What does a booking system for hair salons cost?
The price is rarely listed on the front page, and when it is, it’s often only one of three amounts you’ll end up paying. Here are the three models you’ll encounter, how to calculate what they actually cost your salon per year, and what you should ask before you commit.
The three pricing models you’ll meet
Flat monthly fee: you pay the same every month no matter how many hours you book. Easy to budget, and the only model where a good month doesn’t make the bill bigger. Price per chair or per staff member: the monthly price is multiplied by the number of chairs or practitioners. Looks cheap for a single chair, quickly gets expensive when you bring in a second. Commission: you pay a percentage of what the customer spends — usually only on customers the system counts as “new.” The model comes from marketplaces, where the provider charges for sending you the customer. Many providers combine two of these: a low monthly price in the marketing, then commission or per-chair fees in the terms.
The calculation that decides which is cheapest
Commission and flat-rate plans can’t be compared on the monthly price alone, because commission scales with your revenue. Run the numbers with your own data: Commission per month = average treatment price × number of new clients per month × commission rate. A salon averaging 750 kr a treatment, with twelve new clients a month, at 20% commission pays 1,800 kr a month — 21,600 kr a year — before any per-chair fee. The same salon on a flat price pays the same regardless of how good the year is. The point isn’t that the percentage is high. The point is that it’s a variable cost on work you’ve already done.
Costs that don’t appear on the price list
SMS reminders: many systems exclude them from the base price and sell them as a package or per message. Ask how much a reminder costs and how many are included. Setup and training: one-off fees that show up in the quote, not on the price list. Contract length: twelve months is common. Ask what happens if you want to leave after three. Exporting your client list: ask specifically whether you can download your clients, in what format, and whether it costs anything. The answer says a lot about who the provider thinks owns the list.
Four questions to ask before you sign
What is the total cost for my salon over twelve months, with my numbers? Does the price change if I bring in another stylist? Do you take a cut on any bookings — and how is a “new client” defined? Can I cancel on my own, inside the system, without calling anyone? Ask for the answers in writing. A provider that answers all four clearly is worth more than one that’s fifty bucks cheaper per month.
Timesalong takes no commission
19 kr a month for the whole salon, whatever the number of chairs. It is still in build — claim a spot now and you keep the price.
Common questions
What is normal to pay for a booking system for hair salons?
The range is wide, from around a hundred kroner a month for a simple calendar to several thousand for salons with many stylists on per-chair pricing. What matters is not the sticker price, but the model: a flat rate stays put, while commission and per-chair fees grow with your salon.
Is commission more expensive than a flat monthly fee?
Almost always, once you have a steady flow of new clients. Commission is cheapest the months you’re slow and priciest the months you’re busy — the opposite of what you want. Run the numbers with your own figures before you choose.
Why do some systems charge per chair?
Because it tracks revenue without being called commission. For the provider it’s predictable income growth; for you it’s an extra cost every time you expand. A calendar doesn’t cost more to run because two people are using it.
What does Timesalong cost?
19 kr a month for the whole salon, no matter how many chairs, with zero commission on any booking. The price is set at the cost of running the service plus a small margin, and it’s published instead of hidden behind “contact us.” Timesalong is still in development.
Other things we made
Også for deg som driver et enkeltpersonforetak.
Også for deg som driver et enkeltpersonforetak.
Også for deg som driver et enkeltpersonforetak.
Også på norsk, laget av oss.