How to Take Deposits for Mobile Service Bookings (and Bill the Balance After)
For a business that comes to the customer, a no-show is expensive in a way it is not for a shop. You lose the slot, the fuel and time to get there, and the booking you turned away because that time was taken.
A deposit is the simplest fix. Clients who have paid something turn up, or let you know in time to fill the slot. The trick is setting it up so it feels normal to the client rather than like a penalty.
How much to ask for
Most service businesses land between 20% and 50%. The right number depends on what a lost slot costs you:
- 20–25% works for lower-priced, high-volume services, where a deposit is mostly about commitment.
- 50% suits higher-value appointments, or work where you buy products in advance, such as spray tans, deep cleans or grooming with special shampoos.
Whatever you choose, say it before the client books, on the booking page itself. A deposit the client agreed to is a price; a deposit they discover is a complaint.
Let regulars pay in full
Your best clients often want to settle everything when they book and forget about it. Give them the choice: pay the deposit now or pay in full now. It costs you nothing, gets you paid sooner, and leaves nothing to chase after the job.
Billing the balance without the awkwardness
The weak point of most deposit setups is the end. The job is done, and now someone has to work out what is still owed and ask for it. Done badly, the client is asked for the full price again and the deposit is forgotten.
A good balance bill:
- shows the full price, the deposit already paid, and the balance due, so nothing looks like a double charge;
- lets the client pay by card straight from the email;
- can include anything extra they bought on the day, such as an aftercare product;
- offers an optional tip, never a pre-selected one.
Making it non-refundable, fairly
If your deposit is non-refundable, say so in plain words next to the price, and give a reasonable cut-off for rescheduling instead, for example 48 hours. Clients accept "non-refundable, but you can move it once with 48 hours' notice" far more easily than "non-refundable", and you still keep the protection.
How this works in ZipScheduler
With ZipScheduler's Pro plan you connect your own Stripe account and choose to take a deposit (the percentage is yours to set) or the full price when clients book. You can let clients choose to pay in full. After the appointment, open the booking and click Send balance: the client gets an invoice with the deposit already taken off, any products you add, and an optional tip, and pays by card from the email. Payments go straight to your Stripe account.