Kindo Pricing: How it Works, Common Misconceptions and FAQ

Kindo Pricing: How it Works, Common Misconceptions and FAQ

Kindo is a kiwi-owned and operated fintech -As you know, we build software to help schools reduce admin and increase revenue, and we put a lot of thought into choosing the best pricing model – one that is affordable for schools of all sizes, transparent and that is flexible to meet their needs. Instead of a fixed fee per user, like you’d pay for Microsoft or a Student Management System, we decided on a variable licence fee that will flex with you and your cash-flow.

Why:

  • Fair to all - By linking costs to transaction volume, costs are naturally adjusted for size and EQI.
  • Aligned goals – because Kindo only gets paid when parents use the platform, we are as motivated as possible to help you collect as much money as you can. Our free consulting on how to maximise locally-raised funds can be just as valuable as the platform that enables it.
  • Cashflow-friendly - You only pay when you receive cash in the bank. Our fee aligns with your income, accommodating the ups and downs of school cashflow.
  • Flexibility for schools - Through Kindo, schools can offer parents three payment methods that are free without increasing administration. Schools have full discretion over whether to pass on the licensing fee to parents on an item-by-item basis.
  • Self-funding - By reducing bad debt, or increasing donations by as little as 1-2%, the platform pays for itself. (It’s also the only software pricing model that costs less in lean years!)
  • Easy to budget – If you choose to pass on the Kindo software fee to parents, you just add 3.95% to the value of the item – and you can decide on an item-by-item basis when you want to do that.

Here’s some examples of other variable software licence fees and how they compare to Kindo:

 Name
 Variable fee
 Cost per $200
 Fee cap
  (maximum fee applied per transaction)
 Amazon
 8 - 15%, depending on item category. Min $0.30
 $16 - $30
 Unlimited
 eBay
 13.25% on average, plus $.030
 $26.80
 Unlimited
 Etsy
  6.5%
 $13
 Unlimited
 Walmart
 6 - 15%
 $12 - $30
 Unlimited
 TradeMe
 5.9 - 11.9% depending on category
 $11.80 - $23.80
 $499
 Kindo
 3.95%
 $7.90
 $25 (State Schools)
 $50 (Private & State-integrated)

The Kindo fee covers the platform’s maintenance, security, ongoing development, and all our included services like the administrators' helpdesk, the parent helpdesk and Customer Success Managers where applicable. For most payment options we also cover any transaction/merchant fees charged by banks and payment gateways so those are free to schools. 


What about transaction fees?

A Transaction Fee, sometimes called a merchant fee, is the charge for securely moving money into a Kindo wallet or to the school’s bank account. If a parent pays via Credit Card or Debit Card, they pay a transaction fee, the majority of which goes to the payment provider (e.g. Windcave or Stripe, who in turn pay the banks and the payment networks). If the parent chooses to use POLi or Online EFTPOS, it's free because Kindo pay the transaction fee. Kindo has committed to making sure ALL payment options are free to the school, and we make it really transparent for parents so they can choose the best option for themselves without creating additional admin for the school.

Kindo Payment options

 Payment Gateway
 Cost to Parents
 Kindo Cost to
 school
 Typical SMS - Cost to
  school
 Pre-Processed
 (reconciled, GL - coded, amalgamated)
 Refund & Receipt
 Automation
 Bank Transfer
 Free
 Free
 Free
 Only with Kindo
 Only with Kindo
 POLi
 Free
 Free
 ~ 1%
 Only with Kindo
 Only with Kindo
 Online EFTPOS
 Free
 Free
 ~ 1%
 Only with Kindo
 Only with Kindo
 Windcave
Credit Card/Debit Card, Google, Apply Pay
 2.5% +50c
 Free
 Varies
 Yes with Kindo.
 Partly with SMS
 Only with Kindo
 AliPay, WeChat
 Coming soon!
 Free
 -

 Only with Kindo

Should I just use my Student Management System?

Most Student Management Systems have a finance module with a payment gateway that allows you to charge parents through your SMS and transfer those funds to your school bank account. Some charge a software fee for their finance module, plus a transaction fee, some charge only a transaction fee. 
​
Kindo is different because we have invested in becoming a registered Financial Service Provider (FSP). If you are not an FSP, you cannot pre-process payments and the administration burden of manually reconciling and coding your transactions cannot be removed.

It is important to acknowledge that Kindo, as a Student Finance System, does not compete with Student Management Systems. The value we provide is not the payment gateway. Kindo’s value lies in the ability to make it easy and free for parents to pay. Bringing shop and student accounts together, means they pay more and more quickly. It also greatly reduces the administrative burden on school administrators because we can pre-process, batch, reconcile and code your parents payments no matter what payment method is used.

Common Misconceptions

"Kindo is more expensive than my Student Management Systems option":
  • Kindo does not compete with your SMS at all; they work in partnership. While a SMS is focused on student Performance, Kindo is a registered Financial Service Provider focused on streamlining Student Purchase and Payment. These are entirely different disciplines, and a SMS and Kindo are both valuable in their respective focus areas, working together to ensure great engagement with the school.
  • While some SMS’s also have a payment portal and a payment gateway, this is simply a way to present and receive money into your bank account. It does not generally reduce the administrative burden by automating your bank reconciliations, GL coding, batching payments for your accounting system, automating refunds, provide advanced credit-control functions, provide IRD-compliant tax receipts for donations. It also doesn’t have online shops, or a parent call centre to handle your payment enquiries. Importantly, Kindo has a proven ability to significantly improve payment request fulfilment because this is our specialty.
  • The truly expensive element is actually missed opportunity – if you don’t maximise your overall revenue collection by making payments visible, convenient and easy, you’re leaving cash on the table that could be used to provide better educational experiences for your students.

"Fixed pricing would be simpler":

  • While this might be true, fixed pricing can be less fair for smaller schools or those with varying transaction volumes. The variable model is better for all schools (big and small) in the months where they don’t get many payments.
  • For example, many schools are experiencing a decrease in 2024 donations collected, largely due to the economic climate. If Kindo were to charge a fixed fee per student or a flat cost, the financial impact on the school would be far greater, and it’s our priority to ensure Kindo is always affordable.

 What Sets Kindo Apart

Kindo makes student payments simple. Both for parents, by making it quick and convenient to pay for school-related expenses, and for schools, by drastically reducing the administration burden of collecting payments from parents. Our pricing model allows us to offer a robust, full-featured school payments platform, an exceptional helpdesk, and ezlunch service to schools of all sizes, while ensuring our interests align with yours - we succeed when you succeed.


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