Business Growth
❓ Question
Has anyone built their whole website around Phorest's booking widget?
Piers Marshall
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Lash Artist · Chester · 3mo ago
Right, I need some honest opinions. I've been using a paper diary for 2 years and my husband thinks I'm mad for not going digital. I've looked at Square Appointments and Shedul but I honestly can't figure out which one is better for a small barbershop. I don't need anything fancy — just something that sends reminder texts, takes deposits and lets clients book online without ringing me at 11pm. What would you go for?
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I've used Square Appointments for 18 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
The Instagram booking integration on Trafft was a bit fiddly to set up but it does work. The issue is usually the Facebook Business account connection — make sure your Instagram is properly linked to a Facebook page first, then the Trafft integration finds it straight away.
#2
I switched from BookPin to Shedul about two years ago and the main thing I noticed was the client-facing booking page. Shedul's is just cleaner and clients seem to complete the booking without getting confused halfway through. If you're worried about looking professional, that matters more than you'd think.
#3
I had the same concern about GDPR when I first started with Phorest. 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.
#4
I was asking myself this a year ago. Best decision I ever made was just picking one and starting. Phorest 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.
#5
I switched from Appointy to Setmore about 18 months ago and the main thing I noticed was the client-facing booking page. Setmore's is just cleaner and clients seem to complete the booking without getting confused halfway through. If you're worried about looking professional, that matters more than you'd think.
#6