Business Growth
❓ Question
Is the Timely marketplace actually worth being listed on?
Owen Iqbal
🏪 VIP Seller
🥇 Gold Seller
Spa Owner · Taunton · 1mo ago
I rent a chair in a salon in Newcastle and I'm wondering if I can use Acuity Scheduling separately from the main salon's system. The salon owner uses something different and I don't want to confuse clients. Can you set up Acuity Scheduling as an individual without it being tied to the building's address? Has anyone done this as a chair renter?
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✅ Best Answer
For deposits specifically, Treatwell 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 £25 on everything and no one has complained since I set it up properly.
#1
I've used SimplyBook.me 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.
#2
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.
#3
I tested Trafft and Setmore side by side for a month. Trafft won on price, Setmore won on features. For a solo beauty salon just starting out, Trafft's free plan is hard to argue with. You can always switch later once you know exactly what you need.
#4
For multi-staff Square Appointments 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.
#5
Honestly? Just go with Treatwell. I know there are loads of options but for a solo holistic therapy practice 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.
#6
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.
#7
I asked myself this exact question 18 months ago. Ended up going with BookPin 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.
#8
I switched from SimplyBook.me to Vagaro about 18 months ago and the main thing I noticed was the client-facing booking page. Vagaro'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.
#9