Selling a bull or a load of feeders usually ends with a check in the mail, a trip to the bank and a few days of waiting. CowPay is our way to get paid for cattle online instead: you send the buyer a link, they pay by bank transfer or card, and the sale lands in your books by itself. The same screen lets you pay your crew and vendors.
Before we go further, here is where things stand. CowPay is launching in test mode. While you see the yellow Test mode badge, no real money moves. You can set everything up and try every step, and we will let you know when live payments open.
How to get paid for cattle online with a pay link
A pay link is a web address you send your buyer. They click it and pay by bank transfer or card. They do not need a CowSync account.
- Make the invoice or bill of sale on the Invoices & bills of sale page and set its status to Sent.
- Open CowPay and click the Get paid tab. The invoice shows under Open invoices with the amount owed and the due date.
- Click Copy pay link and paste it into a text or email to your buyer. Or use the envelope button to open your email with a message already written.
- To see exactly what your buyer will see, click the arrow button to open the pay page.
When the buyer pays, the invoice marks itself paid, and the sale and the fee go into your Expenses & income ledger. Bank transfers take about 3 to 5 business days to clear, and show under Processing until then.
What it costs
There is no monthly fee and no setup fee. You pay only when money moves, and every fee is shown before you send.
Getting paid
- Bank transfer: 0.8%, never more than $5. Buyers see this option first.
- Card: 2.9% + 30¢. Cards from outside the US cost 1.5% more.
- A card dispute costs $15. A refund has no fee, but the original fee is not returned.
On a big sale the difference adds up. For a $9,500 bull, a bank transfer costs $5. A card would cost about $275.80. If you would rather only take bank transfers, you can turn cards off.
Paying people
- Standard, 1 to 3 business days: free
- Same day, if sent before 2 pm: 40¢
- Instant, to a bank or debit card in minutes: 0.95%, at least 50¢ and never more than $5
The Fees tab lists every fee and has a "What would it cost?" box where you type an amount and see each option side by side.
Pay your crew and vendors
Everyone on your Staff page shows up under Pay people. Add your vet, feed store or contractor with their name, type and how you usually pay them.
- Click Pay next to a name, or Send money at the top.
- Type the amount and choose how fast.
- Check the category. It fills in for you: Labor hired for employees, Contract labor for contractors, Supplies for vendors. Add a memo like "Week of Nov 3."
- Click Review, check the arrival date and fee, then press and hold the send button for four seconds. Let go early to cancel.
Right now Send money is a demo. It works like the real thing, but no money leaves your account. Demo entries show in your ledger marked Demo and are left out of your totals and taxes.
Already paid someone by check or cash? Choose Record it instead. That is a real ledger entry and counts in your totals.
Payroll from your time sheets
The Payroll tab adds up shifts logged on the Staff scheduler & hours page, weekly or every two weeks. It shows hours, overtime (over 40 hours a week, at 1.5 times the rate) and gross pay for each person. After you pay someone, click Record pay and the gross pay goes into your ledger as Labor hired.
CowPay does not withhold or file payroll taxes today, and direct deposit is coming soon. Keep working with your accountant or payroll service on taxes.
Ranch cards: coming soon
Ranch cards will let a hand buy feed, fuel or parts within limits you set: a spending limit, which kinds of stores, which days, and an end date for a seasonal hand. You can set up cards and log what your crew spends now, and each purchase goes into the ledger under the right category. They are not real cards yet. They become real cards when CowPay cards launch, and plastic cards are not shipping yet.
A checklist to get ready
- Make sure your seller details are filled in on your invoices.
- Add your crew to the Staff page with their pay rates.
- Add the vendors you pay most often under Pay people.
- Decide whether you want to accept cards or only bank transfers.
- Try a test payment with the practice card shown on the screen, so you know what your buyer sees.
The full walk-through, including every screen and fee, is on the CowPay page of the Guide. To see what each plan includes, visit our pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Is CowPay moving real money yet?
Not yet. CowPay is in test mode while it launches. No real money moves, and demo payments are left out of your totals and taxes. We will announce when live payments open.
Does my buyer need a CowSync account to pay?
No. They open the pay link and pay by bank transfer or card.
How much does it cost to take a bank transfer?
0.8% of the payment, never more than $5. There is no monthly or setup fee.