| Purpose | Understand how Affirm works with Cloudbeds Payments, when it is available, how it interacts with Smart Policies, and how refunds are handled. |
| Best for | Property admins, managers, owners, and front desk teams using Cloudbeds Payments. |
| Use this when | You want to understand Affirm availability, Booking Engine behavior, transaction minimums, Smart Policies interactions, or refund processing. |
| Requirements | Cloudbeds Payments in the United States or Canada. If the Affirm payment type has not been added yet, follow Set up custom payment methods for the current payment-method setup workflow. |
| Expected result | You can determine when Affirm is available, understand how it behaves with the Cloudbeds Booking Engine and Smart Policies, and initiate an Affirm refund from the reservation folio. |
| Limitations | Affirm does not appear when the amount being charged is below $150 USD in the United States or $50 CAD in Canada. |
Introduction
Affirm is a Buy Now, Pay Later payment method available to eligible Cloudbeds Payments properties in the United States and Canada. Guests can pay an eligible transaction in fixed monthly installments through Affirm while the property receives the payment as one transaction.
Affirm can be offered through supported Cloudbeds Booking Engine experiences or Pay by Link when the applicable requirements are met. The exact Booking Engine experience available to a property can depend on its Cloudbeds package. This article explains Affirm availability, payment behavior, Smart Policies considerations, and refunds.
Setting up the payment type: Affirm may not already appear as an available payment type when you begin setup. If you need to add or manage the payment type, follow Set up custom payment methods. This article focuses on how Affirm works after the applicable payment-method setup is in place.
Table of contents
- Availability and requirements
- Benefits of Affirm
- How Affirm works
- How Affirm works with Smart Policies
- Refund an Affirm transaction
- Frequently asked questions
Availability and requirements
Affirm availability depends on the property's location, Booking Engine experience, payment setup, and transaction amount. Review these requirements before determining whether Affirm can be offered to guests.
| Requirement | What applies |
|---|---|
| Property location | Affirm is available to Cloudbeds Payments customers in the United States and Canada. |
| Payment type setup | If the Affirm payment type is not yet available in your payment-method settings, follow Set up custom payment methods to add or manage the payment type. |
| Cloudbeds Booking Engine | Eligible properties can offer Affirm through the Cloudbeds Booking Engine. The Booking Engine experience and available features can depend on the property's Cloudbeds package. Some properties can use Immersive Experience 2.0. For an overview of the current Booking Engine experience and features, see Cloudbeds Booking Engine overview and features. |
| Pay by Link | Eligible Cloudbeds Payments properties can also offer Affirm through Pay by Link. |
| Minimum amount in the United States | The amount being charged must be at least $150 USD. |
| Minimum amount in Canada | The amount being charged must be at least $50 CAD. |
If the amount being charged is below the applicable minimum, Affirm will not appear as a payment option for the guest.
Benefits of Affirm
Affirm gives eligible guests another way to pay for their stay while allowing the property to receive the payment as one transaction.
- Flexible guest payments: Guests can spread an eligible purchase over monthly installments instead of paying the full amount at once.
- Higher-value booking flexibility: Guests can finance eligible stays and additional booking costs through Affirm.
- Payment to the property: The property receives the payment as one transaction while Affirm manages the guest's installment payments.
- Cloudbeds Payments integration: Eligible properties can offer Affirm through the Cloudbeds Booking Engine or Pay by Link.
How Affirm works
Affirm is not a card payment. It allows guests to finance an eligible payment while the property receives the payment as one transaction. The installment agreement is between the guest and Affirm.
- Guests can select Affirm during an eligible Cloudbeds Booking Engine or Pay by Link checkout.
- Guests pay Affirm over time in monthly installments.
- The property receives the payment in one transaction instead of collecting each guest installment.
- Affirm manages the guest's installment collection and credit risk.
How Affirm works with Smart Policies
The amount collected through Affirm depends on whether the booking is subject to a Smart Policy with a deposit requirement. This can also determine whether Affirm is available to the guest because the amount due at checkout must meet Affirm's minimum transaction amount.
Standard behavior (100% collection)
By default, Affirm is designed to collect 100% of the total booking value at checkout. This allows the guest to finance the entire eligible amount through Affirm.
When Smart Policies are enabled
If an applicable Smart Policy requires a specific deposit, such as 50% due at booking, Affirm is available to pay the required deposit amount instead of the full booking value.
- Deposit collection: Affirm will be available for the amount required at booking by the applicable policy.
- Minimum transaction amount: The required deposit must still meet the Affirm minimum of $150 USD in the United States or $50 CAD in Canada.
Example: If a Smart Policy requires a 10% deposit on a $500 USD booking, the amount due at booking is $50 USD. Affirm will not appear because the amount is below the $150 USD minimum for the United States.
Refund an Affirm transaction
To refund a payment processed through Affirm, initiate the refund from the original Affirm transaction in the reservation folio.
- Open the reservation.
- Open the Folio tab.
- Locate the transaction processed through Affirm.
- Click the gear icon next to the transaction.
- Click Refund Transaction.
After the refund is initiated from Cloudbeds, Affirm manages the refund to the guest according to Affirm's terms.
For the complete Cloudbeds Payments refund workflow, including refund amounts and processing steps, see Cloudbeds Payments - How to Process Refunds.
Frequently asked questions
Expand the question that matches what you need to know about using Affirm with Cloudbeds Payments.
How much does it cost to use Affirm?
There is no extra cost to enable Affirm for Cloudbeds.
What installment options does Affirm provide to guests?
Guests can pay eligible Affirm transactions over time in monthly installments.
How do guests pay with Affirm?
Eligible guests can select Affirm as a payment option through Pay by Link or a supported Cloudbeds Booking Engine experience when the property and transaction meet the applicable requirements. Affirm can email and text guests reminders before payments are due.
Why does Affirm not appear as a payment option?
Affirm may not appear when the property or transaction does not meet the applicable requirements. Common reasons include:
- The Affirm payment type has not been added or configured yet.
- The property is outside the United States or Canada.
- The amount being charged is below $150 USD in the United States or $50 CAD in Canada.
- The property's Cloudbeds Booking Engine package or payment setup does not support the applicable Affirm checkout experience.
- An applicable Smart Policy reduces the amount due at booking below the Affirm minimum.
If the payment type has not been added yet, follow Set up custom payment methods.
Which Cloudbeds Booking Engine experience supports Affirm?
Cloudbeds Booking Engine features can vary by package. Some properties can use Immersive Experience 2.0 as part of their Booking Engine setup. Review Cloudbeds Booking Engine overview and features for the current Booking Engine experience and Set up and customize Cloudbeds Booking Engine Immersive Experience 2.0 if your package includes that experience.
Related articles
Review these resources for broader Cloudbeds Payments and Booking Engine guidance related to using Affirm:
Comments
What happens when a guest cancels an Affirm paid booking? How are refunds processed for these transactions?
Hello, Erica Beers!
In this case, we initiate the refund process to Affirm. However, Affirm is the intermediate between your property and the guest, meaning that they (Affirm) are in charge of refunding the guest under their own terms after we initiate the refund from our side.
Kind regards!
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