Deposits and payment at booking: what is possible today

What exists and what is not available

The panel has screens for online payments, but the switch that turns them on is not available on the current plans and refuses to activate. There is no integrated card payment, no PayPal, no bank transfer and no local payment method. A booking made through the public page stays pending, and any payment happens on the spot or by a method you agree directly with the client. Check the pricing page for what each plan includes today. If a client asks whether they can pay online, tell them that option does not exist yet and say how you prefer to be paid.

• The booking flow takes no card, Stripe, PayPal or bank transfer payment.
• The tool does not collect or refund deposits or advance payments.
• Payment on the spot, or by a method you agree with the client, is handled outside 4appointments.
• The payments switch in the panel refuses to activate on the current plans.

How to ask for money in advance outside the tool

If your service justifies 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 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, and issue any receipt or invoice through your own accounting system.

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: a deposit and an advance payment on the price can 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 either side 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 necessarily mean the same thing. Pending requests hold the slot until you confirm or reject them, and an unresolved one is cancelled automatically, without notice, about an hour after the requested time has ended, so deal with them in good time. General information, not legal advice; if in doubt, speak to a solicitor.

Common questions