---
title: "Set up billing"
description: "Create tuition plans, get online payments turned on, and send your first invoice."
type: setup
updated: 2026-08-12
canonical_url: https://help.nestlicare.com/getting-started/set-up-billing
roles: ["center_admin", "super_admin"]
platforms: [web]
---
Billing in NestliCare has three parts: the **plans** that say what you charge, **online payments** so families can pay you, and the **invoices** that go out. NestliCare itself is free; you keep your tuition, and online card and bank payments carry a small processing fee.

Prefer to watch? This four-minute video walks all three parts end to end.

<VideoEmbed
  src="getting-paid-complete"
  title="Getting paid, end to end: plans, invoices, payments, and Outstanding Balances"
/>

## Step 1: Create your billing plans

A billing plan is a reusable price template, like "Toddler Full-Time, $1,200 per month". Create one for each way you charge.

1. Go to **Billing & Payments → Billing**, then the **Billing Plans** tab.
2. Click **Create Plan** and set the name, amount, and billing interval.

Full details in [Create a billing plan](/owners/billing/create-a-billing-plan). You attach a plan to each child from their room enrollment.

## Step 2: Get online payments enabled

Online payments aren't self-serve. Our team provisions your payment account so families can pay by card or bank.

1. Go to **Billing & Payments → Finances** to see your **Online Payments** status.
2. Ask us to turn it on: use **message us**, or email [support@nestlicare.com](mailto:support@nestlicare.com).
3. When it's ready, finish a short verification on the Finances page and you're live.

Full details in [Enable online payments](/owners/billing/enable-online-payments). You can create and track invoices before this is done; families just can't pay online yet.

## Step 3: Send invoices

- **One at a time**: **Billing & Payments → Invoices → Create Invoice**, for drop-ins or custom charges. See [Create and send an invoice](/owners/billing/generate-and-send-an-invoice).
- **Automatically**: turn on **Auto-Invoice Generation** so every family is billed on their plan's cadence. See [Auto-generate invoices on a schedule](/owners/billing/auto-invoice-generation).

<Callout kind="tip" title="Test with one family first">
Before you switch on billing for everyone, create a single invoice for one friendly family and walk it all the way through. It's the fastest way to catch a wrong amount or a plan that's set up differently than you expected.
</Callout>

## What families see

Families get an email with an itemized invoice and, once online payments are on, a **Pay now** button that opens a secure payment page with no login required. They can pay by card or bank transfer, save a payment method, and turn on auto-pay. See the parent side in [Pay an invoice](/parents/payments/pay-an-invoice).