Payments & Payouts
Complete transparency on how money flows through Aquavora - owners earn 90%, clear fee structure
Payment System Overview
90/10 Split
Owners keep 90% of every booking, platform takes 10% commission
Flat Fee Structure
9% renter service fee, no hidden costs or complex calculations
Automatic Payouts
3-day processing, direct to your bank account, minimum $25 threshold
Booking Types: Request-to-Book vs Instant Booking
Two Ways to Book on Aquavora
📋 Request-to-Book
How it works:
1. Renter submits booking request (no payment yet)
2. Owner reviews and approves/denies (3-48 hours)
3. If approved, renter has 2-24 hours to pay
4. Booking confirmed once payment received
⏰ Owner Response Timeline:
- • 4+ days away: 48 hours to respond
- • 2-3 days away: 24 hours to respond
- • 1-2 days away: 12 hours to respond
- • 6-24 hours away: Dynamic (faster response)
⚠️ Important:
6-hour minimum notice required. Bookings less than 6 hours away cannot use request-to-book.
✅ Best for: Owners who want to review each booking
✅ Advantage: More control, screen renters
⚠️ Trade-off: May receive fewer bookings
⚡ Instant Booking
How it works:
1. Renter pays immediately (like a hotel)
2. Booking automatically confirmed
3. Owner receives notification
4. No waiting for approval
⚡ Owner Controls:
- • Set minimum notice: 1-72 hours in advance
- • Block specific dates: Keep your calendar updated
- • Set availability hours: Only rent during your preferred times
- • Emergency cancellation: Can cancel for safety reasons
✅ Best for: Maximizing bookings and earnings
✅ Advantage: More bookings, last-minute rentals
✅ Note: Still have safety cancellation rights
What Happens if Owner Doesn't Respond?
If an owner doesn't respond before their deadline expires, the booking request is automatically cancelled.
✅ Good news for renters: Since no payment was taken during the request phase, there's nothing to refund. You can immediately search for other available boats.
Both the owner and renter receive email notifications when this happens, and you can try booking a different boat right away.
Payment Deadlines After Approval
Once an owner approves your request-to-book, you'll have time to complete payment:
- • Booking more than 24 hours away: Up to 24 hours to pay
- • Booking 3-24 hours away: Must pay at least 2.5 hours before start
- • Booking very soon (under 3 hours): At least 2 hours to pay
Email reminders sent: We'll email you when approved and send reminders as your payment deadline approaches.
Why These Rules Exist
🛡️ Protects Everyone:
- • Gives owners time to prepare the boat
- • Ensures renters have time to pay securely
- • Prevents last-second booking chaos
- • Maintains platform quality and safety
⚡ For Last-Minute Needs:
- • Use instant-book boats for urgent rentals
- • Owners can enable instant-book with custom notice
- • Filter search results by "instant-book only"
- • Most boats offer both booking types
How Owner Earnings Work
You Keep 90% of Every Booking
Real Example: $150/hour Pontoon (6 hours)
Booking Breakdown:
Your Earnings:
✅ What's Included:
- • Secure payment processing
- • Customer support
- • Platform technology & hosting
- • Automatic payout processing
- • Tax compliance (1099 generation)
⏰ Payout Timeline:
- • Booking ends: Day 0
- • Processing period: 3 days
- • Payout sent: Day 3
- • In your bank: Day 4-5
- • Minimum threshold: $25
💡 Pro Tips:
- • Set competitive hourly rates
- • Enable instant booking for more bookings
- • Maintain high completion rates
- • Keep availability calendar updated
- • Respond to requests quickly
Renter Fee Structure
Simple 9% Flat Service Fee
No Hidden Fees: Renters pay exactly 9% above the boat's advertised hourly rate. What you see is what you pay - no complex calculations or surprise charges.
Service Fee Includes:
- Secure payment processing (Stripe)
- Platform technology & hosting
- 24/7 customer support
- Booking management system
- Dispute resolution & platform protection
Fee Comparison Example:
Transparent: The $72 service fee covers all platform costs and payment processing
IMPORTANT: Service fees are NEVER refunded under any circumstances, including emergency cancellations or owner-initiated cancellations.
Stripe Connect Setup for Owners
Required Before Earning: Payout Account Setup
Legal Requirement: Before you can earn money from boat rentals, federal law requires identity verification and tax compliance through our payment processor, Stripe Connect.
Setup Steps (Takes 5-10 minutes):
Why This Setup is Required:
- Federal Law: IRS requires 1099 reporting for rental income
- Security: Prevents fraud and protects all users
- Compliance: Meets banking and anti-money laundering laws
- Automation: Enables automatic payouts to your bank
One-Time Setup: Complete this process once and start earning immediately. Your boats will be hidden from renters until setup is complete.
Payment Processing & Security
Powered by Stripe
Industry Leader: Stripe processes billions in payments annually for companies like Uber, Amazon, and Airbnb
Bank-Level Security: PCI DSS Level 1 certified, the highest level of payment security
Never Store Card Data: Aquavora never sees or stores your payment information
Fraud Protection: Advanced machine learning detects and prevents fraudulent transactions
Aquavora Guarantees
Transparent Fees: All fees clearly displayed before booking - no surprises
Automatic Payouts: Owners receive earnings automatically without any action required
Absorbed Costs: We pay all Stripe processing fees (~2.9% + $0.30) as business expenses
Dispute Support: Platform mediation for any payment or booking disputes
Automatic Payout System
How Automatic Payouts Work
Payout Timeline:
Payout Requirements:
Minimum Threshold: $25 per payout (bookings accumulate until threshold met)
Valid Bank Account: US bank account verified through Stripe Connect
Tax Compliance: W9 form submitted and tax ID verified
Account Standing: No pending penalties or account restrictions
Clean Record: No active damage claims or disputes
Pro Tip: Enable instant booking and maintain high completion rates to maximize your earnings potential
What Happens to Stripe Fees:
Processing Fees (~2.9% + $0.30):
- • Absorbed by Aquavora as business expense
- • Never deducted from owner payouts
- • Included in our 9% renter service fee
Connect Fees (0.25%):
- • Also absorbed by Aquavora
- • Owners receive full 90% as advertised
- • Part of our commitment to transparent pricing
Complete Fee Transparency
Where Every Dollar Goes (Example: $100 booking)
Owner Receives
90% of booking value goes directly to boat owner's bank account
Platform Revenue
$9 (renter service fee) + $10 (owner commission) = $19 platform revenue
Stripe Fees (Our Expense)
Payment processing costs absorbed by platform - not charged to users
Total Renter Pays: $109 ($100 booking + $9 service fee)
Net Platform Profit: ~$16 after covering all Stripe fees
Separate Fee Structure for Damage Protection
Damage protection operates with a separate fee structure where owners pay processing fees on approved claims. Platform earns $0 revenue from damage claims - we facilitate the process only.
Payment Methods & Refund Processing
Accepted Payment Methods
International Cards: Accepted but may have additional processing fees determined by your bank
Refund Processing
✅ Refundable Amounts:
- • Rental subtotal (boat cost only)
- • Refund percentage depends on cancellation policy
- • Emergency cancellations = 100% rental refund
❌ Non-Refundable Amounts:
- • Service fees (9% renter fee)
- • Transaction processing costs
- • Platform operational fees
- • No exceptions, even for emergencies
⏱️ Refund Timeline:
- • Immediate: Refund processed by Aquavora
- • 5-10 Business Days: Appears in your bank/card account
- • Confirmation Email: Sent immediately with tracking ID
Turn Your Boat Into a Business
Offset Boat Costs
Average owners earn $3,000-8,000 per season to offset maintenance, storage, and insurance costs
Detailed Records
Automatic 1099 generation, detailed earning reports, and transaction history for easy tax filing
Flexible Schedule
Set your own availability, block dates when you want to use your boat, earn money when you don't
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I get paid after a booking?
Payouts are automatically processed 3 days after your booking ends. The 3-day window allows for damage claims and ensures smooth processing. Once processed, funds typically arrive in your bank account within 1-2 business days.
Do I pay any fees to Aquavora as an owner?
Yes, we take a 10% commission from your booking earnings. So if your boat rents for $100/hour for 4 hours ($400 total), you receive $360 (90%) and we keep $40 (10%). This covers all platform costs, and you never pay any additional fees.
Note on Cancellation Penalties: If you have unpaid cancellation penalties from emergency cancellations (rare), these are automatically deducted from your payouts until settled. Learn more on our cancellation policy page.
What happens if an owner doesn't respond to my booking request?
If an owner doesn't respond before their deadline (3-48 hours depending on booking timing), the request is automatically cancelled.
Good news: Since no payment is taken during the request phase, there's nothing to refund. You can immediately search for and book other available boats. Both you and the owner receive email notifications when automatic cancellation occurs.
Can I see a breakdown of all fees before listing my boat?
Absolutely! Our fee structure is completely transparent: you keep 90% of whatever you set as your hourly rate. If you set $200/hour, you earn $180/hour regardless of booking duration. No complex calculations or hidden deductions.
What happens if there's a payment dispute?
Aquavora mediates all disputes and holds funds until resolution. For legitimate disputes, we may temporarily hold payouts while investigating. Our goal is always fair resolution that protects both owners and renters.
Related Information
Payment Support
Payout Issues
Email: info@aquavora.com
Include booking ID and payout details for faster resolution
Stripe Connect Help
Setup assistance, verification issues, banking problems
Priority: Setup issues resolved within 24 hours
Financial Disclaimer: All payment processing handled by Stripe, Inc. Aquavora is not a bank or financial institution. Payout timing may vary based on banking holidays, account verification status, or pending issues. All fees and percentages are subject to change with 30-day notice. Tax reporting and compliance are user responsibilities - consult a tax professional for advice. Platform commission and service fees are non-refundable under all circumstances.
Last updated: February 2, 2026