No-shows cost you time, revenue, and the chance to fill that slot with another customer. BookUp's no-show protection lets you automatically charge a fee — or hold a card — when a client doesn't turn up.
This article walks you through enabling it for your business.
Before you start
You'll need:
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Stripe connected — no-show fees are processed through your Stripe account. If you haven't connected Stripe yet, see Connecting your Stripe account.
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Owner or Admin role on your BookUp business.
Turn on no-show protection
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Sign in to the biz portal at
biz.bookup.com. -
Go to Settings → Payments.
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Toggle No-show protection to On.
You'll be prompted to choose between two modes:
| Mode | What happens |
|---|---|
| Card hold | Client's card is authorised at booking time but only charged if they're marked as a no-show. |
| Fixed fee | A flat fee is charged when a client is marked as a no-show. |
Set your fee
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For fixed fee, enter the amount you want to charge (e.g. £15.00).
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For card hold, the held amount defaults to the service price. You can override this per service under Services → [service name] → Payment.Decide which services are covered
By default, no-show protection applies to all services. To exclude a service:
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Go to Services.
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Open the service.
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Under Payment, untick Require no-show protection.
This is useful for free consultations or low-value add-ons.
4. Mark a client as a no-show
When a client doesn't arrive:
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Open the booking from your calendar.
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Tap Mark as no-show.
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Confirm the charge amount.
The fee is captured immediately and shows up in your Stripe payouts on your normal schedule.
What the client sees
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At booking time: "A £15 fee applies if you don't attend or cancel less than 24 hours before your appointment."
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If charged: an automated email with the charge details and a link to your cancellation policy.
Refunding a no-show fee
Made the call too soon? Open the booking and tap Refund no-show fee. Refunds process in 5–10 working days, depending on the card issuer.
Troubleshooting
"Stripe not connected" error when toggling on
Reconnect Stripe under Settings → Payments → Stripe.
Client says their card was charged twice
A card hold isn't a charge — most banks display it as "pending" for 5–7 days before dropping off. If the held amount and the no-show fee both appear, contact support with the booking ID.
Fee didn't capture when I marked no-show
Most common cause: the card has since expired or been cancelled. Check Bookings → [booking] → Payment status.
Still stuck? Reach us at [email protected] with your business name and the booking ID.