How much does a booking system cost? Pricing models and hidden costs

A booking system can cost anything from nothing to several hundred euros a month. The price at the top of the pricing page rarely tells the whole story, though. What decides how much you end up paying is mostly the pricing model: whether you pay per staff member, per booking, per branch or a flat fee, and what costs extra on the side.

Here is an overview of the usual pricing models, the costs that are often overlooked, and a worked example you can use to compare systems.

The five usual pricing models

1. Free or freemium

Many booking systems have a free version. It’s a good way to get started, but it usually comes with limits: a cap on bookings, the system’s logo on your booking page, no SMS reminders, or only one staff member. Some free systems make their money from fees when customers pay online instead, or by showing your customers other businesses in a marketplace.

Suits: You’ve just started and have few bookings.

2. Flat monthly price

You pay the same every month, however many bookings you get. That makes the budget predictable. Check what’s included: number of staff, SMS, payment at booking and number of addresses.

Suits: Businesses that want to know the price in advance.

3. Price per staff member (per user)

A common model, especially among international systems. The price looks low for one person but grows every time you hire. For a business with five or ten staff it can become the biggest cost, and it makes giving a trainee or a part-timer access more expensive.

Suits: Sole traders and very small teams.

4. Price per booking or per transaction

You pay per booking, or a percentage of each online payment. It’s cheap in quiet periods but expensive when business is good, and hard to budget for.

Suits: Businesses with few but valuable bookings.

5. Custom-built

An agency builds a booking system for your website. You get full control, but you pay for the development up front, and for hosting, security updates and changes afterwards. It rarely makes sense unless the way you take bookings is very unusual.

Suits: Businesses with needs no standard system covers.

Costs that rarely make the top of the pricing page

When you compare, read the small print. That’s often where the difference between two systems lies:

• SMS reminders. Often paid per message or in bundles. Reminders cut no-shows, so you’ll probably send a lot of them.
• Payment at booking. Card fees, and some systems add their own fee on top.
• Extra staff. Look at the price for the number of people you’ll have in a year, not just today.
• Extra branches. If you have more than one address, check whether each branch costs extra, and whether client records are shared.
• Removing the system’s logo. Your own branding may need a more expensive plan.
• Onboarding and support. Some charge for setup, training or phone support.
• VAT. Business prices usually exclude VAT. Compare like with like.

Worked example: per-staff pricing against a flat price

The difference between pricing models becomes clear as the business grows. Here is an imaginary system that costs €20 per staff member a month, compared with a flat price per branch of €66 (Tempari Team). All prices exclude VAT.

For one or two people, per-staff pricing is cheapest with these numbers. That’s why Tempari also has smaller plans for one and two people (Solo and Plus, see below). From about four staff it flips, and with ten people you pay three times as much for the same number of customers.

How to choose: five questions

1. How many staff and addresses will you have in a year? Work out the price for that, not just for today.
2. Should customers pay when they book? Then check the fees, not just the subscription.
3. How many reminders do you send? Email is often free; SMS rarely is.
4. Do some bookings need approving first? First consultations with a lawyer or an accountant, for example. Not every system can do that.
5. Where is your data stored? If you handle personal data, choose a system hosted in the EU with a data processing agreement.

What does Tempari cost?

Tempari has one price for the whole business, not per user:

• Solo – €13/month: one person, an online booking page, unlimited bookings and email reminders.
• Plus – €27/month: two people, payment at booking, and your own branding.
• Team – €66/month per branch: unlimited staff, and shared client records.
• Org: more branches, API and a named contact. Priced by agreement.

All prices exclude VAT. Email reminders are always free and unlimited. You can try every plan free for 30 days, no card required.

Tempari is built for law firms, accountants, consultants and salons, and you can add booking to your own website.

See all prices and what’s included, or read about the features.