Deposits & no-show protection

Stop No-Shows Before They Happen

A no-show isn’t just a gap in your day — it’s an hour you can’t resell and a client who could have had that slot. Deposits change the psychology of booking: when someone has money down, they show up, or they reschedule properly instead of vanishing. Keptbookings makes it painless to add that layer of accountability to the services where it matters most.

You decide the policy per service, because a quick fringe trim and a four-hour balayage don’t carry the same risk. Low-risk services can stay deposit-free; high-value, long-duration appointments can require real commitment. The result is a calendar full of people who actually intend to show.

• Card on file — no upfront charge, but a card is securely held
• Partial deposit — collect a set amount toward the service
• Full prepay — the entire service is paid before the slot is held
• Set a different policy for every service you offer

Keptbookings Closes the Loopholes Other Tools Leave Open

Here’s where most booking tools quietly fail you. Some let a client book with an invalid or expired card and only discover the problem when they try to charge a no-show fee — by then it’s too late. Keptbookings validates the card at the moment of booking, so an unusable card never makes it onto your schedule in the first place.

There’s a second trick clients use: book with a valid card, then delete it before the appointment so there’s nothing to charge. Square and similar systems often let that slip through silently. Keptbookings alerts you the instant a client removes their card from a protected booking, so you can follow up or cancel before you’re left holding an empty chair and no recourse.

Fair to You, Fair to Your Clients

Good deposit policies aren’t about punishing people — they’re about respecting everyone’s time. Keptbookings shows clients your cancellation terms clearly before they confirm, so there are no surprises and no awkward arguments later. When someone reschedules within your window, their deposit carries over; when they ghost outside it, you’re protected.

Because deposits and prepayments run through Stripe, refunds and adjustments are clean and traceable. You look professional, your clients know exactly where they stand, and you’re never the one chasing money you’re owed.

The Money Lands Fast, With No Holds

Collecting a deposit only helps if you can actually access the funds. Keptbookings runs payments through Stripe with fast, next-day payouts and no surprise holds on your money. You’re not waiting a week or watching a platform freeze your balance the way some all-in-one tools do.

And because Keptbookings never takes commission, every dollar of every deposit is yours minus only the transparent processing fee. A deposit on a $200 service is a real $200 toward that booking — not $200 with a marketplace cut skimmed off the top.