How to Set Up Online Booking Without Treatwell or Commission

Booking platforms like Treatwell are convenient, but the commission adds up fast. The good news: you can have professional online booking without paying a percentage of every appointment. Here's how.

Why commission-based booking is expensive

Platforms like Treatwell charge 20-35% commission per booking. On £50 treatments, that's £10-£17.50 gone from every appointment. Worse, the platform owns your customer relationship. (We broke down the full numbers in our Treatwell fees guide.)

The alternative: your own booking system

A booking system built into your own website charges no commission. You pay a flat monthly fee — typically £9-£39 — regardless of how many bookings you take. Take 10 bookings or 1,000; the price is the same.

What a good booking system needs

To replace Treatwell, your booking system should include:

1. 24/7 online booking. Customers book any time, picking their service, staff member, and slot.

2. Real-time calendar. No double-bookings. The calendar updates instantly as slots fill.

3. Automated confirmations and reminders. Cut no-shows with automatic texts and emails.

4. Deposits (optional). Take a deposit at booking to reduce no-shows on high-value appointments.

5. Staff management. For multi-chair salons or barbershops, let customers choose their preferred stylist.

How to make the switch

1. Get a booking website set up. A done-for-you service can build this for you in days. 2. Add your services, prices, and staff. Everything customers need to book. 3. Put your booking link everywhere. Instagram bio, Google Business Profile, receipts, business cards. 4. Migrate your regulars. Tell existing customers to book directly from now on. 5. Keep marketplaces for discovery only. Use Treatwell or Fresha just for finding new customers, then move them to direct booking.

The savings

A salon doing 40 bookings a month at £50 saves £400-£700 every month by switching from commission booking to a flat-fee system. That's £5,000-£8,000 a year back in your pocket.

The bottom line

You don't have to choose between professional online booking and keeping your money. A booking website gives you both — all the convenience of Treatwell, none of the commission, and full ownership of your customers.

See how Bizzcraft booking works.