Getting paid on StartPlaying is simple. All payments from players and all payouts to your bank are processed securely through Stripe, one of the most trusted payment gateways online.
Once you have signed up for an account and filled out your profile, you need to set up a Payouts Account.
How Do Payments Work on StartPlaying?
All payments on StartPlaying are handled securely through Stripe.
Players pay through StartPlaying
Game Masters receive payouts to their bank through Stripe
StartPlaying never asks you to accept payments off the platform
To receive payouts, you must:
Create a StartPlaying account
Complete your GM Application
Set up a Payouts Account through Stripe
How Much are Game Masters Paid?
Game Masters:
Set their own rates
Set their own schedules
StartPlaying takes a 15% platform fee from each booking.
85% of each booking is paid out to the GM
15% goes to StartPlaying
What Currency Do You Use?
Players are charged in U.S. Dollars (USD)
Stripe sends payouts in the default currency of your home country
If you are outside the United States, Stripe automatically converts payouts to your local currency.
How Long Do Payouts Take?
Payout timing depends on your location and payout history:
2–3 business days for most U.S. GMs
7–11 business days for GMs outside the U.S.
5–7 business days for your first-ever payout
📌 Business days do not include weekends or holidays.
What Makes Up My Payouts?
Your payouts come from:
Player card payments
Player StartPlaying credit
If your payout includes both credit and card payments, you can only pay out StartPlaying credit equal to 15% of the total card payment amount.
Any extra StartPlaying credit stays on your Payouts page until:
It can be included in a future payout, or
It is manually converted to cash by a member of the StartPlaying team
Example:
You have:
$100 in card payments
$25 in StartPlaying credit
You can pay out:
$100 from card payments
$15 from StartPlaying credit (15% of $100)
The remaining $10 in credit stays on your Payouts page
How can I check my GM Transaction History?
You can view your full transaction history here: GM Transaction History.
When Are Players Charged?
Players are automatically charged 1 hour after the session start time.
To make sure your players are charged, you need to set your game from Pending to Active.
Will Players Be Charged If I Cancel a Session?
No. If you cancel a session on StartPlaying, your players will not be charged.
When Do Player Payments Appear in My Payouts Page?
You will see payments appear on your Payouts page shortly after players are charged.
Can I Take Payment via PayPal, Venmo, or Other Apps?
No. If a game is listed on StartPlaying:
All payments must be made through StartPlaying
Payments outside the platform are not allowed
Accepting off-platform payments is a violation of the Terms of Service and may result in permanent removal from StartPlaying.