Card Payment and EPOS Costs for Salons and Barbers
Compare payment fees, booking software, deposits and staff arrangements for salons, barbers and beauty businesses.
The short answer
A salon’s payment budget should connect bookings, deposits and final balances without counting the same service twice. Compare processing by channel, the booking subscription and staff or location charges. Decide whether the business or individual practitioners take each payment.
In this guide
Start with who takes the payment
Identify whether all sales belong to one business or whether independent practitioners take payments through their own accounts. Specify which party receives deposits, issues refunds and reconciles the final balance. Do not assume a shared booking calendar means every payment can use one merchant arrangement.
List services, retail product sales, online deposits and in-person balances. If a £60 appointment involves a £15 deposit and £45 paid later, the total collected is £60, not £75. A per-transaction charge may nevertheless apply to both payments.
A deposit-and-balance example
Fictional salon month. There are 300 appointments at £50 each. Every customer pays a £10 online deposit and a £40 in-person balance. Assume online charges of 1.5% plus 20p, in-person charges of 1.5%, and a £40 monthly booking plan.
| Component | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| £3,000 online deposits × 1.5% | £45 |
| 300 deposit payments × 20p | £60 |
| £12,000 balances × 1.5% | £180 |
| Booking plan | £40 |
| Total listed costs | £325 |
Applying 1.5% to £15,000 gives only £225. It misses the fixed deposit-payment fees and booking subscription in this example.
Check how deposits and cancellations work
Square’s Appointments documentation describes deposit and cancellation workflows. Availability and behaviour depend on the product and settings, so ask the supplier to demonstrate the arrangements you intend to use.
- Can a deposit be applied automatically to the correct final bill?
- How are rescheduling, partial refunds and cancelled appointments handled?
- Which fees remain after a refund, under the proposed tariff?
- Are booking messages, reminders and staff calendars included or separately priced?
- Can customers see the agreed deposit and cancellation conditions before booking?
A software option does not establish the suitability of a business’s cancellation policy. Agree the customer-facing terms and refund procedure before enabling automatic charges.
Price the staff and location setup
Count active practitioners, reception devices and locations. Ask whether extra calendars, resources or staff permissions require a higher plan. Include product-stock tools only if you need them.
Test appointment checkout, product add-ons, split payments and a correction. If moving booking systems, confirm how future appointments, deposits and customer records will transfer. Budget for data preparation and training rather than assuming a software subscription covers the migration.
Keep any expected reduction in no-shows separate from confirmed fee savings until you have evidence from the business.
Compare the complete salon package
For a simple setup, start with the SumUp and Square comparison, then add the booking features and devices each proposal requires. For an existing salon, compare keeping the booking software with replacing it.
Use the calculator’s separate channels for deposits and final balances. Include all relevant subscriptions and switching costs so a lower card rate does not conceal a more expensive booking arrangement.
Common questions
Should I count the full appointment price again when the balance is paid?
No. Record the actual deposit and remaining balance in their payment channels. Together they should equal the amount collected for the service.
Are reduced no-shows guaranteed savings?
No. Treat them as a separate potential benefit and measure the outcome. The main cost comparison should use confirmed fees and stated sales assumptions.
Put your own figures to work.
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Sources and how to use this guide
Primary references checked on 15 October 2026:
Worked examples are original fictional scenarios, not customer results, market averages or provider quotations. Unless stated otherwise, they use a consistent VAT basis and include only the costs listed. Provider prices, eligibility and terms can change. Check your written agreement before deciding.
Our guides explain costs and comparison methods. They do not rank the whole market or claim hands-on product testing. Source links are references, not a claim of partnership. Read the calculation method and limitations, or about the service.