On October 15, 2026 HighLevel added checkout controls to GoHighLevel AI Studio payments: you choose which fields buyers fill in, you can capture the lead before payment with a two-step checkout, and the confirmation screen now shows a full order summary. The catch for anyone with automations: according to the changelog, new leads from a two-step checkout fire the Contact Created trigger, not Order Form Submission, so a workflow listening for Order Form Submission will not run for them. Projects that already use Payments get the changes on their next prompt, with no reconnecting. This note explains what changed and what to check.
What changed in GoHighLevel AI Studio payments checkout?
GoHighLevel's AI Studio payments checkout now lets you choose which checkout fields to show or require and adds a two-step checkout that saves the lead before payment.
| Change | What the changelog says |
|---|---|
| Choose checkout fields | Show, hide or require the phone number and each billing address field (street, city, state, ZIP, country). Name and email are always required. |
| Two-step checkout | Capture the lead first and take payment second, like the Two Step Order form in Funnels. Step 1 saves the buyer as a CRM contact, so people who do not finish paying are still leads to follow up. Step 2 collects payment. |
| Order details after payment | The confirmation screen shows the order ID, items, taxes and total paid, plus the next charge for subscriptions. You can send buyers to your own thank-you page that shows their real order. |
| Availability | Projects already using Payments get all of this on their next prompt. No reconnecting needed. |
You make these changes by prompting AI Studio. The examples HighLevel gives are "Make phone required and hide the billing address", "Make it a two-step checkout" and "Send buyers to my own thank-you page after payment".
| Two-step checkout | |
|---|---|
| Saves the buyer as a CRM contact at step 1 | ✓ |
| Fires the Contact Created trigger for new leads | ✓ |
| Fires Order Form Submission for those leads | ✕ |
| Unpaid leads stay in the CRM to follow up | ✓ |
Source: HighLevel changelog, October 15, 2026
Why does the Contact Created trigger matter for your workflows?
HighLevel's own heads-up in the entry is that new leads from a two-step checkout fire the Contact Created trigger, not Order Form Submission, and that you should check that your workflows listen for the right one. In plain terms:
- A workflow that thanks a buyer, tags a customer or notifies your team on Order Form Submission will not start for someone who enters step 1 of a two-step checkout and has not paid.
- A workflow on Contact Created will start for every new contact from any source, including people who never pay. Add a filter, such as a source tag or a payment status check, or a "paid" and "did not pay" branch.
- Abandoned checkout follow-up becomes possible because the lead exists before payment. That is the upside HighLevel points to.
The two lists above are our interpretation of the changelog, not testing results. If your checkout drives revenue, test both paths with a test contact and read the Execution Logs before going live.
How should you set up workflows around a two-step checkout?
Around a two-step checkout, treat step 1 as a lead rather than a customer, build one workflow for people who started but did not pay, and keep paid workflows on payment events.
- Decide what step 1 means. A lead who has not paid is not a customer. Tag them as such on entry.
- Build one workflow for "started, did not pay". A short, polite reminder sequence with a link back to the checkout.
- Keep the paid workflow on payment events. Use the trigger that matches an actual payment for receipts, onboarding and tags.
- Stop the unpaid sequence on payment. A stage change or tag should exit the reminders so a paid customer never gets one.
- Test both paths. One contact that pays, one that stops after step 1. Read the logs.
This is the kind of trigger mistake our workflows not triggering guide covers, and our automation service builds and tests these paths. For ecommerce flows see GoHighLevel for ecommerce.
What did not change?
The entry describes AI Studio checkouts, not Funnels or Stores. HighLevel's reference to "the Two Step Order form in Funnels" is a comparison to an existing feature, not a change to it. Fees and payment processing terms are not discussed in the entry, so check Stripe and HighLevel's terms for anything money-related.
Related updates: the full digest and bulk sub-account features. For the plan and add-on costs around AI, see Voice AI pricing.
Frequently asked questions about AI Studio checkout
What is a two-step checkout in AI Studio?
A checkout where step 1 captures the buyer's details and saves them as a CRM contact, and step 2 takes payment. People who do not finish still exist as leads.
Which trigger fires for a two-step checkout lead?
Contact Created, according to HighLevel's changelog, not Order Form Submission. Check that your workflows listen for the right trigger.
Do I need to reconnect Payments to get these features?
No, HighLevel says projects already using Payments get them on their next prompt.
Which checkout fields can I hide or require?
The phone number and each billing address field: street, city, state, ZIP and country. Name and email are always required.
What does the order confirmation show now?
The order ID, items, taxes and total paid, plus the next charge for subscriptions. You can also send buyers to your own thank-you page that shows the real order.
Will this break my existing AI Studio checkout?
The entry does not say it changes existing checkouts until you prompt for a change. Test before you rely on a new flow, and read the Execution Logs.
Where can I get help with workflows around checkout?
Our GoHighLevel audit reads every workflow's trigger and exit, and the first call is free.