Business Growth
❓ Question
Does BookPin allow me to block out personal time in my calendar?
Calum Wilson
👑 VIP
👑 VIP
PMU Artist · Chelmsford · 4mo ago
Been using Vagaro for about 18 months now and I'm starting to wonder if I'm getting my money's worth. I'm a solo barbershop owner with about 40 regular clients. The price keeps going up and I feel like I'm only using about 30% of the features. Has anyone downgraded or switched to something cheaper? What did you end up going with?
💬 9 Replies
👁 563 Views
💬 9 Replies
Join the conversation! You need to be logged in to reply.
I've used SimplyBook.me for 6 months and the support is hit and miss if I'm honest. Response times are slow. But the product itself is solid and I rarely need support because once it's set up it just works. I'd still recommend it — just don't rely on them for urgent help.
#1
I tested Phorest and Treatwell side by side for a month. Phorest won on price, Treatwell won on features. For a solo nail studio just starting out, Phorest's free plan is hard to argue with. You can always switch later once you know exactly what you need.
#2
I had the same concern about GDPR when I first started with Shedul. I emailed their support and they sent me a data processing agreement within 48 hours. They're UK-compliant and store data in Europe. Worth emailing them directly if you want the formal paperwork.
#3
The waiting list feature on Vagaro is genuinely good — better than any other system I've tried. When a cancellation comes in it automatically notifies the next person on the waiting list. Has filled four last-minute slots for me this month alone.
#4
I've been using BookPin for 3 months and honestly I'd recommend it for a small barbershop. The setup took me about half a day but once it's done it just runs. Clients get automatic reminders, you can take deposits, and the calendar view is really clear. Give the free trial a go — you'll know within a week if it works for you.
#5
I chair-rent and I use Fresha completely separately from the main salon. You just set your own location as a general Southampton address or your own mobile setup. Clients book with you specifically, not the salon. Works really well and the salon owner doesn't even see my diary.
#6
For deposits specifically, Setmore is really smooth. The client gets a card payment screen as part of the booking flow — it doesn't feel like a separate step or like you're being suspicious of them. I take £5 on everything and no one has complained since I set it up properly.
#7
I was asking myself this a year ago. Best decision I ever made was just picking one and starting. Appointy has a free plan that's genuinely functional. Start there, learn the system, then upgrade when you actually need the paid features. Don't let the choice paralysis stop you from just getting on with it.
#8
For multi-staff Setmore is excellent. Each person has their own colour-coded calendar, you can set individual hours and services, and clients book with a specific person or with 'any available' if you prefer. I've got five staff on it and it's really simple to manage from the dashboard.
#9