Clearer Card-on-File & $0 Calendar Payment Handling

TL;DR

Go HighLevel updated Calendar Payments with a clearer way to collect cards on file and to handle $0 bookings. Agency owners should review calendar payment settings if they use this feature.

Who this affects

HighLevel has not confirmed who is affected. This change impacts users who utilize calendar payment settings within Go HighLevel accounts.

What changed

HighLevel has implemented updates to calendar payment settings:

• A new "Collect Card on File" option was added in Calendar Payment settings.
• When this option is enabled, customers are asked for card details during booking.
• If "Collect Card on File" is enabled, customers' cards are securely saved for future use.
• No payment is charged during booking when "Collect Card on File" is enabled.
• No payment transaction is created during booking when "Collect Card on File" is enabled.
• Payment collection for upfront charges now depends on the final amount due.
• If the final amount is greater than $0, payment details are collected and processed.
• If the configured amount is $0, card collection and payment are skipped.
• If a coupon reduces the amount to $0, card collection and payment are skipped.
• If a coupon leaves an amount greater than $0, only the discounted amount is collected.

HighLevel has not confirmed any limits or plan gating for this feature. HighLevel has not confirmed the rollout status.

Where to find it

The new settings are located within Calendar Payment settings. HighLevel has not published the exact navigation path, but it will be found in the settings for individual calendars or calendar groups where payment options are configured.

How agencies will use this

Previously, collecting a card on file could be confused with processing an upfront payment, especially for free bookings or bookings where payment was collected later. Now, agencies can configure a calendar specifically for strategy calls or free consultations. In the Calendar Payment settings, an agency owner can enable "Collect Card on File" for a specific calendar. When a lead books a free consultation through this calendar, they will be prompted to provide their card details. Their card will be securely saved, but no charge will occur. The agency can then use this stored card for future paid services, such as a strategy session that leads to a paid setup, streamlining the payment process without upfront charges during the initial booking.

Our take

This is a major update for agencies that use calendars for services ranging from free consultations to paid appointments. It clarifies the user experience for clients and gives agencies more precise control over how payments and card details are handled. It addresses a previous point of friction by explicitly separating card-on-file collection from immediate payment processing, particularly for $0 bookings. This should lead to fewer customer support issues related to payment expectations during the booking process.