How to choose a booking app: a plain checklist

There are lots of booking tools. Most small businesses only need a handful of things. Use this checklist to compare them.

The basics

• Can clients book from a link on their phone, without an account?
• Does it show only times that are really free?
• Does it stop two people booking the same slot?
• Can you set your hours, days off and gaps between clients?

Price

• What does it cost per month, and what is extra?
• Does it take a percentage of your bookings or payments?
• Can you cancel at any time, and is there a contract?
• Is there a free trial that does not need a card?

Your clients and your data

• Who owns your client list, and can you take it with you?
• Can you delete everything if you leave?
• Is there a clear privacy policy that says what is stored and where?

Reminders

• Does it help you send reminders?
• Is it automatic, or does it need a paid add-on?

Ease of use

• Can you set it up in a few minutes?
• Is it easy on a phone, because that is where you will use it?

Support

• Is there a real person to ask?
• Is the company clear about what it does not do yet?

Test it with a real booking

Sign up for a trial, book yourself in from a second phone, and see how it feels. If it is awkward, your clients will find it awkward too.

The takeaway

Pick the simplest tool that does what you need, at a fair flat price. Bookable is £14.99 a month after 7 days free, with no cut of your bookings.

Keep reading

• How to stop no-shows at your barbershop
• What a new dog walker should have in place before day one
• How to ask for reviews without it feeling awkward