Understand Shipper Plans, Billing, and Payout Setup

Understand what is free at shipper registration, when the 5,500-order Free plan is enough, when a paid plan applies, and how direct-payment and Fulfield-managed client fees differ.

Who can do this

• Anyone can review the concepts and current public plan presentation.
• Only the Shipper owner manages the actual plan, billing choices, service prices, and payout account.

Before you start

• Estimate expected order capacity and number of warehouse locations.
• Know who is authorized to select a subscription, set client billing defaults, price services, and connect a payout bank account.

Steps

1. Creating a Shipper account and submitting the registration application do not cost anything by themselves.
2. For direct-payment client relationships, the current $0 Free plan supports up to 5,500 fulfillment orders per month from one warehouse. Clients pay the shipper outside Fulfield, so Fulfield does not charge a per-service referral fee on those direct payments.
3. Choose a paid plan when expected order volume exceeds the Free plan limit, more warehouse locations or paid-plan features are needed, or you otherwise select a paid tier. Review the live cards for the current price, cycle, capacity, locations, and features because on-screen terms are authoritative.
4. Fulfield-managed client relationships can be served on any eligible plan. For those relationships, Fulfield collects the client's payment and charges the shipper a referral fee per completed paid service only when there is income/payment for the shipper; it is not an upfront service fee before the shipper earns money.
5. Keep the platform plan and client payment route separate: a plan controls platform capacity/access, while direct versus Fulfield-managed payment controls how service money and any referral fee flow.
6. If the selected plan price is greater than zero for the chosen cycle, add the authorized Plan Payment Card. The registration screen states that the plan is charged when approval occurs.
7. Set Default Client Account Type for new relationships: the available prepaid or monthly-invoice behavior is applied when approving a client contract and can be changed per client later where allowed.
8. Separately configure the service catalog and pricing currency/rules. Those service prices become profile and contract inputs; they are not included in or determined by the plan card.
9. After approval, connect the supported payout account in the shipper portal before expecting automatic settlement. The plan card is a charge method and cannot receive payouts.
10. Review plan status, payout readiness, reserves/fees and each client billing configuration before accepting work. Approval alone does not complete financial setup.

Fields and decisions

• Registration: creating the account and submitting the Shipper application are free; charges come from a selected nonzero plan or eligible Fulfield-managed service income, not from merely applying.
• Free Plan: currently $0 for up to 5,500 fulfillment orders per month from one warehouse. Capacity is measured against the live plan rules.
• Paid Plan: selected when the operation needs greater order capacity, locations, or included features; the current live plan card controls price and terms.
• Direct-payment client: the client pays the shipper outside Fulfield, and Fulfield charges no per-service referral fee on that payment.
• Fulfield-managed client: Fulfield collects client payment and assesses the displayed referral fee only when the service produces income/payment for the shipper.
• Plan: controls platform subscription/capacity such as orders and locations; it is separate from the client payment route and referral fee.
• Plan Payment Card: pays a nonzero shipper plan charge; it is not charged for each client service and is not a payout bank account.
• Service Pricing: the warehouse rate card offered to clients and locked through contracts.
• Default Client Account Type: the starting way new clients fund/pay the shipper relationship; it can differ by approved client.
• Payout Account: the post-approval connected destination for eligible shipper settlements.
• Public plan values and financial settings can change through product configuration. Always use the live screen immediately before committing.

Finished when

• The selected plan supports expected operations and any required card is authorized.
• You can distinguish subscription charges, client service billing, and payout settlement and know which setup occurs during versus after registration.

What this changes

• Saving a paid plan/card prepares subscription billing for approval.
• Changing service prices affects future profile/contract terms according to contract rules, while connecting a payout account affects settlement readiness.

Common problems

The wizard asks for a card even though you expected a free choice.

Check the selected plan and monthly/annual cycle. A nonzero configured price triggers the card requirement.

You were told shipper registration is free but see possible charges.

Registration itself is free. A paid-plan subscription applies only when a nonzero plan is selected, while a Fulfield-managed client referral fee applies only when Fulfield collects payment that creates income for the shipper. Direct client payments have no per-service referral fee.

You entered a card but cannot receive payouts.

The plan card only pays Fulfield plan charges. Connect and verify the payout account after approval.

Client payment behavior is not what you expected.

Review Default Client Account Type and the specific client configuration at contract approval; plan choice does not set the client service rate or funding behavior.

Public article amounts differ from the screen.

Use the live plan screen. This guide intentionally avoids hard-coded prices because administrative configuration is authoritative.

Safety checks

• Only an authorized owner should choose a paid plan or add the plan card.
• Do not put card/bank details into profile text, messages, or support screenshots.
• Do not assume approval means payouts can occur before payout onboarding and account verification are complete.

When to contact support

• Contact support when the live plan card and checkout/card requirement conflict, a saved plan/cycle changes unexpectedly, or the approved shipper cannot access payout onboarding. Include plan name/cycle and safe error text only.

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Owner: Fulfield Product Support | Content version: 2026.09.01.1 | Last verified: 2026-09-01