Automatic Payments let you charge your client's saved credit card on each scheduled payment due date. Once your client consents, every payment runs itself. You get paid on time without sending reminders or chasing down payments.
How It Works
1. You enable Automatic Payments on your invoice's payment settings
2. Your client receives your flow and sees the payment schedule
3. Your client consents to automatic charging by saving their card and turning the Autopay toggle on
4. Each payment is charged automatically on its due date — no action needed from either of you
Enabling Automatic Payments
1. Open a flow and go to the Invoice section
2. Go to Payment Methods
3. Toggle on Automatic Payments
4. (Optional) Toggle on *Require Autopay* — see below
5. Save and send your flow
Note: Automatic Payments requires a credit card to be on file. Bank Transfer and Cash or Check are not available when Require Autopay is enabled.
Require Autopay
When you turn on Require Autopay, your client must save a credit card before they can access the rest of the flow. This ensures you always have a payment method on file before work begins.
- Bank Transfer and Cash or Check are automatically disabled
- Only credit card is accepted
- The client cannot proceed without consenting to automatic charges
This is ideal for retainer agreements, recurring work, or any project where you want guaranteed payment collection upfront.
What Your Client Sees
When your client opens the flow:
1. They see their payment schedule with the upcoming due dates
2. A notice explains that automatic payments are enabled
3. They enter their credit card and confirm they agree to automatic charging
4. Once they consent, their card is saved securely and they're all set
After consent is accepted, automatic payments cannot be canceled by either party through the flow. If changes are needed, contact Inly support.
When Payments Are Charged
Payments are charged automatically on each scheduled payment due date. If a due date falls on a weekend or holiday, the payment runs on that calendar date as scheduled.
You'll receive an email notification for:
- ✅ A successful automatic payment
- ❌ A failed automatic payment (with details on what happened)
Your client will also receive an email if a payment fails, with a link to update their payment method.
If a Payment Fails
Inly will retry failed automatic payments up to **3 times**. If all retries fail:
- You receive a failure notification email
- Your client receives a failure email with a link to update their card
- The payment remains due — you can collect it manually or wait for your client to update their payment method
Autopay Fees
Automatic payments are charged at a flat rate of 3.5% per transaction.
You can pass this fee to your client using the Pass Fee to Client toggle in Payment Methods, subject to your state's regulations.
Canceling Automatic Payments
If no payments have been made yet and the client has not yet consented, you can turn off Automatic Payments by editing the Payment Methods step.
Once a payment has been processed or the client has consented, automatic payments are locked in for that invoice.
To stop future automatic payments on a locked invoice, contact Inly support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use automatic payments with bank transfer?
No — automatic payments require a credit card on file. Bank transfer is not supported for automatic charging.
What happens if my client doesn't consent?
If Require Autopay is off, your client can still pay manually. If Require Autopay is on, they must consent before proceeding through the flow.
Can I still collect a payment manually if autopay is enabled?
Yes — you can always collect or record payments manually through the Invoice section, regardless of autopay status. If you receive an offline payment, ensure it gets marked as paid prior to the next autopay date or the client will be charged.
Is my client's card stored securely?
Yes — payment information is stored securely by Stripe, our payment processor. Inly never stores raw card numbers.
Can automatic payments be used with recurring invoices?
Yes — automatic payments work with both one-time scheduled payment plans and recurring invoices.
What card types are accepted?
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. Prepaid cards may not be accepted.
*Automatic Payments is currently in beta. Have feedback? We'd love to hear it — reach out through the chat bubble in your account.
For any additional questions please reach out by clicking on the chat box or at support@inly.com and a team member would be happy to assist you.