Marketplace apps show your profile to people searching nearby. You pay once, on the first booking, for each brand-new client they bring. Here are the rules from each vendor's own pages.
The Three Fee Rules
- Booksy Boost: free to turn on, no monthly fee, and a one-time 30% of the Boost client's first visit, up to $100.
- StyleSeat New Client Connection: optional, 30% of the new client's first appointment service cost, up to $50. Smart Pricing, also optional, adds 5.5% of the service up to $16.50.
- Fresha marketplace: a one-time 50% commission on brand-new clients who find you there, with a minimum fee per client. Returning clients carry no fee.
- Mindbody app: 20% of the first purchase of someone new to your business, capped at $30, only when the app delivers a client you would not otherwise have had.
A Worked Example
Eight new marketplace clients a month at an $85 first visit: Booksy would charge $25.50 each ($204 a month), StyleSeat $25.50 each ($204), Mindbody $17 each ($136) and Fresha $42.50 each ($340). With a $200 first visit, the caps start to matter: Booksy $60, StyleSeat $50 (its cap), Mindbody $30 (its cap) and Fresha $100 each. Try your numbers in the new-client fee calculator.
When It Pays Off
- You have open chair time to fill.
- Marketplace clients rebook at a similar rate to your other clients.
- Your first-visit price leaves room after the fee and card processing.
When It Does Not
- Clients book once with a discount and never return.
- The app counts clients you already knew as "new". Ask how it decides, and how to dispute a fee.
Common Questions
Can I Avoid the Fee?
Booksy Boost and StyleSeat New Client Connection are optional, according to their pages. Clients who book through your own link are not marketplace clients.
Is a 50% Fee Ever Worth It?
It can be, if the client returns often. One fee on a $90 first visit is $45; if that client returns eight times a year, it is a small cost per visit.
Sources
- Booksy pricing (Boost)
- StyleSeat: how much does StyleSeat cost
- Fresha pricing
- Mindbody pricing
- New-client fee calculator
Basis: Vendor pricing and help pages.