Business Growth
❓ Question
How long did it take your clients to get used to online booking?
Rory Green
🏪 VIP Seller
🥇 Gold Seller
Freelancer · Bradford · 1mo ago
Been using SimplyBook.me for about 18 months now and I'm starting to wonder if I'm getting my money's worth. I'm a solo nail studio 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?
💬 8 Replies
👁 188 Views
💬 8 Replies
Join the conversation! You need to be logged in to reply.
I was asking myself this a year ago. Best decision I ever made was just picking one and starting. Timely 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.
#1
For deposits specifically, Vagaro 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 £10 on everything and no one has complained since I set it up properly.
#2
For a mobile mobile therapist I'd go with Jane App every time. You can set a service area rather than a fixed address, clients can see your availability, and the automated confirmations include all the details they need. Works perfectly without needing a physical premises.
#3
For multi-staff Shedul 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've used Treatwell 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.
#5
The waiting list feature on SimplyBook.me 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.
#6
I asked myself this exact question 18 months ago. Ended up going with Square Appointments because it had the best free trial and I could test it properly without committing. 18 months later I'm still on it. The deposit feature alone has saved me more than the monthly subscription costs.
#7
I've used BookPin 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.
#8