If you're searching "Booksy alternative," one of three things is usually going on. The monthly price bugs you. The fee on new clients bugs you. Or you just want your clients to book with you, not with a marketplace that also shows them everybody else.
Each one points to a different answer. So before the list, a quick way to tell which problem you actually have.
What you pay for Booksy right now
From Booksy's own pricing page, as of October 7, 2026:
- $29.99 a month plus tax for one pro, with every feature included, and $20 a month for each extra team member.
- Boost is optional. It's free to turn on, but while it's on, Booksy charges a one-time 30% fee on a Boost client's first visit, up to a maximum of $100. Booksy says that clients who book through your own profile link aren't charged.
- Card processing is separate. Booksy lists 2.69% + $0.30 per transaction for mobile payments if you process payments through it.
So the base number is a flat monthly fee, and the extra cost depends on whether you use Boost and take payments through Booksy. Know which of those you've turned on before you decide what's expensive.
Problem 1: the monthly price
Here's what the other options list on their own pricing pages, same date. Prices move, so check each one before you decide.
| App | Price for one pro | Fees to know about |
|---|---|---|
| Fresha | $19.95/mo (Independent plan) | One-time 20% on brand-new clients who find you on the Fresha marketplace, $6 minimum. No fee on returning clients. |
| Vagaro | $30/mo for one calendar ($23.99/mo for the first 6 months) | Includes a free listing on the Vagaro Marketplace. Check their page for card processing rates. |
| Square Appointments | $0/mo on the Free plan | Square says you only pay processing fees when you take a payment through it. |
| Morningside | $7.99/mo, free trial first | No commission. No payments handled, so no processing fees. |
Sources: Fresha, Vagaro, Square. StyleSeat's pricing page currently advertises a limited-time $19 a month new-pro rate, so check it directly, since that kind of offer changes.
Read the Square line carefully. "Free" is real, but the business makes money when you take card payments through it. If you collect cash, Venmo or your own card reader, you may never pay a processing fee. If you run everything through Square, you will.
Problem 2: the fee on new clients
Marketplace apps do something useful: they show your page to people who've never heard of you. They charge for that, and the charge only fires when the new client came through the marketplace.
The question isn't "is a fee bad." It's "where do new clients come from?" If most come from Instagram, referrals, and walk-bys, you're paying a marketplace for a job it isn't doing. If a lot come from marketplace search, the fee is the price of that. The marketplace fee calculator works out what it adds up to for your own numbers.
We've gone through what each app really takes in our post on no-show fees, and the comparison pages at /vs list the figures with sources.
Problem 3: you want your clients, not a marketplace
This one is about whose app your client is looking at. On a marketplace, the client sees your page and, a swipe away, other pros nearby. On your own booking link, they see you.
If this is your problem, look for an app that gives you a link you can post in your bio and text to a client, with no listing, no search and no other pros on the page. That's the whole reason to leave.
Before you switch: three things that don't move
- Cards on file. Saved cards usually can't be exported, so if you use them for no-show fees, you'd start over.
- Reviews. Marketplace reviews live on the marketplace.
- Marketplace discovery. If strangers find you through the app today, they won't tomorrow.
Your client list is the part you can carry. Get it out first. Our post on switching booking apps without losing your regulars walks through the order to do things in, and the free switch script writes the message to send your clients.
Where Morningside fits, and where it doesn't
Morningside is a booking link for one person's book. It's $7.99 a month with a free trial first (the exact terms are on the claim page), no commission, and no marketplace. Clients who opt in to texts get a confirmation and reminders, can reply C to confirm or CANCEL to cancel, and a no-show gets a text with a link to pick a new time.
It's the right fit if what you want is a clean link and fewer empty slots. It's not the right fit if you want:
- a marketplace that sends you new clients,
- deposits, cards on file or no-show fees, or
- a built-in payment system.
It does none of those, and we'd rather you know before you start.
Questions people ask
Is Booksy worth it for a solo pro?
It depends on whether you use what you're paying for. Booksy lists $29.99 a month for one pro. If you use its marketplace, calendar and payments, it can be worth it. If you mostly use it as a calendar, you're likely overpaying.
Is there a free alternative to Booksy?
Square Appointments has a $0 a month plan. You pay card processing fees when clients pay through Square, so it's free to hold, not free to use for payments.
Does Booksy charge a fee on new clients?
Only with Boost turned on. Booksy lists a one-time 30% fee on a Boost client's first visit, up to $100. Always check Booksy's current page.
Can pros take their clients with them?
Your client list, yes. Saved cards and marketplace reviews usually stay behind.