Payment Settings
This page covers how your school accepts payments from students and guardians. Before you can collect any online payments, you need to choose a payment processor, open an account with them, and connect that account to Conductly by entering your API keys.
:::info Where payment settings live Payment configuration lives on its own page: Settings > Payments -- the gateway and keys, and the payment toggles. Tax and the credit card fee are calculated per invoice, so they live on Invoice Settings (Settings > Invoices). Past-due Payment Reminders live on Reminder Settings (Settings > Reminders), alongside lesson reminders. :::
Conductly supports two payment processors: Evolv and Stripe. You can use one or the other -- not both at the same time.
Entering or editing your Gateway Provider and API keys requires an active paid Conductly subscription -- the 28-day free trial does not qualify. On a trial (active or expired) or with no subscription, the Gateway Provider dropdown and key fields are disabled with a link to subscribe; everything else on this page (payment toggles, Payment Reminders) still works. If you already have a gateway connected and your subscription lapses, your saved keys stay in place and payments keep processing -- you just can't edit them until you resubscribe. Subscribe from Settings > Subscription (owner-only).
Choosing a Payment Processor
The right choice depends on how much you process each month, how quickly you want to be up and running, and whether you want hands-on help during setup.
| Evolv | Stripe | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Interchange+ | Flat rate |
| Card pricing | Interchange + a small fixed markup. Costs are typically lower at higher volumes because you pay the true network cost plus a transparent margin. | 2.9% + $0.30 per successful card charge (online, U.S.) |
| ACH / bank transfers | Available -- contact Conductly for current rates | 0.8% per charge, capped at $5.00 |
| Account setup | Conductly works with Evolv on your behalf to open a merchant account. Setup involves underwriting and a short application. | Self-serve. Sign up directly at stripe.com and you can be approved in minutes. |
| Time to first charge | Several business days (underwriting required) | Same day in most cases |
| Best for | Schools that want the lowest effective rate, especially as monthly volume grows | Schools that want to start collecting payments immediately with no Conductly involvement |
If you are just getting started or want to send your first invoice today, Stripe is the fastest path. If you process meaningful monthly volume (or expect to soon) and want to optimize processing fees over time, Evolv with Interchange+ pricing usually wins on cost.
Option 1: Set Up Evolv (Interchange+ Pricing)
Evolv accounts are not self-serve. Conductly facilitates the merchant account setup so we can match you with the right pricing tier and underwriting path.
Steps
- Contact Conductly support at support@conductly.com and let us know you want to set up an Evolv merchant account.
- Complete the merchant application. We will send you the application and walk you through underwriting requirements (business information, ownership, expected processing volume, etc.).
- Receive your API keys. Once your merchant account is approved, Evolv issues you a Public Key and an API Key (Secret Key).
- Enter your keys in Conductly. Go to Settings > Payments, scroll to the Payment Gateway section, set Gateway Provider to Evolv, then paste in your Public Key and API Key (Secret Key).
- If you accept ACH bank payments, set up the Webhook Signature. In Optimize Gateway (Evolv's control panel), go to Settings > Developer > Webhooks > Add, point the webhook at https://app.conductly.com/webhooks/optimize, and set the type to Transaction with transaction_update and transaction_settlement enabled. Optimize Gateway sends a test delivery before it will save the webhook, and that delivery has to succeed. Paste the Signature UUID Optimize Gateway shows you into the Webhook Signature field in Conductly. This lets Conductly automatically detect when a customer's bank returns an ACH payment -- see Payments. Without it, returned ACH payments won't be caught automatically.
- Confirm the connection. As soon as your keys save, Conductly automatically tests them against Evolv and shows the result below the key fields -- look for "Connected." You can also press Test to re-run the check (requires an active paid subscription, same as the key fields). See Testing Your Connection below.
- Run a test charge. Process a small payment on a real invoice to confirm everything is working before you start sending invoices to families.
Evolv setup is a partnership between you, Conductly, and the merchant account provider. Plan ahead -- you will not be able to accept online payments until underwriting is complete and your keys are entered.
Option 2: Set Up Stripe (Self-Serve)
Stripe is the fastest way to start accepting payments. You can sign up, get approved, and connect your account without involving Conductly.
Steps
- Create a Stripe account at stripe.com. You will need basic business information and a bank account to receive payouts.
- Activate your account. Stripe will verify your business and bank details. Most U.S. accounts are activated within minutes.
- Get your API keys. In the Stripe Dashboard, go to Developers > API keys. You will see a Publishable key (starts with
pk_live_...) and a Secret key (starts withsk_live_...). - Enter your keys in Conductly. Go to Settings > Payments, scroll to the Payment Gateway section, set Gateway Provider to Stripe, then paste in your Secret Key and Publishable Key.
- Confirm the connection. As soon as your keys save, Conductly automatically tests them against Stripe and shows the result below the key fields -- look for "Connected." You can also press Test to re-run the check (requires an active paid subscription, same as the key fields). See Testing Your Connection below.
- Run a test charge. Process a small payment on a real invoice to confirm everything is working end-to-end.
Your Stripe Secret key gives full access to your Stripe account. Never share it, never commit it to source control, and never paste it into a chat or email. Conductly stores it securely and only displays a masked version after it is saved.
Testing Your Connection
Conductly checks that your saved keys actually work, so a typo or the wrong key doesn't sit unnoticed until a family's payment fails. This check happens two ways:
- Automatically. Every time you enter or change a key in the Payment Gateway section, Conductly tests it as soon as it saves and shows the result below the key fields.
- On demand. Press Test at the bottom of the Payment Gateway section to re-run the check. Like the key fields, the Test button requires an active paid subscription -- it's disabled on the free trial or a lapsed subscription.
The test makes a harmless, read-only call to your gateway -- it never charges anyone or moves money. Possible results:
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| "Connected." | Your keys work. |
| "...the account has not finished onboarding, so it cannot take charges yet." | Stripe accepted the key, but you still need to complete your account setup in the Stripe dashboard. |
| "...charges are turned off for this account." | Stripe accepted the key, but charges are disabled on the account -- contact Stripe support. |
| "Evolv/Stripe rejected this API/secret key." | The key is wrong or was copied incorrectly. Copy it again from Optimize Gateway (Evolv's control panel) or your Stripe dashboard. |
| "Your secret key is a test key but your publishable key is live" (or the reverse) | Your Stripe Secret Key and Publishable Key come from different modes (test vs. live). Both must match. |
| "No API/secret key saved yet." | Nothing has been entered for the selected gateway yet. |
| "Could not reach Evolv/Stripe just now." | A temporary connectivity issue -- this doesn't necessarily mean your key is wrong. Try again in a minute. |
Testing is advisory only -- a failed test never blocks or reverts your saved keys. It exists so a bad key surfaces right away instead of weeks later, when a family tries to pay and can't.
Payment Toggles
The Payments section of Settings > Payments holds two toggles that shape how families pay:
| Toggle | What it does |
|---|---|
| Force users to save their credit card | When on, families must save their card on file when paying online. When off, saving is optional (the payment page shows a "Save this credit card for automatic bill payments" checkbox). |
| Accept ACH bank payments | Allow customers to pay invoices via bank account (ACH). ACH payments are never surcharged. |
Invoice-content toggles -- Show session dates on line items and Carry forward previous balance -- live in the Invoice details card on Invoice Settings (Settings > Invoices). The fee eligibility toggle, Only apply fees to students with active enrollments, lives at the top of Settings > Fees -- see Fees & Discounts.
Payment Reminders
Past-due payment reminders (email and text, at 3/7/14/30 days overdue) are configured on Reminder Settings (Settings > Reminders), alongside lesson reminders.
Tax and the optional credit card surcharge are configured on Invoice Settings (Settings > Invoices).
How Payment Processing Works
Once your gateway is connected, Conductly uses a two-step payment process for security and flexibility:
- Authorization -- When a payment is initiated, Conductly first authorizes the charge with the payment gateway. This verifies the payment method is valid and the funds are available, but does not yet move any money.
- Capture -- Once authorized, the payment is captured (finalized). At this point, the funds are transferred.
This two-step approach helps prevent accidental charges and gives you a window to review payments before they are finalized.
The authorization and capture process happens automatically in most workflows. You generally do not need to manage these steps manually.
How Cards Get on File
Each customer can have one saved payment method. Cards get on file in three ways -- all initiated by the family, never entered by an admin:
- The payment page checkbox -- When paying an invoice online (or checking out in the store), the family can check "Save this credit card for automatic bill payments". If Force users to save their credit card is on, the card is always saved.
- The "Update Payment Method" link -- A signed email link takes the family to a secure page where they can enter or replace their card without logging in.
- The Family Portal -- Logged-in students and guardians can use Update card on the Payment method card in the Family Portal.
Admins cannot add a payment method on a family's behalf -- from a profile's Payment Methods panel, the only admin action is Remove.
A saved card enables:
- Charge card on file -- You can charge a customer's saved card directly from an invoice.
- Automatic charging -- With billing automation turned on (collection mode Send & charge automatically), Conductly charges saved cards automatically when invoices are due.
Accepted Payment Methods
Conductly supports these payment method types:
- Card — Credit and debit cards processed through your connected payment gateway (Evolv or Stripe). Families can save a card on file for charge-on-file operations.
- ACH / Bank Transfer — Direct bank transfers processed through your payment gateway, when Accept ACH bank payments is enabled. Typically lower per-transaction fees than card processing, at the cost of a slower settlement window. Never surcharged.
- Cash — Manually recorded when a family pays in person with cash.
- Check — Manually recorded when a family pays by check.
- Credit Card (manual) — Manually recorded when a family pays by credit card outside Conductly (for example, on a physical terminal or through another processor).
- Venmo — Manually recorded when a family pays via Venmo.
- Scholarship — Automatically recorded when a scholarship is applied to an invoice, or manually selected to record an external scholarship payment. Shows up on the invoice as a separate line item so families can see how much their award covered.
Cash, Check, Credit Card, Venmo, and Scholarship are manual recording options — they don't charge the customer; they log that a payment already happened. Use the Create payment button on the Payments page to record a manual payment against an invoice.
Apple Pay appears automatically on payment pages for Evolv schools when the family is on an Apple device. Conductly does not currently support PayPal or Google Pay.
Payment Security
Conductly takes payment security seriously:
- Card data is never stored on Conductly's servers. All sensitive payment information is handled directly by the payment gateway.
- Tokenization -- After a card is saved, Conductly stores only a secure token, not the actual card number. This token can be used to charge the card without ever exposing the full card details.
- PCI Compliance -- By using a certified payment gateway, your school benefits from PCI-compliant payment processing.
Best Practices
- Set up payments early. Having your payment gateway connected before you start invoicing makes the whole billing process smoother.
- Encourage families to save a payment method. Saved cards make charge-on-file collection possible, which saves significant time. Consider turning on Force users to save their credit card for recurring enrollments.
- Check for a "Connected" result, then test with a small payment. Conductly tests your keys automatically as soon as you save them -- confirm you see "Connected" under the Payment Gateway section, then process a small test charge to confirm everything is working end-to-end before sending out invoices to families.
- Monitor payment failures. Conductly notifies you when a payment fails. Follow up promptly with the family to resolve the issue.