Short answer
Taking an online payment, such as a card deposit, costs a percentage of the transaction plus a flat fee to cover card processing. With Luminate, the processing fee is 2% plus 20p per online payment, with no monthly gateway fees or setup costs. You only pay a fee when a client pays online.
Card processing fees
Card processing companies charge a fee for every transaction. This fee has two parts: a percentage of the online payment amount and a flat fee for the transaction. With Luminate, you only pay when an online payment is made, as there are no setup costs or monthly gateway fees.
The fees are calculated per transaction:
These charges cover the cost of moving money securely from the client's bank card to your account.
- A £20 online payment costs 60p. This is 40p for the percentage charge plus the 20p flat fee.
- A £50 online payment costs £1.20. This is £1.00 for the percentage charge plus the 20p flat fee.
Setting deposit rules
You don't have to charge the same deposit for every service. Luminate lets you set deposit rules per service, using either a fixed sum or a percentage. This flexibility helps you protect your time on longer, more expensive appointments without making simple bookings too difficult for clients.
You can customise these settings depending on the service:
Setting these rules ensures you're securing commitment for the services that require the most preparation and time.
- Fixed sum deposits. These work well for standard appointments, like a £10 deposit on a haircut.
- Percentage deposits. These protect your time on high-value bookings, like a 50% deposit on a £150 colour service.
Unpaid bookings
When a client books online, they must pay the deposit to secure their appointment. If they leave the booking flow before paying, you don't want that time slot locked in your diary.
With Luminate, if a deposit remains unpaid after 30 minutes, the booking cancels itself. This keeps your drag-and-drop calendar clear for clients who are ready to book. You don't have to spend your day checking the diary or phoning clients to chase payments. This simple rule protects your slots from half-finished bookings.
Software subscription charges
While other software systems charge extra fees to access deposit features, or require a higher subscription tier, Luminate includes online booking with card deposits in the flat rate of £69 per month. This flat rate covers every feature and unlimited staff accounts, meaning you don't have to worry about hidden costs or upgrading your plan just to start securing your calendar.
What this means for your salon
Taking deposits protects your business from the cost of last-minute cancellations and no-shows. When you use Luminate, you don't pay any setup fees or monthly gateway charges, only the clear card processing fee of 2% plus 20p per online payment. These clear rates keep your costs predictable while securing your diary and your income.