PayPal Setup
To accept online registration payments through ChessRoster, you must connect a PayPal account to your organization. This is a one-time setup required before you can launch paid tournaments.
How It Works
ChessRoster uses PayPal to process entry fee payments. When a player pays to register:
- PayPal captures the payment and deposits funds directly into your PayPal account.
- PayPal deducts the processing fee that applies to the transaction.
- ChessRoster deducts its platform fee per registration.
- The player’s seat is reserved and a confirmation email is sent.
You can use a personal or business PayPal account. Most clubs use a business account tied to their organization’s email.
Prerequisites
- An existing PayPal account (or create one at paypal.com before proceeding)
- Administrator role in your ChessRoster organization
- ChessRoster platform fees configured for your organization. Until they are, the PayPal section shows a notice instead of the connect button; contact ChessRoster support to have them set.
Connecting PayPal
Go to your organization’s edit page
Log in to ChessRoster, navigate to your organization, and click Edit.
Scroll to the PayPal section
You will see your current PayPal connection status and a button to connect or update your account.
Click the PayPal button
ChessRoster opens PayPal’s secure onboarding flow in a new window. This is PayPal’s own consent process — ChessRoster does not see your PayPal credentials.
Log in to PayPal and grant permissions
Log in to your PayPal account (or create one) and authorize ChessRoster to process payments on your behalf.
Return to ChessRoster
After completing the PayPal flow, you are redirected back to your organization edit page. The PayPal section confirms that your account is connected.
After Setup
Once PayPal is connected, you can:
- Enable ChessRoster Registration when creating or editing tournaments
- Accept online entry fee payments from players
- Issue refunds directly from the Registrations tab
- View financial summaries in the Financials tab
Refund Behavior
Refunds issued through ChessRoster are processed back to the player’s original payment method via PayPal.
Refund policies are set per tournament. Three options are available:
| Policy | Player receives | Who absorbs platform fee |
|---|---|---|
| Full refund | 100% of amount paid | Organizer |
| Standard refund | Amount paid minus processing fees | Player |
| No refund | Nothing (manual exceptions at organizer discretion) | N/A |
The Allow Director Refunds toggle on your tournament controls whether Tournament Directors can issue manual refunds — or whether only organization admins can.
When a player withdraws and a refund is due, ChessRoster automatically initiates the refund through PayPal. You do not need to take action in your PayPal account.
Updating or Changing Your PayPal Account
If you need to link a different PayPal account, return to your organization’s edit page and click the PayPal button again. Complete the onboarding flow with the new PayPal login.
Changing your PayPal account does not affect existing registrations or transactions. Refunds for orders placed before the change will still be processed through the original PayPal account.
Platform Fees
ChessRoster charges a platform fee per registration in addition to PayPal’s processing fee. PayPal’s rate varies by payment product, transaction, currency, and market; see PayPal’s current merchant fees for the applicable rate. The ChessRoster platform fee is configured for your organization by ChessRoster and can include a fixed amount, a percentage of the entry fee, or both.
Both fees are deducted from each registration before your payout — players simply pay the entry fee, with nothing added on top. To see your organization’s actual configured rate and the exact math for a given entry fee, check the Registration Method page of the tournament wizard when you enable ChessRoster Registration.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to try |
|---|---|
| PayPal button doesn’t appear | Make sure you are an Admin of the organization. If the section says platform fees must be configured first, contact ChessRoster support |
| Connection shows as not linked after completing the flow | Refresh the page; if still not linked, contact support |
| Registration option grayed out in tournament wizard | Check that the tournament’s organizer isn’t None, that you are an Admin of that organization, and that the event is in the US or Canada |
| Players report payment errors | Check that your PayPal account is active and in good standing |
| Refund failed after withdrawal | Contact ChessRoster support — the refund may need to be reissued manually |