Who collects the payment? Payment handling per channel
Updated on 2026-10-01
Settings → Integrations → Channels → ‹channel› → Settings → Commission section
Not every channel handles payment the same way. With Booking.com (with Payments by Booking.com) or Vipio, the guest often pays the channel itself; with Google ("Payment Collect: Property"), the guest books via Google but you have to collect the money. BedFlow needs to know the difference — otherwise a guest who has already paid gets another payment link, or a guest can book without ever paying.
That is why you set per channel who collects the payment. Open the channel with Settings; the Commission section contains two toggles.
The two toggles
| Toggle | What it does |
|---|---|
| Channel collects payment | The guest pays the channel itself. BedFlow then shows no payment status or payment link on the guest page and sends no payment requests or reminders. Extras on site (bill, honesty bar) can still be settled as usual. |
| Online prepayment required | You collect the payment yourself and want to see the money online before arrival. The booking comes in as pending and follows the same payment flow as a direct booking on your website. |
The second toggle has no effect as long as the first is switched on — a guest who has already paid the channel never gets a second payment request. Both toggles apply per property and per channel.
The three situations at a glance
| Situation | Setting | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| The channel collects (e.g. Vipio, Natuurhuisje, Booking.com with Payments by Booking.com) | Channel collects payment on | The booking comes in confirmed. No payment status, no link, no reminders. In the booking window on Daily → Availability you see the green label Paid via ‹channel› instead of an outstanding amount. |
| You collect, online in advance (e.g. Google with "Payment Collect: Property") | Online prepayment required on | The booking comes in as "pending". The guest immediately receives the confirmation email with a payment link, a reminder before the payment deadline expires, and the booking lapses automatically if payment is not made in time. Once paid, the booking is automatically set to confirmed. |
| You collect, on site (e.g. Booking.com where the guest pays on arrival) | both off | The booking comes in confirmed. You settle the payment yourself — on arrival, at check-out or with a payment link whenever you choose. |
If a channel booking has been paid to the channel, BedFlow usually recognises this automatically from the data the channel sends along.
When do you switch on "Online prepayment required"?
Yes: for channels that do not handle payment themselves and where you want the same as with your direct bookings — pay first, then the room is yours. The typical example is Google with "Payment Collect: Property": Google refers the guest to you, but collecting the payment is entirely your business.
No: for channels where, under the channel's terms, the guest may pay on arrival (e.g. Booking.com without Payments by Booking.com). Those guests don't expect an online payment request, and letting bookings lapse automatically would cancel good bookings.
What do you need for this?
The prepayment follows the same settings as your direct bookings:
- Under Settings → My property, section Booking widget behaviour (per-property override), Payment required must be switched on. If it is off, the per-channel toggle does nothing.
- You set the payment deadline under Settings → Deposit, field Payment deadline (in days). See Deposit.
- An online payment method (Stripe, Mollie or Bancontact) must be connected under Settings → Integrations → Payments.
- The payment reminder comes from your regular automated messages (the reminder before the payment deadline).
Frequently asked questions
The guest paid the channel, but I still see an outstanding balance on the invoice. That is correct: the channel pays you out later, after deducting its commission. Record that payout on the invoice with Record payment and choose the payment method OTA payout (Booking.com, …). The balance is then zero. Meanwhile, the guest does not see any payment request.
The guest left without paying, and their card is held by the channel. When checking out on Daily → Availability, you can choose Card at ‹channel› (collect automatically) as the payment method. This option appears when the booking came in via the channel manager and your own Stripe account is connected. If the charge fails (the card is no longer stored, or the bank requires an extra confirmation), BedFlow does not check the guest out and shows you why. In that case, send the guest a payment link. If the option isn't working for you yet, ask support.
What happens if a guest with required prepayment does not pay? The same as with a direct booking: a reminder before the deadline, after which BedFlow cancels the booking, the nights become available again and the guest receives an email about it.
Can I set up one channel differently for one property than for another? Yes — both toggles apply per property and per channel. Booking.com can collect for property A while you collect for property B.
Need help?
Not sure which situation applies to a channel? Email support@bedflow.eu — we will look at your contract with the channel with you and set the toggles correctly.