# Buying a Membership (/docs/memberships/buying-a-membership)



Once a plan is enabled, customers can buy it. This page explains the purchase experience and what a member receives.

Purchasing at checkout [#purchasing-at-checkout]

Customers buy a membership through your booking site, where enabled plans are presented for purchase. The customer:

1. Chooses a plan and enters their **name, email, and (optionally) phone**.
2. Pays securely with a card via Stripe. Cards requiring extra verification (3-D Secure) are handled inline.
3. Sees a confirmation with their new membership number.

<Callout type="info">
  Memberships are sold through Stripe, so your location needs Stripe connected to accept payment. See [Stripe Setup](/docs/payments/stripe-setup).
</Callout>

The membership number [#the-membership-number]

Every purchase issues a unique **membership number** in the form `MEM-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX`. This number identifies the membership — there's no separate customer login, so the number is the member's proof of membership. It's shown on the confirmation screen and in the receipt email.

The receipt email [#the-receipt-email]

After a successful purchase, the customer automatically receives a welcome receipt email containing:

* The plan name and your business name
* Their **membership number**
* The membership's **start and end dates**
* The amount paid
* The plan description, if you set one
* A summary of the **benefits** included — for example, "20% off all activities," with any day or usage limits noted

The membership is active immediately — the customer can use it as soon as they have the number, even before the email arrives.

Validity dates [#validity-dates]

The start and end dates a member sees depend on the plan's [validity model](/docs/memberships/plans#validity-rolling-vs-fixed-window):

* **Rolling duration** — starts on the purchase date and runs for the plan's set number of days.
* **Fixed window** — uses the plan's shared start and end dates, the same for every buyer.

Related How-To Guides [#related-how-to-guides]

* [Create a Membership Plan](/how-to/memberships/create-a-membership-plan)
* [Set Up Stripe](/how-to/payments/set-up-stripe)