Rent an app, or own your back office.
Pay once, and it's yours: no monthly fee to us, no commission, no notice to give. Running costs are often just your domain name, once a year.
We build it and set it up; you approve it.
Not sure it's right for you?
By video. We send you a link; you just tap it.
Book a free 30-minute chatWhat is renting really costing you?
Three questions, your own numbers, about a minute. Nothing is stored or sent.
We've started you on 20 clients a week, 48 weeks a year. Pick your craft and change the numbers to match your week.
What it counts
- Bookings that slip through
- Messages back and forth to book
- Chasing forms, deposits and reminders
- Fees you don't like to charge
- Adding up what you took
Work out your own numbers
Every number the answer uses is yours to change, from your hourly rate to the fees you let go.
Fine-tune the numbers: the thirteen things it countsHide the numbers
The example: 20 clients a week, £45 an appointment, 48 weeks. We have used cautious guesses. At a quarter of £45 (£11.25) that is £2,430, at half (£22.50) £4,860.
No VAT is added. Where we show other providers' prices without VAT, we've added it so the comparison is fair.
Prices change, so check theirs. We start from the lowest published prices for your craft's rented set.
1. Appointments lost
Appointments that slip because a booking was not confirmed, a reminder did not go out or a cancellation was not refilled.
2. Back and forth
Messages to find a time, confirm it, send the address and say yes.
3. Admin by hand
Chasing forms and deposits, sending reminders and follow-ups yourself.
4. Fees you do not charge
A late-cancellation fee you waived because asking felt awkward.
A policy written once and applied for you takes the awkward conversation away.
5. Adding up what you took
Sorting bank transfers, cash and card to know what you earned.
Takings for visits you have settled up are added up for you.
6. Setting it up yourself
Choosing, building and testing a booking app, website, forms and payments yourself.
With The Finisher it is a free chat, your answers and a handover session.
Show the seven other things that cost youHide the seven other things
7. Finding things
A few minutes each time you look up a client's last visit or form.
8. Re-checking what they had last time
9. Enquiries lost out of hours
Someone messages at 10pm, you reply at 8am, and they have booked elsewhere.
10. Empty gaps
Late cancellations a month nobody refilled.
Your waiting list is told when a time frees up, so a gap can fill itself.
11. Time off
Bookings you could not take while away or ill.
12. If you add someone
Many booking apps charge per team member each month. Our second practitioner extra is £450, once.
13. What leaving costs
Rebuilding a website, re-entering clients and telling everyone a new address.
After go-live there is nothing to move, because it is already yours.
The sums behind the answer, and every price we used.
See how it adds upHide the sums
| Appointments lost | £855 a year |
|---|---|
| Back and forth | 96 hours a year, £1,080 |
| Admin by hand | 96 hours a year, £1,080 |
| Fees you do not charge | £240 a year |
| Adding up what you took | 24 hours a year, £270 |
| More things that cost you | 0 hours a year, £0 |
| Each year | £3,525 (216 hours of your time and £1,095) |
| Setting it up yourself, once | 30 hours once, £338 |
| What leaving costs, once | 20 hours once, £225 |
| 3 years | 5 years | |
|---|---|---|
| The rented set | £1,205 | £2,009 |
| The Finisher | £1,950 once | £1,950 once |
Show the rented set for each craftHide the rented set
To do the whole job, a one-person business usually rents a booking app, a website and a forms tool, with reminders and payments inside one of them. Here is that set for each craft, from published UK prices, beside The Finisher.
| Craft | The rented set | Each month | Over three years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hair and beauty | Fresha, Independent, £17.94 a month (booking app, forms, reminders, payments) + Fresha, Smart Website add-on, £15.54 a month (website) | £33.48 a month | £1,205 |
| Tattoo | Get Ink, Pro (one artist), £29 a month (booking app, reminders, payments) + website (typical range) + forms (typical range) | £41 to £55 a month | £1,476 to £1,980 |
| Dog grooming | Pawfectly Booked, Solo Gold, £24 a month (booking app, reminders) + website (typical range) + forms (typical range) + Stripe, Pay as you go (payments, no monthly fee) | £36 to £50 a month | £1,296 to £1,800 |
| Piercing, massage and more | Square Appointments, Free, £0 a month (booking app, reminders, payments) + website (typical range) + forms (typical range) | £12 to £26 a month | £432 to £936 |
| The Finisher | One system: website, booking, forms, client records, reminders and payments, on your own accounts | Running costs are often just your domain name, once a year. | £1,950 once (£1,450 at the launch price) |
Typical range: where no one tool has a single price, from the lowest to the highest published UK price of named providers, the cheapest way to pay. Website: Squarespace Basic, paid yearly, Squarespace Core, paid yearly, Hostinger Premium website builder, regular price. Forms: Tally Free, Typeform Basic, paid yearly (£108 a year). Read on 25 October 2026: Squarespace, Hostinger, Tally, Typeform. The other prices are in the line by line below, read on 10 October 2026. Card fees are charged on each payment, on top.
£1,950 over three years is £650 a year.
- If an hour of your time is worth half your hourly rate, that is about 29 hours a year, or 36 minutes a week.
- At a quarter, about 58 hours, or 72 minutes a week.
The Finisher pays for itself if it gives you back that much.
Against£1,450once at the launch price, £483 a year over three years: about 54 minutes a week at a quarter, 27 at half. At £1,950: £650 a year, 72 and 36 minutes.
Launch price: £1,450 for our next nine customers, £483 a year over three years.
An example from your own numbers, not a promise. We cannot say how many appointments you will win back.
What we do not count
Your evenings, your stress and any promise of results. We cannot know them.
How we worked this outHide how we worked it out
- Fresha, Independent: £17.94 a month (£14.95 as published, plus 20%). Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
- Fresha, Smart Website add-on: £15.54 a month (£12.95 as published, plus 20%). Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
- Booksy, Subscription: £48 a month (£40 as published, plus 20%). Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
- Square Appointments, Free: £0 a month. Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
- Square Appointments, Plus: £29 a month. Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
- Pawfectly Booked, Solo Gold: £24 a month (£20 as published, plus 20%). Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
- Get Ink, Pro (one artist): £29 a month. Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
- Commission, Fresha: On new clients from its marketplace: 24% one-time commission, minimum fee of £4.80 per client; none on returning clients. Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
- Commission, Booksy Boost: One-time 36% fee (with a minimum of £6), only when Boost is switched on. Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
- Commission, Treatwell: 42% commission on first bookings made by new clients we bring you from the marketplace; 0% commission for repeat bookings. Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
- Card fees, Stripe: Standard UK cards: 1.5% + 20p. (The Finisher takes payments through your own card-payment account, with no fee of ours on top.) Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
- Card fees, Square: In person: 1.75%; online: 1.4% + 25p Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
- Card fees, SumUp: Pay as you go: 1.69% in person Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
- Card fees, GoCardless: Direct Debit: 1.2% + 24p (capped at £4.80) Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
- Card fees, Fresha: Online payments 1.68% + 30p. Source, link last checked 10 October 2026.
Tools we looked at, by job:
- Booking and diary: Fresha, Booksy, Treatwell, Timely, Square Appointments, Setmore, Phorest, Get Ink, Calendly, Pawfectly Booked, Acuity, Mindbody, Glofox, TeamUp, Pabau.
- Website: Fresha Smart Website, Wix, Squarespace, WordPress, GoDaddy, Get Ink's page.
- Consultation and consent forms: Jotform, Google Forms, Typeform, Paperform.
- Taking payments and deposits: Stripe, SumUp, Square, PayPal, Zettle.
- Text reminders: Twilio.
- Mailing list: Mailchimp, MailerLite, Brevo.
- Business email and calendar: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho Mail, Fastmail, iCloud+ with a custom domain.
From held together to finished
A booking app, a website builder, forms, payments, reminders
One website and back office, in your own accounts, under your own name.
- Held together
A booking app you rent every month, with someone else's name on it
FinishedYour own website, with booking under your name
- Held together
Paper consent forms in a drawer
FinishedHealth forms sent, chased, signed and kept private
Show the other changesHide the other changes
- Before: Reminders sent by hand from your own phoneFinished: Automatic reminders, with links to change or cancel
- Before: A website that doesn't yet match your workFinished: A website that lives up to your work
- Before: Prices and photos updated in three placesFinished: Prices and photos that update themselves
- Before: A spreadsheet at tax timeFinished: Takings ready for your accountant
The subscription is the cheap part
The stack you'd otherwise stitch together
Often three to six tools, each with its own price, login and terms.
- Booking and diaryFresha, Booksy, Treatwell
- WebsiteFresha Smart Website, Wix, Squarespace
- Consultation and consent formsJotform, Google Forms, Typeform
- Taking payments and depositsStripe, SumUp, Square
- Text remindersTwilio
- Mailing listMailchimp, MailerLite, Brevo
- The FinisherOne system, in your own name.
Messages and a diary, a booking app, or The Finisher
| Question | Messages and a diary | A booking app | The Finisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reminders and confirmations | Sent by you | Usually included | Included, from your address |
| Commission on new clients | None | Varies by app | None |
| Your clients and records | Scattered across messages | Held on their platform, you can usually export | In your own accounts, you hold them |
| Your own website at your own address | Separate job | Varies by app | Included |
| Question | Messages and a diary | A booking app | The Finisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of leaving | Low, but nothing is joined up | moving your client list and rebuilding your page and settings | Nothing to move |
| Time to set up | Low | quick to start, longer to set up fully | A chat and your answers |
| Cost | Your time | usually a monthly subscription (some have free plans), often with extras | One payment, then optional care plan |
The booking app column is checked against the apps' own pricing and help pages, 10 October 2026.
Need more convincing?
Every price and rate we used, line by line, with where it came from.
Why pay up front?
- A subscription is rent: after three years you've paid a lot and own none of it.
- Here you pay once. After the final payment it's yours, in your own accounts, and it carries on whether or not we do.
- Running costs
- The 25% deposit books your set-up. You see two design directions first: if you love neither, we revise the closer one once, and if that still isn't right, your deposit comes back in full.
- The balance is due when you go live, or you can spread it over up to six monthly payments, no interest.
When another tool is the better choice
If you want a marketplace to send you new clients, one of them may suit you better. If you run a large team, or want the lowest monthly cost, or would rather not hold your own accounts, we may not be right for you.
Show me the line by lineHide the line by line
Hair and beauty
For a one-person nail, lash, beauty, hair or barber business. Other booking apps people use: Booksy (Subscription, from £48 a month); Treatwell (Freelancer); Square Appointments (Free, £0 a month).
| Question | The Finisher | The rented set: Fresha, Independent, £17.94 a month (booking app, forms, reminders, payments) + Fresha, Smart Website add-on, £15.54 a month (website) |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns it? | Yours: set up on your own accounts, under your own name and web address. None. Payments go through your own card-payment account. |
|
| Up front | £1,950 once (£1,450 for our next nine) | £0 |
| Each month | Running costs are often just your domain name, once a year. Running costs | £33.48 a month |
| Over three years | £1,950 (£1,450 at the launch price) | £1,205 |
| Commission on new clients | None, ever | Fresha: New clients from its marketplace: 24% one-time commission (minimum £4.80); none on returning clients. Online payments 1.68% + 30p Booksy: "Boost" new-client commission 36% (minimum £6), only when switched on; mobile payments 1.55% + 24p Treatwell: 42% commission on a new marketplace client's first booking, 0% on repeats; 3% when clients pay online in advance |
| Card fees | The payment provider's own: standard UK cards 1.5% + 20p, through your own card-payment account. Nothing added by us. | Fresha: New clients from its marketplace: 24% one-time commission (minimum £4.80); none on returning clients. Online payments 1.68% + 30p Booksy: "Boost" new-client commission 36% (minimum £6), only when switched on; mobile payments 1.55% + 24p Treatwell: 42% commission on a new marketplace client's first booking, 0% on repeats; 3% when clients pay online in advance Square Appointments: In person 1.75%; online 1.4% + 25p, UK cards |
| A website on your own address | Yes, designed for you, in your brand | Fresha's Smart Website add-on, priced above |
| Your time between the tools | Less of it: one back office, set up for you | Yours to count, with the calculator above |
| What leaving costs | Moving in: included in the set-up. Leaving: £0. Everything you can take with you: one download. |
|
Tattoo
For a one-person tattoo artist.
| Question | The Finisher | The rented set: Get Ink, Pro (one artist), £29 a month (booking app, reminders, payments) + website (typical range) + forms (typical range) |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns it? | Yours: set up on your own accounts, under your own name and web address. None. Payments go through your own card-payment account. |
|
| Up front | £1,950 once (£1,450 for our next nine) | £0 |
| Each month | Running costs are often just your domain name, once a year. Running costs | £41 to £55 a month A free Essentials plan covers a profile, enquiries, flash, diary, bookings and payments; reminders and in-app chat need Pro. |
| Over three years | £1,950 (£1,450 at the launch price) | £1,476 to £1,980 |
| Commission on new clients | None, ever | None published |
| Card fees | The payment provider's own: standard UK cards 1.5% + 20p, through your own card-payment account. Nothing added by us. | Get Ink: A £1 processing cost on each payment, plus Stripe's charge |
| A website on your own address | Yes, designed for you, in your brand | A website builder, at the typical range priced above |
| Your time between the tools | Less of it: one back office, set up for you | Yours to count, with the calculator above |
| What leaving costs | Moving in: included in the set-up. Leaving: £0. Everything you can take with you: one download. |
|
Dog grooming
For a one-person dog groomer, with text reminders.
| Question | The Finisher | The rented set: Pawfectly Booked, Solo Gold, £24 a month (booking app, reminders) + website (typical range) + forms (typical range) + Stripe, Pay as you go (payments, no monthly fee) |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns it? | Yours: set up on your own accounts, under your own name and web address. None. Payments go through your own card-payment account. | Theirs: you use their service, on their terms. |
| Up front | £1,950 once (£1,450 for our next nine) | £0 |
| Each month | Running costs are often just your domain name, once a year. Running costs | £36 to £50 a month |
| Over three years | £1,950 (£1,450 at the launch price) | £1,296 to £1,800 |
| Commission on new clients | None, ever | None published |
| Card fees | The payment provider's own: standard UK cards 1.5% + 20p, through your own card-payment account. Nothing added by us. | Pawfectly Booked: Not stated |
| A website on your own address | Yes, designed for you, in your brand | A website builder, at the typical range priced above |
| Your time between the tools | Less of it: one back office, set up for you | Yours to count, with the calculator above |
| What leaving costs | Moving in: included in the set-up. Leaving: £0. Everything you can take with you: one download. | See each provider's own terms |
Piercing, massage and more
For a one-person piercer, brow and lip artist or massage therapist. Other booking apps people use: Square Appointments (Free, £0 a month).
| Question | The Finisher | The rented set: Square Appointments, Free, £0 a month (booking app, reminders, payments) + website (typical range) + forms (typical range) |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns it? | Yours: set up on your own accounts, under your own name and web address. None. Payments go through your own card-payment account. | Theirs: you use their service, on their terms. |
| Up front | £1,950 once (£1,450 for our next nine) | £0 |
| Each month | Running costs are often just your domain name, once a year. Running costs | £12 to £26 a month |
| Over three years | £1,950 (£1,450 at the launch price) | £432 to £936 |
| Commission on new clients | None, ever | None published |
| Card fees | The payment provider's own: standard UK cards 1.5% + 20p, through your own card-payment account. Nothing added by us. | Square Appointments: In person 1.75%; online 1.4% + 25p, UK cards |
| A website on your own address | Yes, designed for you, in your brand | A website builder, at the typical range priced above |
| Your time between the tools | Less of it: one back office, set up for you | Yours to count, with the calculator above |
| What leaving costs | Moving in: included in the set-up. Leaving: £0. Everything you can take with you: one download. |
|
Commission on new clients
| Marketplace | Published rate, with 20% VAT added | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresha | On new clients from its marketplace: 24% one-time commission, minimum fee of £4.80 per client; none on returning clients. | Pricing page | 10 October 2026 |
| Booksy Boost | One-time 36% fee (with a minimum of £6), only when Boost is switched on. | Pricing page | 10 October 2026 |
| Treatwell | 42% commission on first bookings made by new clients we bring you from the marketplace; 0% commission for repeat bookings. | Pricing page | 10 October 2026 |
Card fees
| Provider | Published fee, with 20% VAT added where charged | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Standard UK cards: 1.5% + 20p. (The Finisher takes payments through your own card-payment account, with no fee of ours on top.) | Pricing page | 10 October 2026 |
| Square | In person: 1.75%; online: 1.4% + 25p | Pricing page | 10 October 2026 |
| SumUp | Pay as you go: 1.69% in person | Pricing page | 10 October 2026 |
| GoCardless | Direct Debit: 1.2% + 24p (capped at £4.80) | Pricing page | 10 October 2026 |
We checked every price and rate on 10 October 2026 from each company's own pages. Prices change: if one looks wrong, tell us and we will put it right.
See it set up for your craft.
- Personal training
- Online coaching (strength and bodybuilding)
- Dog grooming
- Tattoo
- Hair
- Nails
- Massage and holistic
- Barber
- Lashes and brows
- Piercing
- Beauty and waxing
- Brows and lips (semi-permanent)
Not sure it's right for you?
By video. We send you a link; you just tap it.
Book a free 30-minute chatRead next: Our promise: your accounts, your name, no commission



