Deposits and payment at booking: what is possible today

What exists and what is not available

The panel contains screens for online payments, but the switch that turns them on is not available on the current plans and refuses to activate. Check the pricing page for what each plan includes today. In practice, a booking made through the public page stays pending, and payment, if any, happens on the spot or by a method you choose outside the tool. If a client asks whether they can pay online, tell them that option is not available and say how you prefer to be paid.

• 4appointments does not process card payments, PayPal, bank transfers or local payment methods.
• The online payments switch in the panel is not available on the current plans.
• A booking request from the public page does not ask the client to pay.
• Any payment is agreed with the client directly, and your team confirms the booking once it has been received.

How to ask for money in advance outside the tool

If your service justifies a payment up front, you can proceed as follows, without relying on any 4appointments feature:

• Write down the terms: the amount, the deadline for paying and what happens if the client cancels.
• Contact the client yourself and name the payment method you accept, for example a bank transfer or payment on the spot.
• Confirm the booking in the panel only after you have received the money. Confirming sends the client no message, so tell them directly.
• Keep proof of payment with your records.

Be careful with the words "deposit" and "advance payment"

In everyday language, a deposit is any amount paid before the service. Legally, the name does not settle everything: in many countries a deposit and an advance payment on the price have different consequences if someone fails to perform. So pick one term, use it the same way in your terms and messages, and state in writing what happens to the money if the client or the business does not keep to the arrangement. Example (illustrative amounts): on a €40 service with €10 paid beforehand, "advance payment of €10" and "deposit of €10" do not mean the same thing. General information, not legal advice; if in doubt, consult a lawyer.

Common questions