> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.podplay.app/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.podplay.app/memberships/running-a-membership-presale/charging-presale-deposits.md).

# Charging Presale Deposits

### Overview

During a Membership Presale, a Club can charge a one-time deposit at purchase instead of the full Membership price. The system credits the deposit toward the Customer's first subscription charge when the presale ends (Club's open date). The Club collects a smaller commitment upfront and keeps recurring billing aligned with the opening date. A Club can also schedule the first package or Credits grant to land before the presale end date.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Presale deposits require the `membership_presale_deposit` feature flag.** PodPlay Admins configure this in the Membership editor.
{% endhint %}

### When to use a Deposit

Use a deposit when the Club wants Customers to pay a smaller amount today to secure the Membership, pay the remainder of the first billing period when the presale ends, then continue at the full rate.

Leave the deposit at `0` to keep the standard presale behavior, where the Customer pays the full Membership price at signup and recurring charges begin after the presale ends.

### How the billing works

#### With a deposit above zero

At Membership purchase the Customer pays the deposit, plus any initiation fee, rather than the full Membership rate. At the Presale end date, the Customer is charged the full rate minus the deposit already paid. Every billing period after that charges the full rate.

Monthly example, a $100 per month Membership with a $25 deposit:

1. Signup during Presale charges $25.
2. Presale end (Club's open date) charges $75, meaning $100 minus the $25 deposit credit.
3. Each month after charges $100.

Yearly example, a $1,000 per year Membership with a $200 deposit:

1. Signup during Presale charges $200.
2. Presale end (Club's open date) charges $800, meaning $1,000 minus the $200 deposit credit.
3. One year later charges $1,000.

#### With the deposit set to zero

The Customer pays the full Membership price at signup. Recurring capture is deferred until after the presale ends, then follows the normal monthly or yearly schedule. Monthly benefits are granted on the normal schedule after the presale ends, and no deposit credit applies.

### Configuring the Deposit

The deposit fields appear in the Membership drawer once **Pre-sales** is enabled for that Membership.

1. Open **Memberships** in the Dashboard.
2. Open the Membership to edit.
3. Find the **Pre-sales** section in the Membership drawer.
4. Turn **Pre-sales** on if it is off.
5. Set the **Pre-sales End Date** to the last day of the presale period.

Then set the deposit and grant fields.

<figure><img src="https://29730733-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FvxoNuJiMibWwb1kotX38%2Fuploads%2FuFqPBnU8T4iKkbPBYDDf%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=b8d19211-d055-4164-b3db-f5355cfb9fbc" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

A deposit above `0` shows helper text below the field with the deposit, remaining balance at End Date, and ongoing rate, for example `$25 Deposit Charge at purchase, $75 (remaining balance) charged at End Date, then $100 charged/mo.`

Click **Update** to save the Membership.

| Field                             | What it does                                                                                                                                       |
| --------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Presale Deposit (Monthly)**     | One-time amount charged at signup when a Customer chooses monthly billing during presale. Set to `0` for no deposit.                               |
| **Presale Deposit (Yearly)**      | One-time amount charged at signup when a Customer chooses yearly billing during presale. Set to `0` for no deposit.                                |
| **Grant Days Before Presale End** | How many days before the presale end date monthly subscribers receive their first package or Credits. Set to `0` to grant on the presale end date. |

#### Scheduling an early Package grant

A Membership that includes a **Package Template** for monthly benefits can grant the first Package before the Club opens.

1. Set **Grant Days Before Presale End** to the number of days before the presale ends, for example `7`.
2. Confirm the **Package Template** is assigned in the **Membership Benefits** section.

With grant days configured, the helper text on the Package Template field reads `[N] days before presale ends, first package is provided`. Customers who sign up during the Presale receive their first Package on that earlier date, and recurring monthly grants continue on the normal schedule after that.

### What Customers see

On the Membership page during a Presale with a deposit configured, the deposit amount is the primary price, for example `$25 Deposit Charge`, and the full recurring rate appears as secondary text, for example `$100/mo` or `$1,000/yr`.

The checkout confirmation screen states the deposit due today, that the deposit will be credited toward the first regular charge at Presale end, and the ongoing recurring amount after that. In their Profile, the Customer can see when the first regular charge occurs and the net amount after the deposit credit.

### Reviewing a Customer's Deposit status

1. Open the Customer's Profile in the Dashboard.
2. Open the **Membership** drawer.

When the Membership is in Presale and a Deposit was configured, an alert states the Presale end date, that the Customer paid a one-time Deposit at signup, and that the Deposit will be credited toward the first regular charge on the Presale end date.

When no Deposit was configured, the alert states that the Customer will not be charged again until the Presale period ends.

### Tips

* A Deposit must be less than the full monthly or yearly Membership price.
* Deposits apply to monthly and yearly Presale signups only, not to six-month plans.
* Initiation fees, when configured, are still charged separately at purchase.
* Set both the monthly and yearly Deposit amounts when the Membership offers both billing options.
* State the Deposit schedule in Presale marketing so Customers know what they pay today against what they pay at opening.
* Work with the Customer Success team when changing Presale dates close to the Club's opening.


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.podplay.app/memberships/running-a-membership-presale/charging-presale-deposits.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.