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
$3,000 minimum for all wire transfers
Processing time: 1-2 business days
Fees: $15 for all transfers
Supported for U.S. and International banks
No transfer limits
WeChat Pay
$3,000 minimum
Processing time: Instant
Fees: 3% + $0.30 processing fees
Alipay
$3,000 minimum
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?
Yes, we have a minimum of $3000 across all prepay methods.
Wire transfers include a $15 processing fee.
WeChat Pay and Alipay payments are subject to standard processing fees (3% + $0.30).
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 wire transfer documents for my bank (pro forma invoice) to get started?
You can generate wire transfer documents for your bank directly in your dashboard before sending funds. This makes it simple to share payment details with your finance team or bank.
📄 When funding Prepay via Wire Transfer, you will receive:
Bank name and address together in the Pro Forma bank details section
The bank address clearly displayed in both U.S. wire and international wire instructions
A Pro Forma PDF that automatically includes a second-page cooperation letter with your company details
Watch the video below for a quick walkthrough on how to create your wire transfer documents for your bank.