is held with Stripe and transferred when they do. Posters verify their identity (government ID + selfie, via Stripe Identity) before their first payout.

Refunds

Payments are gifts and are final. We refund when a bill is fraudulent (fake bill, impersonation, stolen photos), when a payment was made in error and the poster agrees, or when required by law. Report in the app and email support@billgoat.com within 30 days.

Giveaway pools and tips

Tips work like every other payment: the tipper pays exactly the amount they choose; the host covers processing (2.9% + 30¢) plus the 10% BillGoat fee. Giveaway funding is paid into the host's giveaway balance and paid out to winners' bills. Unused pool funds remain with the host. Hosts are responsible for running giveaways lawfully in their jurisdiction.

Taxes

Payments to individuals on BillGoat are personal gifts, not charitable contributions, and are not tax-deductible. Posters are responsible for any tax obligations where they live.