Setting up entry fees and payment options

You can charge entry fees for your calls or keep them free. Here's how to configure each option.

Entry fee options

When creating or editing a call, go to Section 5: Entry Fees & Visibility and choose your entry fee type:

Free entry

No payment required. Artists submit and their entry is marked as "Submitted" immediately.

Paid entry (PayPal)

Artists pay through PayPal before their entry is marked as submitted.

To set up PayPal payments:

1. Set the entry fee type to "Paid Entry"
2. Enter the entry fee amount (in dollars)
3. Paste your PayPal button code — use the PayPal Button Generator to create a payment button
4. Optionally set separate member and non-member pricing if your organization has a membership structure

How it works for artists: - Artist completes their application and clicks "Submit" - They're shown the entry fee and a PayPal payment button - After payment, PayPal sends a notification and the entry is automatically marked as "Submitted"

Important: Make sure your PayPal account is set up to accept payments and that IPN (Instant Payment Notification) is enabled. See How do I integrate payment options such as PayPal? for detailed setup instructions.

Off-platform payment

For organizations that collect payments outside of EntryThingy — by check, bank transfer, at the door, or through another system.

To set up off-platform payments:

1. Set the entry fee type to "Off-Platform"
2. Enter the fee amount
3. Add payment instructions explaining how artists should pay (e.g., "Mail a check to..." or "Pay at the front desk when you drop off work")

How it works for artists: - Artist completes their application and clicks "Submit" - They see the fee amount and your payment instructions - Their entry status shows as "Not Submitted" until you manually confirm payment

How to confirm payment: - Go to the entry in your Entries list - Change the entry status from "Not Submitted" to "Submitted" (or "Fee Paid") - You can do this individually or in bulk for multiple entries

See Accepting payments outside EntryThingy for more details.

Coupon codes

You can create discount codes for any paid call. See Using Coupon Codes for Paid Calls for setup instructions.

Need help?

If you have questions about configuring entry fees, contact us at help@entrythingy.com.