What exactly is Mercado Pago?
Mercado Pago is a payment processor and digital wallet that lets businesses charge online and in person using credit and debit cards, transfers, wallet balance, and other methods that vary by country — it's one of the most recognized payment options in the region for end users, which tends to reduce friction at checkout.
Unlike a generic processor, Mercado Pago pairs the charge with its own wallet: many users across LATAM already carry a balance or have the app installed, so paying through a checkout that offers it feels familiar to them.
How does Mercado Pago work to charge clients at a wellness studio?
The business signs up for a Mercado Pago account and connects it to its checkout — for a studio, typically the flow where a client pays for a class, package, or membership.
The client selects Mercado Pago as their payment method when completing a booking or purchase, pays with whichever option they prefer inside that platform, and the business sees the charge reflected in its account, subject to the per-transaction fee Mercado Pago applies based on the type of operation.
When does it make sense for a studio to offer Mercado Pago?
It mainly makes sense when a studio wants to widen its available payment methods beyond direct card entry, especially if a good share of its clients already use Mercado Pago for other purchases and would rather pay from there than manually enter card details.
It's also useful as an addition to Stripe or other processors: offering more than one payment alternative at checkout reduces drop-off at the critical moment, without forcing the business to pick a single provider.
- Clients who already use the Mercado Pago app or wallet
- A need to diversify payment methods at checkout
- Operating in markets where Mercado Pago has strong brand recognition
How does Mercado Pago work alongside Ollynk?
Mercado Pago is a natively integrated payment method in Ollynk, available on every plan alongside Stripe and PayPal: the studio can connect its account and offer it directly at checkout for classes, packages, and memberships with no external tools.
The client picks whichever payment method they prefer when booking, and the business manages every charge — regardless of method — from the same Ollynk dashboard, with reports that consolidate the whole operation in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Can a studio use Mercado Pago and Stripe at the same time?
Yes — in Ollynk both are native payment methods and aren't mutually exclusive. The business can offer several payment methods at once in the same checkout, and the client picks whichever they prefer when paying.
Does Mercado Pago charge a transaction fee?
Yes, like any payment processor, Mercado Pago applies a per-transaction fee that varies by payment method and the country where the business operates — it's worth checking current conditions directly with Mercado Pago before deciding whether to use it as a primary or secondary method.
Which LATAM countries does Mercado Pago operate in?
Mercado Pago operates in several countries across the region, with Mexico as one of its most established markets within the Mercado Libre ecosystem; the exact availability of payment methods can vary by country.