How clients pay deposits & balances
When a client books you through GigSalad, they will pay the full bill at the time of booking. This means your deposit and balance are collected in one payment. The deposit will be sent to you in advance, while the balance is sent one or two business days after the event. The exact time frames for payments will vary depending on the payout method you choose.
Booking process
Clients will have the option to pay only after you send an official quote. To send a quote, click on "Send [client's name] a quote" at the top of the lead and fill out the form. You will be asked to enter your total fee and the deposit you'd like to receive in advance, along with the services to be provided, your cancellation policy, and any additional terms.
When you send a quote, the client will be notified by email and text (if opted in), where they will be taken to the message thread to review your price and terms. To complete the booking, clients must click the blue Book Now button and choose their payment method.
Payment methods
On the checkout page, clients can choose between three possible payment options: credit card, eCheck, or PayPal. Not every client will see all three options – it will depend on their location, the booking amount, and the date of the event.
Credit card payments
Every client will have the option to pay for their booking with a credit card. This is the most common payment method.
PayPal payments
PayPal is available to all U.S. members only. If a client chooses this option, they will be prompted to log into their PayPal account or pay securely with a credit card through the PayPal payment portal. They can choose to pay the full amount right away or use the PayPal Pay Later feature.
For bookings over $99, the client will also have the option to use PayPal Credit, which lets them open a line of credit through PayPal and make interest-free payments over 6 months.
Regardless of how the client uses PayPal, it is treated exactly like a credit card payment on GigSalad's side. We receive the full amount up front, and then it is distributed in two payouts (deposit and balance). So your payment is always guaranteed!
Electronic check payments
Electronic checks are a great alternative for companies or organizations that do not have a credit card or are required to make their purchases with a check.
In order to pay with an eCheck, the client and booking must meet the following criteria:
✔️ Located in the U.S. – Since eCheck transactions are processed through a United-States-based network (ACH) that is unavailable in Canada, only U.S. members can use this payment method.
✔️ Booking is ~$4,000 or less – If your quote is over $4,000, the client cannot use an eCheck. If a credit card or PayPal is not an option, you may arrange payment directly and mark it as booked afterward to pay the service fee and receive all of the benefits of a verified booking.
✔️ Event is more than 14 days away – Due to the processing time required for an eCheck payment, the event must be at least 14 days away to use this payment method. We must allow enough time for the payment to clear before the event takes place.
About processing times:
It takes 3-5 business days for an eCheck to clear. Your payment will not be sent to you until the payment clears, so you can expect a slight delay for your deposit payment beyond the standard payout time frames. If a client pays with an eCheck, a notification will be displayed in the booking confirmation email so you are aware of the delay.