FAQ: GitHub Sponsors – All About Payouts and Stripe 💰

[mecodeatlas]

We know that managing payouts and setting up Stripe for GitHub Sponsors can sometimes raise questions. To help, we’ve compiled answers to some of the most common payment-related topics based on feedback from our community members.

Before opening a new discussion, take a look at the FAQ below—you might find the answer you need along with direct links to official documentation.

If your question isn’t covered here or you need further guidance, feel free to ask in the community. 😉

Let’s dive in and get your questions answered! 🚀

Note

If your question is not about payments (e.g., profile setup, program approval), please check the GitHub Sponsors FAQ or GitHub Sponsors Documentation.

My payment hasn’t been processed. What could be the issue?

If you have received sponsorships for more than 60 days and still haven’t received a payout, check the following:

• Confirm your Stripe connection

  • Go to GitHub Sponsors Payouts and ensure that Stripe is correctly linked.
  • If Stripe is correctly linked, you should see a confirmation message indicating that your payouts are set up and active.
  • If there is an issue, you may see a warning message prompting you to connect or verify your Stripe account.

• Check your Stripe dashboard

  • Log into Stripe Express and verify if any additional documentation or verification is required.
  • If your account is still under review, follow the Stripe verification guide.

• Review the payout schedule

  • GitHub Sponsors follows a monthly payout cycle. If your sponsorship is recent, it might still be pending for the next cycle. Learn more about GitHub Sponsors Payouts.

If all of these checks are in order and you still haven’t received a payout, contact GitHub Support or Stripe Support for further assistance.

I recently changed my Stripe account, and now I’m not receiving payouts. What should I do?

If you’ve switched your Stripe account for GitHub Sponsors and payouts have stopped, consider the following:

• Ensure the correct Stripe account is linked

  • Follow this guide to update your banking information.

• Payments may still be tied to the old account

  • If you had pending payouts before switching, they might still be linked to the previous Stripe account.

• New accounts require verification

  • Stripe may hold payments until your new account is fully verified.

If issues persist, we recommend reaching out to Stripe Support for assistance.

My GitHub Sponsors application was approved, but my profile still says “Pending Approval”

This may be due to a synchronization issue between GitHub and Stripe. Here’s what to do:

1. Wait a few hours – Some approvals take time to update.
2. Revalidate your Stripe account – Go to Stripe Express and check for pending verifications.
3. If the issue persists for over 24 hours, submit a request to GitHub Support.

I mistakenly created multiple Stripe Connect accounts. How do I delete them?

If you’ve created surplus Stripe Connect accounts by mistake, you may be able to delete them yourself, provided:

• No funds have ever passed through the account.
• You have another valid Stripe account already associated with your profile, or your profile is still in pending or draft status.

To delete an unused Stripe account:

1. Go to your Sponsors dashboard settings.
2. Select the surplus Stripe account.
3. Click the bin icon to remove it.

If the account has processed funds or doesn’t meet the above conditions, you’ll need to contact Stripe Support for further assistance.

Error: "Your Stripe connect account could not be deleted"

If you attempted to delete your Stripe account and received this error, check the following:

• Deactivating GitHub Sponsors does NOT automatically delete Stripe accounts.
• Pending payouts may prevent account deletion.
• Follow Stripe’s official guide to close your account properly.

If you continue to experience issues, contact Stripe Support directly for resolution.

Billing Error: "We had a problem billing your account"

If you tried to sponsor someone but encountered this error, try the following:

• Check your GitHub Billing Settings to ensure your payment method is valid.
• Confirm your credit card is not blocked for international transactions.
• Try a different payment method if possible.

If none of these steps work, reach out to GitHub Support for further investigation.

Why haven’t I received my payout?

For first payments, GitHub will remit all Sponsored Developer Payments 60 days after the first sponsorship is initiated, subject to certain conditions. This probation period applies to all Sponsored Developer Accounts to ensure the integrity of the program.

After the initial 60-day period, payments will be remitted within 30 days of the close of each month.

For more information, check the GitHub Sponsors Terms.

When does GitHub issue monthly payouts?

If you are paid through Stripe Connect, you will receive payouts on the 22nd of each month for the balance accrued since the last payout.

Payout initiation dates vary by country and may change due to public holidays, weekends, and other factors. Cross-border payouts may have minimum payout thresholds. Learn more in the Stripe documentation.

Payouts may take up to 5 business days to be available in your Stripe account due to processing times.

How do I switch to invoiced payments?

Organizations can request invoices for projects they sponsor. Already being invoiced for your sponsorships? You can top up your balance by requesting a new invoice from your sponsors dashboard.

Learn more about paying for GitHub Sponsors by invoice.

Need Further Assistance?

If your question hasn’t been answered here, leave a comment in this thread or open a new discussion in the GitHub Sponsors category.

💡 Do you have a suggestion for a question we should add to this post? Feel free to share it in the comments! We’ll keep this post updated based on common issues and feedback.

Useful Links

• GitHub Sponsors Documentation
• GitHub Sponsors Payouts
• Stripe Support
• How to verify your Stripe account
• Managing your bank account on GitHub Sponsors
• Contact GitHub Support

This post is meant to streamline discussions on payouts and Stripe issues. It may be updated as new guidance becomes available.

[Nishitbaria]

Hey @mecodeatlas,

My GitHub Sponsor dashboard shows that the payment initiation was scheduled for March 22, but now it's showing March 24. This has been happening repeatedly for over three months. I opened a support ticket, but I still haven't received any response from the GitHub team.

[mecodeatlas]

Hey @Nishitbaria!

Thank you for your patience. The community is unable to assist with nor escalate your ticket, but we can assure you it is in the right place. It will be answered in the order it was received based on our team's resources and the amount of tickets ahead of yours. We appreciate your understanding!

Thank you!