Key things to know about card and wallet payments.
Manuka Pay is built on transparency. This page covers how payments are processed, who handles your money, what fees apply, and what happens when things go wrong.
Manuka Pay's role — what we do and don't do
Manuka Pay does not hold, process, or move your money.
All payment processing, fund collection, currency conversion, and payouts are handled exclusively by Stripe. Manuka Pay is a technology platform that connects your business to Stripe's payment infrastructure and provides the merchant dashboard, QR code generation, and reporting tools.
When a customer pays through a Manuka Pay payment page:
The customer's card or wallet is charged directly by Stripe.
Stripe collects the funds and deducts its processing fee.
Manuka Pay deducts its service fee from the settlement amount.
Stripe pays the net amount out to your connected bank account on its standard payout schedule.
Manuka Pay charges a service fee for providing the platform — this is separate from Stripe's own processing fees and is not a mark-up on Stripe's charges. See Fees explained for the full breakdown.
How card and wallet payments work
Manuka Pay processes card-not-present (CNP) transactions. This is the standard classification for online payments where the physical card is not tapped or swiped — the customer authenticates digitally instead.
What "card not present" means for you
- CNP fees are standard for all online payments
- 3D Secure authentication is applied by Stripe
- Customers verify the payment in their banking app or browser
- You never handle card data — Stripe is fully PCI DSS compliant
Accepted payment methods
- Visa (credit and debit)
- Mastercard (credit and debit)
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
Manuka Pay is an online payment aggregator. This means we provide a shared platform through which multiple merchants accept payments via Stripe. Each merchant has their own individual Stripe account — funds flow directly from the customer's card to your Stripe account, not through a pooled Manuka Pay account.
Fees explained
Every transaction involves two separate fee components. Both are shown in full on every transaction record in your dashboard.
Platform service fee
Charged by Manuka Pay for providing the merchant dashboard, QR code infrastructure, reporting, and payment page hosting. Deducted from the settlement amount before it reaches your Stripe balance.
Card processing fee
Charged by Stripe for processing the card or wallet transaction. This is a standard card-not-present online rate and is governed by your direct agreement with Stripe. This fee is collected by Stripe — not by Manuka Pay.
Pricing mode examples — $100.00 item
How fees affect you and your customer depends on your chosen pricing mode in payment settings. Here's exactly what a $100.00 item looks like under each mode.
You set your price. Fees are added on top and the customer pays the extra. Your listed price is what you receive.
You set your price. Fees are absorbed from within your price. The customer pays exactly your listed price.
Stripe's processing rate may vary depending on your Stripe account type, card brand (international cards may carry an additional surcharge), and any negotiated rates on your Stripe agreement. The rate shown above reflects the standard Stripe card-not-present rate seeded in our system. Refer to stripe.com/nz/pricing for the authoritative current rate.
Refunds
Refunds are initiated by you as the merchant from your Manuka Pay dashboard. Manuka Pay submits the refund instruction to Stripe, which returns the funds to the original payment method.
Who initiates a refund?
You, the merchant — via the transaction detail page in your Manuka Pay dashboard. A customer can submit a refund request which you then review and approve or decline.
How long does a refund take?
Typically 5–10 business days to appear on the customer's statement, depending on their bank and card network. The timeline is governed by Stripe and the card networks — not Manuka Pay.
Are Manuka Pay fees refunded?
Manuka Pay's service fee is non-refundable on completed transactions.
Are Stripe processing fees refunded?
Stripe's current policy is that processing fees are not returned on refunds. Refer to Stripe's documentation for the up-to-date position on this.
Can I issue a partial refund?
Yes — Manuka Pay supports partial refunds up to the original transaction amount minus any prior refunds already issued.
Disputes and chargebacks
A dispute (also called a chargeback) occurs when a customer contacts their bank or card network to reverse a charge they believe was unauthorised or incorrect. Disputes are a standard part of accepting card payments online.
Important: When a dispute is opened, the full transaction amount is immediately withheld from your Stripe balance by the card network while the case is being reviewed. This is an industry-standard requirement and is not something Manuka Pay or Stripe can waive.
How will I know about a dispute?
Disputes appear in your Manuka Pay dashboard with full details — the amount, the reason given, and the deadline to respond. You will also receive a notification from Stripe directly.
Can I contest a dispute?
Yes. From your dashboard you can review the evidence and submit a response. Manuka Pay forwards your evidence to Stripe, which submits it to the card network on your behalf.
How long does a dispute take to resolve?
Card network timelines vary — typically 60 to 120 days from the date of the dispute. This is set by Visa, Mastercard, and the card-issuing bank, not by Manuka Pay or Stripe.
Is there a dispute fee?
Yes — Stripe charges a dispute fee per chargeback. If you win the dispute, this fee is typically reversed. Refer to Stripe's pricing page for the current amount.
What reasons can a customer give for a dispute?
Common reasons include: item not received, item not as described, unauthorised transaction, credit not processed. The card networks set these categories.
Maintaining clear records of what was sold, the amount agreed, and any customer communication is the best protection against disputes. Manuka Pay's transaction and payout export tools are designed to make this straightforward.
Your Stripe account
To use Manuka Pay, you connect your own Stripe account via Stripe. This means:
You have a direct legal agreement with Stripe — not just with Manuka Pay. Stripe's Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy apply to your account independently of Manuka Pay.
Stripe performs its own identity verification and compliance checks (KYC/KYB). Manuka Pay cannot override or bypass Stripe's account decisions.
Payouts from Stripe to your bank account follow Stripe's standard payout schedule for your account type. Manuka Pay has no visibility into or control over payout timing or amounts after settlement.
If Stripe suspends or restricts your account for any reason, Manuka Pay's ability to process payments on your behalf is affected. This is outside Manuka Pay's control.
Manuka Pay stores minimal payment data — primarily transaction references and amounts. Card numbers and banking credentials are stored solely by Stripe.
Informational only. This page is provided as a plain-language summary to help merchants understand how card payments work in the Manuka Pay platform. It does not constitute legal or financial advice. For authoritative information about fees, dispute processes, and your obligations as a card-accepting business, refer to Stripe's documentation, Stripe's Terms of Service, and the rules of the card networks (Visa, Mastercard).