Yes, and it is the best no-show fix you have
Every mainstream salon booking platform supports deposits, card capture or both. Setting it up is an hour in the platform and a sentence on the website, and it typically cuts no-shows to a fraction. Here is how it works, what to choose, and what to get right.
Deposit or card capture
A deposit is money taken at booking, a fixed amount or a percentage of the service, deducted from the bill on the day, kept if the client cancels late or does not arrive. Clients see money leave their account at booking.
Card capture stores the card at booking without charging it. If the client cancels late or does not arrive, a fee is charged to the stored card. Nothing is taken from clients who turn up.
Card capture is softer at booking and more common for salons with mostly regular clients. Deposits are firmer and more common for new clients, long colour appointments and salons that have been burned. Many salons use card capture generally and a deposit for specific services or new clients.
Which platforms support what
- Fresha: card capture with no-show and late-cancellation fees; deposits per service. Through Fresha's payment processing.
- Booksy: deposits (called prepayments) per service; cancellation fees.
- Vagaro: deposits and card on file; cancellation and no-show fees.
- Timely: deposits and card capture via TimelyPay; per-service and per-client settings.
- Phorest: deposits and card capture through PhorestPay; policies per service.
- Square Appointments: card on file with no-show fees; prepayment.
All need the platform's payment processing enabled, which carries a per-transaction fee. That fee is the cost of deposits, and it is small against a saved appointment.
How much
Common settings: 20 to 50 percent of the service price for deposits; a no-show fee of 50 to 100 percent for card capture. Long colour and chemical services at the higher end; a men's cut at the lower, or card capture only. Round to a tidy number where the platform allows a fixed amount.
Which appointments
At minimum: new clients, and services over an hour or over a price threshold. Many salons apply card capture to every booking and deposits to colour, extensions and bridal. Some stylists ask for deposits on all their bookings after a run of no-shows; the platform allows per-staff or per-service settings.
The window
Free cancellation or rescheduling with at least 24 hours' notice is the standard; 48 for long appointments. Inside the window, the deposit is kept or the fee charged. The reschedule option should be as easy as cancelling, via the link in the confirmation, so the slot is moved rather than lost.
The wording
Shown at booking, in the confirmation, on the website's Prices page and at the desk. Plain and brief:
We take a card when you book. Cancel or move your appointment free with 24 hours' notice. Inside 24 hours, or if you don't arrive, we charge 50 percent. Message us if something comes up and we'll help where we can.
The last sentence matters: a policy that leaves room for a human is one clients accept.
The legal points
This is general guidance; consumer law varies by country and the platform's terms apply.
- Disclose before booking. The policy must be shown before the client commits, not only in the confirmation. Platforms do this when the policy is configured; the website should repeat it.
- Proportionate fees. Consumer law in the UK, EU, Australia and Canada generally requires that cancellation charges reflect a genuine estimate of loss, not a penalty. A fee tied to the service price for a slot that could not be refilled is defensible; a punitive flat fee for a cheap service may not be.
- Deposits refundable with notice. A deposit forfeited for a cancellation with reasonable notice can be challenged. Keep the window fair.
- Card storage compliance. The platform stores the card, not you; never write card details down or store them elsewhere.
- Consistent application. Applying the policy to some clients and not others invites complaints. Waive by exception, for a reason, and note it.
The website's part
- The Book button leads into the platform's flow where the deposit or card step is presented.
- The Prices page states the policy in the same words.
- Service pages for high-value services note "deposit required at booking" beside the price.
- The confirmation SMS (from the platform) restates the window and the reschedule link.
What to expect
Salons that switch on card capture or deposits with clear wording report no-shows falling sharply within the first month and almost no client loss over the policy. A few grumble at the card request. The ones who refuse were the ones the policy exists for.
Where this sits
Configuring deposits or card capture in the booking platform and stating the policy on the site is a standard part of every salon website we set up, because a site that fills the diary with unprotected bookings has only done half the job.