Payment states and outcomes
Money flows through Sponsor Driven in several stages. This guide explains every payment state you'll encounter, what causes each state, what you should do, and how long each stage takes.
Quick Reference: Payment State Flowchart
Sponsor pays → Contribution created (Processing/Active)
↓
Balance updated (Available for payout)
↓
Payout requested (Pending with Stripe)
↓
Funds arrive in your bank (Paid/Completed)
Alternate paths:
- Refund requested → Refunded (reversed back to sponsor)
- Payment fails → Error/Failed (manually retry)
- Balance goes negative → Negative balance (owes platform)Contribution States
A contribution is a payment to your profile. It moves through several states:
Processing
What it means: Payment just arrived from a sponsor or member. Sponsor Driven is verifying it with Stripe.
Timeline
0–5 seconds
User action
Wait — it should move to Active automatically
What to do if stuck
Refresh the page; if stuck >5 min, contact support with transaction ID
Balance impact
Not yet added to your balance
Active
What it means: Payment verified and confirmed. Money is now in your Sponsor Driven account, ready to payout.
Timeline
Lasts until you request a payout or it's refunded
User action
Optional — leave it, or request a payout
What to do
Go to Payouts and request a withdrawal when ready
Balance impact
✅ Added to your "Available balance"
Paid
What it means: You requested a payout; money left Sponsor Driven and went to your bank.
Timeline
1–3 business days (typically arrives by next morning)
User action
Check your bank account
What to do if money doesn't arrive
Check Stripe payout status in your Transactions page; if delayed, contact support
Balance impact
✅ Deducted from your balance; shows in Payout section
Refunded
What it means: Sponsor cancelled their subscription or requested a refund. The money returns to them; your balance is reduced.
Timeline
Immediate (refund processed same day)
User action
Check your Transactions for the refund entry
What to do
If the refund was unexpected, check with the sponsor; contact support if it's wrong
Balance impact
❌ Deducted from your available balance; can make balance negative
Error / Processing Error
What it means: Payment failed to process (e.g., sponsor's card declined, Stripe API error, or system issue).
Timeline
Happens within seconds of payment attempt
User action
Ask sponsor to try again with a different card/payment method
What to do
Check the error message in Transactions for details
Balance impact
❌ No balance added; money never reached your account
Disputed / In Review
What it means: Sponsor raised a chargeback or dispute (claimed fraud, didn't recognise charge, etc.). Sponsor Driven is investigating.
Timeline
7–30 days (depends on payment processor)
User action
Contact support with evidence (sponsorship agreement, proof of service)
What to do
Provide documentation to support the payment legitimacy
Balance impact
⚠️ Money is held; won't be available until dispute resolved
Cancelled
What it means: Recurring subscription ended (e.g., annual membership expired or auto-renewal was disabled).
Timeline
No new payments; past payments remain in your balance
User action
Check if you want to reach out to the member/sponsor
What to do
Go to Sponsorship deals to see contract end date
Balance impact
0 (no impact; only affects future payments)
Rejected
What it means: Sponsor Driven or Stripe automatically rejected the payment (e.g., fraud detected, account restricted, location blocked).
Timeline
Within seconds
User action
Contact support to check the rejection reason
What to do
Check your Payout page — your Stripe account may need reactivation
Balance impact
❌ No balance added
Your Balance: Available vs. Pending
Sponsor Driven tracks two balances:
Available Balance
What it means: Money you can request a payout on right now.
Includes
Active contributions, completed sponsorships, membership revenue
Excludes
Pending contributions, disputed payments, payouts already requested
Where to see it
Payouts page under "Available balance"
Minimum payout
£20 for first payout, £10 for subsequent
How to claim it
Click "Request payout" on Payouts page
Pending Balance
What it means: Money that's on its way to your bank or is stuck in processing.
Includes
Payouts requested but not yet arrived at your bank
Where to see it
Payouts page under "Pending balance"
Timeline
Usually clears within 1–3 business days
What to do if delayed
Check your bank first (may be processing on bank's side); then check Stripe status in Transactions
Payout States
A payout is your request to move money from your Sponsor Driven balance to your bank account.
Pending (Payout Initiated)
What it means: You clicked "Request payout"; Sponsor Driven has sent the request to Stripe but it hasn't reached your bank yet.
Timeline
1–3 business days
Status in app
Shows as "Pending" on Payouts page
What to do
Wait — Stripe will send the money automatically
Can you cancel?
No — it's already been initiated
Bank preview
Some banks show it as "pending" before money officially lands
Paid / Completed
What it means: Payout successfully arrived in your bank account.
Timeline
Usually appears in bank 1–3 business days
Status in app
Shows as "Paid" on Payouts page with arrival date
What to do
Check your bank — money should be there
Fees applied
Stripe processing fee (~1.5%) already deducted from what you received
Failed
What it means: Payout tried to reach your bank but was rejected (wrong account details, account closed, daily limit, etc.).
Timeline
Detected within 24–48 hours
Status in app
Shows as "Failed" with error reason
What to do
Check your Payouts page for the failure reason; correct bank details and try again
Money location
Returned to your Sponsor Driven balance (can request new payout)
Common causes
Wrong sort code, closed bank account, account holder name mismatch
Reversed
What it means: Payout was completed but then reversed (e.g., you asked us to cancel, account issue, chargeback).
Timeline
3–10 business days
Status in app
Shows as "Reversed"
What to do
Check why (usually shown in transactions); money returns to your balance
Balance impact
Money re-added to your available balance
Negative Balance: What It Means
A negative balance means you owe Sponsor Driven money.
How It Happens
Refund after payout
Sponsor refunded £100 you already paid out to your bank
Dispute lost
You paid out money, then sponsor's payment was disputed and reversed
Sponsorship deal cancel
You already cashed out; sponsor cancelled and asked for refund
Billing adjustment
Platform fee adjustment or correction
What to Do
< £5
Nothing immediate; consider it settled
Pay next time you're owed money
£5–£20
You can't request new payouts until balance is positive
Wait for new revenue, or manually settle via support
> £20
Sponsor Driven may ask you to settle
Contact support to arrange payment plan
How to Fix It
Earn new revenue – receive new contributions/sponsorships (will offset the negative balance)
Manual payment – contact support@sponsordriven.com to arrange a bank transfer to settle
Wait for the dispute to resolve – if money is disputed, wait for the outcome; funds may be released
Understanding Transaction Fees
Every transaction is subject to fees. Here's how they work:
Where Fees Are Deducted
Stripe processing fee
2.9% + £0.30 (typical)
When sponsor pays
Deducted before money reaches your balance
Platform fee
10%
When sponsor pays
Part of your Sponsor Driven cut
FX fee (if international)
2%
When currency conversion happens
Only applies if sponsor is in different country
Example: Sponsor pays £100
Campaign Funding & Milestones
Campaigns have their own payout states:
Campaign Milestone States
Pending
Deliverable waiting for approval
Submit proof/content to sponsor
Payable
Deliverable approved; payment queued
Payment coming soon
Payout initiated
Payment on its way to Stripe
Arrives in 1–3 business days
Payout completed
Money in your bank
✓ Check your account
Referral & Reward Payments
If you refer other competitors and they join, you earn referral rewards.
How Referral Payments Work
1. Friend joins via your link
Immediate
"Pending" until they set up account
2. Friend completes onboarding
Within 24 hours
Reward added to your balance
3. Money available in your balance
Next payout window
Included in normal payouts
4. You request payout
Same as normal payout
1–3 business days to bank
Troubleshooting Referrals
Friend joined but no reward
Check they completed onboarding (all settings filled in)
Reward showing but balance didn't update
Refresh Transactions page; update can take 5 min
Reward not showing after 48 hours
Contact support with friend's profile slug
Payment Method Details
Credit Card
Accepted worldwide
Processing fee: 2.9% + £0.30
Decline reason: Card limit, fraud detection, etc.
Bank Transfer (BACS)
UK only
Processing fee: Usually none (direct bank transfer)
Slower but no card fees
BACS Debit
Direct bank debit (recurring only)
Fee: Typically £0.20 per debit
Requires authorisation first
Manual Payment
For sponsor/competitor direct agreements
No automatic processing
Both parties must confirm manually
Troubleshooting Common Payment Issues
"My balance shows £0 but I received sponsorship payments"
Transactions page
Do you see the contributions listed as "Active"?
Processing vs. Available
Is money stuck in "processing"? Wait 5 min and refresh
Payouts page
Did you already request a payout? Check Pending balance
Negative balance
Did a refund make your balance negative?
Still not showing? Contact support with transaction IDs.
"I requested a payout but money hasn't arrived"
< 5 min
Refresh page; payout may still be processing
5 min–2 hours
Stripe is processing; check status in Transactions
2–24 hours
Check your bank's pending transactions (may show under "Processing")
1–3 days
Most payouts arrive by this point; contact your bank if missing
3+ days
Contact support; check Stripe status in Transactions page
"Money arrived in my bank but the app shows 'Pending'"
This is normal — Stripe and bank timings don't always sync. Refresh the Payouts page; it should update within an hour.
"A sponsor refunded me but my balance went negative"
Immediately
Balance goes negative (you owe back)
Earn new revenue or manually settle
Within 24 hours
Refund fully processed
Check Transactions for details
1–3 days
If disputed, Stripe may reverse again
Wait for final resolution
"Payout failed — what does the error mean?"
Check your Transactions page. Common errors:
"Invalid account"
Bank details wrong
Update account on Payouts page
"Account closed"
Bank account no longer exists
Provide new bank details
"Insufficient funds"
Your bank has daily limits
Withdraw less, or try next day
"Technical error"
Stripe/bank system issue
Wait 24 hours and retry
When to Contact Support
Reach out to support@sponsordriven.com if:
A payment is stuck in "Processing" for >5 minutes
A payout failed and the error message isn't clear
Your balance is negative and you don't know why
A refund was unexpected or seems wrong
A disputed payment has been ongoing >30 days
You want to manually settle a negative balance
Always include:
Your profile slug
Transaction ID (from Transactions page)
Date of transaction
Screenshot of the issue
Next Steps
Want to set up payouts? Go to Setting Up Your Bank Account.
Ready to request your first payout? See How Payouts Work.
Curious about fees? Check Fees and Processing.
Have questions about sponsorship deals? Read Sponsorship Deals Explained.
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