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Managing Payment Methods and Billing

5-10 minutes

Introduction

Keeping your payment details up to date ensures uninterrupted access to Luminate. This tutorial shows you how to add a payment method, view your billing history, and understand what to do if a payment fails.

A valid payment method is required to continue using Luminate after your trial ends. If payments fail, your account may enter a restricted state, so it's important to keep your card details current.

Who this is for: Salon owners who need to manage their payment details and billing.

What you'll learn:

  • How to add a payment method to your account
  • How to view and download invoices
  • What to do when a payment fails
  • How to contact support for billing issues

Time to complete: 5-10 minutes

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

  • A Luminate account with owner access
  • A valid payment method (credit or debit card)
  • Luminate open on a computer or tablet browser. Billing is part of Luminate on the web. The iPhone and Android apps do not include the billing screens, so the Billing menu item does not appear there.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Access the Billing Page

  1. Click your name in the top-right corner of the header
  2. Select Billing from the dropdown menu

The billing page shows your current plan in the Your Plan card and your recent billing events in the Activity card. View History always sits in the top-right corner. Manage Payment Method joins it once you have a payment method on file and your trial has ended.

The billing dashboard with the Your Plan card, Activity feed, and the Manage Payment Method and View History buttons in the top-right

Step 2: Add a Payment Method

If you're on a trial, the billing page shows a banner near the top headed Your trial ends in X days, inviting you to add a card. If your account has lapsed into the grace period, you'll instead see a banner headed Your account is scheduled for deletion.

The trial banner on the billing page with the Add Payment Method button

  1. On the billing page, find the trial banner (or, in the grace period, the deletion banner)
  2. Click Add Payment Method (in the grace period this button reads Add Payment to Restore)
  3. Luminate sends you to the checkout page of Stripe, our secure payment provider
  4. Enter your details on the checkout page:
    • Contact information (your email address)
    • Card number
    • Expiration
    • CVC
    • Cardholder name
    • Country or region
  5. Click Subscribe to store your card and start your subscription

The checkout page may also offer wallet options such as Apple Pay or Link, depending on your device and browser. Tick Save my information for faster checkout if you want Stripe to remember your details for next time.

Luminate then returns you to the billing page and confirms with Thank you for subscribing!. The Your Plan card now shows Payment method: On file.

The Your Plan card showing the status, monthly cost, salon count and Payment method: On file

Step 3: Update an Existing Payment Method

If you need to update your card details (e.g., new card, expired card):

  1. Go to the billing page
  2. Your payment management options depend on your subscription status:
    • Payment method on file, trial ended: Click Manage Payment Method in the top-right corner of the billing page
    • No payment method on file: Use the Add Payment Method button to add your first payment method (see Step 2)

The Manage Payment Method button opens the Stripe Customer Portal — our secure payment processor's self-service page. It appears once you have a payment method on file and your trial has ended, including while your subscription is Past Due or in the grace period. From the portal you can:

  • Update your card details
  • View, download, and print invoices
  • Manage your payment preferences

When updating your card:

  • Your new card will be used for all future payments
  • Any outstanding balance will be charged to the new card
  • Your billing cycle and dates remain unchanged

Step 4: View Billing History

To see all your billing events:

  1. On the billing page, click View History in the top-right corner
  2. The Billing History page lists every event, newest first, inside the All Events card. A line above the list reads Showing 20 of 46 events
  3. Use Previous and Next at the bottom of the card to move through the pages. The list shows 20 events per page
  4. Click Back to Billing at the top to return to the billing page

Each billing event displays:

Information Description
Event Type What happened (payment, status change, etc.)
Date/Time When the event occurred
Status Change The before and after subscription status
Amount Payment amount (for payment events)

Types of billing events you may see:

Event What It Means
Trial Started Your free trial began
Trial Extended Your free trial was extended
Payment Succeeded A payment was successfully processed
Payment Failed A payment attempt was unsuccessful
Subscription Created Your paid subscription started
Subscription Updated Your subscription details changed (e.g., salon count)
Subscription Canceled You cancelled your subscription
Subscription Restored You reactivated a cancelled subscription
Subscription Ended Your paid subscription stopped and your account moved to the grace period
Grace Period Started Your account entered the 90-day grace period
Account Deleted Your account and its data were permanently deleted
Salon Added A new salon was added to your subscription
Salon Removed A salon was removed from your subscription

Status changes don't get an event of their own. When your subscription moves from Active to Past Due, for example, that shows as the Status Change on the Payment Failed event.

Step 5: Handle a Failed Payment

If a payment fails, your subscription status will change to Past Due. Here's what to do:

  1. Go to the billing page - you'll see a warning banner headed Payment Failed, reading "Please update your payment method to continue your subscription"
  2. Click Update Payment Method - this opens the Stripe Customer Portal
  3. Enter valid card details in the portal
  4. Save your new card. The outstanding payment is retried automatically

The Payment Failed banner on the billing page with the Update Payment Method button

We also email you each time a payment fails. The email names the date of the next attempt.

Our payment provider, Stripe, retries the payment for us. Stripe sets the retry dates, so they vary. Trust the date in the email over any other figure. If Stripe has no further attempt planned, the email says so and asks you to update your payment method.

If the retries fail and the payment is still not settled, your subscription ends and your account enters the 90-day grace period with read-only access. You'll see a Subscription Ended event in your billing history. See Tutorial 14.3 for what happens during the grace period.

Common reasons for payment failures:

  • Expired card
  • Insufficient funds
  • Card blocked for online payments
  • Incorrect billing address
  • Bank security restrictions

Step 6: Contact Support for Billing Issues

If you have billing problems you can't resolve:

  1. Email hello@luminate.salon with:
    • Your account email address
    • Your salon name
    • Description of the issue
    • Any error messages you've seen
  2. Include "Billing Issue" in the subject line for faster routing

Common issues support can help with:

  • Incorrect charges
  • Refund requests
  • Currency questions
  • Invoice copies
  • Account discrepancies

Common Pitfalls

"I added a payment method but the Your Plan card still shows 'Not added'"

It can take a few moments for payment status to update. Refresh the page after a minute. If the problem persists, try adding the payment method again or contact support.

"My card keeps being declined"

Check that:

  • The card number, expiry date, and CVC are correct
  • Your card allows online/international payments
  • You have sufficient funds/credit
  • The billing address matches what your bank has on file

If issues persist, try a different card or contact your bank.

"I was charged the wrong amount"

Check your salon count - you're billed per active salon. If you recently added a salon, your monthly cost will have increased. For genuine billing errors, contact hello@luminate.salon.

Tips and Best Practices

  1. Set a calendar reminder - Note when your card expires and update it before that date
  2. Use a card that won't expire soon - When adding a payment method, prefer a card with a distant expiry date
  3. Enable bank notifications - Set up alerts from your bank so you know immediately if a payment fails
  4. Keep contact details current - Ensure your email address is up to date so you receive billing notifications
  5. Check billing history monthly - Review your billing history to catch any issues early

Related Tutorials

  • Tutorial 14.1: Understanding Your Luminate Subscription - Overview of your subscription and pricing
  • Tutorial 14.3: Subscription Lifecycle - Trial, Grace Period, and Cancellation - What happens at each stage
  • Tutorial 16.1: Guide for Salon Owners - Everything You Can Do - Complete owner capabilities

Frequently Asked Questions

What payment methods do you accept?

Luminate accepts major credit and debit cards including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express through our secure payment processor.

When am I charged?

You're charged monthly on your billing date. The first charge occurs when your trial ends (if you've added a payment method) or when you first add a payment method after trial.

Can I get a refund?

Refund requests are handled on a case-by-case basis. Contact hello@luminate.salon to discuss your situation.

Do you store my card details?

No. Your card details are stored securely by our payment processor. Luminate never sees or stores your full card number.

Can I pay by bank transfer or direct debit?

Currently, Luminate only accepts card payments. Contact hello@luminate.salon if you need alternative payment arrangements.

How do I get an invoice/receipt?

Invoices for successful payments are available through the Stripe Customer Portal. Access it from your billing page when you have an active subscription - you can view, download, and print invoices for all past payments. For historical invoices before the portal was available, contact support.

What happens if I dispute a charge with my bank?

Please contact hello@luminate.salon first to resolve any billing concerns. Bank disputes (chargebacks) may result in service suspension while the dispute is investigated.

Can I change my billing date?

Your billing date is set based on when your paid subscription started. Contact support if you need to discuss changing your billing cycle.

Last Updated: August 2026