Deposit before confirmation
When your booking rules require a deposit, the customer completes the payment step before the appointment is confirmed.
Booking software with deposits for braiders
Take braid bookings with a deposit before the appointment is confirmed.
Braider Booking AI connects braid appointment deposits to the booking flow, so customers can choose a real available time, pay through your connected Stripe account and move to confirmation in one journey.
Short answer
Take braid bookings with a deposit before the appointment is confirmed.
Yes. Braider Booking AI can require a customer deposit as part of the booking flow. The customer pays through the business's connected Stripe account, and customer deposits remain separate from the £14.99 monthly platform subscription.
For setup details, compare the steps and FAQs below. Check the current Starter plan and trial terms before choosing a booking platform.
Eligible 7-day trial at Stripe checkout · then £14.99/month
Real availability
Stripe deposits
Why specialist booking matters
A deposit works best when it is connected to the booking itself.
Taking a deposit in a separate message can leave the appointment, payment and customer details disconnected. Braider Booking AI keeps the booking journey together: the customer chooses a service and real available time, then completes the required deposit step through the business's connected Stripe account before confirmation.
What the platform handles
Keep the booking journey connected from enquiry to confirmation.
Your connected Stripe account
Customer booking deposits go through the Stripe account connected to your business rather than being mixed with the Braider Booking AI subscription.
Real availability first
Customers choose from times that fit the service duration, working hours, blocked time and existing appointments before they reach the deposit step.
Clear booking records
Keep the appointment, customer details and payment state connected inside the same business booking workflow.
Typical use cases
Built for the way textured-hair appointments are actually organised.
Set up the services and booking rules that match your business, then give customers a clearer path to an available appointment.
- Long knotless braid and box-braid appointments
- Higher-value installs where a deposit is required to secure the slot
- Braiders moving deposits out of manual DM and bank-transfer conversations
- Businesses that want booking confirmation tied to the required payment step
Keep deposits and appointment management connected.
Explain what the deposit secures
Tell clients the amount due at booking, how the remaining balance is paid and your cancellation or rescheduling conditions. Display the policy before payment; a payment receipt alone does not explain your booking rules.
Check payment and appointment status together
An unfinished payment is not the same as a confirmed appointment. Use the booking record to check the current state rather than relying on a screenshot of a transfer or a separate message thread.
Use booking links when plans change
Customers can use their private booking-management link for supported changes within your rules. Review the updated appointment record afterwards. Cancelling or rescheduling should not be described as an automatic deposit refund.
See the Starter plan and pricing Read the booking setup guides
Simple booking flow
From a customer question to a confirmed appointment.
Customer chooses a service
Your saved services, prices, durations and guidance shape the booking journey.
They see real availability
Working hours, blocked time and existing bookings determine the times that can be offered.
Deposit and confirmation
If a deposit is required, the customer continues through your connected Stripe account before confirmation.
How should braiders explain booking deposits?
Tell customers the deposit amount, when it is collected, whether it counts towards the service balance, and what happens after cancellation or rescheduling. Show the applicable policy before payment, and distinguish your own salon deposit policy from the software subscription.
See the braiding deposits and cancellation policy guide for wording and practical considerations.
Frequently asked questions
Answers before you choose a booking platform.
These answers reflect how Braider Booking AI currently works.
Can I require a deposit before confirming a braid appointment?
Yes. When your business requires a deposit, the customer completes payment through your connected Stripe account before the booking is confirmed.
Where does the customer's booking deposit go?
The deposit is processed through the Stripe account connected to your business. It is separate from the Braider Booking AI platform subscription.
Is the £14.99 subscription the same as a customer booking deposit?
No. New businesses can try the Starter workspace free for 7 days, then it is £14.99 per month unless cancelled before the trial ends. Customer appointment deposits are separate payments made through the business's connected Stripe account.
Can customers pay a deposit for a time that is no longer available?
The booking flow checks current availability before the customer reaches confirmation, using service duration, working hours, blocked time and existing appointments.
Should I still explain my cancellation and deposit policy?
Yes. Your booking terms should clearly explain how deposits, cancellations and rescheduling are handled so customers understand the conditions before they pay.
Make the policy clear too
Deposits work best with clear cancellation and rescheduling rules.
Use the practical guide to define what the deposit secures, what happens when plans change and what customers should see before payment.
Start with your own workspace
Set up Braider Booking AI for your business.
Eligible new businesses can try Starter free for 7 days, then continue at £14.99 per month unless they cancel before the trial ends. The trial starts after Stripe subscription checkout, not at account creation. Customer booking deposits remain separate from the platform subscription.