Take card payments: set up Stripe step by step
Connect your own Stripe account to take deposits, full prepayments and no-show fees — the money goes straight to you, Slotora takes 0%.
Card payments in Slotora are optional and run on YOUR own Stripe account (Stripe Connect). Stripe handles the card details, payouts and receipts; the money never touches Slotora and we take 0% — you only pay Stripe's standard card fee (about 1.5% + 20p for UK cards).
1. Connect your Stripe account (5–10 minutes)
- In your admin, open Payments in the left menu
- Click 'Connect Stripe' — you'll be taken to Stripe's secure onboarding
- Fill in your business details (name, address, bank account for payouts). Stripe may ask for ID — this is their standard verification (KYC), required by card networks
- When you finish you're sent back to Slotora. If the status doesn't show 'Connected' yet, click 'Refresh status' — verification can take a few minutes
2. Choose what to collect at booking
- No deposit — clients book without paying; you can still charge protection fees if you set them (see below)
- Percentage deposit — e.g. 20% of the service price, paid at booking
- Fixed deposit — e.g. £10 per booking, regardless of price
- Full payment — the whole price is paid when the client books
Tip: for most salons a 20–30% deposit is the sweet spot — enough to stop casual no-shows without scaring off new clients.
3. Protect yourself from no-shows and late cancellations
- No-show fee: charged (one click, from the booking screen) when you mark a booking 'No show'
- Late-cancellation fee + window: e.g. £15 if the client cancels within 24 hours of the appointment
- When either fee is set, the client's card is saved securely by Stripe at booking, so the fee can actually be collected — this is exactly how the big booking platforms do it
4. Refunds
Open the booking and click 'Refund payment' — the money goes back to the client's card via Stripe. Use it for goodwill gestures or if you cancel on the client.
5. Paying in person still works
Keep 'Also let clients choose to pay in person' switched on if you want to accept cash or card on the day alongside online deposits. Switch it off to make online payment the only option.
Where's my money?
- Payouts go from Stripe to your bank on Stripe's schedule (daily or weekly — your choice in Stripe)
- Click 'Open Stripe dashboard' on the Payments page to see every payment, payout and receipt
- Slotora never holds your money and never takes a percentage