Issuing refunds
Full refunds via dashboard, what clients see, and Stripe timeline.
You can issue a full refund for any Stripe payment directly from your Bontro dashboard.
How to issue a refund: 1. Go to Dashboard -> Appointments 2. Find the appointment with the paid booking 3. Click the appointment to open it 4. Click "Issue Refund" (visible for paid Stripe bookings) 5. Confirm the refund
The full amount is returned to the client's original payment method.
What happens next: - The refund processes immediately in Stripe - The booking's payment status updates to "Refunded" in your dashboard - The client's card or bank account shows the refund within 5-10 business days (this is a bank timing issue, not Bontro) - Stripe's processing fee is not returned to you. This is standard across all payment processors.
Tips and partial refunds: The dashboard issues full refunds only. For partial refunds or to refund a tip separately, go to your Stripe dashboard directly (dashboard.stripe.com -> Payments -> find the payment -> Refund).
Deposits: Refunding a deposit through Bontro returns the full deposit amount. If the client also paid a remaining balance, each payment must be refunded separately.
Client notification: Bontro does not send a separate email for refunds. Stripe sends a receipt to the client showing the refund. Most clients also see the credit appear in their bank app within a few days.
Pro tip: For no-shows or late cancellations, you can choose not to refund a deposit. That is what the deposit is for. You do not have to issue a refund just because a booking is cancelled.