Pay what you want classes

A pay what you want class books a free spot: no pass, no order. After the class, each member gets a link to pay what they want, at least your minimum. It is on the Starter plan and up, and needs your Stripe account connected and able to take payments.

Switch it on

Pay what you want is a module in Settings, Features. The owner or an admin switches Pay what you want on there.

Note: Studios that were already on elastudio before 27 October 2026 have this module off until the owner or an admin switches it on. Until then members see no label, no link and no e-mail from it.

Set it on a class type

This makes every class of that type pay what you want. Only the owner and admins can do it.

1. Open Class types (in Settings, under What you sell) and open the class type.
2. Turn on Pay what you want.
3. Under Suggested amounts, fill in Amount 1 and, with Add an amount, up to four amounts. Each must be above zero and different. Members see them smallest first.
4. Set the Minimum. At zero, members can choose not to pay. Each suggested amount must be at least the minimum.
5. Leave Also make the upcoming classes of this type book free ticked to switch the classes already on the schedule too. A class with its own booking mode is left as it is.
6. Save the class type.

While it is on, the type’s default booking mode is Free, no pass needed. Turning pay what you want off never changes a booking mode back.

Set it on one class

Open the class on the Schedule. In the Pay what you want section, choose under Pay what you want for this class: Same as the class type, On for this class (with its own amounts and minimum) or Off for this class, then select Save. Turning it on makes that class book free. Whoever can edit the schedule can do this (owner, admins and front desk).

If pay what you want is on but the class does not book free, elastudio warns you that no links go out.

What members see

On your booking page and the booking widget, the class shows a Pay what you want label. Members book it for free, without a pass.

When the class ends, everyone still booked gets the e-mail Pay what you want link after class in their language, with the class, your suggested amounts, the minimum and a link. No-shows and cancelled bookings get nothing, and nobody gets it twice. You can edit or switch off this e-mail in Settings, Messages; switched off, no links go out.

The link opens a page with your studio’s look:

• your suggested amounts as choices, and Another amount (at least the minimum, with a ceiling that stops typos);
• Pay by card, which opens Stripe’s secure page. The member gets the usual receipt;
• I’d rather not pay, when the minimum is zero. They can still pay later from the same link.

An unpaid try is never chased by e-mail.

What staff see on the class

The owner, admins and front desk see the Pay what you want section on the class (teachers do not). Before the end it says The links go out by e-mail when the class ends. After, Who paid what lists each person with Not sent yet, Link sent, Paying, Paid and the amount, Chose not to pay or Refunded, and a total such as “3 of 5 paid, $60.00 in total”.

Once the class has ended, Send the links now sends the links that have not gone out yet. It never sends one twice.

Report and refunds

Reports, Pay what you want (under Classes) lists each pay what you want class in the dates you pick, with Booked, Paid, Chose not to pay and Amount (refunds taken off), the totals and the average. Select Export CSV to download it. It is for those who can see every report.

Each payment is an order in Sales. To give money back, refund that order like any other.

If your studio moves below Starter, classes already set up keep sending links, but you cannot set up new ones. Switching it off works on any plan.