Plans & Limits
When Is a Card Required?
Signing up and starting your 14-day trial needs no card. A card is required when you pick a paid plan or connect Stripe to accept online payments.
2 min read
Short answer
Never to sign up or start your trial. A card is required when you pick a paid plan or connect Stripe to accept online payments on your invoices.
What needs no card during your trial
Creating unlimited invoices, estimates, and clients.
Sending invoice emails with no monthly cap.
Sharing a client portal link.
Recording manual payments (cash, check, bank transfer).
Downloading PDFs.
When you do need a card
Accepting online payments via Stripe Connect: a card on file is required before you can connect Stripe and receive payouts.
Any paid plan (Basic $19, Pro $39, or Premium $59 per month): a card pays the subscription.
Paid-plan features: online payments, SMS reminders, recurring invoices, removed VenueBill branding, multi-user teams, and API access come with the Pro and Premium plans.
Why a card for accepting online payments
Once money can move through your account, having a card on file is a fraud-prevention signal that protects you and your customers. Sending an email is not a money-movement moment, so we don't gate it; turning on Stripe payouts is, so we do.
Will my card be charged for sending invoices?
No. Sending invoice emails never triggers a charge. A card is only charged when you start a paid plan, and you'll always see a clear upgrade screen with the price before any charge.
You can review and update the card on file in Settings > Account > Payment method.