Zero Fee Payments Table of Contents
- Overview
- Purpose of Zero Fee Payments
- How It Works - The Payment Flow
- Enabling Zero Fee Payments - Configuration Steps
- FAQs
Overview
Zero Fee Payments — surfaced to payers as Platform Service Fees in GrowthZone — is a feature that allows an association to process payments at zero net cost to the organization by passing payment processing costs on to the member or payer at the time of payment. Instead of the association absorbing the transaction fee on every processed payment (credit card, debit card, ACH) the platform service fee is surfaced to the payer as a separate line item during checkout on top of their purchase price.
Think of it as the digital equivalent of the “convenience fee” you’ve seen at event ticket sites or government payment portals — a transparent, disclosed charge that offsets the processor’s cost.
This allows GrowthZone to absorb the regular processing fees on behalf of the association.
Purpose of Zero Fee Payments
- Associations absorb credit card fees on every transaction. For high-volume orgs (especially those that bill quarterly or have a large debit/credit mix), this adds up fast.
- Zero Fee Payments shifts that cost to the payer, reducing the organization's effective processing cost.
How It Works - The Payment Flow
Here is an example of the payment flow with Zero Fee Payments enabled at 5%.
This percentage is an example; the actual percentage may vary.
Here is a quick comparison between payments with and without Zero Fee Payments.
Stripe with Zero Fee Payments
GZ Pay is built on Stripe. When Zero Fee Payments is enabled, GZ Pay uses a Stripe Connect pass-through model to add the platform service fee to the transaction. This is different from a surcharge — it’s a gateway add-on fee applied at the platform level, not a percentage markup on the card processing rate.
The fee does not appear as revenue for the association; it is attributed directly to the processor. On payment submission screens it appears as "Platform Service Fee":
Refunds
For customers who have enabled Zero Fee Payments, an additional option is available during the refund process. The "Refund platform fee to payer" option works as follows:
- If the option is checked, the member gets the full amount (item cost + platform service fee) back, and the entire amount comes from the association.
- If the option is not checked, then the member would only get the item cost back.
Enabling Zero Fee Payments - Configuration Steps
You can enable Zero Fee Payments through your GrowthZone settings.
- Go to Setup.
- Under Finance, select Payment Gateways.
- Select the GZ Pay Settings tab.
- Scroll down to the Zero Fee Payments checkbox.
- Click the SAVE button to save your Zero Fee Payments enablement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the rate for Zero Fee Payments?
A: Great question! There isn't a single flat rate we can quote because Zero Fee Payments is designed to flex based on a few factors specific to your organization's use of the platform. Rather than a one-size-fits-all number, the fee reflects the cost of using the GrowthZone platform to process and manage your transactions — so it's tailored, not fixed.
Q: Why isn't there just one set rate?
A: A few things go into it. The fee can vary based on factors like transaction type, your organization's volume, and how the feature is configured for your account. That flexibility is intentional — it keeps the fee aligned with the platform services your organization is using, rather than applying a blanket charge that wouldn't fit every situation.
Q: So how do I find out what my organization's rate is?
A: The applicable fee is set up at the account level, so the best person to confirm the specifics is your organization's account administrator — they'll have visibility into how it's configured for you. If you'd like, I can connect you with your account team, who can walk you through exactly how it applies to your organization.
Q: Is this the same as a credit card surcharge?
A: No — it's a platform service fee, which is a distinct concept. It's tied to the cost of using the GrowthZone platform for your transactions, not a surcharge on a particular card.