When customers pay a deposit at booking, you can now collect the remaining balance directly through the FishingBooker app.
Collecting the remaining balance through the app is ideal when:
- Customers forget to bring cash
- You're between back-to-back trips without time to process card payments
- You want to offer a seamless payment experience
Plus, customers can add a tip when they pay, making it easy for them to show appreciation for your service – even if they didn't bring cash.
How to collect the remaining balance via the app
There are two ways to complete the payment:
- Customers can pay you proactively through the app
Customers can pay the remaining balance at any moment after booking – the only requirement is that they already paid the deposit.
- You can send a payment request to customers
The collection window opens 1 hour before trip start time and remains available until 4 hours after the trip ends. During this period, you'll see a "Collect remaining balance" button:
You'll see a "Collect remaining balance" button on all bookings that fit this criteria. You'll be able to see it on:
- The home screen of your app
- Your Manage bookings dashboard
- Your booking details page
To request payment, tap the button, review the price breakdown, and submit your request. Customers will receive a notification via text or through their FishingBooker app.
Note: You can request the remaining balance from the customer via the FishingBooker app, not the web version of FishingBooker (your computer).
Customers can pay using:
- The credit card they used for the deposit (if saved)
- Any other card they choose
- Apple Pay
Note: Customers can pay the remaining balance via the customer FishingBooker app. If they don't have the app, they'll be able to complete the payment in a browser (like Chrome or Safari).
Payment status
When you send your request, you'll see a “Payment pending" message. Once your customer completes the payment, your app will update and you'll see a confirmation message.
Additional options on the "payment pending" screen.
If you requested payment by mistake, you can always cancel it by tapping on "Need help > Cancel request".
If you encounter any issues with collecting payments this way, reach out to us by clicking “Need help > Contact Support”.
Note:
- Once the payment is complete, you'll receive the funds once your bank processes the transaction, which may take several working days.
- This is only available for captains with the "Bank account" payout option.
Tipping
After paying the remaining balance, customers can leave a tip. Tips are processed as separate transactions for easier tracking.
Receipts
You'll receive email confirmations for:
- Each remaining balance payment
- Each tip collected through the app
Payment processing fee
Starting in 2025, there's a 2.65% + $0.30 processing fee for collect remaining balance transactions and tips. Previously, FishingBooker covered this cost throughout 2024.
Good news: We're rolling out an option that lets you pass this fee to customers. This feature will launch first in Florida (first half of 2025), with more states following later this year.
To see who currently covers the processing fee for your transactions, tap "Collect remaining balance" and check the price breakdown. Soon, you'll be able to manage these settings directly in your charter payment settings.
Note for Early Testers: As a thank you for helping us test the Collect remaining balance feature, FishingBooker is extending a grace period where we'll continue covering your processing fees for remaining balance payments and tips. You'll receive a notification when this grace period ends. Your feedback has been instrumental in refining this feature for everyone – we appreciate your partnership!
Best Practices
Avoid sending payment requests as general pre-trip reminders. FishingBooker already sends customers email and text reminders that mention the remaining balance and tipping options.
Always confirm the preferred payment method with customers before sending a request. This prevents confusion, especially for customers planning to pay in cash.