Introduction
The Payments settings page allows you to connect your Stripe account and configure payment policies for online bookings. This is where you set up deposits, view transaction fees, and manage your Stripe Connect integration.
Note: Payments is separate from Billing & Subscription. Billing manages your Bella Booking subscription plan. Payments manages how your clients pay you for appointments.
Accessing Payment Settings
- In the main sidebar, go to Settings
- Select Payments from the settings menu (under the location settings group)
Access: Owner only (requires SettingsBilling permission)
Stripe Connect
Stripe Connect lets you accept card payments from clients who book online. You connect your own Stripe account so funds go directly to your bank account.
Connection Status
The status badge shows one of three states:
- Connected (green): Your Stripe account is fully set up and ready to accept payments
- Restricted (amber): Your Stripe account is connected but requires additional verification. Click View Stripe Dashboard to complete your setup
- Not connected (grey): No Stripe account is linked yet
Connecting Stripe
If you haven’t connected yet:
- Go to Settings → Payments
- Click Connect Stripe
- A confirmation dialog explains what will happen:
- Create a new Stripe Express account, or connect your existing one
- Redirect you to Stripe to verify your identity and business details
- Enable you to accept card payments through Bella Booking
- Click Continue to Stripe
- Complete the Stripe onboarding process (typically 5–10 minutes)
- You may need to provide business documentation (ABN for Australia, EIN or SSN for United States, IRD number for New Zealand) and bank account details
After Connecting
Once connected, the page shows:
- Status: Connected (or Restricted if verification is incomplete)
- Account ID: Your Stripe connected account identifier
- View Stripe Dashboard button: Opens your Stripe Express dashboard in a new tab, where you can view payouts, transactions, and account settings
What You Can Do Once Connected
- Accept deposits when clients book online (fixed amount or percentage)
- Accept card payments, Apple Pay, and Google Pay through your online booking page
- Accept Afterpay / Clearpay payments for deposits, gift cards, and packages (see Afterpay / Clearpay)
- Let clients save cards for faster checkout (see Saved Cards & Card on File)
- Charge saved cards during appointment checkout (Card on File)
- Automatic refunds when clients cancel within the cancellation policy (see Cancellation Policy)
- Sell digital gift cards through your online booking portal (see Gift Cards)
Payment Policy
Configure whether clients must pay a deposit when booking online. This setting applies to online bookings only — it does not affect appointments created by staff.
Note: If Stripe is not connected, the payment policy options are disabled. An alert prompts you to connect Stripe first.
Policy Options
| Option | Description |
|---|
| No payment policy | No deposit required. Clients book without any upfront payment. |
| Require a deposit upfront | Clients must pay a deposit to confirm their booking. |
Deposit Configuration
When “Require a deposit upfront” is selected, configure the deposit type:
| Deposit Type | Description |
|---|
| Fixed amount | A specific dollar amount (e.g., $50) regardless of service total |
| Percentage of total | A percentage of the total booking price including any add-on prices (e.g., 25%) |
- Deposit Amount: Shown when deposit type is “Fixed amount”. Enter the dollar amount clients must pay.
- Deposit Percentage: Shown when deposit type is “Percentage of total”. Enter a value between 0 and 100.
How Deposits Work
- Client selects services and team member on your online booking page
- Appointment is created in “Booked” status with an “Awaiting Deposit” indicator
- Client receives a Pending Confirmation / Deposit notification (SMS and/or email) containing a deposit payment link
- The email shows a “Pay Deposit & Confirm” button (amber) with the deposit amount. The SMS includes a link to the appointment details page where the client can pay
- Client clicks the link, logs in (or registers with their phone number), and completes payment via Stripe
- On successful payment, the appointment status changes to “Confirmed” and a confirmation notification is sent
- The deposit is applied toward the total service cost — any remaining balance is due at the appointment
The deposit payment link is sent via the
Pending Confirmation / Deposit notification, which can be configured as SMS, email, or both (see
Automated Messages). However, the client portal uses
phone-based login (SMS verification code). If a client does not have a phone number, they can receive the link via email but will not be able to log in to complete payment. In this case, add a phone number to the client’s profile or collect the deposit manually using the
Record Deposit action.
Auto-Cancel Unpaid Deposits
You can automatically cancel appointments when the deposit is not paid within a specified time:
- Under Deposit Configuration, select a period from the Auto-Cancel Unpaid Deposits dropdown
- Choose from: 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours (1 day), 48 hours (2 days), 72 hours (3 days), or 168 hours (1 week)
- Select “Disabled” to turn off auto-cancellation
When enabled:
- The system checks for unpaid deposits every 15 minutes
- Appointments past the configured window are automatically cancelled with reason “Deposit Expired”
- This applies to both online bookings and appointments created by staff — any appointment requiring a deposit is subject to auto-cancel
- Cancelled appointments do not count toward the client’s cancellation record
- The client receives a cancellation notification (email and/or SMS) so they can rebook if desired
If a client’s card is declined or they close the payment page without completing, the appointment is not cancelled immediately. The client can retry the payment using the same deposit link. The auto-cancel timer is the only mechanism that cancels appointments for unpaid deposits.
Deposit Precedence Over Confirmation
When both deposits and client confirmation are configured:
- Deposit takes precedence — the appointment stays “Booked” until the deposit is paid, even if appointment confirmation is disabled in Booking Policies
- Payment acts as confirmation — once the deposit is paid (online or recorded manually), the appointment is automatically confirmed
- Recording a manual deposit (e.g. cash or bank transfer) also confirms the appointment automatically
- The client receives the deposit payment link instead of a simple confirmation link
Service-Level Overrides
Each service can override the location-level payment policy. Configure this in the Service Catalogue under each service’s settings:
- Use default: Apply the location payment policy
- No upfront payment: No deposit for this service
- Require deposit: Specify a fixed amount or percentage for this service
This is useful for requiring deposits on high-value services (e.g., wedding packages) even if the default policy doesn’t require one.
Deposits and Cancellation Refunds
When a client cancels an appointment that had a deposit paid via Stripe, the refund is calculated based on your Cancellation Policy:
- Sufficient notice (cancelled before the cancellation period): Full deposit refunded automatically through Stripe
- Insufficient notice (cancelled within the cancellation period): The cancellation fee percentage is applied to the deposit. For example, if the deposit was 100andthecancellationfeeis5050 refund and $50 is forfeited
- Business override: Staff can manually override the calculated refund amount when processing a cancellation
Saved Cards & Card on File
Clients can save their payment cards for faster checkout. Once saved, these cards can be used by both the client when booking online and by staff when checking out an appointment in the Scheduler.
How Clients Save Cards
Clients manage their saved cards through the online booking portal:
- The client logs in to your online booking page
- From the user menu (top right), they select Payment Methods
- On the Payment Methods page they can:
- Add a card — click Add a card to be redirected to a secure Stripe-hosted page where they enter their card details
- Remove a card — click the delete icon next to a saved card and confirm removal
Clients must have an account and be logged in to manage payment methods. The Payment Methods page is only available when Stripe Connect is configured for your location.
Card on File at Checkout
When recording a deposit, checking out an appointment, or creating a sale, staff see the same four payment options:
| Payment Method | Description |
|---|
| Cash | Cash payment (record-keeping only) |
| Card (Manual) | In-person card payment processed outside Bella (record-keeping only). Use this for EFTPOS as well — there is no separate EFTPOS method. |
| Other | Any other payment method — bank transfer, voucher, barter, etc. (record-keeping only) |
| Card on File | Charge the client’s saved card via Stripe (processes a real payment). Only available when the client has a valid saved card. |
- If the client has multiple saved cards, a dropdown appears so you can pick which one to charge
- The action button label updates to reflect the choice — for example “Charge Visa ····4242” or “Charge Visa ····4242 for Deposit”
- Clicking the action button processes the payment through Stripe automatically
- The sale or deposit is recorded with the payment details for reporting and refunds
Unlike Cash, Card (Manual) and Other, Card on File processes a real payment through Stripe. Standard Stripe fees and the platform application fee apply.
Refunds for Card on File Payments
When a sale was paid using Card on File, refunds are processed automatically through Stripe:
- Navigate to the sale in Sales and click Refund
- Enter the refund amount and reason
- The refund is submitted to Stripe and returned to the client’s original card
- Both full and partial refunds are supported
For Cash and Card (Manual) payments, refunds remain record-keeping only and must be handled outside the system.
Fee Calculator
The fee calculator helps you understand how much you’ll receive after fees for a given deposit amount.
Fee Structure
| Fee | Description |
|---|
| Stripe Fee | Payment processing fee charged by Stripe. Varies by region (e.g., 1.7% + A0.30forAustralia,2.90.30 for United States) |
| Application Fee | 1% Bella Booking platform fee |
| Total Fees | Combined Stripe + Application fees |
| You Receive | Net amount after all fees |
Regional Stripe Fees
| Region | Stripe Fee |
|---|
| Australia | 1.7% + A$0.30 per transaction |
| New Zealand | 2.7% + NZ$0.30 per transaction |
| United States | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction |
Pass Processing Fees to Clients
By default, Stripe and platform fees are deducted from the amount you receive. With Pass Processing Fees enabled, processing fees are added as a separate line item on the client’s payment — so you receive the exact service price.
Enabling Fee Passing
- Go to Settings → Payments
- Under Pass Processing Fees, toggle the switch to on
- Click Save
Requirement: Stripe must be connected before this option is available.
What Clients See
When fee passing is enabled, clients see a Processing Fee line item added to their payment total — both on the online booking checkout page and when charged via Card on File. For example:
| Item | Amount |
|---|
| Haircut | $100.00 |
| Processing Fee | $3.04 |
| Total | $103.04 |
How the Fee Is Calculated
The processing fee is calculated using an inverse formula so that, after Stripe deducts its fees from the total charged amount, you receive the exact service price.
For example, with Australian Stripe fees (1.7% + A$0.30) and the 1% application fee:
- Service price: $100.00
- Gross charge = (100.00+0.30) ÷ (1 − 0.017 − 0.01) = $103.04
- Processing fee shown to client: 103.04−100.00 = $3.04
- After Stripe and platform fees are deducted from 103.04,youreceive∗∗100.00**
The system automatically uses the correct Stripe fee rates for your region (see Regional Stripe Fees).
Service-Level Override
Each service can override the location-level fee passing setting. Configure this in the Service Catalogue under each service’s settings:
- Use default: Apply the location-level fee passing setting
- Pass fees: Always add the processing fee for this service, regardless of the location setting
- Absorb fees: Never add the processing fee for this service, regardless of the location setting
This is useful if you want to absorb fees on lower-priced services but pass them on for premium services, or vice versa.
Where Fee Passing Applies
Processing fees are added when a payment is processed through Stripe:
- Online booking deposits — the fee is calculated on the deposit amount
- Card on File charges — the fee is added when staff charge a client’s saved card at checkout
- Gift card purchases — the fee is added to the gift card total at checkout
- Tips — the fee is added to the tip amount
Cash and Card (Manual) (in-person) payments are not processed through Stripe, so no processing fee is added for those methods.
Deposit and Checkout Fees Are Separate
When a client pays a deposit online and then pays the remaining balance at checkout, two independent processing fees are charged — one for each Stripe transaction:
-
At booking — A processing fee is calculated on the deposit amount and charged in the deposit’s Stripe Checkout session. This fee is stored against the appointment’s deposit record.
-
At checkout — A processing fee is calculated on the remaining balance (service total minus deposit) and charged via Card on File. This fee is stored on the sale record.
These fees are never combined. Each Stripe charge is an independent transaction with its own fee calculated on its own amount.
Example (default Stripe rates: 2.9% + $0.30 + 1% platform):
| Step | Base Amount | Processing Fee | Total Charged |
|---|
| Deposit (at booking) | $100.00 | $4.36 | $104.36 |
| Checkout (remaining balance) | $200.00 | $8.42 | $208.42 |
| Total collected | $300.00 | $12.78 | $312.78 |
Refunds
When a payment that included a processing fee is refunded, the full amount — including the processing fee — is returned to the client. The Stripe processing fees on the original transaction are not refunded to you by Stripe.
Legal considerations: Some jurisdictions regulate or restrict surcharging card payments. Check the laws and card network rules applicable to your region before enabling this feature. In Australia, surcharges must not exceed the cost of acceptance. Ensure the processing fee shown to clients accurately reflects your actual costs.
Digital Tipping
Allow clients to leave tips for team members after their appointment. Tips are processed securely through Stripe and go directly to your connected account.
Enabling Tips
- Go to Settings → Payments
- Under Tips, toggle the switch to on
- Click Save
Requirement: Stripe must be connected before this option is available.
How Tipping Works
- After an appointment is checked out, the client sees a tip prompt on their appointment page in the online booking portal
- The client selects a tip amount (preset percentages or custom amount)
- Payment is processed through Stripe using the client’s saved card or a new card
- Your business receives a notification via the notification centre, email, and/or SMS
- The team member who provided the service is also notified
Tips are recorded against the appointment and included in your Stripe payouts. Standard Stripe processing fees apply to tip payments.
Tip Notifications
When a client leaves a tip, your business receives a Tip Received notification. This can be configured in Automated Messages with customisable email and SMS templates. Template variables include {{TipAmount}} and {{TeamMemberName}}.
Afterpay / Clearpay (Buy Now, Pay Later)
Allow clients to pay using Afterpay (or Clearpay in the United Kingdom) — a buy now, pay later service that splits payments into 4 interest-free instalments. Clients pay over time; you receive the full amount upfront through Stripe.
Eligible Countries
Afterpay is available for businesses in the following countries:
| Country | Brand Name |
|---|
| Australia | Afterpay |
| New Zealand | Afterpay |
| United States | Afterpay |
| Canada | Afterpay |
| United Kingdom | Clearpay |
Enabling Afterpay
- Go to Settings → Payments
- Under Afterpay (or Clearpay in the UK), toggle the switch to on
- Click Save
Requirement: Stripe must be connected and fully onboarded before this option is available.
Where Afterpay Appears
When enabled, Afterpay appears as an additional payment option alongside card on Stripe Checkout pages for:
- Online booking deposits — clients choose between card and Afterpay when paying a deposit
- Gift card purchases — Afterpay is available on the gift card checkout page
- Package purchases — Afterpay is available on the package checkout page
Stripe automatically shows or hides Afterpay based on the transaction amount. Orders outside Afterpay’s eligible range (approximately 1–2,000, varying by region) will only show card as a payment option.
What Clients See
When a client reaches the Stripe Checkout page, they see both Card and Afterpay as payment options. If they select Afterpay, Stripe shows the instalment breakdown (e.g., 4 payments of 30.00fora120.00 deposit). The client is redirected to Afterpay to approve the purchase, then returned to your booking page.
No changes are needed to your online booking page — Stripe handles the Afterpay UI automatically.
How It Works for Your Business
- You receive the full amount upfront — Afterpay pays you immediately through Stripe, and collects the instalments from the client over time
- Stripe processing fees apply — Afterpay transactions are subject to Stripe’s Afterpay processing fees (separate from standard card rates). These fees are set in your Stripe merchant agreement
- If “Pass Processing Fees” is enabled, the processing fee shown to clients is calculated at standard card rates. If the client chooses Afterpay, you absorb the difference between card and Afterpay processing rates
- Refunds work the same way — cancellation refunds and sale refunds are processed through Stripe regardless of whether the client paid with card or Afterpay. Stripe handles reversing the Afterpay instalments automatically
Cards and Afterpay
When a client pays with a card on a checkout page that also offers Afterpay, their card is still saved for future use (Card on File) as normal. When a client pays with Afterpay, no card is saved — Afterpay is a separate payment method that does not store card details through Bella Booking.
EFTPOS & Payment Terminals (Coming Soon)
We are working on integrated EFTPOS and payment terminal support, compatible with Stripe Terminal and other providers including Square. This will allow you to accept tap-and-go, chip, and swipe payments directly from your salon, with transactions syncing automatically to Bella Booking.
Stay tuned for updates on the What’s New page.
Payment Policy on Booking Policies Page
The payment policy can also be configured from the Booking Policies page, where it appears alongside cancellation and confirmation settings. Both pages manage the same underlying setting — changes made on either page are reflected on the other.
If Stripe is not connected, the Booking Policies page shows a “Stripe Connect Required” alert with a link to the Payments page.
FAQs
Q: What’s the difference between the Payments page and the Billing page?
A: Payments (Settings → Payments) is for accepting client payments — connecting Stripe, configuring deposits, and viewing fees. Billing (Settings → Billing) is for managing your own Bella Booking subscription plan and purchasing SMS packages.
Q: Do Apple Pay and Google Pay work everywhere?
A: Apple Pay and Google Pay are available on your online booking page, where Stripe’s hosted payment form handles the checkout. They are not available for in-person payments recorded through the Scheduler or Sales pages (those support Cash and Card (Manual) only).
Q: Do deposits apply to appointments created by staff?
A: Deposit requirements apply to online bookings. For appointments created by staff in the Scheduler, the system shows a “Deposit required” indicator and sends the deposit payment link to the client via SMS/email. Staff can also record manual deposits (e.g. cash or bank transfer) from the appointment details panel — recording a manual deposit automatically confirms the appointment, just like an online payment would.
Q: What happens if the client doesn’t pay the deposit?
A: The appointment stays in “Booked” status with an “Awaiting Deposit” indicator. If the client’s card is declined or they close the payment page, the appointment is not cancelled immediately — the client can retry using the same deposit link. You can also resend the deposit request from the appointment details menu (“Resend Deposit Request”). If auto-cancel is configured, the appointment is automatically cancelled after the specified number of hours, and the client receives a cancellation notification.
Q: What if my client doesn’t have a phone number?
A: The deposit link can be sent via SMS, email, or both — depending on your Pending Confirmation / Deposit notification settings. However, the client portal uses phone-based login (SMS verification code). A client without a phone number can receive the link via email but will not be able to log in to complete payment. Alternatives: charge the client’s saved Card on File using the “Record Deposit” action, or collect the deposit manually (cash, card, bank transfer, etc.) using the same action.
Q: What happens if I disconnect Stripe?
A: If Stripe is disconnected, online payment features are disabled. Existing deposit settings are preserved but won’t be applied until Stripe is reconnected.
Q: Are deposit amounts shown when prices are hidden?
A: Yes. Even when “Hide prices in online booking” is enabled, deposit amounts are always displayed to clients so they know how much they need to pay.
Q: How are refunds processed?
A: When a client cancels within the cancellation policy, refunds are calculated automatically based on the cancellation fee percentage and processed through Stripe. Staff can override the refund amount. For manual deposits (recorded as Cash or Card (Manual) in-person), refunds must be handled outside the system.
Q: What is Card on File?
A: Card on File lets staff charge a client’s saved card for a deposit, an appointment checkout, or a product sale — without the client needing to be present. The client saves their card through the online booking portal, and staff can then select it as a payment method in any payment action. The payment is processed through Stripe, so fees apply.
Q: Can clients save multiple cards?
A: Yes. Clients can save multiple cards from the Payment Methods page in the online booking portal. When staff checks out using Card on File, they can choose which saved card to charge.
Q: What happens to saved cards if I disconnect Stripe?
A: Saved cards are stored on Stripe’s connected account. If Stripe is disconnected, the Card on File payment method will not appear during checkout. Cards remain stored on Stripe and will be available again if you reconnect.
Q: What does “Pass Processing Fees” do?
A: When enabled, processing fees (Stripe fees + the 1% platform fee) are added as a separate line item on the client’s payment instead of being deducted from your earnings. The fee is calculated using an inverse formula so you receive the exact service price after all deductions. You can override this setting per service if you want to absorb fees on some services but pass them on for others.
Q: If a client pays a deposit and then the remaining balance at checkout, are there two processing fees?
A: Yes. The deposit and checkout are two separate Stripe transactions. Each has its own processing fee calculated on its respective amount. The deposit fee is tracked on the appointment, and the checkout fee is tracked on the sale. They are never combined — each fee covers only the Stripe charge it was calculated for.
Q: How do digital tips work?
A: When tipping is enabled, clients see a tip prompt after their appointment is checked out. They can select a preset percentage or enter a custom amount. The tip is processed through Stripe and your business and the team member are notified. Tips are included in your regular Stripe payouts.
Q: Do Stripe fees apply to tips?
A: Yes. Standard Stripe processing fees and the platform application fee apply to tip payments, just like deposits and Card on File charges. If “Pass Processing Fees” is enabled, the processing fee is added to the tip amount.
Q: What is Afterpay / Clearpay?
A: Afterpay (called Clearpay in the United Kingdom) is a buy now, pay later service. When enabled, clients can split their payment into 4 interest-free instalments. You receive the full amount upfront through Stripe — Afterpay collects the instalments from the client over time. It’s available for businesses in Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Q: Why don’t I see the Afterpay option on my Payments page?
A: The Afterpay section only appears if your business is in an eligible country (Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, or United Kingdom) and Stripe is connected. If you’re in an eligible country but don’t see it, make sure your Stripe account is fully onboarded.
Q: Does Afterpay work for tips?
A: No. Tips are processed via card payment only. Afterpay is available for deposits, gift card purchases, and package purchases.
Q: Are Afterpay processing fees different from card fees?
A: Yes. Afterpay transactions have separate Stripe processing fees that are typically higher than standard card rates. These fees are set in your Stripe merchant agreement. If you have “Pass Processing Fees” enabled, the fee shown to clients is calculated at card rates — if the client chooses Afterpay, you absorb the difference.
Q: Do Afterpay refunds work differently?
A: Refunds are processed through Stripe the same way for both card and Afterpay payments. When you refund an Afterpay payment, Stripe reverses the remaining instalments and refunds any amounts already paid. Afterpay refunds may take 5–7 business days to appear on the client’s Afterpay account. Afterpay refunds must be processed within 120 days of the original payment.
Q: Will you support EFTPOS or payment terminals?
A: Yes, integrated EFTPOS and payment terminal support is coming soon. We are building compatibility with Stripe Terminal and other providers including Square, so you can accept tap-and-go payments in your salon with transactions syncing automatically.
