Card Payments and EFTPOS for Australian Salons: What to Look For
Online payments, Card on File, deposits, Afterpay and in-person EFTPOS terminals across salon booking software — and exactly where Bella Booking sits today.
In this guide
Taking payment is where a booking system meets the front desk, and the models differ more than most owners expect: some salon platforms sell you a tap-to-pay terminal that is wired into the calendar, others only do online payments, and the processing rates and commissions vary widely. For an Australian salon, the practical questions are: can I take a card in person, what does each transaction cost, and is there commission on top?
This guide is upfront about where Bella Booking sits — including what it does not do yet — and compares in-person terminal support and pricing across the major Australian platforms so you can choose on facts.
How Bella Booking handles payments today
Bella Booking processes payments through Stripe on every plan, including the entry-level Solo plan. What is live today:
- •Online payments via Stripe on all plans — deposits at booking, full prepayment, gift cards, memberships and packages.
- •Card on File — securely charge a saved card (a real Stripe charge) at checkout, ideal for no-show fees and quick rebooking.
- •Deposits and cancellation fees — fixed or percentage, with per-service overrides and automatic refunds.
- •Afterpay (buy now, pay later) for deposits, gift cards and packages — you receive the full amount upfront.
- •Record a manual or EFTPOS payment — when you take a card on your own external EFTPOS terminal, you record it against the sale at checkout so your reports stay accurate.
What Bella does NOT have yet
Bella does not yet sell or integrate its own card terminal — there is no tap-to-pay hardware wired into the booking system today. Integrated terminals (Stripe Terminal, Square and more) are coming soon. If you need a terminal tied to the calendar right now, see the comparison below; if you already have an EFTPOS terminal and just need to record the payment, Bella handles that today.
Integrated card terminals across salon platforms
In-person card terminal support across the major Australian platforms, based on each provider's documented features:
| Platform | Integrated card terminal | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bella Booking | Not yet (coming soon) | Online Stripe payments all plans; Card on File; record external EFTPOS payments |
| Timely | Yes — TimelyPay terminals | In-person hardware tied to the booking system |
| Phorest | Yes — PhorestPay terminals | Integrated card terminals |
| Fresha | Yes — Fresha terminal | Approx. A$199 per terminal |
| Kitomba | Yes — KitombaPay | Cards, EFTPOS and Afterpay |
| Square Appointments | Yes — Square terminals | Lower in-person rate (~1.6% in AU) |
The honest read: if a card terminal wired into your calendar is essential today, Timely, Phorest, Fresha, Kitomba and Square all offer one and Bella does not yet. If your in-person volume is light, or you already run an external terminal and just need clean records, Bella covers that now — and online payments, deposits and Card on File are fully supported on every plan.
Online vs in-person: what you actually need
Many salons over-index on in-person hardware when the real revenue protection comes from online payments and deposits at the time of booking:
- •Deposits at booking cut no-shows far more than any terminal — Bella supports them on all plans, with automatic refunds.
- •Card on File turns no-show and late-cancellation fees from an awkward conversation into a policy you can actually enforce.
- •Afterpay lifts average spend on packages and gift cards without you carrying the risk.
- •An integrated terminal mainly speeds up the in-person tap — valuable for high walk-in volume (barbershops, nail bars), less critical for appointment-led, deposit-protected businesses.
A practical sequence
Turn on deposits and Card on File first — they protect revenue regardless of hardware. Add an integrated terminal when in-person tap speed becomes the bottleneck.
Rates, commission and the all-in cost
Two numbers decide your real payment cost: the processing rate, and whether there is booking commission on top.
- •Bella Booking: Stripe 1.7% + A$0.30 plus Bella's 1% = 2.7% + A$0.30 per transaction in Australia (GST inclusive), and 0% booking commission.
- •Square: lower in-person processing (~1.6% in AU) if you are already in the Square ecosystem.
- •Marketplace models: watch for commission on new-client bookings (some marketplaces take 20%+), which can dwarf any processing-rate difference.
Commission beats rate
A 0.x% difference in processing rate is small next to a 20%+ marketplace commission on new clients. Always compare the all-in cost — processing + commission + any payments add-on — not the headline rate.
What to ask before you commit
- •Is there an integrated card terminal, and is the hardware a one-off cost or a rental?
- •What is the in-person and online processing rate, in AUD and GST-inclusive?
- •Is there any booking commission on top of processing (especially on new clients)?
- •Are deposits, Card on File and Afterpay included on the plan you are pricing, or higher tiers only?
- •If you already own an EFTPOS terminal, can you record those payments so reporting stays accurate?
Frequently asked questions
Does Bella Booking have an EFTPOS terminal?
Not an integrated one yet. Bella processes online payments through Stripe on every plan, supports Card on File and deposits, and lets you record a payment taken on your own external EFTPOS terminal so reports stay accurate. An integrated terminal (Stripe Terminal, Square and more) is coming soon — we state this plainly so you can choose on your actual needs.
Can I take card payments in person with Bella Booking?
Yes, in two ways today: charge a saved card with Card on File (a real Stripe charge) at checkout, or take the payment on your own external EFTPOS terminal and record it against the sale. A built-in tap-to-pay terminal wired into the calendar is on the roadmap, not available yet.
What are Bella Booking's payment processing fees in Australia?
Stripe 1.7% + A$0.30 plus Bella's 1% platform fee, for an all-in 2.7% + A$0.30 per transaction (GST inclusive). There is no booking commission — Bella charges 0% on bookings, unlike marketplace models that take a percentage of new-client revenue.
Which salon platforms have integrated card terminals in Australia?
Based on documented features: Timely (TimelyPay terminals), Phorest (PhorestPay), Fresha (terminal ~A$199 each), Kitomba (KitombaPay — cards, EFTPOS and Afterpay) and Square Appointments (Square terminals, ~1.6% in-person in AU). Bella Booking does not have an integrated terminal yet.
Do I need an integrated terminal, or are deposits enough?
For appointment-led, deposit-protected salons, deposits and Card on File protect revenue more than terminal hardware does — and Bella supports both on all plans. An integrated terminal mainly speeds up in-person tap, which matters most for high walk-in volume like barbershops and nail bars.
Key takeaways
- ✓Bella Booking does online Stripe payments on all plans, Card on File, deposits and Afterpay today, and lets you record external EFTPOS payments — but does not have its own integrated terminal yet (coming soon).
- ✓Timely, Phorest, Fresha, Kitomba and Square all offer integrated in-person card terminals.
- ✓Deposits and Card on File protect revenue more than hardware for appointment-led salons — turn them on first.
- ✓Compare the all-in cost (processing + commission + add-ons): Bella is 2.7% + A$0.30 in AU with 0% booking commission.
Related features
Explore by business type
Ready to try Bella Booking?
Start your free trial today. No credit card required.
Australian-made. Multi-timezone support.
Last updated: 2026-06-26