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Made-up example rental company. AI voice. Filmed in the app, Nov 2026.
For your business

Set the deposit customers pay to book your party rentals

A percent, a flat amount, the full price or none, with a minimum. Watch it in 56 seconds.

Papalocal, the everything app.

Free to sign up, no card. Once you turn the plan on: $30 a month, plus 1.25% of payments through Papalocal and Stripe's processing fee.

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How to set a party rental deposit

To set a party rental deposit in Papalocal, open Rentals, then Online booking, then Deposit. Choose a percent of the booking, a flat amount, the full amount, or no deposit online. Add a minimum so a small booking still pays enough. One item can have its own deposit. Deposits are paid into your own Stripe account.

Step by step

Before you start: your rental company on Papalocal, with its items, and Stripe connected on your Payments page.

  1. 0:00Open Deposit. In Rentals, open Online booking, then go down to Deposit.
  2. 0:06Pick the kind. Choose A percent of the booking, A flat amount per booking, The full amount, or No deposit online. With no deposit online, you confirm each booking yourself.
  3. 0:14Set the percent and a minimum. The video asks for 50% of Rentals + delivery, with a Minimum deposit. Click Save deposit.
  4. 0:23Give one item its own deposit. Set it on the item, in Inventory. In the video, the 20 x 40 frame tent asks for 100%, its whole price up front.
  5. 0:31Check a small booking. In Quick invoice, pick one bounce house and a date. Half is less than the minimum, so Deposit now asks the minimum, $100.
  6. 0:40Add the tent. Its whole price goes into the deposit, which comes to $682.50. The rest is collected later, by your balance settings.
  7. 0:47Connect Stripe. Deposits are paid straight into your own connected Stripe account.

Good to know

Written with AI from this video's script and screens.

Deposits are one part of running your rental company on Papalocal.

The everything app. As simple as you want it, or as complete as you allow it to be.

Looking for party rental software that takes deposits? They're paid into your own Stripe account, beside your bookings and calendar.

The plan holds, in one place:

The same account holds your own side too: music, books, messages, your money and your people. Some of it has paid upgrades.

Free to sign up, no card. Your account and your business page have no monthly charge. One thing is on from the start: AI replies to your reviews, $0.15 each plus AI usage. You can pause them.

Once you turn the plan on: $30 a month (one person; each added employee is $10 a month), plus 1.25% of payments your customers make through Papalocal, plus Stripe's processing fee. It's billed daily from a prepaid balance. Once your card is saved, it's charged a top-up within the hour, and again each time the balance falls under a month's charges plus 15%. You choose the top-up amount ($25 or more; $100 until you change it). You can cancel the plan online after its first 30 days; cancel any add-ons on it first.

Garret MerkleyPapalocal's founder, Garret Merkley, has started 7 local service businesses in 16 years. He bought one, sold one and closed some.

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Questions

How do I require a deposit to book?

In Rentals, open Online booking, then Deposit. Choose a percent, a flat amount or the full amount, and click Save deposit.

Can one item ask for more?

Yes. Set its own deposit on the item in Inventory. In the video, the big tent asks for its whole price up front.

Can I take bookings with no deposit?

Yes. Choose No deposit online, and you confirm each booking yourself.

When is the balance due?

When a booking is confirmed, Papalocal invoices the balance, due on the event date. How it's collected is under Collecting the balance, below Deposit.

What does it cost?

It's free to sign up, with no card. Your account and your business page have no monthly charge. One thing is on from the start: AI replies to your reviews, $0.15 each plus AI usage. You can pause them. The plan starts only when you turn it on: $30 a month (one person; each added employee is $10 a month), plus 1.25% of payments your customers make through Papalocal, plus Stripe's processing fee.

How is it billed, and can I cancel?

It's billed daily from a prepaid balance. Once your card is saved, it's charged a top-up within the hour, and again each time the balance falls under a month's charges plus 15%. You choose the top-up amount ($25 or more; $100 until you change it). You can cancel the plan online after its first 30 days; cancel any add-ons on it first.

Will Papalocal find me customers?

No. Papalocal gives you the tools. Finding customers is your work.

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The everything app. As simple as you want it, or as complete as you allow it to be.

Free to sign up, no card. Once you turn the plan on: $30 a month, plus 1.25% of payments through Papalocal and Stripe's processing fee.

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