Business Growth
❓ Question
What's the best booking system for a mobile waxing salon with no fixed address?
Fiona Campbell
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👑 VIP
Salon / Hair Studio · Sheffield · 2mo ago
Been using Trafft for about 6 months now and I'm starting to wonder if I'm getting my money's worth. I'm a solo spa 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?
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💬 9 Replies
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I tested Appointy and Fresha side by side for a month. Appointy won on price, Fresha won on features. For a solo beauty salon just starting out, Appointy's free plan is hard to argue with. You can always switch later once you know exactly what you need.
#1
For multi-staff SimplyBook.me 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.
#2
The waiting list feature on Square Appointments 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.
#3
I've used BookPin 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.
#4
The Instagram booking integration on Treatwell 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 Treatwell integration finds it straight away.
#5
The Instagram booking integration on BookPin 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 BookPin integration finds it straight away.
#6
Honestly? Just go with Phorest. I know there are loads of options but for a solo beauty salon 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.
#7
I've been using SimplyBook.me for 3 months and honestly I'd recommend it for a small mobile therapist. 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
The waiting list feature on Timely 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 three last-minute slots for me this month alone.
#9