Cartoply connects to Stripe so clients pay when they book — not after. When a client picks a session time on your booking page, they enter their card details and the payment processes before the appointment is confirmed. You receive the funds to your Stripe account, the client gets a receipt, and the appointment appears in both calendars. No invoice required. No payment awkwardness at the end of a session.
- Payment at booking — client pays before the appointment is confirmed
- Stripe-powered — funds go directly to your Stripe account
- Multiple session types — set different prices for different appointment types
- Deposit option — charge a partial amount at booking, collect the remainder later
- Automatic receipts — client receives a Stripe receipt immediately on payment
- Refund handling — issue full or partial refunds directly from Cartoply
- No-show protection — clients who have paid are significantly more likely to attend
Accept Payments Through Your Booking Page
Cartoply + Stripe. Clients book and pay in one step. You get paid before the session starts.
Why coaches and consultants collect payment at booking
Stop chasing invoices
Sending an invoice after a session creates a gap: the session happened, the value was delivered, and now you're waiting. Some clients pay late. Some go quiet. Chase emails create friction in a relationship that depends on trust. Payment at booking closes that gap before it opens — the client pays when their intent is highest, and the session starts with nothing between you.
Eliminate no-shows from uncommitted clients
A consultant billing £150/hour who experiences a no-show on a 90-minute strategy call has lost £225 of billable time — plus the opportunity cost of a blocked slot. Clients who haven't paid yet feel less committed. Clients who have paid almost never no-show. A deposit or full payment at booking is not just a revenue mechanism — it is the simplest no-show reduction tactic available.
Remove payment from the conversation entirely
Many therapists and wellness practitioners find the end-of-session payment moment uncomfortable — it interrupts the transition out of a therapeutic space. Payment at booking removes it entirely. The client pays when they book. The session ends when it ends. No card reader, no invoice, no "I'll send you the details" — payment is done before you've even met. Therapists and coaches find this removes the only admin step they still dreaded.
Set up payment on your booking page — takes 5 minutes
Get started freeHow payment through your booking page works
Here is exactly what happens when a client books and pays through your Cartoply booking page — from their perspective and yours.
| Step | Action | What the client sees | What happens behind the scenes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Client visits your booking page | Your session types with names, durations, and prices clearly listed | Cartoply displays your active booking types with pricing you have configured |
| 2 | Client selects a session type | Available time slots for that session type in their timezone | Cartoply filters availability based on your calendar and session duration |
| 3 | Client picks a time slot | Moves to a checkout screen: name, email, and card details | Cartoply initiates a Stripe checkout session |
| 4 | Client enters payment details | Stripe's secure checkout form — familiar, trusted, PCI-compliant | Stripe processes and tokenises the card details — Cartoply never stores card data |
| 5 | Payment processes | 'Your booking is confirmed — a receipt is on its way' | Stripe charges the card, sends the client a receipt, and notifies Cartoply |
| 6 | Confirmation fires | A calendar invite and confirmation email with session details | Cartoply sends the booking confirmation and adds the event to both calendars |
| 7 | Funds reach provider | Nothing — the session happens as booked | Stripe deposits funds to your bank account on your payout schedule (typically 2 business days) |
The client sees a professional checkout flow. You see a confirmed booking and a pending Stripe payment. No emails exchanged.
Payment options: what you can charge and how
Full payment at booking
The simplest configuration: set a price on a session type and the client pays the full amount before the booking is confirmed. The booking is not confirmed until payment succeeds — if the card is declined, the slot is not held.
Best for
Fixed-price sessions — a 60-minute coaching call, a 90-minute strategy session, a recurring therapy appointment at a set rate
How it works
Cartoply displays the price on the booking page. Client selects a slot and pays. Booking confirms when payment clears.
Deposit at booking, balance later
Charge a partial amount at booking to secure the slot. The client commits upfront; you collect the remainder at the session or via a separate invoice. This is standard practice for high-value engagements where a full payment upfront may create friction.
Best for
Day-rate consulting, therapy assessment packages, premium coaching packages where the client commits upfront but pays in stages
How it works
Set a deposit amount on the session type. Client pays the deposit to confirm the booking. Remaining balance is collected via a separate invoice or at the session.
Free booking with optional payment upgrade
Offer a free discovery call or initial consultation as a no-risk entry point, then convert to paid ongoing sessions. The free call qualifies the client; the paid link converts them.
Best for
Coaches who use a free 20-minute discovery call to qualify new clients; consultants who offer a free 30-minute scope call before quoting
Conversion tip
Include a link to your paid session booking page in the discovery call confirmation email — "If we decide to work together, here's how to book your first paid session."
For coaches: charge for sessions and packages without admin
The "send an invoice after a session" model creates a payment gap — the session happened, the value was delivered, and now you're waiting. Some clients pay late. Some go quiet. Payment at booking closes that gap before it opens. The client pays when their intent is at its peak — the moment they decide to book — and the session starts free of any financial overhead.
Set up a "60-minute coaching session" booking type at your standard rate. Add it to your booking page for coaches. Share the link. The client books and pays. You receive the funds before the session starts — no chasing, no awkward follow-up, no invoice emails.
For packages, create a booking type at your package price. The client pays the full amount at booking and then books individual sessions from that allocation. If you prefer to invoice separately for ongoing packages, use the deposit model — collect a booking fee upfront and invoice the balance under your standard terms.
For new clients who aren't ready to commit immediately, create a separate free booking type for a discovery call — no payment, no obligation. Once you've confirmed the fit, send them the paid session link. "Once we've confirmed we're a good match, I'll send you the booking link for our first full session" is a professional, low-friction conversion step.
For consultants and freelancers: protect your time with upfront payment
A consultant billing at £150/hour who experiences a no-show on a 90-minute strategy call has lost £225 of billable time — before accounting for the preparation time and the opportunity cost of a blocked slot. Clients who have paid upfront almost never no-show. The payment is a commitment device as much as it is a revenue mechanism.
For high-value engagements, a deposit at booking is standard professional practice. It signals to the client that the engagement is real, and signals to you that they are committed. Cartoply handles the deposit collection; the balance is invoiced separately under your usual terms. This is a cleaner workflow than collecting payment at the end of a session — by which point the emotional peak of the call has passed.
Use a free 20-minute scope call (no payment) to qualify the engagement before sending a paid booking link for the first working session. The transition from free to paid is smoother when the client has already experienced your booking flow and knows how the process works.
Payment at booking is not unusual in professional services — it is expected. "I collect payment at booking to protect both our time" is a statement that experienced buyers understand and respect. It is also a filter: clients who object to paying upfront often create the payment friction you are trying to avoid.
Stripe + Cartoply: how the integration works
What Stripe handles
- Payment processing — card authorisation, fraud detection, PCI compliance
- Currency handling — Stripe supports 135+ currencies; clients pay in their local currency if configured
- Client receipts — automatically emailed by Stripe on every successful payment
- Dispute handling — if a client disputes a charge, Stripe manages the chargeback process
- Card data security — Cartoply never stores card details; all card data is handled exclusively by Stripe
Stripe fees: what you pay
UK and EEA cards
1.5% + £0.20
US cards
2.9% + $0.30
International (non-EEA)
3.25% + £0.20
Worked example: On a £100 session charged to a UK card, Stripe's fee is approximately £1.70 — you receive £98.30. On a £500 package, the fee is approximately £7.70 — you receive £492.30.
Cartoply does not add a payment processing fee on top of Stripe's rate.
Fees verified at stripe.com/pricing — rates change; confirm current rates before publishing. Last verified: May 2026.
Payouts: when money reaches your bank
- Standard schedule: 2 business days after each charge for established accounts
- New account hold: Stripe holds funds for 7 days on new accounts while payment history is established — this reduces to the standard 2-day schedule after normal activity
- Payout frequency: daily automatic payouts by default; changeable to weekly or monthly in your Stripe dashboard settings
Refunds: how to issue them
- Full refund: issued from your Cartoply dashboard in one click — processed within 5–10 business days to the client's original card
- Stripe fee on refunds: Stripe refunds its transaction fee on full refunds; on partial refunds, the fee is not returned
- Cancellation policy: set a cancellation window on each booking type — clients who cancel within the window can be automatically refunded; those outside it are not
How to set up payment on your Cartoply booking page
Connecting Stripe to your Cartoply booking page takes under 5 minutes — connect your Stripe account, set a price on your session types, and your booking page starts collecting payment immediately.
- 1
Log in to Cartoply and go to Settings > Payments
- 2
Click 'Connect Stripe' — you'll be taken to Stripe's onboarding flow
- 3
Create a new Stripe account or log into your existing one
- 4
Complete Stripe's identity verification — required by Stripe for all payment accounts, takes 2–5 minutes
- 5
Return to Cartoply — your Stripe account is now connected
- 6
Open a session type and set the price field — enter the amount you want to charge
- 7
Save — your booking page now shows the price and collects payment on booking
Connect Stripe to your booking page
From $7/seat/month
Frequently asked questions
Can I charge clients when they book a session?
Yes. Cartoply connects to Stripe so clients pay at the point of booking — before the appointment is confirmed. The client selects a session type with a price, picks a time slot, and enters their card details. Payment processes through Stripe, the booking is confirmed, and the client receives a receipt automatically. Payment collection is available on the Cartoply paid plan.
What are the Stripe fees for collecting booking payments?
Stripe charges a per-transaction fee: 1.5% + £0.20 for UK and EEA cards, 2.9% + $0.30 for US cards, and 3.25% + £0.20 for non-EEA international cards. On a £100 session with a UK card, Stripe's fee is approximately £1.70 — you receive £98.30. Cartoply does not add a fee on top of Stripe's rate. Verify current rates at stripe.com/pricing before publishing.
How long does it take to receive payment after a client books?
Stripe deposits funds to your bank account on a standard payout schedule — typically 2 business days after each charge for established accounts. New Stripe accounts have a 7-day initial hold while your payment history is being established. Once your account has a normal payment history, funds typically arrive within 2 business days of each charge. Payout frequency is daily by default.
What happens if I need to refund a client?
Full refunds are issued from your Cartoply dashboard — one click, processed within 5–10 business days to the client's original card. You can also set a cancellation policy on each booking type: clients who cancel within your policy window can be automatically refunded; those who cancel outside the window are not. Stripe refunds its transaction fee on full refunds.
Do I need an existing Stripe account to collect payments?
No. You can create a new Stripe account during the Cartoply setup process. Stripe's onboarding flow takes 2–5 minutes and includes identity verification required by Stripe for all payment accounts. If you already have a Stripe account for invoicing or another tool, you connect it in one click — your existing Stripe account, your existing bank details.
Is it unprofessional to charge clients before their appointment?
No — payment at booking is standard in professional services. Accountants, solicitors, and coaches routinely require payment in advance. "I collect payment at booking to protect both our time" is a professional statement that experienced clients understand and respect. It also reduces no-shows significantly: clients who have paid are substantially more likely to attend.
Can I offer a free discovery call before charging for sessions?
Yes. Create a free booking type for your discovery call — no price set, no payment required. Create a separate paid booking type for ongoing sessions. After the discovery call, send clients the paid session link. This lets you qualify new clients before charging and makes the transition from free to paid feel natural rather than transactional.
Ready to stop chasing invoices?
Start collecting payments at booking
Connect Stripe, set a price on your session types, and your booking page starts collecting payment immediately. From $7/seat/month.
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