Booksy vs. Phorest:

This comparison highlights the key differences in pricing, payout flexibility, and hidden costs to help you choose the best partner for your salon.

Comparison as of 26/08/2026

Feature / Metric

Booksy

Phorest

Starting Price

£40 + VAT / month

~£99 + VAT / month (Bio Plan baseline)

Contract Required

No (Rolling month-to-month)

Yes (12 to 24-month lock-in contract)

New Client Marketplace Fee

£0 Standard Plan (Optional Boost at 30%)

0% via Direct Booking / Variable Marketplace Fees

Additional Staff

+£5.00 + VAT per member / month

Tier-based packages (Costs jump as team grows)

Payout Speed

Within 24 Hours

1–3 Business Days

SMS Reminders & Marketing

Free & Unlimited Transactional SMS + 500 Marketing SMS/mo included

Usage-based pricing (Averages ~6p–8p + VAT per SMS)

Online Booking Setup

Instant setup via App & Web

Requires setup process & custom onboarding

Built-in Marketing Tools

Free Blast Emails, Push Notifications, & Social 'Book Now'

Advanced Email/SMS Suite (Paid add-on depending on tier)

Business Reports & Insights

Included (Full suite, no tier restrictions)

Basic in entry tier; Advanced reporting requires higher tiers

Payment Processing Rates

1.29% + 20p + VAT per transaction

~1.39% to 1.69% + 20p (Depends on hardware & tier)