Shopify questionAnswer3 min read
Can I Take Deposits or Part Payments on Shopify?
Yes, but the right method depends on your plan and what you sell. Here are the four ways to take a deposit and collect the balance later.
Key takeaways
- On any plan, a pre-order app can take full, partial or no payment at checkout and collect the rest later, if you use Shopify Payments or PayPal Express.
- Built-in deposits on payment terms are available only on Shopify Plus, set as a percentage of the order, such as 20%.
- Recording partial payments on an order, including manual ones such as bank transfers, is also a Shopify Plus feature.
- Buy now, pay later is different: the customer pays in parts, but you're paid in full upfront by the provider.
- Who it is for
- Stores selling custom, made-to-order or pre-order products
- Time needed
- 3 minutes to read
- What you need
- Your plan and payment provider
Yes, you can take deposits on Shopify. On any plan, a pre-order app lets customers pay part of the price at checkout while their card is stored for the balance. On Shopify Plus, you can also add a deposit requirement to payment terms or draft orders and record partial payments natively.
Deposits come up a lot on the custom furniture, bridal and made-to-order stores I work on. The plan rules below were checked on Shopify's help center on 7 November 2026.
Four ways to take a deposit
| Method | Plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-order app | Any plan | Pre-orders and made-to-order items |
| Deposit on payment terms | Plus only | B2B and custom quotes |
| Partial payments | Plus only | Split or mixed payments |
| Two invoices | Any plan | Occasional custom jobs |
Pre-order apps: deposits on any plan
Shopify's pre-orders page says you can "collect full, partial, or no payment at the time the customer places their order". The payment method is stored, and you collect the remaining amount later. You need a pre-order app from the Shopify App Store, and Shopify says pre-orders are currently available only to merchants using Shopify Payments or PayPal Express.
Tell customers exactly when the balance will be charged, on the product page, in the cart and in the confirmation email. An unexpected charge weeks later is a common cause of disputes. My guide to setting up pre-orders covers the setup in detail.
Shopify Plus: deposits and partial payments
Shopify's B2B help page says "Deposit requirements are available only on the Shopify Plus plan." You set the deposit as a percentage of the order total in the payment terms, and you can add one to a draft order your staff create, then send the customer an invoice for it. The rest is due on the payment terms you choose:
- Net terms: net 7, 15, 30, 45, 60 or 90 days.
- Due on fulfillment: the balance is due once all items have shipped.
- Fixed date: a set calendar date, on individual draft orders only.
Plus stores can also record partial payments on an order. From Orders, open the order, click Collect payment and charge a fixed amount or a percentage to a new card, a vaulted B2B card, or record a manual payment such as a bank transfer. The order then shows as Partially paid, and the customer sees the payment in their account.
The two-invoice method on any plan
For the odd custom job on Basic or Grow, the simplest route is two draft orders: one for the deposit, sent as an invoice now, and one for the balance, sent before dispatch. It's manual and the reporting is less tidy, but it costs nothing. Note on both orders which job they belong to.
Country notes
US: any method above works; pay-later options appear alongside it. UK and EU: online customers generally have a 14-day right to cancel after delivery, and the UK government says you must tell them so. Goods made to a customer's own specification are treated differently, so check the rules before you make a deposit non-refundable. Australia: Afterpay is pay-later, not a deposit tool. Whatever the country, state clearly whether a deposit is refundable.
If you meant payout deposits
Many people searching "Shopify deposit" mean the money Shopify sends to their bank. That's a payout, not a customer deposit. My answer on how long Shopify payouts take covers it.
What to do next
- Match the method to your plan: a pre-order app or two invoices on Basic and Grow, native deposits on Plus.
- Write the deposit terms down: amount, when the balance is charged, and refund rules.
- Need something apps don't do? A custom deposit flow is app work, and my custom apps start from $800.
Free tools
Check your own store
Free, no sign-up. Each one runs a part of this guide for you.
Frequently asked questions
Does Shopify support deposits?
Yes. Pre-order apps take partial payments on any plan using Shopify Payments or PayPal Express, and Shopify Plus has native deposits on payment terms and draft orders.
Which Shopify plan do I need for deposit payments?
Native deposit requirements and partial payments are Shopify Plus features. On other plans, use a pre-order app or separate invoices for the deposit and balance.
How do I collect the remaining balance?
With a pre-order app, the stored payment method is charged later. On Plus, the balance is due on the payment terms you set, such as net 30 or due on fulfillment.
Can I take a deposit by bank transfer?
On Shopify Plus you can record a manual payment, such as a bank deposit, as a partial payment on an order. Shopify doesn't capture manual payments itself.
Is a deposit the same as buy now, pay later?
No. With buy now, pay later the customer pays in parts but the provider pays you in full upfront. A deposit means you collect the balance yourself later.
Can I make a deposit non-refundable?
It depends on where you sell and what you sell. UK and EU customers usually have a right to cancel online orders, with exceptions such as made-to-order goods, so check the rules first.
Sources
- Collecting and recording partial payments, Shopify Help Center
- Setting up payment terms in B2B, Shopify Help Center
- Pre-orders, Shopify Help Center
- Online and distance selling for businesses, GOV.UK
Related services and work
I'm a Shopify developer and CRO specialist. I have built and improved Shopify stores since 2018, completed more than 1,000 projects, and hold a 4.96 average rating across 719 client reviews.
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