Understory Pay can be activated directly from your Understory back office.
Follow the steps below:
Step 1: Start activation
Log in to your Understory back office
Go to Company settings → Integrations
Select Understory Pay
Click Get started
You will now enter the onboarding flow.
Step 2: Complete verification (KYC)
To activate Understory Pay, you must complete a standard verification process (Know Your Customer).
You will be asked to provide:
Company details
Bank account information for payouts
Information about owners and decision-makers
Identity verification
👉 Read more about the KYC process here: Verification process (KYC) for Understory Pay
Step 3: Approval and go live
Once your KYC is approved:
Understory Pay is automatically activated in your checkout
Payments are captured automatically and linked to bookings
Payouts are sent directly to your registered bank account
No further configuration is required.
How to verify activation
Not sure whether your setup is complete? You can verify in under a minute:
Open your Understory back office
Click the Pay tab in the sidebar
Check what you see:
What you see | What it means |
The Pay tab shows a balance, transaction list, or "Active" status | ✅ Understory Pay is active. You can receive payments. |
The Pay tab shows "Verification pending" or "KYC in review" | ⏳ Your application is submitted and awaiting approval (typically 1–2 business days). You will be notified by email if any additional information is needed. |
You cannot see the Pay tab at all | ❌ Onboarding is not yet complete. Go to Company settings → Integrations → Understory Pay → Get started. |
Still unsure? Reach out to our support team — we can check your application status in minutes.
👉 Switching from Stripe? See: Switching from Stripe to Understory Pay