vs booksy

The Best Booksy Alternative for Salon Owners in 2026

Stop paying 30% to get new clients. Own your bookings. Own your website.

Where booksy Falls Short

30% Boost commission on every new marketplace client

Booksy's Boost feature charges 30% of the total cost of a new client's first visit — with a minimum of £5. A £40 haircut from a marketplace newcomer costs you £12 straight to Booksy, on top of your monthly subscription. Use Boost to fill the diary and you'll pay that fee on every single new face that walks in.

No website of your own — just a Booksy profile

Booksy gives you a profile on their marketplace, not a real website. Clients searching online land on booksy.com and see your competitors listed right alongside you. You're building Booksy's brand, not yours. If you ever leave, your entire online presence disappears with it.

Per-user pricing adds up fast

Booksy UK charges £40/month for the first user + VAT, then £5/month per additional team member. A salon with 4 stylists pays £55/month + VAT before a single Boost commission. DoTheBeauty Growth covers up to 8 staff for a flat €49/month — no per-seat surprises.

App-dependent booking — clients must use Booksy

Clients book through the Booksy app or booksy.com. They interact with Booksy's interface, not yours. You have no control over that experience, and no way to send clients to a booking page that carries your brand. DoTheBeauty gives you a direct booking link — on your own domain, under your own name.

You don't own the client relationship

When a client books via Booksy, they're in Booksy's ecosystem. Contact data is controlled by Booksy's platform. If you ever switch to a different system, migrating that client history is difficult by design — you're locked in to keep using the marketplace to stay visible.

Feature Comparison

FeaturebooksyDoTheBeauty
Commission on new clients30% via Boost on each new client's first visit (min £5)0% — always
Monthly fee£40/mo + VAT base, £5/mo per extra user + VATFrom €19.95/mo flat (Starter)
Your own salon websiteNo — marketplace profile on booksy.com onlyYes — AI builder, professional site in 10 minutes
Custom domainNo — booksy.com/en-gb/your-salonYes — yoursalon.com on Growth and Pro plans
Staff included in base plan1 user included, +£5/month per extraUp to 8 on Growth (€49/mo)
24/7 online bookingVia Booksy marketplace and appDirect via your own website
Client CRMLimited — marketplace data onlyFull database — history, notes, search
AI website builderNoYes — 9 questions, live in 10 minutes
Mixed bookings (multi-stylist)NoYes — unique DoTheBeauty feature
Web-first booking (no app required)App-dependent — Booksy app or booksy.comYes — clients book on any device via browser

Pricing Comparison

Booksy for Business (UK)

£40/month + VAT base; £5/month per extra user + VAT

Flat subscription + optional Boost commission on new marketplace clients

  • 30% commission on first visit of every new Boost client (min £5 per booking)
  • £40/mo base + VAT — only covers 1 user
  • 4-person salon pays £55/mo + VAT before Boost commissions
  • Boost commissions stack on top of the monthly subscription
  • No own website — clients discover and book via Booksy's platform

DoTheBeauty

Starter€19.95/mo
Growth€49/mo
Pro€79/mo
  • 0% commission, ever
  • No hidden fees
  • Cancel anytime
  • 7-day free trial

How much does Booksy really cost you?

Enter your numbers and see the difference.

With Booksy

Subscription44
Processing fees€17
Total / month€61

With DoTheBeauty

Growth plan49
Commission (0%)€0
Total / month49

You save per month: €12

That's per year: €146

EUR 44/mo + EUR 5/extra staff. Boost (optional): 30% one-time on first visit of new marketplace clients. Processing: 2.6% + VAT (EU rate). Free marketplace bookings without Boost.

Start free — 7-day trial
Industry-first

One Booking. Multiple Stylists.

Your client wants a cut with Bonnie and a keratin treatment with Lisa. Traditional booking systems make them book twice. DoTheBeauty handles it in one seamless flow.

Traditional BookingDay View
B Bonnie
L Lisa
10:00
10:30
11:00
11:30
12:00
12:30
Emma J.
Cut + Keratin
10:00 – 12:30 · 2h 30m
Idle
No bookings
1 client · 2h 30m · Lisa idle
With DoTheBeautyDay View
B Bonnie
L Lisa
10:00
10:30
11:00
11:30
12:00
12:30
Emma J.
Cut & Colour
10:00 – 10:30
Sarah K.
Cut & Blowdry
11:00 – 12:30 · added
Emma J.
Keratin Treatment
10:30 – 12:00 · with Lisa
2 clients · same window · linked

Same 2.5 hours. Traditional booking: one client, one stylist blocked. DoTheBeauty: Emma's full multi-stylist appointment AND a second client in Bonnie's freed time.

Your salon's growth shouldn't cost 30% a client

Booksy is a well-known marketplace in the UK — and it can deliver new clients when you first start out. But the Boost commission model means every new face you attract costs you 30% of their first visit, on top of a £40/month subscription. The more successful you are at filling your calendar through Booksy, the more you pay. DoTheBeauty flips that logic. A flat monthly fee from €19.95, a professional AI-built website live in 10 minutes, 24/7 booking on your own domain, and 0% commission on every booking — forever. You own your client data, your brand, and your revenue. Booksy is a launchpad; DoTheBeauty is the foundation. For barbershops and nail salons comparing platforms, our [barbershop booking software guide](/blog/barbershop-booking-software) and [salon management software overview](/blog/salon-management-software) break down what features actually matter. --- **See also:** - [Treatwell vs DoTheBeauty](/compare/treatwell-alternative) — stop paying 35% commission to a marketplace - [Fresha vs DoTheBeauty](/compare/fresha-alternative) — no hidden 20% new-client fee - [Salonized vs DoTheBeauty](/compare/salonized-alternative) — flat pricing, AI website included

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between Booksy and DoTheBeauty?
Booksy is a consumer marketplace where clients find and book salons through the Booksy app or website. DoTheBeauty gives you your own professional salon website with direct 24/7 booking — clients book you, not Booksy. Booksy charges 30% commission on new clients via Boost; DoTheBeauty charges 0% commission on all plans.
How much commission does Booksy charge?
Booksy's standard subscription has no commission — but to attract new clients via their marketplace, you'll need Boost. Boost charges 30% of the total cost of a new client's first visit, with a minimum of £5 per booking. For a £50 colour treatment, that's £15 to Booksy per new client, every time.
How much does Booksy cost in the UK?
Booksy UK costs £40/month + VAT for the first user. Additional team members are £5/month each + VAT. A 4-person team costs £55/month + VAT before any Boost commissions are added. DoTheBeauty Growth covers up to 8 staff for €49/month with 0% commission.
Is DoTheBeauty available in the UK?
Yes. DoTheBeauty works for salon owners across the UK and EU. Pricing is in EUR (from €19.95/month), and the platform is web-first — no app required for clients or staff.
Will I lose my Booksy clients if I switch?
No. You can run Booksy and DoTheBeauty side-by-side while you transition. Start building your own direct-booking website on DoTheBeauty, then gradually move your regulars to book directly with you. Your loyal clients will follow a link — they don't need a marketplace.
Is DoTheBeauty free to try?
Yes — DoTheBeauty offers a 7-day free trial on all plans. A credit card is required to start. You can build your website, add services and staff, and test the booking flow before your trial ends.

Ready to switch?

Build your salon website in 10 minutes. 0% commission.

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