Alternative Payment Methods

So, I feel like contributing to this project but I'm a rather jumpy fellow when it comes to handing out my credit card details. Are any alternative payment methods in the works or is the current one likely to be the only one available for the near(ish) future?

Sweet! Just waiting for a Paypal option, and I am in...

Same here. Well, Paypal and some features...

Meh. Why wait for the features? Not like they want an arm and a leg, and the more support they get the faster those features will get finished ;)

Yeah, that supporter progress bar hasn't moved significantly in the last week... If I might suggest, maybe add a supporter feature for people who DON'T plan on being a GM to upload character sheets/pictures/tokens into any given game. Most of the supporter features seem to only benefit GMs, which is only 1 out of an average of 5 or 6 people (if we assume average group size is 5 or 6)

Considering I, on average, have a little over two groups all the time I'd be about 1 in 10 for me, so yeah. Maybe one-time donations that don't really give you benefits, but let you contribute without the whole signup thing?

Btw, I forgot to ask, is there any real idea on timeline for when there might be alternate payment methods available?

Yeah, that supporter progress bar hasn't moved significantly in the last week... Actually, that bar is moving pretty well. Go to the supporter page to see the "bigger" version, which is more accurate. Btw, I forgot to ask, is there any real idea on timeline for when there might be alternate payment methods available? Not yet. Basically, PayPal is an awful, horrible beast to deal with in terms of subscriptions. You'll notice that most sites not doing one-time transactions DON'T use PayPal at all for this very reason. That said, Stripe is amazing. Just flat out wonderful. And our Comodo encryption is top-of-the-line. All those waiting on security issues... not sure quite why anyone finds PayPal more secure. Speaking as Nolan-not-Roll20-developer, I've had so many SHADY, awful things happen in regards to Paypal in the past... I just don't get the appeal. Back-to-Roll20-developer, doesn't mean we're not working on it.

It's not that I find paypal more secure, it's that I prefer well established third-party groups to handle the payment. And the reason for it is simple; not only once but twice the servers of services I've been using have been hacked and financial information stolen. Simply put, I never trust any payment method that is under the control of the service provider, regardless of their record. (well, strangely I have one exception, namely state taxes)

What about AmazonPayments? I haven't seen it in action (other than at Amazon) yet, but I could imagine that it attracts a pretty global customer base. I understand your concerns with PayPal, but for example this "Stripe" that you mentioned is not really internationally known or used.

I use Paypal for both security (of which I only had one problem with, where Skype permitted it's use without my knowledge, and that took months to resolve, and Skype has since blocked me from having transactions using Paypal) and convenience. I am not against using new things as evidence by my Mentor status, but I purchased a gift card to do this, so that I could give subbing a trial. I fear now that I can't live without it... :D So yes if you guys did implement Paypal, I'd buy a year and not think twice.

I use Paypal, because I prefer to have my financial information given once than given on lots of different places, however secure they are. Wouldn't it be possible to set payments on Paypal just for a one year subscription? I can live with doing the payment again once every 12 months.

Why wait for the features? Well, because for now, depending on what I want during play, I am alternating Roll20 with Maptool. So you could say that I am half using Roll20, which is fine for a free program. But if I am to pay for it, I expect it to meet my expectations. I like the way Roll20 progress and I am in no particular hurry, but you must remember that there is no way to know which features shall appear one day or shall never materialize.

Bobby A. said, So yes if you guys did implement Paypal, I'd buy a year and not think twice. Patrick C. said, I use Paypal, because I prefer to have my financial information given once than given on lots of different places I completely understand why I'd like to use PayPal here (for subscriptions and for the Marketplace), but for what I see here and in the Mentor forums, there are so many difficulties in this regard that I wouldn't be holding my breath for that payment option.

Just as an aside, I would really like an option for a 1 time payment. Are there any plans for this to occur? - Gauss

I think your able to pay for a full year at a time

That is still a defined subscription payment that is made 1 time rather than an undefined amount that is made 1 time. Some of us may want to contribute other values for various reasons. - Gauss

You could just subscribe and then cancel the subscription so it doesn't reoccur. People have been asking for a donate level, but you wouldn't get the same benefits of the subscription, like the added space, if you payed a one time payment expecting to get the free space, eventually that space is gonna start costing developers money, and they would have to eliminate it as a free service, cause most people would just do the one time payment and eventually money would run out and the site would shut down.

I completely understand why I'd like to use PayPal here (for subscriptions and for the Marketplace), but for what I see here and in the Mentor forums, there are so many difficulties in this regard that I wouldn't be holding my breath for that payment option. Sad, because, whatever happens (or not) about the features I hope to see in Roll20, I still won't be very inclined to pay otherwise. Seeing the number of sites using Paypal, I have some problems imagining what the many difficulties can be.

Jeremy K., I would not expect subscriber benefits for one time payments. I do think though that a possible source of donations are being missed due to the lack of one time payments. - Gauss

Id agree that there should be a way to donate for people that just want to give money with no real expectations of something in return.

Just paid for my subscription, but I really get nervous not using PayPal. PayPal has the finance to really protect their server from unsecured access. Not sure how credit card encryption would work but presumably you need a way to decrypt it for the system to keep charging the card. It's not like you can encrypt once with a salt and have the user keep resubmitting his CVV or whatever every month. Edit: Maybe I should chat directly to the developers about this but I've read the Stripe documentation, it looks reasonably solid but I have a possible loophole that would allow people to trick the server into thinking the credit card submission was successful even if they have rubbish details.

Maybe I should chat directly to the developers about this but I've read the Stripe documentation, it looks reasonably solid but I have a possible loophole that would allow people to trick the server into thinking the credit card submission was successful even if they have rubbish details. We've had great success with Stripe thus far, but feel free to email us at team AT roll20 DOT net if you think there's a problem.

I've solved my issues regarding the payment method you use by getting another account to pay from, one I move money to as required. I will be signing up once that's all set up and no longer have a need for secondary options. :)

If subscriptions are such a pain, is there a way to set up a one time payment for the annual fee and then set a cancellation date for the account? Additionally, having at one time co-owned a webhosting company that used Paypal for subscriptions, I am curious what is so difficult since Paypal has a subscription system in place and has for years. I am guessing it has to be some sort of complications between the roll20 system checking to see if your account is up to date and paid against the Paypal system...which means it is not really a Paypal problem.

I too would like a paypal option. I was going to subscribe today but for the lack of that.

Hey guys! I'm from Brazil. Me and my friends really loved this program. Is there any clue of when we'll be able to pay using Paypal? (Sorry for the poor english guys!!!)

Given the difficulties with setting up subscriptions through PayPal, I really doubt we'll see that as an option.

I have skimmed through the messages and just want to emphasize: I am from Germany and credit cards are not as common here as (as far as it seems to me) in the US. While I accept that implementing the specific german payment options is completely over the top, I see paypal as the only viable alternative. This is really unfortunate :(. I wonder whether it is possible to buy a one-year-plan manually, i.e. one pays the fee via paypal and you activate the account manually ...

Steffen, have you considered a 1 time use credit card? Perhaps you can go that route (I dont know what is available in germany).  - Gauss

Hm ... never seen something like this before. But I'll definitively look for it ... prepaid credit card might also be an option .. hm hm ... Thank you very much for the quick reply !

If you have a walmart (I know they are everywhere in America but not sure about Germany) near you, go to their service counter and ask for help with the cards. They should be able to explain all your options.

So, wanted to ask.  Is PayPal out 100%?  It just so happens I am related to the "Sr. Director of PayPal Platform".  NOT saying that has any pull, but... want me to drop a line to him directly, perhaps express your concerns?  I am also one that nearly ONLY uses PayPal.

just wanted to voice a pro-PayPal sentiment here as well. right or wrong i admittedly feel far more comfortable with using the same service in order to be able track more easily my online transactions separately. thanks.

Here is a Pro PayPal statement as well. In Germany, the usage of credit cards are not so common as in other countries. Germans are used to a  an authorized automatic withdrawal from their bank accounts instead of using credit cards for the purpose of online payment. PayPal would be a way to get more Germans enrolled :)

I imagine we would see bitcoins before paypal, given paypals reputation.