Help
How AssuredHold™ works, step by step, plus answers to common questions.
Getting started
- 1
Connect your Stripe account
Before your first hold, open "Payments" in the menu and connect Stripe. You'll create or sign in to your own Stripe account and confirm your identity and bank details — usually a few minutes. This is what lets money you capture go straight to you.
- 2
Create a hold
From your dashboard, click "+ Create New Hold." Enter the renter's name and phone, the item rented, and the deposit amount. Contract number and rental dates are optional but useful — the contract number is the first thing you'll want if a renter ever disputes a charge.
- 3
Send the checkout link
Open the hold and use "Copy renter link" (or "Preview checkout page" to see what the renter will see). Send the link to your renter by text or email. Spotted a typo before they use it? Use "Edit details" — editing is available until the renter authorizes.
- 4
The renter authorizes
The renter opens the link, enters their email and card, and checks the box agreeing to the terms. Their card is not charged — the deposit amount is only reserved. Your dashboard updates to "Authorized" on its own, no refresh needed.
- 5
Release or capture
When the rental is over, open the hold and choose: Take None (release the full hold), Take Some (capture part of it, e.g. for cleaning or minor damage), or Take All (capture the full amount). Whatever you don't capture goes back to the renter.
Merchant FAQ
Why do I need my own Stripe account, and where does captured money go?
Deposit holds are placed on your Stripe account, so any amount you capture goes into your own Stripe balance and is paid out to your bank on Stripe's schedule — AssuredHold never holds your deposit money. You manage payouts, receipts, and disputes in your Stripe dashboard.
What can AssuredHold do on my Stripe account? Can it charge me?
AssuredHold only creates, captures, and releases the deposit holds you create in AssuredHold, and only when you click — you authorize this when you connect Stripe. It takes no cut of deposits and never charges you for them; it is paid for by your subscription. Everything on your Stripe account (each hold, capture, fee, and dispute) shows up in your own Stripe dashboard, so you can check at any time. You should see only Stripe's own processing fee on a capture — never a fee going to AssuredHold.
I already have a Stripe account. Do I have to enter everything again?
Not necessarily. During setup, sign in with the email you already use for Stripe, and Stripe can reuse information it already has instead of asking again — you'll mostly confirm what's pre-filled. AssuredHold still sets up a separate Stripe account connected to your login, so deposits and payouts are kept apart from the payments your business already receives.
Who pays Stripe's processing fees?
You do. Stripe deducts its processing fee from your balance when you capture; nothing is charged if you release a hold. AssuredHold takes no cut of deposits — it's paid for by your subscription.
Is the renter actually charged when they authorize?
No. Authorization only reserves the deposit amount on their card. Money moves only if you capture some or all of it. If you release the hold, they are never charged.
How long can a hold stay open?
Card networks generally expire an uncaptured authorization after about 7 days (it varies slightly by card). The dashboard shows an amber badge at 5 days and red at 7+ so you can resolve it in time. Resolve a hold before it expires — an expired hold can no longer be captured.
What does each status mean?
Pending: you created the hold but the renter hasn't completed checkout. Authorized: the funds are reserved and waiting on you. Captured / Partially Captured: you took all or part of the deposit. Released: the hold was returned in full. Failed: the renter's card was declined — the same link can be used to retry.
Can I change a hold after I create it?
Yes, until the renter authorizes it — use "Edit details" on the hold. After that the amount is locked in with the card network, so details can no longer be edited.
What if a renter disputes the charge with their bank?
AssuredHold records the dispute automatically and shows a badge counting down to the response deadline. Responding happens in your Stripe Dashboard (a link is on the hold's page). If you recorded a contract number, it's shown there as likely evidence to attach. Missing the deadline loses the dispute by default, so watch the badge.
How does the free trial work?
You get 2 complete transactions free — a transaction counts once a hold is resolved (released, captured, or partially captured). After that, choose a plan on the Billing page to keep creating new holds. You can always still view your dashboard and resolve holds already in progress.
What happens if I cancel my subscription?
Cancelling takes effect at the end of the billing period you already paid for — you keep full access until then, and the header shows the exact date. You can change your mind before then: on the Billing page, pick "Keep this plan" (or switch to another plan) and the cancellation is undone. After it ends you can resubscribe any time from the Billing page; the free trial does not come back.
Can I switch plans (Starter / Pro, or monthly / yearly)?
Yes — use "Change plan" on the Billing page, even if you've already cancelled and still have time left. A change takes effect today: any unused time on your current plan is credited, and you pay the new plan's price minus that credit (you see the exact amount before you confirm). For example, if you cancelled a monthly plan with three weeks left and choose yearly, the yearly plan starts today and runs for a full year from today — you aren't made to wait for the monthly period to end. If a switch leaves you with credit instead of a charge (for example going from yearly down to monthly), nothing is charged and the credit is applied to future bills; it isn't refunded to your card.
Does AssuredHold store my customers' card numbers?
No. Renters enter their card into secure fields provided by Stripe, and the details go directly to Stripe — they never pass through or get stored on our servers. We keep only the hold details you enter (renter name, phone, email, item, amount) and Stripe reference IDs. See the Privacy Policy for specifics.
Who is responsible for the rental agreement?
You are. The agreement, and any decision to capture, is between you and your renter. AssuredHold provides the tool for holding and releasing the deposit — it is not a party to your rental agreement.
Renter FAQ
Renting from a business that uses AssuredHold? Start here.
Is my card information safe?
Your card details are typed into secure fields provided by Stripe and go directly to Stripe — the rental business and AssuredHold never see or store your card number. This page is on AssuredHold's site, with Stripe's secure card fields built into it.
Why is there a hold on my card?
The business you're renting from asked for a security deposit. It reserves that amount on your card so they can cover damage or loss if something goes wrong.
Have I been charged?
No. A hold only reserves the amount — it is not a charge. If the rental goes well, the business releases it and you are never charged.
When will the hold disappear from my card?
Once the business releases it, your bank usually clears the pending hold within a few business days (timing is up to your bank). If it is never captured, it also expires on its own after about a week.
Can the business take more than the hold amount?
No — they can only capture up to the amount you authorized, and only as described in your rental agreement with them.
Who do I contact with questions about my deposit?
The business you rented from. The deposit and rental agreement are between you and them — their name appears in the agreement box on the checkout page.
Ready to try it? Start your free trial