Pay by Instalments allows donors to commit to a single donation amount and spread the payment over a fixed number of monthly instalments.
Unlike recurring donations, instalments represent one donation commitment that is paid overtime. The donor makes one pledge for the full amount, and the remaining payments are automatically collected on the selected schedule.
Enabling Pay by Instalments
Please Note: Pay by Instalments is an optional feature that must first be enabled for your organization.
Once enabled, administrators can configure these settings within the Fundraiser’s Donations settings.
To turn on Pay by installments within a fundraiser, please follow the steps below:
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Login to the fundraiser
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Click Manage fundraiser in the top right corner
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Click Donation settings in the menu on the left
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Scroll to Pay by installments and toggle on Accept installment donations
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Set the Installment duration and Payment schedule options
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Scroll down and click Save
Donor Checkout Experience
The Pay by Instalments option is only displayed when all of the following conditions are met:
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Pay by Instalments is enabled for the fundraiser.
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The donor selects a One-Time donation.
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The donation amount is greater than $0.
If multiple options are available, donors can choose:
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Pay Now or Pay by Instalments
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The number of monthly payments
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Their preferred monthly payment date
Before completing checkout, donors will see a payment preview showing:
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Total donation amount
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Amount of each monthly payment
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Number of scheduled payments
The donation is then processed as a single pledged donation with an instalment schedule attached.
How Payments Work
When a donor selects Pay by Installments:
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The donor's full donation commitment (pledge) is created immediately.
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The first instalment is charged immediately using the selected payment method.
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The payment method is securely stored for future scheduled payments.
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Remaining installments are automatically charged on the selected monthly schedule.
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Once all scheduled payments have been successfully collected, the installment plan is completed automatically.
Unlike recurring donations, installment plans are not subscriptions. They are a single donation commitment that is fulfilled through multiple scheduled payments.
Fundraiser Status
Once a donor commits to an instalment plan, the payment schedule will continue even if the fundraiser has been:
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Closed
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Archived
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Ended
This ensures donors can complete the commitment they originally made.
Donation Receipts
After each successful instalment payment, the donor receives a payment receipt showing their current progress.
Receipt summaries include:
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Amount paid
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Total pledged amount
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Remaining balance
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Number of payments completed
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Total number of scheduled payments
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Date of the next scheduled payment (when applicable)
If there are no remaining scheduled payments, the receipt will indicate that the instalment plan has been completed.
Please Note: If you use a custom receipt template that does not include the transaction summary, the instalment progress section will automatically be added to the donor receipt.
Reporting
For reporting purposes, the original pledge represents the donation.
The individual monthly payments are treated as fulfilments of that pledge and are not counted as separate donations.
This ensures donation totals, fundraising progress, donor counts, and leaderboards remain accurate without double-counting payments.
Administrators can view instalment progress, including:
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Total pledge amount
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Amount collected
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Remaining balance
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Percentage completed
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Number of payments completed
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Total scheduled payments
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Next scheduled payment
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Saved card details (brand, last four digits, and expiry)
Transaction details also provide links between the original pledge and all associated instalment payments, making it easy to review the complete payment history.
Managing Instalment Plans
If an instalment payment fails, administrators can:
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View the reason for the failed payment.
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Update the donor's saved payment method.
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Retry the missed payment.
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Close the instalment plan at the amount already collected if no further payments will be processed.
Refunds
Refunds apply only to individual instalment payments that have already been charged.
Refunding an instalment payment does not automatically refund or remove the original pledge.
If an instalment payment is refunded while the plan is still active:
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The donor's paid progress is reduced.
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Future scheduled payments continue as planned.
If a payment from a completed or already closed instalment plan is refunded:
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The pledged amount is adjusted to match the amount successfully collected.
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The instalment plan is marked as closed.
This ensures donation totals, fundraising reports, and donor leaderboards continue to accurately reflect the amount received.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can donors change an instalment plan after donating?
No. Donors cannot modify the payment amount, payment schedule, or number of instalments after the donation has been submitted. If changes are required, please contact your CrowdChange support team.
Is Pay by Instalments the same as recurring donations?
No. Recurring donations create an ongoing monthly or annual subscription until cancelled.
Pay by Instalments creates a single donation commitment that is automatically completed after the selected number of monthly payments have been collected.
Will instalment payments continue after my fundraiser ends?
Yes. Existing instalment plans continue until all scheduled payments have been completed, even if the fundraiser has been closed or archived.
Do instalment payments count as multiple donations?
No. The original pledge is counted as the donation. Individual instalment payments are recorded as fulfilments of that pledge and are excluded from donation totals and donor leaderboards to prevent double-counting.