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GoCardless

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GoCardless is the specialist provider for Direct Debit payments. In the UK fitness industry, Direct Debit is the gold standard for collecting monthly membership fees because it has significantly lower failure rates (churn) and transaction fees compared to credit cards (which expire or get lost).

Unlike traditional Direct Debit bureaus which are slow and paper-heavy, GoCardless is built for the digital age. It allows you to set up digital mandates instantly. For our gym clients, GoCardless is the engine that ensures monthly revenue is collected on time, every time.

Features

  • Direct Debit: Pulls payments directly from customer bank accounts across the UK (Bacs), Eurozone (SEPA), and USA (ACH).

  • Instant Bank Pay: Uses Open Banking to take one-off payments instantly (great for joining fees).

  • Success+: An AI-powered feature that intelligently retries failed payments on the days they are most likely to succeed.

  • Dashboard: A clear view of who has paid, who has failed, and why.

  • Integrations: Connects natively with Xero, QuickBooks, TeamUp, ClubRight, and Glofox.

Benefits

  • Lower Fees: Direct Debit transactions are typically capped and much cheaper than card percentages.

  • Reduced Churn: Bank accounts don’t expire like credit cards do, meaning members stay active longer.

  • Cash Flow Visibility: You know exactly when payments will leave the customer’s account and land in yours.

  • Automation: Once the mandate is set up, the monthly collection happens automatically.

How we integrate

  • System Connection: We link GoCardless to your membership management software so that when a member signs up, a mandate is created automatically.

  • Mandate Flow: We integrate the secure bank mandate form into your online joining process.

  • Failure Management: We configure rules on how to handle failed payments (e.g., retry 3 times).

  • Notification Setup: We ensure your branding is on the emails sent to customers regarding their payments.

Technical Details

  • Security: ISO 27001 certified and FCA authorised.

  • Schemes: Access to Bacs (UK), SEPA (Euro), ACH (USA), Becs (Aus/NZ).

  • API: Robust API for custom billing flows.

Use Cases

  • Gym Memberships: Collecting £30/month from 500 members.

  • Installment Plans: Allowing a client to pay for a £1000 course in 4 monthly installments of £250.

FAQs

Is it instant? Standard Direct Debit takes 3-4 days to process. However, their “Instant Bank Pay” feature is instant for the first payment.

What happens if a customer cancels the Direct Debit? You receive an instant notification in the dashboard and via webhook, allowing your team to contact the member immediately.