Should You Charge a Deposit? (Almost Always Yes)

What a deposit actually does

A deposit is not really about the money up front, it is about commitment. The moment a client has paid something, they are far less likely to ghost, cancel last-minute, or quietly shop around. For date-based work especially, the deposit is the booking; everything before it is just a conversation.

When a deposit is non-negotiable

• You are reserving a specific date you cannot resell (weddings, events).
• You are buying materials specific to this job (custom builds, cakes).
• The project is long or open-ended and you need cash flow along the way.
• The client is new and unproven.

How much to ask for

For services, 25% to 50% up front is standard and rarely questioned. For custom work where you buy materials, charge enough to cover those materials before you spend a cent of your own money. For date-holds like weddings, a non-refundable retainer is normal, because if they cancel you have lost a date you could have sold to someone else.

How to ask without friction

Make the deposit a normal, stated part of how you work, not a special request. "A 50% deposit books your date, and the balance is due on completion." Said matter-of-factly, it reads as professional. Clients trust a business with a clear process more than one that seems to invent terms on the spot.

Price the whole job first

A deposit only works once you know the full price. Use the free calculator to set your total, then take your deposit as a clean percentage of it.