- Start with your own business: how many people work in the calendar, what should your client be able to do alone and where do your clients come from.
- Add up all the costs, not just the subscription: commission, messages, staff members and payment fees.
- Ask every provider the same ten questions and compare the answers.
- Use the free trial to book as a client, not to click around at random.
In this article
Start with your business, not the feature list
Every booking system has a long list of features. That list tells you little until you know what you need. So answer three questions first.
How many people work in your calendar?
Work alone and one calendar is enough. Work with colleagues and you want every team member to have their own calendar, and your client to choose who they book with. That difference often decides which plan you need.
What should your client be able to do alone?
Booking an appointment goes without saying. But do you also want clients to reschedule or cancel on their own, pay a deposit or join a waiting list? Write it down before you start comparing.
Where do your clients come from?
Do they find you through your website, your Instagram, your Google Business Profile or a marketplace that brings you new clients? The last one sounds attractive, but it often costs a commission on every booking. If you let your own clients book through your own link, you pay nothing extra for that.
What a business really needs
Below is what most businesses need, and what only suits some of them. Tick what matters to you.
| Feature | Who needs it | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Your own booking link | Every business | You put it on your website, in your Instagram bio and on Google |
| Treatments with length and price | Every business | Your calendar plans the right time for each treatment |
| Opening hours and holidays | Every business | Clients only see times when you are really available |
| Reminders | Every business | Fewer clients who forget their appointment |
| A deposit when booking | Businesses with empty slots | People who have paid turn up, or let you know |
| Clients reschedule themselves | Businesses with many changes | No more calling or replying |
| Several team members | Businesses with a team | Every team member has their own calendar |
| Waiting list | Businesses that are often full | A cancellation does not become an empty slot |
| Google Calendar sync | Anyone already using Google Calendar | All your appointments in one place |
| Mini website | Businesses without a website | Online straight away with your prices and hours |
If you tick more than three boxes after this list, you already know what to watch for. With two, a simple system is enough. There is no point paying for features you will never open.
Alone or with a team: what changes
A one person business gets by with one calendar. You enter your hours, your clients book and that is it. As soon as a second person joins, more changes than you expect.
Every team member works different days, with different treatments and different hours. Your client sometimes wants a specific person, and sometimes does not mind. Your system has to handle both. So check that every team member has their own calendar, and that your client can choose who they book with.
Think ahead too. Work alone today but expect your first employee within two years? Then pick a system where you know what happens when your team grows. In Bookable you choose Start for one calendar and Praktijk for several team members and calendars.
Ten questions to ask every provider
Write these questions down and send them to every provider you are considering. Anyone who does not answer clearly has also given you an answer.
- 1What does it cost per month and per year, all in? Ask about staff members, messages, setup and payment fees.
- 2Is commission taken from my bookings, and from which bookings exactly?
- 3Do reminders cost extra, for example per text message?
- 4Do my clients have to create an account or download an app to book?
- 5Can I export my clients and appointments if I leave?
- 6In which language is help available, and how fast does someone reply?
- 7Am I tied to a contract, and what is the notice period?
- 8How does an online deposit work, and who receives the money?
- 9Does it work on a phone, for me and for my client?
- 10Can I switch from my current system, and who does the work?
Traps that cost you later
Commission on new clients
A marketplace that brings you new clients often asks a percentage for it. According to the Salonized help page, which we checked on 30 September 2026, Treatwell charges 35% commission on new clients. On an appointment of €60, that is €21 gone. It happens again with every new client.
Prices you cannot find
If there is no price anywhere and you first have to book a call, you only learn the cost after that call. For a large chain that is normal. For a small business, a clear price on the website is a good sign.
Help in a language that is not yours
When something gets stuck on a busy Tuesday, you want an answer from someone who understands what you mean. Check up front which language the help is in and how fast someone replies.
Long contracts
A contract of 12 or 24 months is no problem if you are sure of your choice. You only get that certainty after a while. Choose a system you can cancel monthly or yearly instead.
Costs per message
Text message reminders cost between €0.11 and €0.15 each in some systems. At eight appointments a day, that adds up to tens of euros a month. How to work it out is in our article on what a booking system really costs.
Clients locked into the system
Ask up front whether you get an export of your clients if you stop. Your clients belong to you, not to the software.
How to compare two providers honestly
Put the answers side by side in one overview. Work out the yearly amount for every provider and add everything that comes on top. This table helps, with a worked example per line.
| Cost | How to work it out | Worked example with your own assumptions |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly price times 12, or the yearly price | From €29 a month becomes from €348 a year |
| Extra staff members | Number of staff times the price per person | Two extra staff at €6 a month becomes €144 a year |
| Messages | Appointments per year times the price per message | 1,920 appointments at €0.13 becomes €249.60 a year |
| Commission | New clients times the appointment price times the percentage | 120 new clients at €60 and 35% becomes €2,520 a year |
| Payment fees | Online payments times the fee per payment | 1,920 payments at €0.39 becomes €748.80 a year |
| Setup | A one time amount, if there is one | Always ask |
These are worked examples with your own assumptions, not a price list from any provider. Fill in your own figures. That way you compare a yearly amount with a yearly amount, and not a monthly price where half is missing.
How to use the free trial
Fourteen days is enough if you use them well. Clicking around teaches you little. With this schedule you know at the end whether it fits.
| Day | What you do | What you notice |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Set up your treatments with length and price | How far do you get without help? |
| Day 2 | Enter your opening hours, breaks and a holiday | Does the calendar work the way you work? |
| Day 3 | Book an appointment yourself as a client, on your phone | How many steps does your client need? |
| Day 4 | Reschedule and cancel that appointment | What does your client see, and what do you see? |
| Day 5 | Look at how a deposit works | Who pays, how much, and where does the money go? |
| Days 6 and 7 | Ask a friend or colleague to book | Where do they get stuck? |
| After that | Send support a real question | How fast and how clear is the answer? |
It is a good sign if you can try without a card. Then you do not pay after two weeks for something you do not want.
Switching later
You choose now, but your business grows. In two years you may have an employee, or another system may suit you better. Switching should not be a drama. This should be possible:
- Export your clients, usually as a CSV file.
- Move your planned appointments over, so nobody has to book again.
- Replace your booking link on your website, on Google and on Instagram.
- Let your old system run alongside the new one for another week.
At Bookable we move your planned appointments and your clients over. If you ever stop, you get a full export of your clients and appointments. The steps are on the help page Switching from another booking system.
How Bookable does this
We built Bookable for businesses that welcome clients: physiotherapists, hairdressers, nail salons, massage practices, yoga studios, guest rooms and more. You pay a fixed amount, with no setup fee and no commission on your bookings.
| What you need | Start | Praktijk |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From €29 a month, paid yearly | From €49 a month, paid yearly |
| Calendars | One | Several |
| Reminders by WhatsApp and email | Included | Included |
| Deposit through Mollie and Bancontact | Included | Included |
| Booking link and mini website | Included | Included |
| Waiting list | Not included | Included |
| Clients reschedule themselves | Not included | Included |
| Google Calendar sync | Not included | Included |
Pay monthly and it is from €34 for Start and from €58 for Praktijk. You try it free for 14 days, with no card. Help comes from a real person, with a reply within 24 hours. All the details are on the pricing page.
Want to know whether Bookable suits your trade? Have a look at the pages for hair salons, nail salons, physiotherapists or massage practices. Missing a feature? We look at whether we can build it for you. How to set up your services fits on one page.
- No card needed
- No commission
- Cancel monthly or yearly
Frequently asked questions
What is the best booking system for a small business?
That depends on your business. A one person business gets by with one calendar, reminders and a booking link. With a team you need several calendars. Write down what you need first, then compare.
How much does a booking system cost?
For the subscription you often pay between €20 and €60 a month. Costs can come on top per staff member, per message, per new client and per payment. Bookable costs from €29 a month when you pay yearly.
Do I need a booking system, or is a free calendar enough?
A free calendar is enough as long as you note every appointment yourself. If you want clients to book themselves, get a reminder and pay a deposit, you need a booking system.
Can I try a booking system before I pay?
With Bookable, yes: 14 days free, with no card. If you have not chosen a plan after 14 days and have paid nothing, your account is paused and your data is kept for 90 days.
Do my clients need an account or an app to book?
Not with Bookable. Your client picks a treatment and a time, fills in their details and that is it.
Can I switch later?
Yes. Ask up front whether you get an export of your clients and appointments. At Bookable we move your planned appointments and your clients over, so nobody has to book again.
How do I know whether a booking system fits my trade?
Look for a page or an example for your trade, with treatments similar to yours. During the trial, book an appointment yourself as a client. Then you see straight away whether it fits.
Founder of Bookable. Questions about this article or about your own business? Send a message whenever you like. A real person replies, within 24 hours.