Many trips let you secure your booking with a deposit and pay the rest closer to the trip date. Here's a simple walkthrough of how you can pay the remaining balance on your booking.
How this will appear on checkout
When you book a trip that allows deposits, you'll see a "How do you want to pay?" section with two options:
- Pay in full now – pay the entire trip upfront. This is recommended and helps you avoid any potential card fees at the dock.
- Pay part now, part later – pay your deposit now (often around 20%, depending on the charter), and take care of the rest before the trip. Fees may apply.
If you choose Pay part now, part later, you'll then pick how to handle the remaining balance:
- Schedule auto-pay – we'll charge your saved card* automatically the day before the trip
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Pay manually – pay online before the trip, or directly to your guide on the day
* The card previously saved as a payment method or the card you entered on checkout when selecting ‘Pay part now, part later’. Unless you choose to save your card for future payments, we’ll store it securely only until all payments for that booking are completed.
How does paying work
If you chose Schedule auto-pay
We'll charge the card you used for your deposit the day before your trip. You don't need to do anything – it happens automatically. You’ll receive a reminder by email and push notification before the charge – typically 3 days in advance, or 1 day in advance for bookings made close to the trip date.
Once the payment clears, you'll receive:
- An email receipt
- A confirmation in the FishingBooker app and on your booking details page
If the charge doesn't go through (for example, an expired card), we'll email you right away so you can pay manually.
Want to pay earlier? You can cancel your auto-pay from your booking details page and pay manually anytime.
If you choose to pay manually
You have two ways to pay:
- Online through FishingBooker – open your booking details page anytime before or around your trip and pay with a saved card, a new card, or Apple Pay.
- Directly to your guide – confirm with your captain how they'd like to be paid (cash, card on the boat, etc.) before the trip.
Your guide can also send you a payment request through FishingBooker from 1 hour before the trip starts to 4 hours after it ends. You'll receive it as a push notification in the app or a text message with a payment link. Tap it, review the price breakdown, and confirm.
Before any charge is made, you'll always see the full price breakdown – including any fees – so you know exactly what you're paying.
What payment methods can I use?
For the remaining balance, you can pay with:
- The card you used for your deposit (saved automatically for this booking)
- A different credit or debit card
- Apple Pay
You can complete the payment in the FishingBooker app or in any browser like Chrome or Safari.
Note: Other methods (like Google Pay, PayPal, or bank transfer) aren't supported for remaining balance payments.
How fees work
Here's what to expect, depending on how you pay:
- Paying the remaining balance or tipping through FishingBooker – in some US states, a service fee of around 3% – and any applicable taxes on that fee – are included in the total. You'll always see the exact amount in the price breakdown before you confirm.
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Paying directly to your guide with a credit card – captains who accept cards on the boat typically pass on their processing fees, which usually run between 3% and 5%.
Canceling or changing auto-pay
You can cancel a scheduled auto-pay anytime from your booking details page. Once canceled, you'll need to pay the remaining balance manually – either online or directly to your guide.
You can't change the auto-pay date or switch to a different card after booking. If you need to update your card, cancel the auto-pay and pay manually instead.
What if I need help?
If you don't get a reminder, can't find your payment request, or run into any trouble, tap Need help > Contact Support on your booking and we'll sort it out.