How much deposit should a salon charge?

There is no single amount for every salon

A quick trim and a three-hour specialist appointment tie up different amounts of time. Start with the appointment you are protecting: how long the staff member is unavailable, what preparation is involved and how easily the slot could be offered to another client.

Avoid copying another salon's percentage without considering your own service prices and clients. The amount should be understandable and your terms should be consistent. Get appropriate advice on cancellation and refund terms rather than assuming a deposit can always be kept.

Make the remaining balance easy to understand

Use a simple example when explaining the policy. If a service costs R800 and the deposit is R200, the client has R600 left to pay. If the final service price changes, tell them what changed and show the updated balance. These amounts illustrate the arithmetic; they are not prescribed prices or deposit rules.

State the terms before taking money

Tell clients when payment is due, how to pay, how to contact you about a change and what your cancellation and refund policy says. Keep that information available when they book, not only in a message after they have already paid.

Check current processing fees and settlement terms with your payment provider. Do not mix merchant fees with your salon software subscription or promise immediate settlement unless your provider confirms it.

Treat payment and confirmation as separate facts

Sending a link does not mean a client paid. In Polissh, verified receipts contribute to the required deposit, and the outstanding balance stays with the appointment. If an authorised team member confirms without a deposit, that exception is recorded, but it does not turn an unpaid booking into a payment.