"What's the Catch?" SideStall's Fees, Explained Straight

Anything free invites a reasonable question: what is the catch, and when does the bill arrive?

So here is the whole picture, including the parts that cost money. If you would rather have the one-line version: there is no monthly fee to take payments on any plan, including Free, and we only earn when you actually sell something.

Does it cost anything to start?

No. The Free plan is $0 with no card required: you can set up a stall, list what you have, appear on the map and take payments without entering payment details anywhere.

It is not a trial that expires. It is a plan.

Can I take payments on the free plan?

Yes, and this is the part people assume cannot be true. Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay work on every plan including Free, and the money goes to your own bank account.

There is no monthly fee to take payments on any plan. You do not need to upgrade to get paid.

So how does SideStall make money?

Two ways, and that is the lot.

1. A platform fee when a buyer pays in the app. When someone actually pays through the app, a SideStall platform fee is deducted from that transaction, and Stripe's standard processing applies as well. That part is the cost of moving the money and is not ours. The current rate is published on our FAQ page, which is the page we keep up to date rather than a blog post that would quietly go stale.

The important part is when it applies. Only on a completed in-app sale. No sale, no fee. A quiet month costs you nothing at all. Cash at the gate is between you and your customer and we never see it. And the buyer always pays the price you listed: the fee comes out of the transaction, it is not added on top of your price.

Refunds work the way you would want: if an order is cancelled or refunded, we do not keep a fee on a sale that did not happen.

2. Paid plans, for sellers who outgrow the free one. Entirely optional, and about capacity rather than access.

What do the paid plans actually add?

There are three, and the honest way to choose is by how much you are listing rather than by how serious you are.

• Free: $0, no card. One stall, five products. You can take payments. It is a plan, not a trial, and it does not expire.
• Standard: $12.99 a month, or $119.99 a year. More stalls and a bigger catalogue, product sizes and bulk-buy deals, the ability to tell your followers the moment you open, and a verified badge on your stall page.
• Commercial: $150 a month. Unlimited stalls and products, the web dashboard, ATO tax invoices, and a 30-day free trial when you first sign up.

The web dashboard is Commercial only: on Free and Standard you run everything from your phone, which for most stalls is genuinely all you need.

The thing worth knowing is what is not behind any paywall. Being found on the map, having a stall page, and taking payment are all on the free plan. The paid plans buy you room to list more, not permission to trade.

If you sell five things from one stall, Free is genuinely the right plan, and we would rather you stayed on it than paid us for nothing.

Do I need Stripe, and why?

To take card payments, yes: payments are handled by Stripe, which is the same infrastructure a great many Australian businesses use, and it is what allows the money to go to your bank account rather than sitting with us.

Setting it up involves Stripe verifying who you are, which is a legal requirement for anyone processing card payments and not something we can skip on your behalf. It is the least fun part of joining, and we would rather tell you that up front than have you discover it halfway through. If you get stuck in it, tell us. We would genuinely rather help you finish than lose you at that step.

If you would rather not deal with any of that, you do not have to: list your stall and take cash at the gate. Your stall page shows buyers what you accept.

Is there a lock-in?

No contract, no exit fee, and nothing stopping you selling however else you like at the same time. Plenty of sellers list here and keep their market stall, their Facebook page and their honesty box. We are one more way for people to find you, not an exclusive arrangement.

The short version

• Free to start, no card required.
• No monthly fee to take payments on any plan.
• A platform fee plus Stripe processing only when a buyer actually pays in the app, current rate on the FAQ.
• Nothing charged on cancelled or refunded orders.
• Paid plans are about capacity, not about being allowed to trade.

If something here is still unclear, that is our problem rather than yours. Ask us and we will give you a straight answer.

Set up your stall →, free to start.

Buying rather than selling? Download the SideStall app, free on iPhone and Android.