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.

Detail	Info
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.

Detail	Info
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.

Detail	Info
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.

Detail	Info
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).

Detail	Info
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.

Detail	Info
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).

Detail	Info
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).

Detail	Info
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.

Detail	Info
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.

Detail	Info
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

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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.

Detail	Info
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.

Detail	Info
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.).

Detail	Info
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).

Detail	Info
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

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Negative Balance: What It Means

A negative balance means you owe Sponsor Driven money.

How It Happens

Scenario	Details
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

If you owe...	What happens	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

1. Earn new revenue – receive new contributions/sponsorships (will offset the negative balance)

2. Manual payment – contact [email protected] to arrange a bank transfer to settle

3. Wait for the dispute to resolve – if money is disputed, wait for the outcome; funds may be released

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Understanding Transaction Fees

Every transaction is subject to fees. Here's how they work:

Where Fees Are Deducted

Fee	Amount	When	Impact
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

Gross: £100.00
- Stripe fee (2.9% + £0.30): £3.20
- Platform fee (10%): £9.68
= Your net: £87.12 ✓ added to balance

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Campaign Funding & Milestones

Campaigns have their own payout states:

Campaign Milestone States

State	Meaning	Your action
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

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Referral & Reward Payments

If you refer other competitors and they join, you earn referral rewards.

How Referral Payments Work

Step	Timeline	Status
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

Problem	Solution
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

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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

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Troubleshooting Common Payment Issues

"My balance shows £0 but I received sponsorship payments"

Check	Action
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"

Timeline	What to check
< 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"

Timeline	What happens	What to do
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:

Error	Meaning	Fix
"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

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When to Contact Support

Reach out to [email protected] 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

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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.