Free booking system: how to work out the real cost

When you search for a free, cheap or simple booking system, you really want the same thing: to get started without being locked in and without surprises. But “free” rarely means nothing costs anything. Here is what to check before you choose.

What “free” actually covers

A free booking system usually has no monthly price, but the costs may be somewhere else. Ask about these four things:

• what is limited on the free plan, for example users, forms or reminders
• what it costs when a customer pays by card
• whether you have to enter a payment card to get started
• whether you can switch to a larger plan later without starting over

Klarte has a free plan you can try, and card payment and deposits can be used on all plans. What is included at any given time is listed on the pricing page.

The fee per card payment

What most often decides the total price is the fee on card payments. It usually has two parts: a percentage and a fixed amount per payment. The fixed amount matters most when payments are small, and deposits are often exactly that. So calculate with a realistic deposit, not the full price of the appointment.

The fee is only one side of the picture. A deposit makes the customer commit, so fewer no-shows happen, and appointments that would otherwise have stayed empty get paid for.

When a paid plan pays off

A more expensive plan often has a lower fee per card payment. You can then work out the threshold yourself:

• take the difference in monthly price between two plans
• divide by the difference in fee percentage
• the result is roughly how much customers must pay by card each month before the more expensive plan breaks even

The calculation assumes the fixed amount per payment is the same across plans. Also remember what the fee does not cover: more users, reminders and your own branding on the booking page. If you work alone and have few card payments, the free plan is often enough.

How to get started

Create a free account, set up your services and rules, and share your booking link. Take a look at the features, check the current prices, or find answers in the Help Center. You can upgrade as your bookings grow.