Bookings and deposits
Booking software for aesthetic clinics
A diary that understands treatments rather than haircuts: practitioner availability, room and equipment conflicts, deposits, a written cancellation policy shown before payment, and the right consent and intake forms sent the moment an appointment is created.
Who this page is for
- Clinics losing time to back-and-forth messages about availability
- Practitioners who need deposits taken before a slot is held
- Clinics with more than one room, chair or device to schedule around
- Anyone still sending consent forms manually the night before a treatment
- Reception teams booking by phone who need the same rules as the online page
Why aesthetic bookings are different
A general booking tool can hold a slot. An aesthetics booking has to hold a slot, collect a deposit under a stated policy, check the treatment is appropriate, and gather signed paperwork before the client walks in.
No-shows cost a treatment slot
Deposits, a written cancellation window and recorded no-show handling change the economics of an empty hour.
Paperwork has a deadline
Consent read under time pressure in the waiting room is worse for the client and worse for the record. Forms should arrive with the confirmation.
Resources clash quietly
Two practitioners, one laser. Scheduling has to know about rooms and equipment, not just people.
What you get
Public booking page
Your own branded page listing services, durations, prices and options, with your cancellation and cooling-off policy shown before the client confirms.
Deposits and payment links
Take a deposit at booking through your own Stripe account, or send a payment link for phone bookings. Deposit status is tracked on the appointment.
Manual booking for staff
Reception can book a client in seconds, override slot rules where a clinic decides to, and trigger the same form invitations as an online booking.
Availability that reflects reality
Practitioner hours, breaks and time off, per-service duration, and rooms or equipment attached to a service so double-booking a device is not possible.
Reminders and confirmations
Email and SMS confirmations and reminders from your clinic's own sending identity, with per-clinic reminder timing.
Waitlist and recalls
Clients waiting for an earlier slot can be offered a cancellation, and treatments with a natural interval can generate recall prompts.
Questions to ask a booking system
Score any shortlisted system against these — the answers usually separate a diary from clinic software.
| Question to ask | PillarClinic | Other system |
|---|---|---|
| Can a deposit be required per service, not per clinic? | Yes — deposit amount and requirement are configured on each service. | Ask the vendor |
| Is the cancellation policy shown before the client pays? | Yes — policy text is published on the booking page and stored with the clinic. | Ask the vendor |
| Do consent and intake forms send themselves? | Yes — matching templates are invited automatically when the appointment is created. | Ask the vendor |
| Can you schedule rooms and equipment, not just staff? | Yes — resources are attached to services and appointments and block conflicts. | Ask the vendor |
| Do staff bookings follow the same rules as online ones? | Yes — manual booking shares the same availability, deposits and form triggers. | Ask the vendor |
| Can a cancelled slot be offered to a waiting client? | Yes — the waitlist records who wants an earlier date and for which treatment. | Ask the vendor |
Set up for UK clinics
Small things that matter when the clinic and the client are both in the UK.
- Deposits and prices in pounds through your own Stripe account
- SMS from a clinic sender identity rather than an anonymous shortcode
- Cancellation, late-cancellation and no-show policy fields with sensible defaults
- Cooling-off wording available where a clinic chooses to publish it
- UK date and time formats throughout the diary and confirmations
From enquiry to arrival
- 1
Client picks a slot
Online or over the phone. Availability comes from real practitioner hours, service duration and resource conflicts.
- 2
Deposit and paperwork
The deposit is taken under a stated policy, and consent and intake forms for that treatment are sent immediately.
- 3
Arrival with everything ready
The appointment page shows signed forms, previous treatments and photos, so the consultation starts with context rather than catching up.
Pricing philosophy
Booking is not a separate product here. It is included with the clinical record, because a booking that does not create a record is only half the job.
£49 per month, pro plan
- Unlimited appointments on every paid plan
- Online booking page included, not an add-on
- Payments run through your own Stripe account
- No commission on bookings you take
Questions clinics ask
- Can clients reschedule themselves?
- Clients can request a change from their portal, and staff confirm it in the diary — so the clinic keeps control of the slot while the client avoids a phone call.
- What happens if a client does not complete their forms?
- The appointment page shows which invitations are outstanding, so reception can chase before the day or the practitioner can complete consent in the room.
- Can I take a deposit for some treatments only?
- Yes. Deposit requirements and amounts are set per service, so a consultation can be free while an injectable appointment holds a deposit.
- Do reminders come from my clinic?
- Yes. Email and SMS are configured per clinic, so confirmations and reminders carry your clinic's identity rather than the platform's.
Try a real booking end to end
Create a clinic account, publish one service, and book yourself in to see the deposit, the policy and the forms in action.