Bookatu vs Timely
Bookatu vs Timely: a price that does not grow with your team
In short
Timely prices by team size: in New Zealand its Build plan is NZ$42 a month for each staff member (in the US, US$26 for one plus US$24 for each extra), and a Base plan for one person is NZ$9 or US$9 a month. Bookatu is from US$9 a month after a 90-day free trial and prices by how many clients you served in the last 90 days, so adding staff does not change the bill. Neither lists a booking commission. Timely suits a small, settled team; Bookatu suits a team that is growing.
Timely is booking and payments software made for hair and beauty professionals, priced per staff member. Bookatu prices differently. This page puts both pricing models side by side, with the source for every figure.
Prices and fees, side by side
| Product | Price model | Starting price | Commission and card fees | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BookatuOur pricing page | One monthly plan, sized by how many clients you served in the last 90 days, never per staff member. US$9 to US$179 a month. | US$9 a monthAfter a 90-day free trial. US$8 a month billed yearly. | 0% on every booking. Stripe's card fees apply to deposits. | Independent salons, barbers, spas, studios and trainers who want their own booking page and a price that does not rise with staff. |
| TimelyCountry: New Zealandgettimely.com/pricing | Priced by team size. Base, for one staff member, is NZ$9 a month. Build is NZ$42 a month for each staff member, up to seven. Prices exclude GST. 14-day trial. | NZ$9 a month | No booking commission listed on its pricing page. Card fees 2.49% + 5¢ in person, 2.90% + 30¢ online. | Hair and beauty teams that are small and settled, and happy to pay per staff member. |
| TimelyCountry: United Statesgettimely.com/pricing | Priced by team size. Base, for one staff member, is US$9 a month. Build is US$26 a month for one staff member, plus US$24 for each extra, up to seven. | US$9 a month | No booking commission listed on its pricing page. Card fees: see their pricing page. | Hair and beauty teams in the US that want Timely's tools and are happy to pay per staff member. |
Competitor prices are as each company's own pricing page showed them on the date under each source, for the country named, before tax. They change and vary by country, so check the linked page before you decide.
Bookatu vs Timely at a glance
| Topic | Bookatu | Timely |
|---|---|---|
| Booking commission | 0% on every booking. | None listed on its pricing page. |
| What the price follows | How many clients you served in the last 90 days. Adding staff does not change it. | The number of staff. Part-time staff are charged at the same rate as full-time staff. |
| Card payments | Deposits go into your own Stripe account, at Stripe's card fees. | Timely's own payments, in New Zealand 2.49% + 5¢ in person and 2.90% + 30¢ online. |
| Free trial | 90 days. | 14 days, no credit card. |
Who should not pick Bookatu
- You work alone but see a lot of different clients. Bookatu's price follows active clients, so it can cost more than a one-person plan priced per staff member.
- You want card readers and payments from the same company as your booking software. Bookatu does not sell card readers: deposits go through your own Stripe account, and card payments taken on your own terminal are recorded in Bookatu.
- You run a medical or health clinic that must keep clinical records under health privacy law. Bookatu is not built for that yet.
The bottom line
With Timely, each new staff member adds to the monthly bill, part-timers included. A five-person team on Build in New Zealand pays 5 × NZ$42 = NZ$210 a month before GST. On Bookatu the same team pays US$35 a month if it served up to 600 clients in the last 90 days; hiring does not change the price.
If your team is small and settled, Timely's per-staff price is easy to predict. If you are hiring, or you have part-timers, a price that follows clients rather than staff is usually the better fit. Prices change, so check both pricing pages before you decide.
Ready to go independent?
Bookatu gives you a branded booking page, deposits, memberships, gift cards and reminders, with 0% commission on your bookings and deposits paid into your own Stripe account.
Start freeCommon questions
How much does Timely cost?
Timely's pricing page lists a Base plan for one staff member at NZ$9 a month in New Zealand (US$9 in the US), and a Build plan at NZ$42 for each staff member a month (in the US, US$26 for one staff member plus US$24 for each extra). Elevate and Innovate cost more. New Zealand prices exclude GST.
Does Timely charge per staff member?
Yes. Timely's price depends on how many staff you have, and its pricing page says part-time staff are charged at the same rate as full-time staff. Bookatu does not charge per staff member.
Does Bookatu charge commission?
No. 0% commission on every booking, from US$9 a month after a 90-day free trial.
Can I move from Timely to Bookatu?
Yes. Export your client list as a CSV file, import it into Bookatu under Clients, then send your clients your new booking link. Your clients came for you, so they follow.