Online booking system: Treatwell, a subscription or your own custom system?

Three routes, three business models

Most comparisons online come from vendors selling their own package. So first the overview: each route earns money from you in a different way, and that decides what you pay over time.

What does a marketplace like Treatwell cost?

In the Netherlands, Treatwell charges 35 percent commission (excl. VAT) on the first booking of a new client who comes in through the platform. Repeat bookings from that client are commission-free, as are bookings through your own website, phone or social media. On top of that you pay a subscription: the Starter plan costs €35 per month excl. VAT. Online prepaid appointments carry a 2 percent transaction fee. These are the rates as known in October 2026; always check the current rates with Treatwell itself.

A worked example: ten new clients a month through the platform, with an average first treatment of €60. That is €21 commission per client, €210 a month and €2,520 a year. Add the subscription and you reach €2,940 a year excl. VAT, before transaction fees.

That is not necessarily too much. The commission is what you pay for clients you might never have found otherwise. So the question is not whether commission is bad, but whether you need the platform for new clients, or are mainly looking for a good calendar and a booking button on your own site.

When is a booking subscription enough?

For many independents and small teams, a standard booking package is a fine choice. You are live quickly, reminders and a calendar are included, and you pay a clear monthly amount. A subscription fits if:

• your treatments or services have a fixed duration and a fixed price;
• one calendar per staff member is enough, with no rooms or equipment to schedule;
• you don't need a connection to your own CRM, invoicing or client portal;
• you don't mind the booking screen looking like the package's.

When comparing, check what falls outside the monthly fee: per-booking charges, SMS bundles, payment fees and add-on modules. And check whether you can export your client list if you ever want to switch.

When does your own booking system pay off?

Your own system becomes interesting once you start working around the package. The signs:

• You have rules a package doesn't know: treatments you combine, an intake questionnaire before the first appointment, a deposit for certain services, or rooms and equipment that can only be used once at a time.
• You don't only work in the salon or practice but also on location, with travel time and service areas that need to be in the schedule.
• Bookings need to flow into the rest of your business: client record, quote, invoice or a portal where the client sees their appointments.
• You want clients to book on your website, in your brand, without another company's name on screen.
• You want your client data in your own database, where you decide what happens with it.

Your own system won't bring new clients by itself. If you rely on a marketplace for new business, you can keep doing so and use your own system for regular clients and bookings through your own website.

What a good booking system must do

Whether you choose a package or a custom build, check these points:

1. Real-time availability. Clients only see slots that are truly free, including buffers between appointments.
2. Automatic emails. A confirmation after booking, a message on rescheduling or cancelling, and a reminder beforehand.
3. A clear cancellation policy. Until when can a client reschedule or cancel themselves, and what happens after that?
4. Management on the go. You should be able to check and change your calendar on your phone between appointments.
5. Client data in order. Who can see what, where is the data stored, and can you export everything?
6. Payment where needed. A deposit or prepayment through a payment provider, if that suits your services.

Your client list and GDPR

With any booking system, another party processes your clients' personal data: names, phone numbers and sometimes treatment details. Article 28 of the GDPR then requires a data processing agreement with that party. With a marketplace, also read what the platform itself may do with client data, and whether you can export your full client list.

With your own system from Vorteca, your data lives in a database for your project, hosted within the EU by default, with authorisation enforced at row level in the database. If we process personal data on your behalf, we put that in a data processing agreement.

Example from practice: Beauty Salon by Maxime's

For Beauty Salon by Maxime's, Vorteca built a booking portal where clients plan their own appointments online. Behind it sits an admin portal for the calendar, treatments and client details.

Confirmations, rescheduling and cancellation emails and a reminder 24 hours ahead go out automatically. The admin portal is a PWA: the salon installs it as an app on phone or tablet and sees who is coming today between treatments, without an app store. Read more about PWA or native app.

What does your own booking system cost at Vorteca?

Vorteca Core covers hosting, monitoring, security and technical maintenance. There are no per-booking fees. The exact price follows an intake, once it is clear which rules, payments and integrations are needed. If a standard package suits you better, we will tell you. All packages are on the pricing page.