Payments and deposits
Deposits at booking, straight to you.
Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay through Stripe, settling in your own account. No commission, no platform markup.
- Into your own account
- Card payments are processed by Stripe into your own account, never held in ours.
- Your name on the statement
- You are the merchant of record, so clients see your business name on their bank statement, not ours.
- Paid out to your bank
- Payouts go from Stripe straight to your bank, never through us.
Where it lands
Your money should never sit in someone else’s balance.
Most booking software sits between you and your takings. CHAIR never stands in the middle. Card payments are processed by Stripe into your own account, your business name shows on your client’s bank statement, and payouts go from Stripe straight to your bank. Whether you run a barbershop, a salon floor or a nail desk, the money is yours from the moment it is paid.
The £10.00 deposit from the booking above, as it appears on your client’s statement. Your business name, not ours.
How it works
Set it up once. Get paid every time.
- 01
Connect Stripe once
Stripe’s hosted onboarding takes five to ten minutes on your phone. Until it is done, bookings still work and you take payment at the chair.
- 02
Set your deposit rules
Pick a default for every service: a percentage, a fixed amount, full payment up front or no deposit at all. Then override it where it matters, like £50 fixed on a £200 bridal package.
- 03
Get paid at booking
The client pays the deposit through Stripe’s secure checkout the moment they book, by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. At the chair, Take Payment already knows what is left and takes it in cash, by card, QR code or payment link.
No shows
Plans change. Your income doesn’t have to.
You decide how much protection each service needs. A deposit means a slot that falls through has still paid you something, a saved card means a no show can be charged the fee you set, and a cancellation window stops anyone quietly rebooking themselves out of your busiest afternoon. Nothing is ever charged automatically.
Paid before they sit down
The deposit is paid through Stripe the moment the booking is made, into your own account, never held in ours.
A window on every service
24 hours by default, set per service. Once inside it, clients cannot cancel or move the booking online. Late changes go through you.
Keep it or give it back
Nothing moves automatically after a late cancellation. Keeping the deposit, returning it, or charging your no show fee is always your decision.
What it costs
Fees you can say out loud.
CHAIR’s platform fee on payments is 0%. No commission, no per booking fee, no markup on processing. You pay the same rate Stripe gives any business: an online payment on a UK consumer card is 1.5% + 20p, which is 65p on a £30 cut. Cash costs nothing at all.
The receipt shows the £30.00 balance from the booking above, paid by card. Take it in cash instead and you keep the full £30.00, recorded in CHAIR.
At the chair
The till is already in your pocket.
Take Payment turns the booking into the bill. It opens knowing exactly what is left after the deposit, and takes it whatever way the moment calls for, with nothing to buy and nothing to plug in.
Cash
Taken at the chair and recorded against the booking. No fee at all.
Card on your phone
A secure Stripe checkout that opens on your phone. No reader, no extra hardware.
QR code
The client scans and pays on their own phone, by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Payment link
A link you share, so the client can pay wherever they are.
Already own a card machine? Carry on using it. Mark the booking paid in CHAIR and your records stay together.
What’s included
Everything that comes with payments.
Included in every plan on the web now, with mobile access coming soon. No payments tier, no per booking fee, no hardware to buy.
Deposits on your terms
A default of a percentage, a fixed amount or the full price up front, with overrides per service. Worked out on the service plus any extras and capped at the total.
Paid online at booking
Clients pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay in Stripe’s secure checkout, with nothing to install and no account to create.
Take Payment at the chair
Cash, a card checkout on your phone, a QR code the client scans or a payment link you share, with the balance after the deposit already filled in.
Your name on the statement
You are the merchant of record, so clients see your business name on their bank statement, not ours.
Cancellation windows
Set the notice each service needs, 24 hours by default. Inside the window, clients cannot cancel or rebook themselves online.
Refunds, your call
Refund any card payment in full or in part from CHAIR whenever you decide. Nothing is refunded automatically, and your client typically sees the money back in 5 to 10 business days.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Can I take deposits for appointments?
Yes. Set a default for every service, a percentage, a fixed amount or full payment up front, then override it per service, like £50 fixed on a £200 bridal package. The client pays through Stripe’s secure checkout the moment they book, and the deposit comes off what they owe on the day, whether you are a barber taking £10 on a £40 fade or a nail technician taking half up front on a full set. If someone closes the checkout without paying, the booking still reaches you and you simply take the full amount at the chair instead.
How much does it cost to take card payments?
CHAIR adds nothing. There is no commission, no per booking fee and no platform markup, just Stripe’s standard rate, the same rate Stripe gives any business. An online payment on a UK consumer card is 1.5% + 20p, which is 65p on a £30 cut. The rate at the chair is no different, because Take Payment runs card payments through the very checkout your online deposits use. Cash is free and still recorded in CHAIR.
Do I need a card machine to take payments?
No. Clients pay online when they book, and at the chair they can scan a QR code to pay on their own phone, follow a payment link, or complete a secure card checkout on your phone. Cash works too and is recorded against the booking. If you already own a reader, keep taking payments on it and mark the booking paid in CHAIR so your records stay in one place.
How do I protect myself against no shows?
You decide, per service. Card required means the client saves a card or Apple Pay to book, nothing is charged then, and a missed appointment can be charged the no show fee you set. Deposit up front means they pay at booking and you keep it if they never turn up, with no separate fee on top. Each service also has its own cancellation window, 24 hours by default, and clients cannot cancel or rebook themselves online inside it. Nothing is ever charged automatically: whether you charge a fee or refund a deposit after a late cancellation is always your call.
Where does the money go when a client pays?
Into your own Stripe account, not a platform balance. You are the merchant of record, your name shows on the statement, and Stripe pays your bank directly. See the balance on the web now. The same view reaches mobile at launch, coming soon.
Can I refund a deposit if a client cancels?
Yes, and it is always your decision. Refund any card payment in full or in part from CHAIR, and your client typically sees the money back in 5 to 10 business days. Nothing is refunded or charged automatically when someone cancels late.
Related features
Start free
Ready to get paid at booking?
£12.99 a month for an individual, £7.99 per user for a team, minimum 2. CHAIR’s platform fee on payments is 0%.