Send a Quote, Then Get Paid by Card

How it works

From a priced quote to money in your Stripe account, without chasing anyone for card details.

A client sends a quote request from your booking page - or you add the booking yourself.
Price it in Booking Details: your quoted price, and the date and time if you have them.
Under Card payment, choose Deposit or Full payment. A deposit can be a percentage of the total or a flat amount. Click Request card payment.
Email payment link opens a short email in your own mail app with the client's link. Send it, or copy the link and text it.
The client pays from their quote on Stripe's secure checkout page. You get a "Deposit received" email, the quote moves to Pending, and you confirm the time.

Booking Details for a $480 post-renovation clean quote, with the Card payment panel set to a 25% deposit and a Request card payment button — Booking Details for a priced quote, shown on a sample account: ask for a 25% deposit or the full amount.

Send the link - and send it again

The email comes from you, so you can add anything you like before it goes.

Once you've asked, Booking Details shows exactly what you asked for and the date the link runs out. Email payment link opens a ready-to-send email in your own mail app, with the amount, the link and how long it lasts. If the client says it never arrived, click it again or use Copy link and send it by text - the link stays the same. The regular Email client message carries the same link too.

The Card payment panel after asking: requested deposit of $120 (25%), payable until Nov 5, with Email payment link, Copy link and Stop asking for card payment buttons — The request on Booking Details: Email payment link, Copy link, or Stop asking for card payment.

What your client sees

Their quote, with your business details and the amount you asked for. No account and no app.

The link opens their quote with a Pay box. They read your cancellation policy, tick your terms if you have them, and pay on Stripe's own checkout page by card, or with Apple Pay or Google Pay where their device supports it. Stripe shows any other payment methods you've turned on in your Stripe account. They can also print the quote or save it as a PDF from the same page.

A client's quote on a phone: Sparkle Home Cleaning, prepared for Hannah Okafor, with a Pay your deposit box asking for $120.00 and a Pay $120.00 deposit by card button — The client's quote on their phone, asking for a $120 deposit on a $480 job.

When they pay

The money goes straight to your Stripe balance and the booking updates itself.

You get a "Deposit received" email, and the client gets a payment receipt. A quote moves to Pending, so all that's left is to confirm the time. Booking Details shows the payment, and the payment history keeps every step - asked, paid, and its Stripe payment ID - so you can always find a payment again, for a refund or anything else.

Booking Details after the client paid: Pending, Quote and Deposit paid badges, a Confirm booking button, and a payment history showing the request and the $120 deposit paid by card with its Stripe payment ID — After paying: Deposit paid, ready to confirm, with the full payment history.

The client's page after paying, marked Deposit paid, with a thank-you note for the $120 deposit — What the client sees afterwards.

Plans change? Switch to cash or cheque

No need to redo the booking.

Before they pay: change the payment method to cash, cheque or anything else, tick Paid, cancel the booking, or click Stop asking for card payment. The link stops taking card payment straight away - even in an email you already sent.
Part-way through checkout: if the client finishes paying after you've stopped it, their card is released instead of charged, and the payment history notes it.
After they've paid: the card payment stays on the booking and in its history. If the client is paying another way instead, refund it from your Stripe dashboard - Booking Details reminds you.

Refunds and chargebacks are picked up automatically when you open the booking (or click Refresh status), and they're added to the payment history too.

Good to know

Links last 30 days

The date is on the client's page, in the email and in Booking Details. Run out? Send a new link - it replaces the old one.

Worked out when they pay

The amount comes from the booking's total at the moment the client pays, so a price change after sending is included.

Stripe's minimum applies

A deposit under Stripe's minimum charge (about $0.50) is rounded up to it, and a deposit is never more than the total.

One card payment per booking

Collect the balance after a deposit however you like, and record it on the booking in one click.

Stops when plans change

Switch the payment method, tick Paid or cancel the booking, and the link stops taking card payment at once.

Your terms, every time

If you have terms or a cancellation policy, the client agrees to them before paying, the same as on your booking page.

Questions

Can I take a deposit on a quote?

Yes. Price the quote in Booking Details, then under Card payment choose Deposit - a percentage of the total or a flat amount - and send the client their link. When they pay, the quote moves to Pending and you confirm the time.

Can I ask for the full amount instead?

Yes. Choose Full payment instead of Deposit. It works the same way for a quote, a quote request you have priced, or any booking you add yourself.

How long does a payment link last?

30 days. The date is shown on the client's page, in the email draft and in Booking Details. If it runs out, send a new one from the same place - it replaces the old link.

The client says they didn't get the email. Can I send it again?

Yes. Click Email payment link again - it opens the same email in your own mail app - or use Copy link and text it. The link doesn't change.

What if the client wants to pay another way?

Change the booking's payment method to cash, cheque or anything else, or tick Paid, and the link stops taking card payment straight away - even in an email you already sent. If they were part-way through Stripe's checkout, their card is released instead of charged.

What if they already paid by card?

The payment stays on the booking and in its payment history, with its Stripe payment ID. Refund it from your Stripe dashboard if that's what you agreed - the booking picks up the refund the next time you open it.

Can the client pay the rest by card later?

Not yet - one card payment per booking. Collect the balance however you like, in person, by card reader or e-transfer, and record it on the booking.

What does it cost?

Asking for a payment is free. 1MinuteBooking takes 2% of each card charge, on top of Stripe's fee (2.9% + 30 cents for domestic cards in the US, 2.9% + C$0.30 in Canada). The 2% isn't returned on refunds.

Do I need a Stripe account?

Yes - connect your own Stripe account in Settings > Payments and turn on Stripe Payments. The money goes straight to your Stripe balance; 1MinuteBooking never holds it.

Taking deposits when clients book on your page instead? See appointment deposits.