HoneyBook offers flexible ways for clients to pay you—by card, bank transfer, or cash or check. Processing fees vary by payment type, and this article explains each payment option, current transaction fees, and how to manage what cards you accept from your clients.
Overview
HoneyBook offers flexible, secure payment options so your clients can pay you while you manage everything in one place.
The only fees HoneyBook applies are:
Transaction fees
Instant deposit fees (if used)
Capital loan repayments (if applicable)
Any additional amounts you charge (like taxes, service fees, or tips) are included in your payout.
How your clients can pay
Your clients can choose from several secure payment options in HoneyBook. Processing time and fees vary based on the method:
Bank transfer (ACH/Pre-authorized debit): Client enters their bank details at checkout. Processing takes longer but costs less.
Credit and debit cards: Clients can pay using most major cards, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express (Amex), and Discover
Card payment (cardholder entered): Client manually enters their card details at checkout
Card-on-file payment: Client’s saved card is automatically charged—perfect for recurring or scheduled payments
Apple Wallet and Google Wallet: Clients can use their mobile wallets to complete payments quickly and securely
Cash or check: Paid outside HoneyBook. You can manually mark the payment as “Paid.”
📚 Tip
You can adjust what payment methods your clients can use for each smart file or lead form. Learn how to set and review client payment options.
Transaction fees
HoneyBook partners with industry-leading payment processors to handle transactions securely. Fees are deducted from each payment before deposit and remain among the most competitive in the market.
Current transaction fees
Transaction type | Fee |
ACH (U.S. only) | 1.5% of payment total (flat fee) |
Pre-authorized debit (Canada only) | 1% of payment total + $0.30 |
Visa and Mastercard card payments | 2.9% of payment total + $0.25 |
American Express (Amex) and Discover card payments | 3.4% of payment total + $0.09 |
Card-on-file payments | 3.4% of payment total + $0.09 |
Cash or check (outside HoneyBook) | No fee |
Managing AMEX & Discover payment methods
Amex and Discover transactions are more costly to process because they run through American Express’s proprietary financial network rather than standard card processors like Visa or Mastercard. These transactions also carry higher operational costs related to fraud prevention and dispute management, which contribute to the increased fee.
If you’d prefer not to accept Amex or Discover card payments:
From the navigation menu, select your company logo > Company settings
Select Client payment methods
Under “American Express and Discover cards,” turn off Accept American Express and Discover cards
Both card types must be managed together—you can’t enable or disable just one
By default, accepting Amex and Discover cards is enabled
How transaction fees appear in reports and Payments
Your downloadable “Payments completed” report includes:
A transaction fee column reflecting the total deducted
A fee rate column showing which rate was applied, either Visa/Mastercard or Amex/Discover
When you select Finance > Payments from your navigation menu, “Paid” payments made using Amex or Discover will include a “Payment method” field so you can identify them quickly
Security & Compliance Guidelines
For security and legal compliance:
You cannot make payments on behalf of clients
You cannot edit or remove saved card details
All payments must be initiated by the client
This ensures:
Clients maintain control of their financial information
Compliance with payment processing regulations
Clients can update or remove their card information at any time.
Passing on Transaction Fees to Clients
HoneyBook does not automatically apply surcharges to pass fees to clients. However, you may manually add a fee as a line item (if allowed in your region). Legal guidance is strongly recommended before implementing surcharges.
Best practices
Clearly label fees (e.g., “Credit card processing fee”)
Disclose fees upfront before payment
Regularly review local laws and card network rules
Still have questions? Feel free to send us a message by clicking the Question Mark icon on any HoneyBook page. Our team is always happy to help!