Answers / How to stop no-shows
How to stop no-shows
Cut no-shows with automatic reminders, easy confirm-or-cancel, a deposit or card on file at booking, and a clear cancellation policy. Here is how to set each one up with scheduling tools we list.
Steps
- Turn on automatic reminders. Set a reminder to go out before every appointment, by email at minimum and by text if your plan includes it. Square Appointments, Vagaro and Setmore (email on Free, SMS on Pro) and Acuity Scheduling (email; SMS on Standard and up) all send them.
- Let customers confirm or cancel in one tap. A customer who can cancel easily frees the slot instead of just not showing up. Square Assistant lets clients confirm or cancel by text, and Acuity Scheduling lets clients reschedule or cancel themselves.
- Take a deposit or a card at booking for the slots that hurt most. Acuity Scheduling can collect prepayment, a partial deposit or a stored card at booking. Setmore lists deposits on its Pro plan, not on Free.
- Show your cancellation policy when people book. Write a short policy (how much notice you need and what happens if they miss). Acuity Scheduling can require clients to accept your terms and cancellation policy before the booking goes through.
- Keep one calendar so you never double-book. Sync your booking tool with Google Calendar so your personal and work time block each other. Use the setup guides below for the tools that support it.
- Check who no-shows and follow up. Look at missed appointments each week and reach out to repeat no-shows. Acuity Scheduling includes reporting on no-shows; for other tools, check the appointment history.
Tools that do this
Only tools we list. What each does here comes from the vendor's own page on the date shown; prices are the starting prices on the vendor's pricing page. Prices change, so confirm before you buy.
| Tool | What it does for this | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| Square Appointments | Online booking and reminders; with Square Assistant, clients can confirm or cancel by text. (vendor page, checked 2026-10-26) | Square Free $0/mo + processing fees (2.6% + 15¢ in person) (pricing, checked 2026-11-01) |
| Setmore | Free plan sends email confirmations and email reminders. Pro adds automatic SMS reminders (500 SMS credits per Pro team member each month) and deposits. (vendor page, checked 2026-10-30) | Free $0 (up to 4 users); Pro from $5/user/mo (pricing, checked 2026-10-27) |
| Acuity Scheduling | Automated email confirmations and reminders (SMS reminders on the Standard plan and up); clients can reschedule or cancel; you can require clients to accept your terms and cancellation policy at booking; collect prepayment, a partial deposit or store a card at booking; reporting on no-shows. (vendor page, checked 2026-10-30) | Starter $16/mo (annual) / $20/mo monthly (pricing, checked 2026-10-27) |
| Vagaro | Pricing page lists unlimited notifications and appointment reminders on its plans. (vendor page, checked 2026-10-30) | $30/mo for 1 calendar ($23.99 intro for first 6 months) (pricing, checked 2026-11-02) |
Setup guides and comparisons
- Sync Square Appointments with Google Calendar (setup guide)
- Sync Acuity Scheduling with Google Calendar (setup guide)
- Sync Setmore with Google Calendar (2-way) (setup guide)
- Sync Vagaro with Google Calendar (setup guide)
- Acuity Scheduling vs Setmore
- Calendly vs Acuity Scheduling
- Calendly vs Setmore
- Square Appointments vs Fresha
- Boulevard vs Vagaro
By industry: Restaurants, Salons & spas. All scheduling tools.
Last checked 2026-10-30. We do not rank these tools; we name a pick only after hands-on testing. Spot something out of date? Send a correction.
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