Get your venue up and running on Aplauso in under 10 minutes. This guide walks you through every step, from creating your account to accepting your first real tip.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, have the following ready:

  • A valid business email address
  • Access to your venue's Stripe account (or permission to create one)
  • Names and email addresses of the employees you want to onboard first

Step 1 - Create Your Aplauso Account

  1. Go to aplauso.io and click Get Started.
  2. Enter your business email and create a password, or sign in with Google.
  3. Verify your email address via the link sent to your inbox.
  4. Complete the venue setup wizard: enter your property name, venue type (hotel, spa, valet, etc.), and address.

Your account starts in sandbox mode - all payments use test data until you go live.

Step 2 - Connect Your Stripe Account

Aplauso uses Stripe Connect to process payments and route tips directly to employees' bank accounts. You must connect Stripe before going live.

  1. From your dashboard, navigate to Settings → Payments → Connect Stripe.
  2. Click Connect with Stripe - you'll be redirected to Stripe's onboarding flow.
  3. Either create a new Stripe account or connect an existing one.
  4. Complete Stripe's identity verification (required by financial regulations).
  5. Return to Aplauso - your Stripe status will show Connected.

Note: Stripe verification can take a few minutes. If your status shows "Pending", refresh after 5 minutes. Most accounts are verified instantly.

Step 3 - Add Your First Employee

  1. In the dashboard, go to Manage → Team → Invite.
  2. Enter the employee's email address and select their department (or create one).
  3. Click Send Invite.

The employee receives an email to join Aplauso. Once they accept, they can download the mobile app and set up their own Stripe account for receiving payouts.

Tip: You can add multiple employees at once by entering several email addresses, one per line.

Step 4 - Generate a QR Code

Each employee gets a personal QR code that links guests directly to their tipping page at k.aplauso.io/{shortCode}.

  1. Go to Manage → Templates (or the employee can access their QR code from the mobile app or their dashboard home screen).
  2. Select a QR code template, or use the default design.
  3. Download the QR code image for printing, or display it digitally on a screen or kiosk.

You can also create department-level QR codes that let guests choose from a list of on-shift employees.

Step 5 - Test a Tip in Sandbox

Before going live, run a test transaction to confirm everything is connected correctly.

  1. Make sure your account is in Sandbox mode (check the environment indicator in the top navigation bar).
  2. Open the guest kiosk URL for any employee: k.aplauso.io/{shortCode}
  3. Rate and tip using the Stripe test card: 4242 4242 4242 4242, any future expiry, any CVC.
  4. Check the employee's dashboard on my.aplauso.io - the test tip should appear in their transaction history.

For a full testing guide, see How to Run a Test Tip.

Step 6 - Go Live

Once you've tested and you're satisfied:

  1. Go to Settings → Environment and switch from Sandbox to Live.
  2. Confirm Stripe is connected in live mode (not just test mode).
  3. Distribute your QR codes - on table stands, door hangers, key cards, or your in-room TV system.
  4. Brief your employees: they should download the Aplauso app and connect their bank account.

🎉 You're live. Guests can now tip your team instantly from any device.

What's Next?