SquadTrip vs WeTravel (2026): Fees, Payment Plans and Which to Choose

TL;DR:

• Fees: SquadTrip's Starter plan is free, and travelers pay a single 6% processing fee on top of the trip price, so the organizer receives the full price. WeTravel's Basic plan is $0 and Pro is $79/month; card payments cost 2.9% and up, plus a WeTravel booking fee whose rate is not published.
• Who pays: on SquadTrip the traveler pays the 6% at checkout. On WeTravel the organizer decides whether to absorb card and booking fees or pass them to travelers.
• Payment plans: both take deposits and run automatic payment plans. WeTravel allows up to 24 installments.
• Buy Now Pay Later: on SquadTrip, US travelers can also pay with Buy Now Pay Later (Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm); a 4% convenience fee is added to their total when they do. WeTravel's published payment methods for USD do not include them.
• Where WeTravel leads: multi-currency checkout, 0% ACH and other local bank payments, an itinerary builder and a travel CRM.

SquadTrip and WeTravel both sell trips where many travelers book and pay on their own schedule: retreats, group trips, tours and multi-day departures. This comparison covers what each platform charges, who pays those fees, how payment plans and Buy Now Pay Later work, and which one fits which kind of trip.

WeTravel figures come from WeTravel's own pricing page, payment-processing page and help center, checked on 30 Sep 2026. Comparing more than two platforms? See the best WeTravel alternatives.

What Each Platform Is Built For

1. SquadTrip

• Booking pages for retreats, group trips and tours
• Room and package options
• Deposits and automatic payment plans
• Registration forms and e-signature waivers
• Messaging and affiliate tracking
• A single 6% processing fee, paid by the traveler on top of the trip price
• US travelers can also pay with Buy Now Pay Later (Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm); a 4% convenience fee is added to their total when they do

2. WeTravel

• Integrated checkout, book-now buttons and website trip widgets on both plans
• Payment plans of 1 to 24 installments, with reminders and optional auto-billing
• Multi-currency checkout, with trips priced in currencies including USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD and MXN
• Local bank payments at 0%, such as ACH in the US, SEPA Direct Debit in Europe and PAD in Canada
• An itinerary builder, a travel CRM and a supplier network with free WeTravel transfers
• A Pro plan that adds eSignature, participant tasks, rooming and flight lists and inventory management
• Preferential rates for 501(c)(3) organizations and student trips from selected universities, on request

The short version: SquadTrip puts one fee on the traveler and pays the organizer the full price. WeTravel publishes card rates by currency, adds a booking fee whose rate it does not publish, and lets the organizer decide who pays.

Pricing Compared (as of 30 Sep 2026)

SquadTrip pricing is from SquadTrip. WeTravel pricing is from WeTravel's pricing page, payment-processing page and help center, checked 30 Sep 2026. WeTravel card rates are for USD payments.

Other WeTravel costs worth knowing:

• Local bank payouts are free. International wire payouts cost $15 per transfer.
• On a refund, WeTravel returns its booking fee but deducts the card processing fee from the organizer's balance.
• Pro is billed per organization, with no extra charge for team members. It runs month to month, and you can pay monthly or yearly.

What a $1,000 Trip Costs on Each Platform

Here is the same $1,000 trip, paid by card, handled three ways.

1. SquadTrip

• The traveler pays $1,060 at checkout.
• The organizer receives $1,000.
• There is no separate card fee: the 6% includes Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢.

2. WeTravel, organizer absorbs the fees

• The traveler pays $1,000.
• For a Visa or Mastercard payment in USD, $29 in card fees and the WeTravel booking fee come out of the organizer's $1,000.
• Because the booking fee rate is not published, the exact payout cannot be worked out from WeTravel's public pages. The minimum booking fee is $1.50 per transaction.
• On a payment plan, each installment is a separate payment, and WeTravel's help center says its fee is charged per transaction, with the $1.50 minimum.
• A traveler who pays by ACH avoids the card fee, since ACH is 0%.

3. WeTravel, organizer passes the fees on

• The traveler pays $1,000 plus the card fee and the booking fee, and the organizer receives $1,000.
• WeTravel's help center says that when fees are passed on, the card fee is added at checkout only if the traveler pays by card or wire. Paying from a local bank account adds no card fee.
• On Pro, $79 a month applies on top of any per-payment fees.

4. What the example shows

• On SquadTrip, the fee is one fixed percentage and the traveler sees it at checkout.
• On WeTravel, the cost depends on the payment method and your fee settings, and it can be lower when most travelers pay by ACH.
• On a payment plan, count every installment, because WeTravel's booking fee is charged per transaction.
• Compare the total a traveler pays and the amount you keep, not only the headline percentage.

Payment Plans, Deposits and Buy Now Pay Later

1. Deposits and installments

• SquadTrip: deposits and automatic payment plans, so each traveler's balance is collected on a schedule instead of through reminder emails you write yourself.
• WeTravel: a deposit and payment plan can be added to each package or add-on, with 1 to 24 installments on the dates and amounts you choose.
• WeTravel extras: automatic reminders when an installment is due, optional auto-billing to a saved payment method, partial payments, and automatic re-spreading of missed installments for late bookings.

2. Buy Now Pay Later

• SquadTrip: US travelers can also pay with Buy Now Pay Later (Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm); a 4% convenience fee is added to their total when they do.
• WeTravel: its published payment methods for USD are cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, ACH and wire. Klarna, Afterpay and Affirm are not listed. WeTravel describes its own installment plans as "buy now, pay later."

3. Choosing between them

• If travelers are happy to pay on your schedule, both platforms cover it.
• If some travelers would rather spread the cost with Klarna, Afterpay or Affirm, SquadTrip offers that to US travelers, with a 4% convenience fee added to their total.
• Set deposit and refund terms before you open bookings. See retreat deposit policies and Buy Now Pay Later for group trips.

Keep the full trip price on every booking. SquadTrip gives you a booking page with deposits, automatic payment plans, registration forms and e-signature waivers. Free to use.

Registration Forms, Waivers, Rooms and Messaging

1. Registration forms

• SquadTrip: registration forms for dietary needs, emergency contacts, passport details and anything else you need from each traveler.
• WeTravel: customizable questionnaires, plus participant tasks on Pro that collect required traveler information before departure.
• For a field-by-field list, see what to include in a registration form.

2. Waivers and e-signatures

• SquadTrip: e-signature waivers.
• WeTravel: eSignature is a Pro feature.
• For waiver wording, see the retreat waiver guide.

3. Rooms, packages and add-ons

• SquadTrip: room and package options on the booking page.
• WeTravel: packages and add-ons on both plans, with rooming and flight lists and inventory management on Pro.

4. Messaging and partners

• SquadTrip: messaging with travelers, and affiliate tracking for partners who promote your trips.
• WeTravel: scheduled messages on both plans, and a supplier network with free WeTravel transfers.

Which to Choose for Retreats, Group Trips and Tours

1. Retreats

• Choose SquadTrip if you want guests to see one fee at checkout while you receive the full price, and you need deposits, registration forms, e-signature waivers and room options in one place.
• Choose WeTravel if your retreat draws guests from several countries and multi-currency checkout matters more to you than a single fee.
• Planning your first one? Start with how to plan a retreat.

2. Group trips

• Choose SquadTrip for community, church, alumni and friend trips where you want the fee paid by the traveler rather than taken from your payout, or where some US travelers want Klarna, Afterpay or Affirm (a 4% convenience fee is added to their total when they use it).
• Choose WeTravel if most travelers will pay by ACH and you are comfortable setting fee rules for each trip.

3. Tours and multi-day departures

• Choose WeTravel if you want an itinerary builder, a travel CRM, inventory management and supplier payments in one system.
• Choose SquadTrip if each departure needs a booking page with packages, deposits and automatic payment plans, plus affiliate tracking for partners who sell your tours.

4. International groups

• Choose WeTravel when travelers pay in different currencies. Its multi-currency checkout and 0% local bank payments in the US, Europe, the UK, Canada, Australia and Mexico are built for that.
• SquadTrip's Buy Now Pay Later options are for US travelers.

Questions to Ask Before You Decide

1. Who should pay the fees? SquadTrip puts a single 6% fee on the traveler. WeTravel lets you absorb fees or pass them on, trip by trip.
2. How will most travelers pay? On WeTravel, the mix of cards, ACH and wires changes your total. On SquadTrip, the 6% already covers card fees.
3. Which features sit on a paid plan? On WeTravel, eSignature, participant tasks, rooming lists and inventory management are Pro features at $79/month. Check the same for any platform you consider.
4. What happens to fees on a refund? WeTravel returns its booking fee but keeps the card processing fee, deducted from your balance. Ask every vendor this before you sign up.
5. Do travelers pay in more than one currency? If yes, test WeTravel's multi-currency checkout with a real trip.
6. Will some travelers want to finance the trip? On SquadTrip, US travelers can also pay with Buy Now Pay Later (Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm); a 4% convenience fee is added to their total when they do. WeTravel offers its own installment plans instead.
7. Do you need an itinerary builder or a CRM? WeTravel includes both. If you already keep itineraries and contacts elsewhere, you may not need them in your booking tool.

Switching from WeTravel to SquadTrip

1. Export your travelers. WeTravel's traveler manifest can be exported to Excel.
2. Let active payment plans finish. Keep trips with installments in progress on WeTravel until the final payment, and move new departures first.
3. Rebuild each new trip on SquadTrip. Add the booking page, room and package options, deposit and automatic payment plan, registration form and e-signature waiver.
4. Book a test trip yourself. Go through checkout, the registration form and the waiver as a traveler before you share the link.
5. Replace your booking links. Update your website, emails and social profiles so new travelers land on the SquadTrip booking page.
6. Review payouts on both sides. If payout timing is part of the reason you are switching, read WeTravel payout issues first.

The Bottom Line

• Pick SquadTrip if you want a single 6% fee paid by the traveler, the full trip price for yourself, deposits and automatic payment plans, and Buy Now Pay Later (Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm) for US travelers, who pay a 4% convenience fee when they use it.
• Pick WeTravel if you sell to travelers in several currencies, expect many bank transfers, or want an itinerary builder and CRM next to your bookings.
• Either way, price one real trip on both platforms with the card and bank-transfer mix you expect before you commit.

Stop chasing deposits and installments by hand. SquadTrip gives you booking pages, deposits, automatic payment plans and messaging for retreats, group trips and tours. Free to use.