Aplauso uses a transparent fee structure. Here's exactly what it costs to use the platform, and who pays what.

Overview: How Fees Work

There are two types of fees in the Aplauso ecosystem:

  1. Platform subscription fee - paid by the venue for access to Aplauso
  2. Payment processing fee - paid per transaction for Stripe payment processing

Platform Subscription (Venue)

Venues pay a monthly or annual subscription for access to the Aplauso platform. The subscription tier determines:

  • Number of active employees supported
  • Analytics features (basic vs. Insights)
  • Support level (community vs. priority)
  • Integration features (API access, PMS/POS connections)

For current pricing and tier details, visit aplauso.io/pricing or contact sales@aplauso.io.

Enterprise: Multi-property and large venue groups (500+ tipped employees) receive custom pricing. Contact sales for a quote.

Payment Processing Fee (Per Transaction)

Every tip payment processed through Stripe incurs a processing fee. This is a combination of:

  • Stripe's standard processing fee - typically 2.9% + 30¢ per card transaction (may vary by country)
  • Aplauso platform fee - a small percentage added on top

The combined fee is deducted from the tip amount before it reaches the employee's wallet.

Example: A guest tips $20. After a combined 3.4% + 30¢ fee:

  • Fee: $0.98
  • Employee receives: $19.02

The exact fee percentage depends on your Aplauso subscription tier. Higher tiers receive reduced processing rates.

Who Pays the Processing Fee?

By default, the processing fee is deducted from the tip - meaning employees receive a slightly reduced amount. This is the industry-standard approach for digital tipping platforms.

Alternatively, venues can configure fee pass-through to guests: the tip amount shown to the guest is adjusted upward so that the employee receives the full selected amount. This is configurable in Settings → Payments → Fee Structure.

Apple Pay and Google Pay

Tips paid via Apple Pay and Google Pay use the same processing rate as standard card payments (Stripe treats them as card-equivalent). There is no additional surcharge for wallet payments.

Instant Payouts

When Stripe offers an instant payout for an eligible connected account, Stripe shows the current fee and expected timing before confirmation.

Standard payout timing and fees vary by country, account, and bank. Use Stripe's current account-specific terms rather than a universal estimate.

Chargeback and Dispute Fees

If a guest disputes a tip payment with their card issuer, Stripe may assess a dispute fee (typically $15–$35) regardless of the outcome. These fees are unfortunately standard across all payment processors.

Aplauso Support can help gather the non-sensitive transaction details needed for a missing-tip investigation. Use the support contact form and include the property, time, amount, and transaction reference if available.

International Tips and FX

For international venues or guests paying with foreign-issued cards:

  • Stripe handles currency conversion automatically
  • Stripe may add a 1–2% international processing surcharge
  • The canonical tip retains its recorded currency
  • Employee allocations retain their financial-plan currency
  • Wallet and bank settlement follow the beneficiary account's supported payout currency and Stripe's current conversion rules

No Hidden Fees

Aplauso does not charge:

  • Setup fees
  • Monthly minimums based on transaction volume
  • Per-employee account fees
  • Reporting or API access fees (within your subscription tier)

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