How to Collect Entry Fees for Pickleball Events
Charging an entry fee shouldn't mean chasing people for Venmo the morning of your tournament. Pikel builds the money into registration, so players pay when they sign up — or check a box to pay at the door — and you see exactly who's covered. Here's how to set it up, get paid, and handle discounts and refunds.
First: fees attach to competitions, not casual games
One thing to know up front. In Pikel, entry fees live on tournaments and competitions, not on casual round robins. A regular game stays free to join. When there's money involved — a tournament, a paid league night, a fundraiser — you create it as a competition, and that's where the fee tools appear. If you try to charge for a casual game and can't find the option, this is why.
Step 1 — Set up payouts (once)
Before you can collect money online, tell Pikel where it should go. Open Profile → Payouts and onboard with Stripe. Stripe is the payment processor that moves money from your players to your bank account, and the onboarding is a standard, secure flow — bank details, a bit of identity verification, done. You do this once, and every event you run afterward pays out to the same place.
Prefer to collect in person? You can skip this step and use pay-at-check-in below.
Step 2 — Add an entry fee to your event
When you set up a competition, open the entry-fee section and set your price. You also choose how players pay:
- Stripe checkout — players pay online when they register. The money is collected up front and paid out to you through Stripe.
- Pay at check-in — players register for free and pay you in person on event day. Pikel tracks who's paid and who hasn't, so at the door you're checking a list, not doing math.
For a doubles entry paid online, whoever signs up the pair chooses how to split the fee at checkout — Pay for the team (both entries in one charge) or Pay separately (each partner pays their own half).
Step 3 — Create promo codes (optional)
Want early-bird pricing, a members-only rate, or a way to comp a volunteer? Create a promo code for your event. Players enter it at checkout and the discount applies automatically. It's the clean way to run a sale without maintaining two different prices.
Step 4 — Set your refund policy
Decide up front what happens if someone can't make it. Set a refund policy on the competition so the terms are clear before anyone pays — no awkward case-by-case negotiations later. When you do need to return money, issue a refund from the event and Pikel handles it through the same Stripe connection the payment came in on.
Pro tip
Pick your collection method to match your event. For a serious tournament with a bracket and prizes, take payment up front with Stripe checkout — it locks in commitment and kills day-of no-shows. For a low-key paid night with your regulars, pay-at-check-in keeps signup frictionless and you collect at the door. And always set the refund policy before you open registration, so the rules are the rules for everyone.
Get started
Pikel is live on iOS and Android. Collect entry fees online or at the door, add promo codes, and pay out through Stripe.
Frequently asked questions
How do players pay an entry fee in Pikel?
Two ways, your choice per event: online at registration through Stripe checkout, or in person with pay-at-check-in, where the app tracks who still owes so you can collect at the door.
Do I need a Stripe account to charge entry fees?
To collect payments online, yes — you onboard with Stripe from Profile → Payouts, which is how the money reaches your bank. If you'd rather collect cash or Venmo in person, use pay-at-check-in instead and skip online payouts entirely.
Can I offer discounts or promo codes?
Yes. Create promo codes for your event and players enter them at checkout to get the discount — useful for early-bird pricing, members-only rates, or comping a volunteer.
Can I charge for a casual round robin?
No — entry fees attach to tournaments and competitions, not casual games. If you want to collect money, create a competition with an entry fee. A regular round robin stays free to join.