How to get paid with Paystack as an event planner: fees, payment pages, invoices and settlement
· comtev
Paystack lets a planner send a client a link, take the payment by card, bank transfer and the other channels Paystack offers, and receive the money in their bank account the next working day. For a local Nigerian payment Paystack charges 1.5% plus ₦100, waives the ₦100 on payments under ₦2,500, and caps the fee at ₦2,000. A planner can start as an unregistered "starter business" with an ID, a BVN and a personal account, up to a limit, and upgrade with CAC documents later. Every figure here is from Paystack's own pricing and support pages, read on 12 October 2026.
What Paystack charges a Nigerian business
| Payment | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Local (Nigerian cards, transfers, USSD) | 1.5% + ₦100 | ₦100 waived under ₦2,500; fee capped at ₦2,000 |
| International cards | 3.9% + ₦100 | Charged and settled in naira by default |
| Settlement to your bank | Free | Next working day (T+1) |
Source: paystack.com/pricing, Nigeria.
The cap matters for planners. On a ₦100,000 deposit the fee is ₦1,600. On a ₦1,000,000 balance, 1.5% plus ₦100 would be ₦15,100, but the cap holds it at ₦2,000. Big payments cost proportionally less.
Two ways to ask a client for money
Payment Pages
Paystack describes a Payment Page as a simple payment form for one-time or recurring payments, opened from a link you can share by email or WhatsApp. For a planner, one page per client or per event works: "Adeyemi wedding, deposit", with the amount fixed.
Invoices
Paystack Invoices let you request a payment from your dashboard without a website; the client receives the invoice by email and pays from it. There are simple invoices and professional ones with tax and line items. Professional is the one to use when you itemise planning, guest management and the gate.
When the money lands
Paystack settles automatically to your bank account the next working day, and says settlement is free. A deposit paid on Friday evening reaches you on Monday, so do not promise a vendor money "today" from a payment the client made today.
Starting unregistered, and upgrading
Paystack has a starter business type for merchants who have not yet registered their business.
- To start: a government ID (BVN, driver's licence, NIN slip, voter's card or international passport), your BVN, and a personal bank account, all in the same name.
- The limit: Paystack's support page sets the starter limit for Nigeria at ₦8,000,000.
- What you lose: starter accounts cannot use Transfers, Terminals or Identity Verification.
To upgrade to a registered business name you need the CAC Certificate of Business Name, the BN number, Form CAC BN 1, owner details and proof of address. A limited company needs its RC number, memorandum and articles, certificate of incorporation, TIN, CAC status report, director and owner details, and proof of address. We cover registration in how to start an event planning business in Nigeria.
Taking payments from abroad
Relatives abroad sometimes pay for parts of a wedding. Paystack lets a Nigerian business request international payments from the dashboard preferences once compliance is complete, and says it responds within 48 working hours. International cards are charged 3.9% plus ₦100. Receiving US dollars, rather than naira, needs a Zenith Bank USD domiciliary account.
How planners use it on a real job
- Send the proposal, then the deposit invoice the same day.
- Use one Payment Page or invoice per payment, not one link for everything, so each payment is easy to match.
- Put the fee in your price, not on top of the client's bill at the last minute. Paystack's fee on a deposit is small next to the cost of a late payment.
- Set the balance date before the event week. A balance collected at the venue tends to shrink.
We wrote about deposits and balance dates in get paid like a professional, and there is a copy-ready event proposal template with payment terms built in.
Getting paid through Comtev
On Comtev, a planner invoices the client in naira from inside the event and the client pays from a link through Paystack; the money lands in a balance the planner withdraws to their bank. The guest-side lines, guest list collection, invitations and access passes, are on the same invoice, at the planner's own price. If you only need a document today, the free invoice generator makes a naira invoice PDF in your browser. See how it works.
FAQs
How much does Paystack charge in Nigeria?
1.5% plus ₦100 for local payments, with the ₦100 waived under ₦2,500 and the fee capped at ₦2,000. International cards are 3.9% plus ₦100. Figures from paystack.com/pricing, read 12 October 2026.
How long does Paystack take to pay into my account?
Paystack settles automatically to your bank account the next working day (T+1), free of charge.
Can I use Paystack without CAC registration?
Yes, as a starter business, with a government ID, your BVN and a personal bank account in the same name. The starter limit for Nigeria is ₦8,000,000 and some features, such as Transfers, are not available until you register.
Does Paystack accept international payments?
Yes, once you request them in the dashboard after compliance. International cards cost 3.9% plus ₦100, and receiving US dollars needs a Zenith Bank USD domiciliary account.
What is a Paystack Payment Page?
A simple payment form for one-time or recurring payments that you share as a link, for example on WhatsApp. Planners use one per client payment, such as a wedding deposit.