Frequently asked questions about PilotHouse.
Quick answers about fishing charter booking software, deposits, scheduling rules, Stripe payouts, and upgrades.
Fast answers
- Free plan launches in about 15 minutes
- Stripe is required for payouts
- Deposits and confirmations are automated
- Upgrade to Pro Charter for a branded domain site
Getting started
The basics for launching fishing charter booking software quickly.
How fast can I launch?
Most captains launch the Free plan in about 15 minutes. Create an account, connect Stripe, add trips, and publish your booking link.
What does the Free plan include?
PilotHouse-hosted public pages, a booking link, guest checkout, trip types, availability rules, deposits, confirmations, documents, and reporting exports.
Is there a contract?
No contracts. Free and Guide are month-to-month. Pro Charter and Passenger Ops start with a call to confirm fit and timeline.
Do I need a website first?
No. Free and Guide include PilotHouse-hosted public pages and a booking link you can share right away. Upgrade to Pro Charter if you want branded-domain hosting.
Payments, deposits, and payouts
How money flows through PilotHouse.
Is Stripe required?
Yes. Free and Guide require Stripe so payouts go directly to your account. You can connect an existing Stripe account or create one during onboarding.
Can I take deposits instead of full payment?
Yes. You can collect a flat or percentage deposit at checkout and collect the balance later.
Where do payouts go?
Payouts go directly to your Stripe account. You control payout timing inside Stripe.
What fees apply to the Free plan?
Free uses a 4% customer-paid service fee capped at $25 per booking. Guide is 0% up to $3,000 processed/month, then 4% on the overage booking and includes 5 bookings/month.
Scheduling and availability
Rules that prevent double bookings and chaos mornings.
Can I set trip durations and buffers?
Yes. Set trip durations and add buffer time so you never overlap bookings.
Can I block dates?
Yes. You can block maintenance days, private trips, holidays, and blackout windows.
Does PilotHouse support multiple boats?
Pro Charter and Passenger Ops add multi-boat scheduling and crew access. Free and Guide are designed for single-boat setups.
Can customers see live availability?
Yes. The booking page shows available dates based on your rules so customers choose the right time.
Websites, branding, and upgrades
When to stay on Free or Guide versus moving to a branded-domain site.
Does the Free plan use my domain?
No. Free and Guide use PilotHouse-hosted public pages and booking links. Pro Charter and Passenger Ops include branded-domain hosting.
What does Pro Charter add?
A full public site on your domain, crew access, and fleet tools. Passenger Ops layers in ticketing and manifests.
Do you handle hosting and updates?
Yes. PilotHouse is hosted and maintained by our team. No DIY updates required.
Can I migrate later?
Yes. Start on Free or Guide, then upgrade to Pro Charter when you want a branded-domain site and crew tools.
Ready to launch?
Start the Free plan and publish your booking page today.