Autopay in Playground saves time and ensures prompt tuition payments. It charges the desired payment method for the full balance due on each statement due date. Autopay settings can be customized for each student, allowing different payment methods if multiple methods or students are associated with the account.
Autopay always triggers a payment for the total balance due. If enabled with an existing balance, it will be paid off on the next statement due date.
Some childcare providers offer Mandatory Autopay, which requires guardians to enable autopay when adding a payment method. If your provider has Mandatory Autopay turned on, you'll have to reach out to them directly to turn this setting off. Administrators, however, can exempt specific families from mandatory autopay by using the Autopay Exemption toggle in the student's profile settings.
Enable Autopay
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💡 If you are paying for multiple students/siblings with the same payment method, autopay is turned on for each, & there are due balances — these payments will be consolidated into a single combined payment to automatically save on processing fees.
On Mobile
From the Home screen, tap on the menu icon in the top left corner and tap Billing to reach the Payments Portal screen.
At the top of the Billing Portal, tap the Autopay disabled button. If you don't currently have a payment method added, you will be prompted to add one. Click here for more instructions on how to add a payment method.
Tap Enable autopay.
If you have multiple payment methods added, select the one you want to add autopay to and tap Save.
You'll be brought to the Autopay settings screen. This is where you can set a Max autopay amount and view your Payment method, Autopay schedule, including when autopay is set to run next, and any associated Processing fees.
Max Autopay Amount
Max autopay amounts let you set a max amount that autopay can pull when it runs. You must have autopay enabled to set a max autopay amount.
From your Billing portal on the app, tap Autopay enabled.
Tap on Max Autopay Amount to reach the Choose Max Amount screen.
By default, the Statement balance will be selected to be paid every billing cycle. You can enter an Other amount to be auto-drafted as an alternative by toggling off the statement balance option. Click Save after entering a max autopay amount.
📱 Max autopay amounts can only be managed on the mobile Playground app.
Add a Backup Card
Backup cards allow you to add an additional card in case your primary card fails when autopay runs. You must have autopay enabled before you can add a backup card.
From your Billing portal on the app, tap Autopay enabled.
Tap No backup card and select another card you have listed. Tap Save.
If you don't have a second card added yet, tap the plus sign next to payment methods on the same Autopay screen.
You should then see your backup card listed under your payment methods.
Once you’ve selected your preference, simply go back. Your autopay settings will save automatically.
You can remove a backup card by tapping it and changing it back to None.
💡 Your backup card will only be charged after a failed autopay attempt.
When you return to the Billing screen, you’ll now see an Autopay section that shows which payment method is being used. You can tap that section anytime to make changes.
On Web
Click the Billing tab on the right-hand side of your screen.
Click the three dots next to the payment method you want to enable autopay for. If you don't have any payment methods added yet, click here to learn how to do so.
Click Set as primary autopay method.
A green Primary tag should show up next to the selected autopay method.
Add a Backup Card
From your Billing tab, click the three dots next to the card you want to make your backup card. If you don't have a second payment method yet, click the white +Add button.
Select Set as backup autopay method.
You will then see the card listed as a Backup.
Disable Autopay
If the provider does not require autopay, payers can manage settings anytime by following the steps below.
On Mobile
From the Billing Portal, tap on Autopay Enabled to reach the Manage Autopay screen.
Tap Disable autopay.
On Web
Click the Billing tab on the left-hand side of your screen.
Click the three dots next to the payment method you want to disable autopay for.
Select Manage autopay.
Click Disable autopay.
🚨 The Disable autopay will not be visible on both web or mobile if your school requires autopay. Reach out to them directly if you have any questions.