Choosing deposits or full payment for online bookings

1. Define the booking price

Start with the service option or room hire being booked. Make the inclusions clear and distinguish the booking price from any additional work that still needs discussion. Avoid presenting an uncertain quote as a fixed-price service.

2. Choose the amount collected online

In Stripe payments, open Settings and choose an option under Online booking payments. You can let clients pay at the appointment, require a fixed or percentage deposit, or require full payment. The examples below use an $80 booking to show what is collected now and what remains.

Pay at appointment

Collect no payment during online booking. For an $80 booking, the full $80 remains to be paid at the appointment.

Require a fixed deposit

Set a deposit amount in the booking currency. A $10 deposit on an $80 booking leaves $70 to pay later. The fixed deposit applies once per booking and cannot exceed the booking total.

Require a percentage deposit

Collect a percentage of the booking total. A 20% deposit on an $80 booking is $16, leaving $64 to pay later, as shown in the client booking example above.

Require full payment

Collect the entire booking amount online. For an $80 booking, the client pays $80 when booking, leaving no balance for that booking unless the agreed amount changes.

3. Explain the arrangement before checkout

Enter your booking and refund policy in the Online booking payments settings, then save your payment settings. Clients review and accept this policy before paying. Explain what is due now, any remaining balance, and your cancellation and refund arrangements. Cancelling an appointment does not automatically refund its payment.

4. Prepare your team to collect any balance

The Stripe payments settings page also has a separate Calendar Payments section. Its default deposit percentage and fixed deposit amount prefill the Deposit % and Fixed deposit options in Receive payment; your team can adjust them for each booking. These defaults are separate from the payment choice for the client booking portal. Before collecting a remaining balance, check what has already been paid and request only the amount still due.

5. Take deposits for phone and in-person bookings too

Clients do not have to book through your client booking portal for you to collect a deposit. Open their booking in the calendar and select Receive payment. Choose Deposit % or Fixed deposit to collect part of the amount, or Full balance to collect the amount still due. Check any previous payments before requesting another payment.

For a booking made over the phone

Choose the deposit amount, then send a payment link by email or SMS so the client can pay on their own device. Confirm the payment status after they complete checkout.

For a client at reception

Choose the deposit amount, then use a supported card terminal or display a QR code for the client to open checkout on their phone. If you receive payment outside this flow, use Manual Payment to record it.