{"id":5775,"date":"2021-09-22T20:49:21","date_gmt":"2021-09-22T20:49:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shopthemedetector.com\/blog\/?p=5775"},"modified":"2026-05-06T16:15:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T16:15:03","slug":"how-to-take-deposits-on-shopify","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shopthemedetector.com\/blog\/how-to-take-deposits-on-shopify\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Take Deposits on Shopify"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shopify doesn\u2019t have a native \u201cdeposit\u201d option in standard payment settings - but there are three methods that actually work to take a partial payment on a Shopify order: draft orders with manual invoicing (works on every plan, no app needed), deposit apps from the Shopify App Store (the most common path for stores doing this regularly), and custom checkout extensibility for Shopify Plus stores. This guide covers each method, when to use which one, and the common pitfalls to avoid.<\/p>\n

Key Takeaways<\/div>
1<\/div>
There is no native \u201cSplit Payment\u201d option in Shopify\u2019s standard payment settings - anyone who claims otherwise is describing functionality that doesn\u2019t exist on Shopify in 2026.<\/div><\/div>
2<\/div>
The simplest deposit method on any Shopify plan: draft orders, where you charge the deposit amount manually and invoice the balance later.<\/div><\/div>
3<\/div>
For repeat or scaled use, deposit apps like Partial.ly, Downpay, and Shopify Subscriptions handle the full deposit-then-balance flow automatically.<\/div><\/div>
4<\/div>
Shopify Plus stores can build native deposit fields directly into checkout using checkout extensibility - most flexibility, but requires development work.<\/div><\/div>
5<\/div>
Tax, refund, and chargeback handling are the most common failure points when collecting deposits - plan for them before launching the workflow.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

Method 1: Draft Orders With Manual Partial Payment<\/h2>\n

The simplest method, available on every Shopify plan. Use this for one-off deposits - custom orders, services, low-volume rentals, or B2B quotes.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. In your Shopify admin, go to Orders > Drafts<\/strong> and click Create order<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  2. Add the products or a custom item, set the line-item price to the deposit amount you want to collect now (e.g., 30% of the full price as a single line \u201cDeposit on Custom Order #1234\u201d).<\/li>\n
  3. Add the customer and any notes about the balance owed.<\/li>\n
  4. Click Send invoice<\/strong> - Shopify emails the customer a payment link.<\/li>\n
  5. When the customer pays, the draft becomes a paid order in your system.<\/li>\n
  6. For the balance, create a second draft order for the remaining amount, reference the original deposit in the notes, and send another invoice.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    When this works:<\/strong> low volume, custom or service-based orders, B2B with negotiated terms, rental businesses where the deposit and the balance are days or weeks apart.<\/p>\n

    Where it breaks:<\/strong> if you\u2019re processing dozens of deposit orders a month, manually creating two draft orders per customer becomes painful. At that point, move to Method 2.<\/p>\n

    Method 2: Deposit Apps from the Shopify App Store<\/h2>\n

    For stores doing deposits regularly, dedicated apps automate the full deposit-then-balance flow. The most common options as of 2026:<\/p>\n