BookByOnline
Payments and deposits

Set up a booking deposit

Ask customers to pay a deposit or the full amount when they book, to protect against no-shows.

7 min read · Last reviewed 10 July 2026 · BookByOnline Support

Published article · Version 4

Before you begin

Connect a payment provider first, so you can collect money online. See Connect your Google Calendar for the calendar side, and your payment settings for the money side.

Note: A deposit can be a fixed amount or a percentage of the service price. You can set a business-wide default and override it per service.

Choose a payment policy

  1. 1Go to Settings → Commerce → Booking Payments.
  2. 2Choose whether bookings take no payment, a deposit, a part-payment or the full amount.
  3. 3Set the deposit amount or percentage.
  4. 4Save your changes.
Tip: Pairing a small deposit with a reminder is the most effective way to reduce no-shows.

Online versus in-person

Online consultations are typically paid in full at the time of booking, because there is no in-person visit to settle up.

Important: Make your cancellation and refund terms clear on your booking page so customers know when a deposit is returnable.
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