Step-by-step instructions in setting up your automated billing to charge your clients hosting fees

If you want to automate your hosting and care plans business, then Staq Billing is the feature for you. Staq Billing lets you charge your clients monthly for hosting, care plans, and other services. Staq sends each client a white-label invoice in your name and charges their card through your own Stripe account.

Follow these steps once to set it up.

Connect Stripe

1. In the sidebar, click Clients, then open the Billing tab.
2. Click Stripe. Until Stripe is connected, this is the only Billing page you can open.
3. Click Connect Stripe and sign in to Stripe, or create a Stripe account. Only the Account owner can connect Stripe.
4. When Stripe sends you back, Staq opens Agency Details. The Stripe page now shows Connected.

Add your agency details

These details appear on the white-label invoices your clients receive.

1. Click Agency Details.
2. Under Business, click Choose Logo to add your logo. Use a JPEG or PNG, up to 2 MB.
3. Enter Business name, Organisation type, Website address, Phone, and Billing email address.
4. Click Show on Address to add your postal address, and on Registration to add your tax or registration numbers.
5. Click Save Changes.

Set your billing day, currency, and tax

1. Click Billing Settings.
2. Choose a Billing day from 1 to 28. On this day each month, Staq creates invoices for the month that just ended and emails them to your clients.
3. Choose your Billing currency.
4. Enter your Tax rate % as a whole number from 0 to 100.
5. Click Save Changes.

Cards are charged the day after the billing day. If the billing day is 28, they are charged the same day. Currency and tax apply to new invoices only.

Create a plan

Plans are the packages you sell, such as hosting, email hosting, or a care plan.

1. Click Agency Plans.
2. Click Add Plan.

Enter the plan price

1. Choose a Category, such as Website Hosting or Email Hosting (you can also select SEO and/or Google Ads as well).
2. Enter a Plan Name and a Monthly Price. Plans are billed monthly.
3. Add a Plan Description. It appears on the client’s invoice.
4. Leave Assigned to on Any client so any client can use the plan. To keep a plan for one client, choose that client.

Set the website limits

Website limits appear for Website Hosting plans.

1. Turn on Default for new websites to pre-select this plan when you create a website. Only one Website Hosting plan can be the default.
2. Pick a Price List plan. It is the reference for the limits you sell to the client.
3. For each limit, set how much is Included. Enter 0 for unlimited.
4. To charge for usage above the limit, check Overage and enter the Overage Price.
5. Click Add Plan.

Edit the client emails (optional)

Staq emails your clients for you. Each email uses a template you can change.

1. Click Email Templates.
2. Click the pencil on a template to edit it, or the eye to preview it.
3. Open the row menu to send a test or reset the template to its default.

Templates cover an expired card, a card about to expire, payment profile setup, a new invoice, a failed payment, a new subscription, a cancelled subscription, and the monthly client report.

Add your terms and conditions (optional)

1. Click Terms & Conditions.
2. Click the pencil on the Billing row.
3. Enter your terms and save. Clients see them on their billing and profile setup pages.

Next, add your clients and ask for their card details. See How to add a client and request their card details.

FAQ

Why can I only see the Stripe page?

The other Billing pages open after Stripe is connected. If you are not the Account owner, ask them to connect Stripe.

When do my clients get their invoice?

On your billing day. The card is charged the next day. If a charge fails, the client gets a payment-failed email with a link to update their card, and Staq tries the card again the following day. You can also click Charge Now in Client Invoices.

Can I change the billing day later?

Yes. Invoices already issued keep their period and amount. The new day applies to the next invoice.

Do Agency Details here and in Account match?

Yes. Agency Details in Billing and in Account are the same details.

Need some help?

Open a support ticket if the control is not in Staq, or the change does not save.