If you've been asked to pay upfront, it means that the provider has no-show protection enabled. Providers have the option of setting their own deposit requirements or cancellation fees to protect themselves against no-shows.

If a provider requires a deposit for a particular service, you need to pay partial or full price of the service upfront. The prepaid amount will be deducted from the total price at checkout. If you cancel or don’t show up for your appointment, the provider will keep the funds that you paid in advance. 

If a provider sets a cancellation fee, you will need to add your credit card details when booking a service with them. If you don’t cancel your appointment in time or miss it completely, you'll be charged a cancellation fee.

Conditions for free cancellations are displayed at the time of booking and can be found in the booking confirmation email.

Please be cautious if a provider asks you to pay upfront for an appointment outside of Booksy payments, for example via Cash App.