How a pre-authorization works

When a player books and pays via split payment in the Playtomic app, we place a temporary hold (pre-authorization) for the full booking amount on their payment method to secure payment. This article explains what the hold is, when it applies, and what happens after the match.

What is a pre-authorization?

A pre-authorization (or temporary hold) is not a charge. It's a standard banking process: the full cost of the booking is temporarily "frozen" on the player's payment method (card, Apple Pay, or Quick Pay) to confirm the payment method is valid and has enough funds. No money moves at this point, but the funds aren't available to the player until the hold is released or charged.

💡 In Playtomic Manager, you’ll see this as Authorized on the booking owner fee (Schedule → booking details).

When does this apply?

This only applies to bookings that players create and pay for themselves in the app. It does not apply to manual bookings you create directly in Playtomic Manager on behalf of a player, since those don't go through the app's payment flow.

What happens after the match

• The 2-hour wait: once the match ends, the system waits 2 hours to give every player time to confirm their payment.
• Final charge: if all players have paid, the system processes each individual charge (including the Playtomic service fee) and releases any remaining held funds back to the original payment method. The hold disappears from the player's bank account, usually within a few days depending on their bank.
• Unpaid shares: if a player hasn't paid their part 2 hours after the match ends, the system automatically uses their pre-authorized hold to cover the unpaid amount.

Bookings paid with a Club Wallet

If the booking owner pays their own share with the Club Wallet, the full booking amount is deducted from the Wallet upfront. Two hours after the match, it's rebalanced based on what the other players have actually paid.

Even if the booking owner belongs to a Benefit that makes their own share free (a €0 price), they'll still need to add a card and go through pre-authorization. This guarantees the rest of the booking amount — the shares owed by the other participants — just like it would for any other booking owner.

Cancellations and refunds

If a player cancels in line with your club's cancellation policy, the hold is released and they get a refund to their original payment method.

Does this cost the player anything extra?

No. The pre-authorization only secures the booking. It doesn't add any extra fees for the player.

Want to see exactly how this plays out for split payment bookings, including the statuses you'll see in Playtomic Manager and what to do when a player pays you in person? 

Read Split payment bookings: statuses and charges in Playtomic Manager.