Calendar payments now treat "save the card" and "charge the card" as two separate things. There is a dedicated Collect Card on File option for holding card details without taking money, and a genuinely free booking no longer asks the customer for a card at all.

What was the problem before?

To collect a card without charging it, businesses had to set the payment amount to zero. That worked, but it also meant any booking that became free for another reason behaved oddly. A customer using a 100% discount coupon could still be asked for card details and put through a zero-value transaction for nothing.

What does Collect Card on File do?

It asks the customer for card details during booking and saves the card securely for later, without taking any money at the time. No payment transaction is created. This is the option to use when you want a card on record in case of a no-show or a charge after the appointment.

• The customer enters card details while booking.
• The card is saved securely for future use.
• They are not charged during booking.
• No payment transaction is created.

What happens when a coupon makes the booking free?

With Charge upfront enabled, what the customer sees now depends on the final amount due after any discount. If that amount is zero, card collection and payment are skipped entirely.

• Final amount above zero — card details are collected and the payment is processed as normal.
• Amount configured as zero — no card collection and no payment.
• A coupon brings the amount to zero — no card collection and no payment.
• A coupon leaves an amount above zero — the discounted amount is collected as normal.

Who should use this?

Any business that runs free consultations but wants protection against no-shows should use Collect Card on File. Any business that runs promotions or gives full discounts benefits from the second change automatically — customers claiming a free session are no longer asked to enter a card for a zero charge.

You'll find both settings under your calendar's Payment settings.