Pronto vs Booksy — no per-staff fees, self-hosted
Booksy charges $29.99/month plus $10 for every additional staff member. A 3-chair barbershop pays ~$50/month before payment processing. Pronto’s Starter covers 3 staff for $19/month flat — no per-seat fees, ever.
TL;DR — which one should you choose?
Choose Pronto if…
Choose Booksy if…
Feature by feature comparison
| Feature | Pronto | Booksy |
|---|---|---|
| Base monthly fee | $0 free plan | $29.99/month (no free plan) |
| Per-staff pricing | None — fixed price | +$10/month per additional staff |
| 3-person team monthly cost | $19/month | ~$50/month |
| Commission on bookings | 0% always | 0% standard; 30% first visit w/Boost |
| Max Boost commission/client | None | $100 per new client |
| Self-hosted option | ✓ Docker, MIT | ✗ Cloud only |
| Open source | ✓ MIT license | ✗ Proprietary |
| WhatsApp notifications | ✓ Native, included | ✗ Not available |
| Telegram notifications | ✓ Native, included | ✗ Not available |
| SMS reminders | ✓ Via Viber | ✓ 2,000 free/month |
| Email reminders | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Offline POS | ✓ PWA offline | ✗ Requires internet |
| Client books without account | ✓ Name + phone | ⚠️ Booksy account encouraged |
| Consumer marketplace | ✗ | ✓ 35M+ consumers |
| Built-in payment processing | ✗ | ✓ 2.49% + $0.15/transaction |
| No-show deposits | ✓ | ✓ Boost+ plan |
What business owners say about Booksy
Per-staff pricing adds up fast
Booksy charges $10/month for each additional staff member. A barbershop with 4 chairs pays $29.99 + $30 = ~$60/month on subscription alone, before payment processing fees. A 10-person salon hits $119.99/month for unlimited staff. With Pronto, the Pro plan covers up to 15 staff for $39/month flat.
Boost commission surprises growing businesses
Booksy Boost is optional — but if you enable it for more marketplace visibility, you pay 30% of each new client’s first visit, up to $100 per client. At 20 new clients a month through Boost, that’s up to $2,000 in commissions on top of your subscription. Pronto charges zero commission, always.
Your clients see your competitors every time they rebook
Every time a client opens the Booksy app to rebook with you, they see other businesses listed nearby. The marketplace that brought them to you is also showing them alternatives. With Pronto, clients book through your own page — they only ever see you.
No WhatsApp or Telegram reminders
Booksy sends SMS and email reminders — but WhatsApp and Telegram are not available natively. For businesses outside the US where WhatsApp is the primary communication channel, this is a meaningful gap. Pronto includes WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber and Email at no extra cost.
Where Booksy has a real advantage
An honest look at where Booksy genuinely beats Pronto.
The marketplace is Booksy’s strongest asset
Booksy has 35M+ registered consumers and is the largest beauty-focused consumer marketplace in the US. For a new barbershop in Chicago or New York, being listed on Booksy can genuinely fill your calendar faster than other channels. Pronto does not have a marketplace — clients find you through your own channels.
Built-in payments and no-show protection
Booksy includes integrated card payments and deposit/no-show features. Pronto’s POS accepts cash, card and bank transfer — but Pronto does not process card payments directly. You will need a separate terminal.
What you actually pay per month
- ✓ Free: $0/month — 1 staff, 100 clients
- ✓ Starter: $19/month — 3 staff, unlimited clients
- ✓ Pro: $39/month — 15 staff, unlimited
- ✓ Agency: $79/month — multiple locations
- ✓ 0% commission, always
- ✓ Self-hosted: free forever
- → Biz: $29.99/month for 1 user
- → Each additional staff: +$10/month
- → Boost add-on: +$49.99/month
- → 10+ staff: $119.99/month unlimited
- → Boost commission: 30% first visit, max $100/client
- → Payment processing: 2.49% + $0.15/transaction
- → No free plan — 14-day trial only
Verify current rates at biz.booksy.com/pricing
Real-world example
A 3-person barbershop on Booksy pays: $29.99 + $20 in staff fees = ~$50/month, plus 2.49% on every card transaction. The equivalent Pronto Starter plan costs $19/month flat — no per-staff fees, no transaction fees, zero commission.
Frequently asked questions
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