Should you take a deposit for bookings?

Taking payment at the point of booking sounds like friction — one more step between a client and your calendar. In practice it does the opposite: it filters out the people who were never going to show, and it gets money into your account before you’ve done the work.

When a deposit makes sense

• High-value time. A 90-minute strategy session or a home visit is expensive to lose to a no-show.
• New clients. Repeat clients have a track record; first-timers don’t.
• Popular slots. If evenings and weekends book out, a deposit makes sure the person holding the slot actually wants it.

For quick, low-stakes calls — a 15-minute intro, say — skip it. The friction isn’t worth it.

How much to ask for

A deposit of 10–25% of the total is enough to change behaviour without scaring people off. For a £120 service, £20–£30 is the sweet spot. Make it clear the deposit comes off the final bill, not on top of it.

Setting it up with Stripe

1. Connect your Stripe account to OpenCalenda (one click — no code).
2. On the booking type, choose full payment or deposit, and set the amount or percentage.
3. Set your cancellation window — for example, deposits are refundable up to 24 hours before.

That’s it. Clients pay with a card, Apple Pay or Google Pay as they book, get an automatic receipt, and the funds land in your Stripe balance. OpenCalenda doesn’t add a per-booking fee on top — you just pay Stripe’s standard processing rate.

Quote requests turn into booked jobs with a deposit taken up front. Fewer no-shows, and I stopped chasing invoices.

Try it on one service first. If attendance improves and nobody complains, roll it out to the rest.