Get paid when customers book — Accept payments from your Booking Page

You didn’t start your business to juggle calendars and chase unpaid invoices. You started it to do the work you love — and get paid for it.

Getting paid shouldn’t be complicated. That’s why combining bookings and payments in the one app makes sense. It lets you collect payments the moment someone schedules one of your services on your Booking Page. 

Think of it: No creating invoices. No gentle reminders. Simple setup, and a smooth experience that ensures you have bookings and income flowing in at the same time. 

How getting paid at booking impacts your business

Online payment at booking adds commitment to your appointments. Without it, customers who book in aren’t guaranteed to show up – last-minute calculations are much easier. Or you can be left having to follow up for payment. But with connected payments:

• Clients pay at booking, whatever you set the requirement as.
• Deposits confirm appointments, which helps cut down no-shows or cancellations.
• Less time chasing invoices — manage bookings and payments in one place.
• Predictable cash flow, as payments can be upfront and not forgotten. 

Digitally paying online is not only preferred, it has now become expected. In fact, digital wallets now account for around 54% of online payments, surpassing traditional card payments as the primary method of payment. 

Give them what they want: A flawless checkout experience

And why shouldn’t it be easy? Particularly from mobile – it’s how most of us research, shop, book, and pay. A long, drawn-out experience, multiple hoops, manual card entry, switching to a laptop, or any kind of friction, really, will see people leave the checkout and drop-off. 

The best way to think of it is how you pay. What do you usually use in your day-to-day shopping. Most would say Apple or Google Pay. So offer it. Businesses that take Apple pay boost their checkout conversion by 22% — and you can too. 

Here’s how preferred payment methods benefit you and your customers:

Apple Pay and Google Pay (fast, mobile-friendly checkout)

These digital wallets let customers complete payments with a click or tap — no typing card numbers or billing details. Less friction, more conversions, and simple mobile payments instead of cart abandonment. 

They also add a layer of security with tokenisation and biometric authentication (like Face ID or fingerprint). Let your customers feel secure when booking an appointment with you. 

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)

There are tons of flexible options, and with BNPL (availble through Stripe), your customers can split their payment into installments. You get paid upfront, and they can book higher-priced services – it removes barriers and makes services accessible to all. 

Cash App

Square’s Cash App option makes payments fast and familiar for users who already use that app — especially appealing to younger and mobile-savvy customers.

Venmo

With PayPal, customers can pay with Venmo, something they trust and use every day — helping reduce hesitation and increase conversions.

Together, these options meet customers where they already are, on the payment methods they prefer.

Deposit vs full payment — choose what works for you

Each business may view this differently or have different requirements. What that means is, some businesses may not take payments on their premises, or services that are priced where a user will pay at booking. Deposits can help your business if lateness or no-shows are a recurring issue. 

• Full payment means guaranteed income — ideal for mobile businesses or where payment on premises may slow down your day. 
• Taking a deposit allows a client to secure a slot, with a reminder sent closer to the time to reduce no-shows, particularly for high-value appointments or bookings made far in advance. 

Whatever you choose is simply what’s best for business. Clients know what they owe when they come to their appointment, and you don’t need to follow up with an invoice. You can always switch it at any time. 

How to set it up with Setmore

Setting up Booking Page payments is easy — and you don’t need anything more than your Setmore account and one of the supported payment integrations (Square, Stripe, or PayPal). 

Here’s how it works in your account:

1. Connect a payment provider

Go to Payments and connect either Stripe, Square, or PayPal. These integrations let Setmore process customer payments online. 

2. Turn on Booking Page payments

Under Payments > Booking Page, switch ‘Accept Booking Page payments’ on, if it isn’t already. You can also choose whether payment is required before confirmation or optional. 

3. Add optional charges, discounts, or deposits

This is where flexibility lets you build the perfect solution for you: add fees, discounts, or require a deposit when booking. 

For step-by-step instructions, check out our support article. Once you’re all set up, customers will see a payment screen at the time of booking. If you make them mandatory, they won’t be able to book until payment is complete. 

Tracking payment activity is simple. Deposits, partial payments, and payments made in full are all labeled on your calendar appointments. You can also see your Payment history, where you can search by date, service, or customer. 

Make booking and paying effortless for customers (and yourself)

Clients are more likely to complete a booking if it’s effortless. They book when they are most interested. Adding payments to this process reduces friction, increases conversations, and best of all, saves you time for what matters. 
Setmore may be Free, but your services are not – start today and get booked and paid.

by Srilakshmi

Content writer and scheduling expert at Setmore Appointments.

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