Overview
Our Prepay feature allows customers to load funds directly into their account through the Mothership dashboard, without any manual finance intervention. You can pre-fund your account balance using several payment options, and then use your available funds to book shipments instantly.
View the Chinese version here.
Benefits of Prepay
Book faster: Use your prepaid balance to book shipments right away—no waiting on bank transfers.
Fewer fees: Reduce high international transaction fees and interruptions.
Full Visibility: Track balances, transaction history, and usage in real time.
Self-serve funding: Preload funds without contacting Mothership’s finance or support teams.
What payment methods can I use to fund my account?
You can fund your account balance using any of the following methods:
Wire Transfer
Processing time: 1-2 business days
Fees: $15 for transfers under $3,000; free for $3,000+
Supported for U.S. and International banks
No transfer limits
WeChat Pay
Processing time: Instant
Fees: 3% + $0.30 processing fees
Alipay
Processing time: Instant
Fees: 3% + $0.30 processing fees
How do I add prepaid funds to my account?
In the Mothership dashboard, click your user name (bottom-left corner) → Settings.
Select Billing from the top menu, or click here.
3. Click Add prepaid funds and follow the on-screen instructions.
Can I track my prepay balance and transaction history?
Yes. Your transaction history (including inbound payments + refunds), fund usage, and remaining balance (i.e. Available funds) are viewable in the Available funds history section of the Billing page.
Total amount: The total balance added through a Prepay transaction, minus processing fees.
Consumed amount: The portion already applied to completed shipments.
Remaining amount: The balance still available for future bookings.
When will my funds be available?
WeChat Pay / Alipay: Funds are usually available immediately after the transaction clears.
Wire Transfer: Funds are typically available within 1–2 business days after your bank completes the transfer.
Are there any limits, minimums, or restrictions?
Wire transfers under $3,000 include a $15 processing fee.
WeChat Pay and Alipay payments are subject to standard processing fees (3% + $0.30).
There are no minimums or transfer limits for any funding method.
How do I use my prepay balance to pay for a shipment?
When booking a shipment, you’ll find Available Funds as one of your saved payment methods in the dropdown menu on the checkout page.
What happens if I had an existing Prepay balance before the in-dashboard feature launched?
Your previous prepay balance will be transferred into your Available Funds, and can be viewed in the billing section of the Mothership dashboard.
Please note: If you choose wire transfer as your funding method, you’ll be provided a unique bank account and routing number specific to your organization. Please check the Add prepaid funds page for your detailed instructions before sending.
Note: If this feature is not available in your dashboard, please reach out to your sales representative.
What happens if I need a Pro Forma invoice to get started?