Letting customers book online means fewer phone calls, fewer no-shows and bookings that come in while you sleep. But "booking system" means different things to a salon, a physio and a plumber. Here's how the popular options compare, and which suits your kind of business.
- Choose based on how your business books: fixed appointments, call-outs and quotes, or meetings.
- Salons and beauty: look at Fresha or Square. Allied health: Cliniko. Tradies: job management software like ServiceM8. Consultants: Calendly or Cal.com.
- The best system is the one that connects to your website, sends reminders and fits how you already work.
- Check current pricing before you commit. Most charge monthly, per staff member, or through card fees.
First: what kind of booking do you need?
The main options
| System | Best for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Fresha | Salons, barbers, beauty and wellness | Appointment booking with a customer marketplace, payments and reminders |
| Square Appointments | Salons and small studios | Bookings plus payments, good if you already use Square |
| Cliniko | Physios, chiros, psychologists and allied health | Australian-made practice management with online booking, notes and invoicing |
| ServiceM8 | Tradies | Job management with online booking requests, quotes, scheduling and invoicing |
| Calendly | Consultants and on-site quotes | Simple meeting booking that syncs with your calendar |
| Cal.com | Consultants and teams | A flexible, open alternative to Calendly |
Pricing changes often and depends on staff numbers and features, so check each provider's current pricing page before you decide.
Salons, barbers and beauty
Fresha and Square Appointments are built for this. Look for reminders by text, deposits or card-on-file for no-shows, and the ability for customers to choose a staff member. If your clients already find you on a marketplace, that's a plus. Either way, add a clear "Book now" button to your own website so customers who find you on Google can book directly.
Clinics and allied health
Clinics need more than a calendar: patient notes, invoicing and health fund claiming. Practice management systems like Cliniko include online booking as part of that. Embed the booking page on your website so new patients can book without calling.
Tradies
Most tradies don't want strangers booking fixed slots into their day. A better fit is a booking or quote request: the customer picks a preferred time window and describes the job, and you confirm it. Job management software like ServiceM8 handles this alongside quotes, scheduling and invoicing. Pair it with a short quote form on your website: see what should be on a tradie website.
Consultants and on-site quotes
Calendly and Cal.com let customers choose a time from your calendar, with reminders and automatic time-zone handling. They're ideal for a "book a free 20-minute chat" or "book an on-site quote" button.
What to look for, whichever you choose
- Works well on a phone, for you and your customers
- Text and email reminders to cut no-shows
- Deposits or card details for appointments that often no-show
- Syncs with the calendar you already use
- Can be embedded on your website, not just linked to
- Lets you block out travel time, breaks and holidays
Put it on your website
A booking system only works if people can find it. Put a "Book now" button in your website's header and on every service page, and link your Google Business Profile to the booking page too. Customers who can book in two taps usually do.
Want online bookings set up for you?
We connect the booking system that suits your business (Fresha, ServiceM8, Calendly, Cal.com and more) to your website for $490 setup + $29/month.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your business: Fresha or Square for salons, Cliniko for allied health, ServiceM8 for tradies, and Calendly or Cal.com for consultants and quote meetings.
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Rhys builds and looks after every Reactive Web website himself, from Redwood Park in Adelaide, for local service businesses that want more calls, bookings and enquiries.
