Can I take deposits (partial payments) for bookings in WordPress?
Yes. WP Booking System supports Part Payments, allowing you to charge only part of the booking total when the customer makes the reservation and collect the remaining balance later.
You can charge either a percentage or a fixed amount, make the deposit mandatory or optional, apply it only to selected calendars, and decide how the final payment should be collected.
How do part payments work?
A part payment divides the booking total into two payments:
- an initial deposit paid when the booking is made;
- the remaining balance paid later.
For example:
Booking total: €1,000
Deposit: 30%
Paid when booking: €300
Remaining balance: €700
The €300 deposit is part of the €1,000 booking price. It is not an additional charge.
Where do I configure deposits?
Go to:
WP Booking System → Settings → Payment → Part Payments
The Part Payments settings allow you to configure:
- Deposit Type;
- Deposit Amount;
- Deposit Source;
- Applicable Period;
- Applicability;
- Default Option;
- Calendars;
- Final Payment Method.
Set a percentage deposit
Set:
Deposit Type → Percentage
Then enter the percentage you want to charge.
For example:
Deposit Amount → 30
For a €1,000 booking:
Deposit → €300
Remaining balance → €700
Percentage deposits automatically adapt to bookings with different total values.
Set a fixed deposit
You can also choose:
Deposit Type → Fixed Amount
For example:
Deposit Amount → €200
A €700 booking and a €1,500 booking would both require a €200 initial payment.
The remaining balance is calculated from the booking total.
What is Deposit Source?
When using a percentage deposit, WP Booking System lets you choose what the percentage should be calculated from.
The available options are:
Calendar and Form Prices
The deposit percentage is calculated from both:
- the calendar price;
- pricing extras added through the booking form.
For example:
Accommodation → €800
Extras → €200
Total → €1,000
With a 30% deposit:
Deposit → €300
Calendar Prices only
The percentage is calculated only from the calendar price.
Using the same example:
Accommodation → €800
Extras → €200
A 30% deposit is calculated from €800:
Deposit → €240
The form extras remain part of the overall booking total but are not included when calculating the initial deposit percentage.
Can the deposit apply only to bookings made far in advance?
Yes.
Use the Applicable Period option.
This controls how many days from today the deposit should apply.
For example, you may want customers booking several months in advance to pay only a deposit, but require full payment for bookings made shortly before arrival.
This is useful for avoiding situations where a customer makes a last-minute booking but only pays a small deposit before check-in.
Can customers choose between paying a deposit and paying in full?
Yes.
Set:
Applicability → Optional
Customers can then choose whether to:
- pay the deposit;
- pay the full booking amount.
You can also set the Default Option to determine which choice is selected initially.
Available options are:
- Deposit;
- Full Amount.
Can I require the deposit?
Yes.
Set:
Applicability → Mandatory
The customer will then be required to pay the configured deposit rather than choosing between the deposit and the full amount.
Can different calendars use different part-payment rules?
A Part Payment rule can be limited to selected calendars.
Use the Calendars option to choose where the rule should apply.
If no calendars are selected, the rule applies to all calendars.
This is useful if, for example:
- holiday homes require a 30% deposit;
- equipment rentals require full payment;
- one specific property has a different payment policy.
How is the remaining balance collected?
WP Booking System provides two main Final Payment Methods.
Same as initial payment
The customer can pay the remaining balance online using the same payment method that was used for the initial deposit.
When the booking is created, WP Booking System generates a Final Payment Link for the remaining amount.
You can send this link to the customer by email.
Cash on arrival
The customer pays the remaining balance when they arrive.
No second online payment is required.
Use whichever method matches your booking process.
How do I collect the final payment online?
If you select:
Final Payment Method → Same as initial payment
you need to configure a Secondary Payment Page.
Create a WordPress page and add:
Missing Payment ID.
Then select that page in the Secondary Payment Page settings.
When the customer follows their Final Payment Link, WP Booking System loads the correct remaining payment on this page.
Opening the page directly without a valid payment link will display a Missing Payment ID message. This is normal and confirms that the payment shortcode is working.
How do I send the Final Payment Link to the customer?
WP Booking System provides the Dynamic Tag:
{Final Payment Link}
Add it to an Email Notification.
For example, you could create a notification that is sent seven days before arrival and contains:
“Your remaining balance is now due. Please use the link below to complete your payment.”
followed by the Final Payment Link.
WP Booking System also includes a Customer Final Payment Reminder email template to help you set this up.
Can I automatically remind customers to pay the balance?
Yes.
Create a scheduled Email Notification using a trigger such as:
Before the booking starts
and set the required Day Offset.
For example:
Day Offset → 7
Then include:
{Final Payment Link}
in the message.
The customer will receive the payment link seven days before the booking starts.
WP Booking System does not use a separate configurable “balance due date”. The timing is based on the booking dates and your Email Notification Day Offset.
What happens after the final payment is made?
WP Booking System provides the Email Notification trigger:
When the final payment is made
You can use this to automatically send a confirmation email after the remaining amount has been paid.
For example:
“Thank you. We have received the final payment for your booking.”
The booking’s Payment Details also show the initial and final payments separately.
Where can I see the remaining balance?
Open the booking and select the Payment Details tab.
For a Part Payment booking, you can see information about:
- the initial payment;
- the amount paid;
- the remaining amount;
- the Final Payment Link;
- the final payment when it has been completed;
- refunds.
This lets you track the complete payment history from the booking.
Can I use a 0 deposit?
Yes.
Setting the Part Payment deposit to:
0
creates the booking without collecting an initial payment.
The entire booking amount can then be collected as the Final Payment.
This can be useful when you want to create a booking first and request the full online payment later.
Can I use Part Payments with offline payment methods?
Yes.
The exact workflow depends on the selected payment method.
For example, you can configure the remaining balance to be paid:
Cash on arrival
instead of requiring a second online transaction.
If you want the customer to make the second payment through WP Booking System, use Same as initial payment and configure the Secondary Payment Page.
Is a booking deposit the same as a security deposit?
No.
These are two different features.
Part Payment deposit
A Part Payment deposit is part of the booking price.
For example:
Booking price → €1,000
Deposit → €300
Remaining balance → €700
The €300 is not refunded simply because it is called a deposit. It forms part of the amount owed for the booking.
Security Deposit
A Security Deposit is an additional refundable charge intended to cover things such as damage.
For example:
Booking price → €1,000
Security Deposit → €200
Amount charged → €1,200
The €200 can later be refunded.
WP Booking System supports both features, and they can be used together.
What happens to a Security Deposit when using Part Payments?
When Part Payments and the Security Deposit feature are both enabled, the Security Deposit is collected with the Final Payment, rather than with the initial booking deposit.
For example:
Booking total → €1,000
Booking deposit → €300
Security Deposit → €200
The customer initially pays:
€300
The final payment then includes:
Remaining booking balance → €700
Security Deposit → €200
Final payment → €900
The Security Deposit remains a separate refundable amount.
Example: 30% deposit with online final payment
Suppose a holiday rental costs:
€1,000
Configure:
Deposit Type → Percentage
Deposit Amount → 30
Applicability → Mandatory
Final Payment Method → Same as initial payment
The booking workflow becomes:
- Customer makes the booking.
- Customer pays €300.
- WP Booking System creates a Final Payment Link for €700.
- A scheduled email sends the link before arrival.
- Customer pays the remaining €700.
- WP Booking System records the final payment.
- An optional final-payment confirmation email is sent.
Example: fixed deposit with balance on arrival
Suppose you require:
€150 deposit
regardless of booking value.
Configure:
Deposit Type → Fixed Amount
Deposit Amount → €150
Final Payment Method → Cash on arrival
The customer pays €150 when making the booking and pays the remaining balance directly to you on arrival.
No Secondary Payment Page is required.
Test the complete payment workflow
After configuring Part Payments, make a full test booking.
Check:
Initial booking
Confirm that:
- the booking total is correct;
- the deposit amount is correct;
- the customer is charged only the expected amount.
Booking admin
Open the booking and check its Payment Details.
Confirm that the initial payment and remaining balance are displayed correctly.
Final Payment Link
If you use online final payments, open the generated Final Payment Link and confirm that the correct amount appears.
Final payment
Complete the payment and verify that:
- the transaction is recorded;
- the remaining balance becomes zero;
- the final-payment email is sent if configured.
Testing both stages is important before enabling Part Payments on a live booking form.
Summary
WP Booking System’s Part Payments feature lets you collect a deposit when the booking is made and the remaining balance later.
You can configure:
- percentage or fixed deposits;
- which prices are included in percentage calculations;
- how far in advance deposits apply;
- mandatory or optional deposits;
- which calendars use Part Payments;
- online final payments or cash on arrival.
For online final payments, configure a Secondary Payment Page and send customers the {Final Payment Link} through an Email Notification.
Remember that a Part Payment deposit is part of the booking price and is different from the separate refundable Security Deposit feature.
