Free booking system: what does it really cost?
“Free booking system” is one of the most searched-for things when a salon needs to choose a system, and that makes good sense. A new salon has a lot of expenses, and a system that costs nothing sounds like an easy choice. Sometimes it is the right choice, too.
But “free” rarely means zero a year. The money has to come from somewhere, and when it does not come from the subscription, it comes from something else: the text messages, the payments, a commission or the features that sit in the paid plan. This guide goes through where the bill typically turns up, and what you should check before you choose.
We make a booking system ourselves, and it is not free. So we have tried to stick to facts, with sources and dates, so you can check them yourself.
How can a booking system be free?
A booking system costs money to run: servers, SMS providers, support and development. When the subscription is free, the vendor typically makes money in one of these ways:
- A paid plan alongside. The free plan is a way in, and the features many salons need sit in the paid one.
- Payment per SMS. Reminders are among the most used features, and each message can cost money.
- Fees on payments. If you accept payment through the system, you pay a percentage and a fixed amount per transaction.
- Commission on new clients. Systems with a marketplace often take a share of the first booking from a client who found you there.
None of these are hidden or wrong. They are business models. But they mean you have to work with your own numbers instead of looking at the word “free”.
Five places the bill turns up
1. SMS reminders
Reminders are the most effective tool against no-shows, and with many vendors they cost money per message. The price varies a lot. According to the vendors’ own pricing pages in October 2026, Onlinebooq charges DKK 0.89 per SMS, Gecko Booking DKK 0.80, and Fresha includes 20 free a month and then DKK 0.65 per SMS. Others include reminders in the price: book.dk says that SMS reminders are included in all plans, including the free one, and Planway has free SMS reminders in its Premium plan.
Do the maths: if you have 300 bookings a month and send one SMS per booking, the difference between DKK 0 and DKK 0.89 is more than DKK 3,000 a year.
2. Online payment and deposits
Many free plans do not include online payment, or it comes with a fee per transaction. On book.dk, online payment and deposits are only included in the paid plans Professionel and Studio. Fresha charges 1.29% + DKK 1.50 per online payment. Those are entirely normal rates for card payments, but they need to be part of the sum if you want to take deposits or let clients pay in advance.
3. Commission on new clients
According to its pricing page, Fresha costs DKK 105 a month for one practitioner and also takes a one-off commission of 20%, at least DKK 50, on the first booking from a new client who finds you through Fresha’s marketplace. Bookings from your own link and from regular clients carry no commission, according to Fresha’s pricing page. If you get a lot of new clients that way, it can be worth the money. But it is an expense that grows with your success, and you should know about it.
4. The features in the paid plan
Look at what the free plan does not have. A waiting list, gift cards, punch cards, campaigns and more staff members often sit in a paid plan. Planway’s Starter is free with unlimited bookings and clients, while for example free SMS reminders, gift cards and a waiting list are listed under Premium, which costs DKK 139 per staff member a month. That is not a problem if you do not need them. But if you outgrow the free plan after three months, it is the paid price you should be comparing with.
5. Your data and the way out
The biggest cost of a booking system is rarely the subscription. It is the hassle of moving if one day you want to switch. Your clients, their history and your future bookings live in the system. So before you start, ask:
- Can I export clients and bookings myself, and in which format?
- Where is the data stored, and is it in the EU?
- Is there a lock-in period, and what is the notice period?
How to work it out
Take an ordinary month and write down three numbers: the number of staff, the number of bookings and the number of text messages. Multiply them by each system’s prices for exactly the plan you need, and add payment fees and commission if you intend to use them. Then you have a figure you can compare. The difference between “free” and “cheap” is often smaller than people think, and sometimes it goes the other way.
Where does NordBooq fit in?
NordBooq is not free. Basis costs DKK 59 per staff member a month with annual billing, or DKK 78.99 with monthly billing and no lock-in, and each SMS costs DKK 0.49. Emails are free. There is no setup fee, no commission and no marketplace taking a share of your clients.
If you have a team, Team is often cheaper in the long run: DKK 119 per staff member a month with annual billing, with the reminder text messages included. A salon with three staff members pays DKK 357 a month with annual billing. All prices exclude VAT.
We have chosen a low, fixed price over a free plan, because we would rather tell you what it costs up front. Whether it is right for you depends on your numbers.
Checklist before you choose
- What does an SMS cost, and are reminders included?
- What do online payment and deposits cost per transaction?
- Does the system take commission on new clients?
- Which features require a paid plan, and what does it cost for your team?
- Can you export your data yourself, and is it stored in the EU?
- Is there a lock-in period, and how long is the notice?
The prices of other systems are taken from their own pricing pages on 18 October 2026 and may have changed since. Always check the current price with the vendor.
See how NordBooq is used as a booking system for hair salons, a booking system for nail salons and a booking system for massage therapists, or see all NordBooq prices. If you are thinking of switching from Planway, read our comparison of NordBooq and Planway (in Danish).