Who pays what, and when
Private or public match, with one, two or four players, online or at the front desk: here's what gets charged, when, and what happens when a match doesn't fill up.
Authorization first, charge right before the match
A padel booking is paid in two stages. That's the mechanism that lets a match fill up without anyone fronting money for the others.
Your share is authorized
Your card is verified and your share is set aside. Nothing is charged, nothing shows up on your statement.
The charge goes through on its own
A few hours before the start, the authorization turns into a payment. Each club sets this delay — often one hour before.
Before it, everything is reversible
As long as the charge hasn't gone through, cancelling simply releases the authorization. After, the share is due.
Private match: one payer. Public match: everyone pays their share.
You pay for the spots you open
Nobody from outside can join. You choose to pay for two spots — your team, with the other two players paying theirs — or all four, and the court is yours. A private match can be played with two, three, or four players.
Each player authorizes their own share
You authorize yours by posting the match, others authorize theirs by joining, and everyone is charged at the same time. You never pay for a player you don't know.
A private match counts toward rankings only if all four players are named: without them, there's no score to enter.
You're one, two, or already four
You're on your own, the match is more than 24h away
public match
Only your own share is authorized. The three remaining spots go to players in your skill range.
You're on your own, the match is less than 24h away
public match
Two shares are authorized, and you name the player for the second one: they play for free. The last two spots remain open.
There are two of you
private or public
In private, you pay for both your spots and keep the match closed. In public, you open the other two and whoever takes them pays their own share.
There are three or four of you
private match
You pay for the whole court and split it however you like, or each pays their share from their own account. The match stays closed.
Online, at the front desk, or both
The common case
Authorized at booking, charged before the match, straight to the club's account. Email confirmation at every step.
Top up once, book in one tap
The balance is charged immediately at booking. It belongs to the club where you topped it up, isn't transferable, doesn't expire, and is credited back if you cancel.
If the club allows it
Your booking is logged in the club's schedule and you pay on site. A single match can mix shares paid online and shares paid at the desk.
What you get back, case by case
You leave a match before the charge
Free, no conditions. The authorization is released, your spot goes back to other players, and the match carries on without you.
You leave a match after the charge
Your share is paid and stays due. You can free up your spot for the others to play, but there's nothing left to get back.
The match stays incomplete
It's automatically canceled before the charge time. Nobody is charged, the authorizations drop, and the slot goes back to the club.
You created the match and you cancel it
You don't have an individual exit: canceling cancels for everyone. Before the charge, everyone is even. After, the other players are refunded to their card and your share stays with the club.
The club sets when the charge happens
The delay between the charge and the start of the match is a club setting. A short delay lets slots fill up until the last moment; a long delay secures revenue. Payments arrive directly on the club's Stripe account, with no middleman and no commission from us: on a €28 booking, the club receives €28.
What we get asked the most
When is my card charged?+
Not at booking: the amount is only authorized. The charge goes through automatically a few hours before the match, based on the delay set by the club.
Can I book a public match on my own?+
Yes. More than 24h before the match, one share is enough. Under 24h, you need to authorize two shares and name the player for the second one.
What happens if nobody joins my match?+
The match is automatically canceled before the charge time. The authorization is released and nothing is charged.
Who pays what in a public match?+
Each player pays their own share. Whoever opens the match authorizes theirs when posting it; others authorize theirs when joining, with the same charge time.
Do I get refunded if I cancel?+
Before the charge time, yes: the authorization is simply released. After, the share is due and no longer refundable.
Can I pay at the front desk instead of online?+
If the club allows it, yes. A single match can mix shares paid online and shares paid at the desk.
Can I use my prepaid balance at any club?+
No, it's tied to the club where you topped it up and isn't transferable. It doesn't expire, though.