---
title: How do card subscriptions work in South Africa?
description: How do I onboard my facility to card subscription payments via PayStack?
---
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# How do card subscriptions work in South Africa?
## How do I onboard my facility to card subscription payments via PayStack?
Card subscriptions let you charge your members' cards automatically on a recurring basis. In South Africa this runs through **PayStack**, Octiv's card processor - so PayStack must be enabled on your account before any member can be billed by card. PayStack charges 2.9% + R1 (excl. VAT) per transaction; see [What fees will Paystack take?](https://knowledge.octivfitness.com/what-fees-will-paystack-take?hsLang=en) for the full breakdown.
**1. Enable PayStack**
Turn PayStack on and add your payout bank details before setting anything else up:
*Settings \>\> Payment Gateways \>\> PayStack \>\> Enable \>\> add banking information \>\> Submit.*
For the full activation walkthrough, see [How do I set up and manage Paystack?](https://knowledge.octivfitness.com/paystack?hsLang=en)
**2. Create a billing cycle package**
A member can only be charged on a recurring cycle once they are on a package built with a billing cycle - it is the package that determines how often (and when) they are billed. In short:
*Settings \>\> Packages \>\> Package Management \>\> Create New \>\> fill in the package details \>\> add a billing frequency and billing interval (e.g. every 28 days / 4 weeks) \>\> Submit.*
New members who sign up via the sign-up widget are billed on the day they join and then again according to the package's billing frequency and interval. For the detailed steps and options, see [How do I set up card subscription (billing cycle) packages?](https://knowledge.octivfitness.com/how-do-i-set-up-card-subscription-billing-cycle-packages?hsLang=en)
**3. Track your subscriptions and card statuses**
Once PayStack is active, two tools appear under **Accounts** to manage recurring payments:
*Accounts \>\> Subscriptions* - manage your card subscriptions. Members appear on the day of the month they signed up, each with a **card status**:
- **Inactive** - the member has not yet added their card details, so no payment can be taken.
- **Active** - the member's card is saved and will be charged automatically once the billing date is reached.
If a scheduled charge returns **unpaid** (for example the member had not added a card yet, or their card was declined), you can charge it again from the Subscriptions page: find that subscription and click **Actions \>\> Retry Card**. The Retry Card action only appears on subscriptions that returned unpaid. When a charge succeeds, the payment status changes from **Pending** to **Paid**.
*Accounts \>\> Settlements* - track your PayStack payouts and the fees deducted. A successful payment pays out to your bank 2 working days after a successful payment. See [Where do I see my payouts from PayStack?](https://knowledge.octivfitness.com/where-do-i-see-my-payouts-from-paystack?hsLang=en)
**4. Move existing members onto card subscriptions**
You can switch members who are already on your system onto a card subscription, either individually or in bulk. Doing this in the wrong order can create an accidental prorated charge, so follow the safe sequence in [How do I move existing members onto card subscriptions without extra charges?](https://knowledge.octivfitness.com/how-do-i-move-existing-members-onto-card-subscriptions-without-extra-charges?hsLang=en)
In short: change the member's payment type to **Card Subscription** (*Members \>\> Manage \>\> select the member \>\> Billing \>\> Payment Type*, or tick several members and use **Bulk \>\> Change Payment Type**). Updating their billing details sends the member an onboarding email prompting them to add their card. If you are also assigning a new billing cycle package, add an end date to their current package that aligns with the new package's start date, then add the billing cycle package - the member is billed first on the new package's start date and on the package's cycle thereafter.
**Placing a subscription member on hold**
If you put a billing cycle member on hold, their payments stop and their next billing date becomes the day they are released from hold (or the day the package starts again). See [What happens if I place a billing cycle member on hold?](https://knowledge.octivfitness.com/what-happens-if-i-place-a-billing-cycle-member-on-hold?hsLang=en)
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