For independent trainers, bootcamps & workshops

Instalment payments for bootcamps, workshops and independent training providers

Selling a £1,200 weekend workshop or a £6,000 cohort bootcamp is a much easier yes when it is not one big payment up front. PlanPacer lets you take a deposit, split the rest into clear instalments, and stop running your enrolments out of a spreadsheet.

Two-minute intro. No demo deck. I just want to hear how deposits and balances flow through your current setup.

Example: 12-week part-time bootcamp

£4,800 fee, split into a deposit and three instalments

£600 depositOn enrolment
£1,4007 days before start
£1,400Week 4
£1,400Week 8
Powered by Stripe · Dates aligned to your cohort · No guest account required

Built for

If this sounds like your programme, PlanPacer fits

Multi-week bootcamps

Coding, data, UX, product, design and AI cohorts that run for 6–16 weeks and need a deposit plus monthly instalments.

Weekend and short-form workshops

Two- or three-day intensives where you want a deposit on sign-up and the balance shortly before the event.

Cohort-based courses

Coaching, accelerators, mentorship programmes and operator schools with a fixed end date.

Certifications and CPD courses

Multi-module programmes where instalments line up with each unit or assessment.

Example schedules

Three real shapes a training payment plan takes

These are the patterns providers ask for most often. PlanPacer fits all of them with the same setup.

Example 1

Weekend workshop · £450

  • £100 depositOn sign-up
  • £350 balance7 days before

Replaces: "PayPal me when you can".

Example 2

8-week cohort · £2,400

  • £400 depositOn enrolment
  • £500 x 4Monthly

Replaces: four Stripe invoices and a calendar reminder.

Example 3

Flagship bootcamp · £7,500

  • £1,000 depositHold seat
  • £3,250Start of programme
  • £3,250Mid-programme

Replaces: a wire-transfer chase via email.

Why this matters

Independent training has an awkward middle

You are not a university, so you do not have a finance office. You are not Coursera, so you cannot quietly absorb churn. You sell a finite programme to a real human who needs to make one decision: can I afford this? An instalment plan is usually how that decision turns into a yes.

More conversions

Splitting a four-figure fee into instalments removes the biggest reason participants ghost on the final email.

Earlier commitment

A deposit converts an interested lead into someone who has financially committed to a cohort start date.

Fewer Sundays in spreadsheets

Scheduled charges and one dashboard replace invoice-chasing, Notion trackers and "did James pay yet?" messages.

How it works

From "do you do payment plans?" to paid in four steps

1. Define your plan once

Set the fee, the deposit and the instalment dates that match your cohort.

2. Share a link

Drop the PlanPacer link into your enrolment email, application accept or sales call follow-up.

3. Participant pays the deposit

They check out through Stripe and see the full schedule of what will be charged later.

4. Future instalments run automatically

Stripe charges the saved card on each scheduled date. Failed payments surface on your dashboard so nothing slips quietly.

Common objections

"Yes, but…" — answered honestly

"We already use Stripe invoices."

Great. PlanPacer sits on top of Stripe and replaces the manual invoice-per-instalment workflow with a schedule that runs itself. Your payouts still arrive in your existing Stripe account.

"We don't want to be a lender."

You aren't. There is no credit, no underwriting and no BNPL provider in the middle. You and the participant agree a schedule, and Stripe charges their card on those dates.

"What if someone's card fails on instalment 3?"

Failed charges are flagged on the dashboard and Stripe retries them. You decide how to handle a participant who can't pay — under your own terms — rather than finding out three weeks later.

"My cohort dates keep shifting."

Plans can be edited after they're sent. Move a date, change an amount, or pause a plan if a participant defers to the next cohort.

"My checkout is already on Teachable / Podia / Kajabi."

Keep it. Use PlanPacer for participants who specifically need an instalment plan, alongside your usual upfront checkout. Most providers do both.

"My deposit is non-refundable. Will participants understand that?"

Your terms appear on the checkout and on the participant's plan page. Each instalment has its own dated receipt, so the agreement is documented end to end.

Frequently asked questions

Who is PlanPacer for?

Independent training providers, bootcamps, cohort programmes and workshop leaders who sell higher-ticket training and want participants to pay across scheduled instalments instead of one large upfront payment.

Can I take a non-refundable deposit?

Yes. You set the deposit amount, when it is due and what it covers. Your terms appear on the checkout and on the participant's plan page.

What if a participant drops out or misses a payment?

You can see the status of every plan from one dashboard, including upcoming, paid and attention-needed payments. Failed charges are flagged so you can decide how to handle each case under your own terms.

Is this BNPL or student finance?

No. PlanPacer is not a lender. Participants pay you directly through Stripe on dates you both agreed. There is no third-party credit check and no underwriting.

Does it work for international participants?

Yes. Plans support multiple currencies and Stripe-supported payment methods. Pricing is shown in the currency you set, and participants pay in that currency.

Do you replace my course platform or LMS?

No. PlanPacer handles payment collection only. Keep your existing enrolment, Slack community, LMS or Notion hub, and send a PlanPacer link when a participant is ready to pay.

How long does setup take?

Most providers are sending live payment links the same day. Connect Stripe, define your deposit and instalment schedule, then share the link.

Can I offer different plans for different cohorts?

Yes. Each cohort, retreat or workshop can have its own deposit, instalment count and dates. You can also set scholarship pricing or partner discounts on a per-plan basis.

Related PlanPacer guides

How are you taking deposits today?

Stripe invoices? A bank transfer and a Notion tracker? PayPal? Send me the rough shape of how participants pay you and I will sketch how the deposit, instalments and final balance would look in PlanPacer.

Tell me how you take deposits today

No demo deck, no sales call — a short reply with what your current setup looks like is enough.