How to take deposits for nail appointments

Deposits protect the one thing you can't get back: the hour. They also filter out bookings that were never going to happen. Done right, almost nobody complains — because it's applied to the service, not added on top.

How much should you take?

• Short services (polish change, single repair): often no deposit needed.
• Standard sets and fills: 20–30% of the service price, or a flat $20–$25.
• Long or specialist work (Gel-X full sets, extensive nail art, three-hour appointments): 30–50%, or the cost of the product you'd otherwise eat.
• New clients: consider a higher rate than regulars until they've kept two appointments.

Percentage or flat amount?

A percentage scales fairly with the service and is the safer default. A flat amount is easier for clients to remember and works well if your prices are close together. Pick per service rather than one rule for everything.

Write the refund rule before you need it

Collecting it without a merchant account headache

The deposit should be paid on the booking page, at the moment the slot is reserved — not chased afterwards by Venmo or Cash App. Chasing payment after the fact costs you the exact time the deposit was meant to protect, and off-platform transfers give you no record when a dispute comes up.

Rolling it out to existing clients

• Announce it two to three weeks ahead in your messages and on social.
• Explain it as "your deposit comes off your total" — never as a new fee.
• Start with new clients and long services if you want a soft launch.
• Hold the line for the first month. The people who leave over a $25 deposit are the ones who were no-showing.

How Rervva handles this

Deposits are configured per service as a percentage or fixed amount, taken on the booking page through your own connected Stripe account, applied automatically at checkout, and tracked in your reporting. Your policy is displayed before payment and stored with the appointment.