Payment policy overview

To use payment policies, you’ll need to have Fresha Payments enabled. This allows you to collect upfront payments from clients and securely capture their card details when they book appointments online.

Fresha simplifies the process of setting up and managing payment policies into three key elements:

Choose how to protect your bookings

There are two ways to secure your appointments using payment policies:

Collect deposit upfront: A deposit policy lets you collect part of the service cost upfront when clients book, either as a percentage or a fixed amount. You control when it becomes non-refundable, whether to charge a no-show fee, and the rest is paid at checkout.

Capture card details: Secure appointments by saving your client’s card details at the time of booking. This allows you to charge a no-show or late cancellation fee if the client doesn’t attend or cancels outside your allowed timeframe.

Protect your most valuable bookings

Payment policies can be applied to all appointments or tailored for specific situations:

• Deposits offer a strong layer of protection by collecting part of the payment in advance. They are ideal for high-value appointments, new clients, or bookings during peak times, where the risk of no-shows or cancellations has a greater impact on your business. 
• Confirm with card is a great option when you want to reduce no-shows without asking clients to pay upfront, while still giving you the option to charge a fee if they don’t attend.

You can also apply payment policies based on the client, service, appointments, or total booking value, giving you the flexibility to protect your schedule the way you want.

Booking appointments with a payment policy 

When a payment policy is in place, clients are asked to confirm their appointment by either paying a deposit or adding their card details.

Online bookings:

• Clients paying a deposit are prompted to do so when booking online. Once the payment is complete, the appointment is confirmed, and the remaining balance is paid after the service.
• For capture card details, clients securely enter their card details at checkout. The card can only be charged for no-shows or late cancellations, in line with your cancellation policy.]

In-store bookings:

With in-store booking, you can choose your current payment policy or set up a custom one for individual appointments.

• Deposits are either collected in person or requested via email or text, allowing the client to pay and confirm the booking.
• For card confirmations, clients receive a link by email or text to securely enter their card details and confirm the appointment.

Reminders can be sent to clients to complete payment or add their card details if they haven’t confirmed their booking yet.