Control the diary
Recurring appointments, booking requests with custom offers, group bookings, calendar sync, days off, and client self-service changes.
Side by side · prices checked 23 September 2026
Compare what you'll actually pay.
Cyntree starts at £0, with no per-member fees and no marketplace commission. Here's how that stacks up against Fresha, Booksy, Treatwell, Square, Calendly, and Acuity, using each provider's own public pages.
Why Cyntree
More than a booking calendar.
One app for the whole appointment: getting booked, doing the work, getting paid, bringing clients back, and running a team.
Get paid cleanly
Tap to Pay on iPhone, deposits, balances, Quick Invoice, branded invoices, tips, refunds, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Deliver complex services
Add-ons, images and short video, consent forms and signatures, client uploads, before-and-after photos, service reports, and final-amount requests.
Bring clients back
Stamp Cards, discount codes, email campaigns, promotional banners, feedback collection, social links, and page-visit tracking.
Build the brand
AI-generated websites, image-template pages, custom links, QR codes, portfolios, reviews, and a searchable business listing.
Run a real team
One flat-price workspace with roles, permissions, professional schedules, time off, assignment, team chat, earnings, and activity history.
The alternatives
Strong tools, different trade-offs.
Each one is good at something. Here's what they cost, who they suit, and a link to the source for every figure.
Fresha
freshaBeauty, wellness, and healthcare operations with a large consumer marketplace.
- Public pricing
- Independent is £14.95/month for one person; Team is £9.95 per bookable team member monthly. Prices exclude VAT; seven-day trial; optional add-ons are extra.
- Discovery model
- Marketplace included. A new client found through the marketplace carries a one-time 20% fee, with a £4 minimum per client. Returning clients carry no fee.
- Best fit
- Beauty and wellness businesses that value marketplace reach, POS, inventory, and broad salon operations.
Booksy
booksyBooking, payments, marketing, and marketplace discovery for beauty and barber businesses.
- Public pricing
- £40/month plus £5/month for each additional user. VAT and payment processing are extra; seven-day trial.
- Discovery model
- Marketplace listing and standard marketplace bookings are part of the core subscription. Optional Boost charges a one-time commission; Booksy's current UK pages disagree on the exact rate, so confirm it before enabling Boost.
- Best fit
- Barbers, salons, and beauty professionals who want a mature consumer marketplace and one all-features plan.
Treatwell
treatwellSalon software (Treatwell Connect) plus a large European beauty marketplace.
- Public pricing
- Freelancer and Advanced plans carry a monthly software fee that isn't published on the pricing page. All commissions and fees are subject to VAT.
- Discovery model
- Marketplace included. A 35% commission applies to a new client's first booking made through the marketplace; repeat bookings and direct bookings carry no commission.
- Best fit
- Salons that want marketplace reach and are comfortable paying commission on new clients.
Square Appointments
squareScheduling connected tightly to Square payments, POS, hardware, and commerce tools.
- Public pricing
- Free for one location. Plus is £29/month per location and Premium is £69/month per location. Processing is extra.
- Discovery model
- No central appointment marketplace. An online booking website, booking button, QR code, and social integrations are included.
- Best fit
- Service businesses already using Square that want appointments and in-person payments in the same ecosystem.
Calendly
calendlyMeeting automation for individuals, sales teams, recruiters, and professional services.
- Public pricing
- Free with one event type. Standard is $10/seat/month and Teams is $16/seat/month when billed yearly.
- Discovery model
- No consumer marketplace. People book from a shared Calendly link or an embedded scheduling page.
- Best fit
- Consultants and B2B teams arranging calls, demos, interviews, and routed meetings rather than service delivery.
Acuity Scheduling
acuityService and class scheduling from Squarespace, with forms and multiple payment integrations.
- Public pricing
- No free plan. Starter is $16/month billed annually or $20 billed monthly; seven-day trial.
- Discovery model
- No consumer marketplace. Businesses share or embed their own scheduling page.
- Best fit
- Service businesses that want established scheduling, intake forms, classes, and Squarespace compatibility.
At a glance
Compare the model, not just the headline price.
A low starting price can climb fast once you add staff, marketplace commission, or add-ons. This is where each pricing model lands.
| Decision | Cyntree | Fresha | Booksy | Treatwell | Square | Calendly | Acuity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to startLowest public subscription option | Starter is free for up to 30 bookings/month. Pro £12/month, Premium £20/month. | £14.95/month (Independent), plus VAT. | £40/month plus VAT. | Monthly fee not published; plans are quoted on sign-up. Fees plus VAT. | Free for one location. | Free with one event type. | $16/month annually or $20 monthly. No free plan. |
| How team cost growsThe unit used to price more people | Teams is £29.99/month for one workspace, with no per-professional surcharge. | Team plan is £9.95 per bookable team member monthly. | Base plan includes one user; £5/month per additional user. | Advanced plan includes unlimited staff members. | Paid plans are priced per location; calendars are unlimited. | Standard and Teams are priced per seat. | Plans include 1, 6, or 36 calendars. |
| Client discoveryMarketplace versus your own booking destination | Your own booking page plus an optional Find a Business listing; no marketplace commission. | Large consumer marketplace; new-client fee applies to marketplace discovery. | Consumer marketplace included; optional paid Boost increases visibility. | Large consumer marketplace; 35% commission on a new client's first marketplace booking. | Own booking website, button, QR code, and social integrations. | Shareable or embedded scheduling page; no consumer marketplace. | Shareable or embedded scheduling page; no consumer marketplace. |
| Payments at bookingDeposits, prepayment, and processors | Stripe or Paystack deposits, balances, wallets, refunds, and tips, plus free Quick Invoice to bill for anything. | Fresha payments with optional deposits and prepayment. | Integrated mobile payments and Tap to Pay; processing is separate. | Treatwell Pay: online prepayment (2.5% plus VAT), card machine, and Tap to Pay. | Square processing, prepayments, invoices, and compatible hardware. | Stripe and PayPal on Standard and above. | Stripe, Square, PayPal, or Venmo on every paid plan. |
 Cyntree only, among the seven products comparedRenting out chairsCharging independent professionals rent for a chair or room | Built in: stations, renter agreements, automatic rent invoices, reminders, and deposits. No Cyntree fee on rent. | No rent tools. Self-employed pros can join your workspace and take payments to their own wallet. | No rent tools. Booth renters can share a location listing with separate accounts. | No rent tools listed. | No rent tools. General recurring invoices could be used to bill rent. | Not offered. | Not offered. |
| Primary workflowWhat the product is designed around | Appointment-led businesses: booking, delivery, payment, follow-up, marketing, and reporting. | Beauty and wellness operations, marketplace, POS, inventory, and marketing. | Beauty and barber bookings, marketplace, payments, and marketing. | Salon bookings, marketplace, POS, stock, and team tools. | Appointments inside the wider Square POS and commerce ecosystem. | Meeting scheduling, routing, and sales workflow automation. | Appointments and classes with intake forms and scheduling automation. |
Plan by plan
What you get, and what it costs.
10 of 18 features below are free on Cyntree Starter. Each badge names the plan you need, and its colour shows how far up the price list that is. Card processing is left out for everyone, so the colours compare like with like.
Free planLowest paid planHigher tierExtra costDifferent approachNot offered or listed
| Feature | Cyntree | Fresha | Booksy | Treatwell | Square | Calendly | Acuity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum subscription priceThe least you pay each month to take online bookings | £0Starter is free for up to 30 bookings a month. Pro is £12/month when you need more. | £14.95 / monthIndependent plan for one person, plus VAT. | £40 / monthOne all-features plan, plus VAT. | Not publishedMonthly software fee is quoted on sign-up; fees plus VAT. | £0Free plan for one location; processing fees apply. | $0Free plan with one event type. | $16 / monthStarter billed annually; $20 billed monthly. No free plan. |
| Price for a five-person teamMonthly subscription with five bookable professionals | £29.99 / monthTeams is one flat price with no per-member charge. | £49.75 / monthTeam plan at £9.95 per bookable member, plus VAT. | £60 / month£40 base plus £5 for each extra user, plus VAT. | Not publishedAdvanced includes unlimited staff; price is quoted on sign-up. | £0Unlimited staff calendars on Free; staff management tools start at £29. | $50+ / monthFive Standard seats at $10 each; Teams features cost more per seat. | $27 / monthStandard covers up to six calendars, billed annually. |
| Cyntree only, among the seven products comparedChair rentalRent chairs or rooms to independent professionals | Pro +Stations, agreements, automatic rent invoices, reminders, and deposits. No Cyntree fee on rent. | Different approachSelf-employed pros take payments to their own wallet; no rent invoicing. | Different approachShared Location lets booth renters list together; no rent collection. | Not listedNo rent tools on the pricing or features pages. | Different approachRecurring invoices could bill rent; no chair rental tools. | Not offeredNo rental or rent-collection tools. | Not offeredNo rental or rent-collection tools. |
| Online booking pageA link or page clients can use without contacting the business | Starter · freeBranded booking page; up to 30 bookings a month on Starter. | Independent +Subscription required; seven-day trial. | Core planProfile link, Google, social, QR, and widget. | ConnectBooking widgets for Google, social, your website, and the Treatwell app. | FreeBooking website, button, QR code, and widget. | FreeOne active event type with a shareable booking page. | Starter +Shareable or embedded scheduling page; no free plan. |
| Quick InvoiceBill for anything (products, one-off jobs, extras), not only a booking | Starter · freeItemised bills paid by secure card link, free on every plan. AI itemising from Pro. | Independent +Quotes and invoices on the plan. | Not listedNot mentioned on the features page. | Not listedNot mentioned on the features page. | FreeInvoicing on every plan. | Standard +Invoices for project work, not on Free. | Paid planInvoices with client details filled in. |
| Tap to PayTake contactless payment on your phone, no card reader | Starter · freeTap to Pay on iPhone on every plan, with no per-tap surcharge. | Plan + per-tap fee7p per tap on top of card processing. | Core planTap to Pay on your phone, no extra hardware. | ConnectTap to Pay on iPhone or Android; 1.1% + 20p per transaction plus VAT. | FreeTap to Pay on your phone, no extra hardware. | Not offeredPayment is taken at scheduling only. | Paid planTap to Pay through its point-of-sale tools. |
| Deposits or upfront paymentCollect money when the client books | Starter · freeDeposits and full prepayment via Stripe or Paystack. | Independent +Runs through Fresha Payments. | Core planBundled with the subscription. | ConnectOnline prepayment carries a 2.5% processing fee plus VAT. | FreePrepayment on every plan. | Standard +Stripe or PayPal collection at booking. | Starter +Stripe, Square, PayPal, or Venmo. |
| Appointment remindersAutomatic reminders that cut no-shows | Starter · freeEmail reminders on every plan; text reminders from Pro. | Independent +Email reminders included; 20 texts a month, then 6p each. | Core planUnlimited automatic reminders. | ConnectUnlimited client reminders. | FreeText and email reminders on every plan. | Standard +Automated reminders are not on the Free plan. | Starter +Email reminders; text reminders need Standard. |
| Booking page designMake the booking page look like your brand | Starter · freeChange the layout, fonts, colours, and sections on every plan. | Not listedNot mentioned on the features page. | Not listedNot mentioned on the features page. | Not listedNot mentioned on the features page. | FreeChoose the colours, layout, and pages. | Standard +Free page is basic; your own branding needs Standard. | Starter +A booking page that matches your brand. |
| Service photosShow clients what they are booking | Starter · free1 photo per service on Starter, 3 on Pro, and unlimited plus a video on Premium. | Not listedNot mentioned on the features page. | Core planVisual examples on services and a work gallery. | Different approachStaff portfolios are listed; service photos are not mentioned. | Not listedNot mentioned on the Appointments features page. | Not offeredEvent types are meeting descriptions, not service menus. | Not listedNot mentioned on the features page. |
| Client reviewsCollect ratings after appointments and show them to new clients | Starter · freeClients rate each visit; you choose which reviews appear on your page. | Independent +Ratings and reviews included; Google Rating Boost is £12.95 monthly. | Core planReviews, ratings, and photos shown on your profile. | ConnectAutomated review requests after every appointment. | Not offeredNot listed on the Appointments pricing page. | Not offeredBuilt for scheduling meetings. | Not offeredNot listed on the features page. |
| Business health and reportsSee how the business is doing without a spreadsheet | Starter · freeA live business health score on every plan; full reports from Pro. | Independent +Reports included; the Insights add-on is £7.95 per member monthly. | Core planRevenue and cash-flow reports. | ConnectSales, client acquisition, and retention tracking. | Plus +Appointments reports start on Plus. | TeamsScheduling analytics only on Teams and above. | Paid planAppointment and no-show reporting; tier not stated. |
| Consumer marketplaceA directory where new clients can discover the business | Starter · freeOptional Find a Business listing; no commission. | Plan + commission20% of a new client's first booking, £4 minimum. | Core planListing bundled; paid Boost is optional. | Plan + commission35% of a new client's first marketplace booking, plus VAT. | Not offeredDiscovery relies on your own channels. | Not offeredShare links and embeds instead. | Not offeredShare links and embeds instead. |
| Group bookings or classesMore than one attendee in the same slot | Pro +Group capacity with places-left shown to clients. | Independent +Group bookings are listed among core features. | Different approachClients can book for family and friends; no class scheduling listed. | Not listedNot mentioned on the features page. | Plus +Class booking is not on the Free plan. | Standard +Group event types are not on the Free plan. | Standard +Pricing page lists class scheduling from Standard. |
| Client loyaltyA built-in reason for regulars to return | Pro +Digital Stamp Cards and discount-code rewards. | Add-onClient Loyalty add-on is £49.95 per location monthly. | Core planAutomated digital stamp cards. | Different approachTreatwell Rewards: marketplace-only points funded by Treatwell, not your own scheme. | Add-onSquare Loyalty is a separate subscription. | Not offeredNo loyalty feature on the pricing page. | Different approachPackages and memberships from Starter; no stamps or points. |
| Intake, consent, or contractsCollect structured information before the appointment | Premium +Forms, client uploads, consent, and signatures. | Independent +Consultation forms and patch-test records. | Core planCustom intake forms and liability waivers. | ConnectConsultation forms sent before the appointment. | FreeAutomated contracts; custom contract fields need Premium. | Different approachScreening and routing forms qualify meetings; not service consent. | Starter +Custom client forms from the lowest paid plan. |
| Email marketing campaignsPromotional messages beyond appointment reminders | Premium +Branded campaigns with AI drafting and scheduled sends. | Plan + usageA monthly free allowance, then charged per email. | Core planMessage blasts and automated marketing. | Different approachRebook nudges and last-minute discounts; campaigns not mentioned. | Add-onFull Square Marketing is a separate subscription. | IntegrationConnects to tools such as Mailchimp and HubSpot. | IntegrationConnects to email platforms with their own pricing. |
| Full website optionMore than a utility booking link | Premium +AI-generated and image-template websites. | Add-onSmart Website add-on is £12.95 monthly. | Different approachMarketplace profile and embeddable widget. | Different approachBooking widgets for your existing website; no website builder listed. | FreeSquare Online has a free website builder. | Different approachCustomisable booking page and embed. | Different approachBooking page only; a Squarespace site is separate. |
| Service delivery recordDocument the work, evidence, and final amount after the appointment | Premium +Service reports, before-and-after media, and final-amount requests. | Different approachClient records and notes; no joined report flow found. | Different approachClient notes; no joined report flow found. | Different approachClient history and notes; no joined report flow found. | Different approachNotes and invoices; no joined report flow found. | Not offeredBuilt for scheduling meetings. | Different approachNotes and invoices; no joined report flow found. |
| Staff roles and permissionsControl what each team member can see and do | TeamsFive editable roles, unlimited members, schedules, and time off. | Team planLogin permissions for each team member. | Core planFive permission levels; £5/month per extra user. | AdvancedUnlimited staff and customised calendar access on Advanced. | PremiumAdvanced staff management, time tracking, and commissions. | TeamsAdmin controls and round-robin on the Teams plan. | Standard +Staff permissions; more than one calendar needs Standard. |
Research last checked 23 September 2026; chair rental rows checked 27 September 2026; Treatwell checked 3 October 2026. Treatwell does not publish its monthly software fee. “Cyntree only” means no other product on this page offers it; other salon software may offer booth-rent tools. “Lowest paid plan” means the feature comes with the cheapest subscription; “Extra cost” means a separate add-on, usage charge, or commission on top of the plan. Card-processing fees apply to every provider and are not counted. On the two price rows, green marks £0 and blue marks any paid figure; team prices use the cheapest plan that can seat five people. “Not offered” and “Not listed” mean we found no equivalent on the public pages reviewed, not that no workaround exists. Feature sources: Fresha pricing, Fresha features, Booksy pricing, Booksy features, Treatwell pricing, Treatwell features, Treatwell Pay, Treatwell Rewards, Square Appointments, Square Appointments features, Square Online, Square Invoices, Fresha multi-merchant, Calendly pricing, Calendly event types, Acuity pricing, Acuity classes, Acuity features.
Method
What “honest comparison” means here.
We make Cyntree, so we have every reason to be biased, and Cyntree won't be the right fit for every business. That's why each competitor figure links to its source, and why we show the rows where others come out ahead.
Competitor facts come from the official pricing and feature pages linked on this page. Cyntree facts come from the same plan and feature definitions used by the live pricing and features pages.
Currency, billing unit, taxes, processing fees, optional marketplace fees, and annual-billing assumptions are kept visible. Features and prices can change; check the linked provider page before buying.
Found something that changed? Tell us and we will re-check it.
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