Transaction Fees and Payment Methods

Payment Methods

Penny offers multiple ways to top up your Penny Credit.

Card Payments

You can top up with a credit/debit card, such as a Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, and China UnionPay. You can also use Google Pay or Apple Pay to use cards stored in these wallets.

NZ Direct Debit

If you have a New Zealand bank account, you can top up with NZ Direct Debit.

This is particularly beneficial for:

New Zealand bank account holders without a credit card.
Those making more regular, larger top-ups, as the associated transaction fee is lower.

Please Note: While NZ Direct Debit offers a lower transaction fee, it typically takes 2-3 business days to process. Please plan your top-ups ahead of time to take advantage of this lower-cost option.

Enhanced Security and User Protection

We have strengthened the security measures surrounding all top-up transactions. A portion of the transaction fee is used for advanced tools that focus on anti-fraud measures and strong protections for you, our end users. This means every top-up is processed with an added layer of scrutiny to keep your transactions safe and secure. This applies to both card payments and direct debit.

Repeat Top Ups

You can select your previously used payment method to re-use it more easily. This is available for both payment cards and existing direct debit authorities.

Note that Penny does not collect or store any of your payment data. This is handled by our payment partner, Stripe. Stripe is one of the worlds largest online payment providers.

Transaction Fees

We pass on the direct essential costs of processing the transaction and ensuring high security standards. The transaction fee is a cost recovery measure rather than generating profit.

The fees are based on a percentage plus a fixed fee. NZ Direct debit transactions have a lower cost and are capped at a maximum of $4. We encourage customers making larger or more regular top-ups to consider the NZ Direct Debit option for a lower fee.

The transaction fee is not refundable.

Q&A

Here are some frequently asked questions about payment methods and fees:

Question	Answer
Is the transaction fee a profit-making measure?	No. The fee is solely for cost recovery to cover payment processing and enhanced security costs.
What are the top-up options now available?	You can top up your account using either Credit Card or NZ Direct Debit.
How do the fees compare between the two options?	Both are based on a percentage plus fixed fee, but the fee for NZ Direct Debit is lower than the credit card fee and is capped at $4.
Does the new fee provide any benefit to me?	The fee lets us take advantage of industry leading security, anti-fraud and end-user protection for all your transactions.
How long does NZ Direct Debit take to process?	NZ Direct Debit typically takes 2-3 business days to process, so please plan ahead.
Can I make a booking using NZ Direct Debit?	Bookings can only be confirmed with currently available Penny Credit. When using NZ Direct Debit, ensure you top up your Penny Credit 2-3 business days prior to making your booking so that the funds have cleared.
Can the transaction fee be refunded?	No, the transaction fee is non-recoverable.
Who is your payment provider for top ups?	Penny uses Stripe, one of the largest and most trusted global payment providers.
Can I have multiple stored payment methods?	You can have one active NZ direct debit authority, and any number of previously used credit cards. You can remove an unwanted direct debit authority or stored payment method at any time during the topup process.
Can I dispute a payment?	Of course. Please get in touch via our help desk with any concerns.