What is a payout and payout schedule?
A payout is when money from a completed payment is deposited into your bank account.
A payout schedule is the time between:
When your client pays you, and
When the money arrives in your bank account
Payment processor differences
These timelines apply only to Bonsai Payments. If you are using:
Stripe
PayPal
They each have their own payout timing. Contact those providers directly for exact details.
Some important notes:
If you're new to Bonsai Payments, your account will start on a Limited Payout schedule.
This is normal and helps reduce risk while your account builds payment history.
As you continue to receive payments successfully:
Your account is automatically reviewed
Your payout speed improves over time
You’ll be moved to faster schedules (no action required)
How payout schedules upgrade
You don’t need to request a change. Payout schedules update automatically based on:
Payment history
Account trust level
Successful transactions
Important: If your payout schedule changes, it only affects future payouts. Any payment already processing will follow the original schedule.
Payout timelines
Users based in the United States
Payout schedule | Duration | Details |
Limited Payouts | 7 to 10 business days | Applies to initial payments through Bonsai. Helps protect both Bonsai and its users. |
Standard Payouts | 2 to 4 business days | For users with an established trust and payment history with Bonsai. |
Instant Payouts | Instant, often within 10 minutes. |
|
Users based in Australia
Payout schedule | Duration | Details |
Limited Payouts | 7 to 10 business days | Applies to initial payments through Bonsai. Helps protect both Bonsai and its users. You'll be automatically moved to Standard Payouts as you build trust. |
Standard Payouts | 2 to 4 business days | For users with an established trust and payment history with Bonsai. |
Users based in Canada and the United Kingdom
Payout schedule | Duration | Details |
Limited & Standard Payouts | 7 to 10 business days | We are not able to offer faster payouts at this stage. |
Why your payment may still be “pending”
If your client pays via ACH bank transfer, the payment does not begin processing immediately.
Pending period: 1–5 business days
This delay is caused by the client’s bank processing the transaction
Once the payment clears:
Your payout schedule begins
The payout timeline (e.g., 2–4 days) starts from that point
Which payout schedule am I on?
Go to Payments in your Bonsai account
Open the action menu
Select Manage Payouts
Your current payout schedule will be highlighted
