Payment Methods
WikiDeal:Economics NEWWikiDeal offers two fundamentally different payment methods, each with distinct fee implications. The choice of payment method directly affects the total cost of a Transaction. Understanding this distinction helps users make informed decisions and reduces Transaction friction.
| Credit card | +2.9% fees |
| Internal payment | 0% (FREE) |
| Fee bearer | Buyer (added on top) |
| Provider (card) | Stripe / equivalent |
| Internal source | WikiDeal platform account |
Two Ways to Pay
WikiDeal recognises that payment Infrastructure costs are real and must be transparently allocated. Rather than hiding Transaction fees inside the Commission or averaging them across all users, WikiDeal makes payment method costs explicit and user-controlled. You choose how you pay; you know exactly what it costs.
Credit Card Payment (+ Transaction Fees)
When a user pays by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) via Stripe or an equivalent payment processor, the Transaction fee is added on top of the Transaction value. The buyer pays more; the seller receives the negotiated amount.
Card Transaction fee (Stripe): +2.9%
Total paid by buyer: 102.90 EUR
Received by seller: 100 EUR
Fee goes to: Stripe / payment processor (not WikiDeal)
Key principles:
- Transaction fees are added — not hidden inside the price
- The fee goes to the payment processor (Stripe), not to WikiDeal
- The displayed Transaction price is always the pre-fee amount
- The buyer sees the fee breakdown before confirming
Internal Platform Payment (Free)
Users who pre-fund their WikiDeal platform account can transact without any Transaction fee. This "internal payment" method uses funds already in the WikiDeal system — no credit card network is involved, so no processing fee is charged.
Internal Transaction fee: 0%
Total paid by buyer: 100 EUR
Received by seller: 100 EUR
Fee: NONE
Internal Payment Workflow:
1 Fund your account
Transfer money to your WikiDeal platform account via bank transfer or initial card payment
2 Funds sit in your WikiDeal wallet
Your balance is held in the WikiDeal system, ready to use for any Transaction on the platform
3 Pay from your WikiDeal account
When making a Transaction, select "Pay from WikiDeal balance" — no card, no fee
4 Transaction completes instantly
The amount moves between WikiDeal accounts — no external network involved
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Aspect | Credit Card | Internal Payment |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction fee | +2.9% (Stripe) | 0% (FREE) |
| Who pays the fee | Buyer (added on top) | N/A |
| Setup required | None — use any card | Pre-fund account via transfer/card |
| Speed | Instant | Instant |
| Withdrawal available | N/A | Yes (bank transfer out) |
| Best for | One-off, irregular Transactions | Regular users, frequent Transactions |
Implications for Commission Calculation
Transaction fees (card processing) are separate from WikiDeal Commissions. When calculating the total cost of a Transaction:
Total cost (internal) = Transaction value + WikiDeal Commissions (1.5% + UG%) + 0%
Example — 100 EUR babysitting service:
Commission (1.5% central + 3.5% UG = 5%): +5 EUR
Card fee (2.9%): +2.90 EUR
TOTAL (card): 107.90 EUR
TOTAL (internal): 105 EUR