Payment methods overview

HomeHerald supports several payment methods. Card and bank payments run through HomeHerald and record themselves; everything else is paid outside HomeHerald and you record it after the money arrives. You set up the methods residents see under Settings → Community Settings → Payment Methods with Add Method. This article is the menu - pick what’s right for your community.

The full menu

Method	Online?	Setup needed	Convenience fee
Credit / debit card	Yes	Credit Card & Bank (ACH) method + bank account connected through Stripe	4% + $0.30
ACH (bank transfer)	Yes	Same as card, plus ACH active on your Stripe account	2%
Apple Pay	Yes, in the iPhone app only	Nothing extra	Same as card
PayPal	No - paid outside HomeHerald	PayPal method with your PayPal email	Per PayPal’s pricing
Venmo	No - paid outside HomeHerald	Venmo method with your Venmo username	Per PayPal’s pricing
Cash App	No - paid outside HomeHerald	Cash App method with your Cash App username	Per Cash App’s pricing
Bank transfer (out-of-band)	No	None	None
Paper check	No	Check method with payable-to name and mailing address	None

Online methods are processed through HomeHerald - the resident pays in the app, the money settles to your bank, and a payment record is automatically created.

For PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App, HomeHerald shows residents where to send the money (your PayPal email, Venmo username, or Cash App username). The payment itself happens in that app, outside HomeHerald. Those payments, paper checks, and manual bank transfers all need an admin to record the payment in the ledger after the money arrives.

What to enable on day one

A pragmatic starter set:

• Credit / debit card via Stripe - add the Credit Card & Bank (ACH) method and connect your bank account. Even if you’ll discourage cards (because of the fee), residents expect it.
• ACH if you want to encourage bank payments - residents see Pay from a bank account next to card once ACH is active on your Stripe account, in a web browser and in the iPhone and Android apps (see Enabling Stripe payments). In the apps, bank opens Stripe’s secure payment page in the phone’s browser. The iPhone app also offers Apple Pay with card.
• Paper check - add the Check method with who checks are payable to and the mailing address. Residents see both on their payment screen; you record each check manually when it arrives.

Optional add-ons:

• Apple Pay - nothing to set up. Residents paying in the iPhone app see it automatically once card payments work.
• PayPal / Venmo / Cash App - useful if your community already has one of these accounts. Some residents strongly prefer them. Residents send the money in that app and you record it; the fee structure is different from Stripe.

How online payments flow

When a resident pays in the app:

1. They tap Pay Now on the Account Activity card on My Home, then Pay Online
2. They pick card or bank account (bank shows once ACH is active; the iPhone app also offers Apple Pay with card), and each option shows its own total
3. The convenience fee for the method they picked is shown before they pay if your community passes it on (see below)
4. The payment is processed through Stripe
5. A PAYMENT record is created in the ledger automatically - right away for cards, and when the money clears for bank payments (1-5 business days). Until a bank payment clears, the resident’s pay screen shows Bank payment processing and does not ask for that money again.

The money lands in your HOA’s bank account within 2-7 days (Stripe), depending on the method and your payout schedule.

How fees are charged

The convenience fee is the cost of processing the payment. You configure who pays it:

Mode	Who pays the fee	Resident sees
Pass-through	Resident	Base amount + fee at checkout
Absorb	HOA	Base amount only; HOA nets less

Most HOAs use pass-through - the resident is choosing to pay online, so they cover the cost. The one setting covers both methods, and it applies to one-time payments, AutoPay, and amenity bookings alike: you cannot pass the fee through for cards and absorb it for ACH.

Configure under Settings → Community Settings → Payment Methods panel.

Card vs. ACH - encouraging the cheaper option

Card payments are 4% + $0.30. ACH is 2% flat. For a $300 dues payment:

• Card: $12.30 fee
• ACH: $6 fee

If you absorb the fee, that’s $6.30 saved per ACH payment. If you pass it through, the resident saves $6.30. Either way, ACH is cheaper.

Manual / offline methods

Two patterns are common:

Paper checks

Residents mail a check to the address on your Check payment method (Settings → Community Settings → Payment Methods), which they see on their payment screen. When you receive it:

1. Deposit the check at the bank
2. Record the payment in HomeHerald - see Recording a manual payment

This keeps the resident’s balance accurate even though the money flow is offline.

Direct bank transfer (resident-initiated)

Some residents prefer to log into their own bank and send money directly. When the money arrives:

1. Confirm the deposit hit your HOA’s bank account
2. Record the payment in HomeHerald the same way as a check

Note: this is not the same as ACH-through-Stripe. ACH-through-Stripe is HomeHerald-mediated (the resident initiates from the portal, Stripe pulls from their account). Direct bank transfer is the resident pushing money themselves, outside the system.

When residents complain about fees

Residents will sometimes ask why they should pay a 4% fee on a $300 dues bill. A few things to know for that conversation:

• The fee covers Stripe’s processing, fraud protection, dispute resolution, PCI compliance, and HomeHerald’s payment infrastructure
• The fee is industry-standard for HOA portals - Buildium, AppFolio, and similar tools charge in the same range
• ACH is an option if cost is the issue - you can route them there
• Paper checks remain free (other than postage)

If your community votes to absorb the fee instead of pass-through, that’s a board decision. The toggle is in Settings.

Plan implications

None. Every payment method above - Stripe cards and ACH, Apple Pay in the iPhone app, PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App instructions, and manual recording - is included in every HomeHerald plan. The only costs are the processing and convenience fees listed in this article.

Where to go next

• Enabling Stripe payments - the primary online method
• Apple Pay setup - adding Apple Pay
• Accepting PayPal, checks, and Venmo - alternative methods
• Recording a manual payment - for offline payments
• Issuing refunds - when you need to give money back