Business Growth
❓ Question
How long did it take your clients to get used to online booking?
Ellie Morgan
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Lash Artist · Slough · 2mo ago
Does anyone know if Timely is fully GDPR compliant? I've been asked by a client where their data is stored and I genuinely couldn't answer. I'm in the UK and want to make sure I'm covered legally before I keep using it. Has anyone looked into this properly or asked Timely's support team?
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I had the same concern about GDPR when I first started with Square Appointments. 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.
#1
Honestly? Just go with Fresha. I know there are loads of options but for a solo brow studio in the UK it covers everything you actually need — online booking, SMS reminders, deposits, basic reporting. Don't overthink it. Half the features on the premium plans you'll never use.
#2
Honestly? Just go with Appointy. I know there are loads of options but for a solo aesthetics clinic in the UK it covers everything you actually need — online booking, SMS reminders, deposits, basic reporting. Don't overthink it. Half the features on the premium plans you'll never use.
#3
For multi-staff Appointy 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 six staff on it and it's really simple to manage from the dashboard.
#4
I tested Acuity Scheduling and Phorest side by side for a month. Acuity Scheduling won on price, Phorest won on features. For a solo lash studio just starting out, Acuity Scheduling's free plan is hard to argue with. You can always switch later once you know exactly what you need.
#5
The Instagram booking integration on Shedul 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 Shedul integration finds it straight away.
#6
I chair-rent and I use Fresha completely separately from the main salon. You just set your own location as a general Birmingham 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.
#7
I've been using Timely for 6 months and honestly I'd recommend it for a small spa. 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.
#8
I was asking myself this a year ago. Best decision I ever made was just picking one and starting. SimplyBook.me 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.
#9