When money moves through Crafted Call, two kinds of fees can apply: the Stripe processing fee (the payment processor's cut for moving the money) and the Crafted Call platform fee (a small fee for using the platform). They're separate, they're charged by different parties, and they apply differently to entry fees, ticket sales, and artwork sales. This guide breaks down what each is, when it applies, and where to see it.
Note: Exact figures depend on your plan and your organization's settings. The numbers below reflect the platform's standard structure; check your plan and Stripe account for the rates that apply to you.
The Two Fees at a Glance
Stripe processing fee — charged by Stripe, the payment processor. This is the cost of accepting a card payment. The standard rate is 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (international cards run higher). Stripe deducts this automatically; Crafted Call never adds it on top.
Crafted Call platform fee — charged by Crafted Call for running the transaction through the platform. What this looks like depends on the transaction type:
For artwork and other sales, it's a small percentage of the sale (the standard commerce fee is 0.5%, capped at $5 per transaction; your plan may set a different sales commission rate).
For call entry fees, it's a small per-submission fee set by your plan rather than a percentage.
Tip: Think of it this way — Stripe's fee is the cost of moving the money; the platform fee is the cost of using Crafted Call to do it.
How Each Fee Applies by Transaction Type
Entry Fees (Calls for Artists)
When an artist pays to submit to a call:
Stripe takes its processing fee (2.9% + $0.30) on the charge.
Crafted Call applies a small per-submission platform fee. This is set by your plan — lower-priced plans pay a higher per-submission fee, higher plans pay less per submission.
You can choose to pass these fees on to the artist (so the displayed entry fee already covers them) or absorb them yourself, depending on how you set up the call.
Ticket & Event Sales
When someone buys a ticket or pays for an event:
takes its processing fee on the charge.
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Stripe
Crafted Call applies its commerce platform fee on the sale, the same way it does for product sales.
Artwork Sales
When a buyer purchases artwork:
Stripe takes its processing fee on the total.
Crafted Call applies its commerce platform fee (the small percentage with the per-transaction cap).
Your gallery commission then comes out of the sale on top of that, leaving the artist's net payout. Commission is your gallery's arrangement with the artist and is separate from the platform and processing fees.
So an artwork sale has up to three slices: the processor's fee, the platform fee, and your commission — with the remainder going to the artist.
Who Bears the Fees
This is configurable, and it's worth deciding deliberately:
Stripe processing fees are deducted from the transaction. You can structure a charge so the buyer/artist covers the fees (the amount they pay is grossed up so you receive the full base amount) or so your organization absorbs them (the fees come out of what you receive).
The Crafted Call platform fee comes out of the transaction as well, following the same cover-or-absorb choice you make for that flow.
Gallery commission on a sale is set by you and comes out of the sale before the artist's payout.
Important: If your organization absorbs all fees on a low-value sale, it's possible for fees to eat most or all of your commission on that item. The platform surfaces this rather than hiding it, so you can see when a sale costs you more than it earns. Price and fee-coverage settings accordingly.
A Worked Example
Say a buyer purchases a piece for $100, and the buyer covers nothing (your gallery absorbs fees), with a 30% gallery commission:
Stripe processing fee: 2.9% + $0.30 = about $3.20
Crafted Call platform fee: 0.5% = $0.50
Gallery commission (30%):$30 — out of which the fees above come
Artist payout (70%):$70
The exact split depends on your commission rate, your plan's platform fee, and who you've set to cover the processing fees. The point is the layering: processor fee, platform fee, commission, then the artist's share.
How to See Fees on a Transaction
Crafted Call records the fee breakdown so you're never guessing:
On a payment or order, you can see the gross amount alongside the Stripe processing fee, the platform fee, and the net your organization received.
Your financial reports roll these up so you can see total fees over a period.
For payouts, the artist's net reflects the sale minus commission and fees.
If a number ever looks off, start with the individual transaction's breakdown, then check your reports.
Best Practices
Decide who covers fees before you launch a call or list work. Changing it later confuses artists and buyers.
Mind the cap. The commerce platform fee is capped per transaction, so it matters less on large sales and more (proportionally) on small ones.
Watch low-value items. Fixed fees like Stripe's $0.30 hit small charges hardest.
Reconcile against Stripe. Your Stripe dashboard is the source of truth for processing fees; Crafted Call mirrors them in your records.
FAQs
Does Crafted Call add the Stripe fee on top of its own?
No. Stripe charges its processing fee directly; Crafted Call's platform fee is separate and never bundles the Stripe fee.
Why is the fee bigger on a $5 charge than a $50 charge, proportionally?
The fixed $0.30 part of Stripe's fee is a larger share of a small charge. Per-percentage fees scale; the flat fee doesn't.
Can I make the artist or buyer pay the fees?
Yes — you can set a charge so the fees are added to what they pay, or absorb the fees yourself. It's a per-flow choice.
