Commission on new clients: what booking marketplaces really cost

Many booking apps are free or cheap to start with, and then take a commission on new clients they send you. The rate is easy to overlook when you sign up and easy to feel when the invoice arrives. This guide explains how new-client commission works, what the main marketplaces charge, how to decide if a fee is worth it, and how to find new clients without paying one.

How new-client fees work

Most marketplaces charge a one-time percentage of the first booking from a client who found you through the marketplace. Returning clients are normally free, and so are bookings that come through your own website or social channels. The details differ:

• A client counts as "new" under rules the platform sets. Treatwell, for example, treats a client as new if you have not served them via Treatwell in the past 365 days.
• Some fees are non-refundable, even if the client cancels or you cancel on their behalf.
• Some platforms let you switch the fee off, others only if you leave the marketplace.

Worked example

Say a new client books a 60 € colour. At 20% the fee is 12 €. At 35% + VAT it is more than 21 €. If the client only comes once, you keep roughly 48 € of the 60 € at 20%, and about 39 € at 35% + VAT, before staff time and materials. If the same client books six times a year, only the first visit is charged, and the picture is very different.

What the main platforms charge

Rates checked October 2026, from each provider's public pages.

Provider	New-client fee	Can you opt out?
Treatwell (UK, Belgium)	35% + VAT on first booking via Treatwell; 0% for repeat and own-channel bookings	Own-channel bookings are free; marketplace bookings are charged
Booksy	Boost: 30% one time on a new client's first visit (UK minimum £5; Spain maximum €50 + IVA)	Yes, Boost is optional
Fresha	One-time 20% of the first booking	Only by unlisting your marketplace profile, which also turns off Fresha online booking channels
Timma	20% of the first booking via the Timma marketplace (15% until 1 June 2025)	See Timma's terms
Bokadirekt	No new-client commission found; visibility depends on plan tier	Not applicable
EG Hano, Timely	No marketplace commission found	Not applicable

Outside the UK and Belgium, Treatwell's rate varies, so check your country's partner pages. See the comparisons for Fresha, Treatwell, Booksy and Timma.

Is the new client worth the fee?

A simple break-even check:

1. Fee per new client = average first-visit price × commission rate.
2. Value per client = average price per visit × expected visits per year × years they stay.
3. If value is several times the fee, the marketplace pays for itself.

A hairdresser with clients who return every six weeks can earn back a 20% fee in the second visit. A treatment people buy once, or a first-visit discount that already cuts your margin, is a worse fit. Remember the hidden part: the fee is charged on the first booking even if you cut the price to attract the client.

Ask yourself two further questions. How many of your marketplace clients would have found you anyway through Google or Instagram? And do they come back and rebook directly, or do they keep using the marketplace and its promotions?

How to get new clients without commission

• Google Business Profile: add your booking link, so people who search for you can book at once.
• Instagram and Facebook: put your booking page link in your bio, stories and QR codes at the till.
• Your own website: embed the booking page and keep it as the main channel.
• Referrals and gift cards: gift cards bring in people who have not been in before, and your clients choose who they give them to.
• Loyalty and win-back: stamp cards and campaigns to inactive customers raise the number of visits per client.
• Online booking rules: deposits and cancellation settings protect your time when strangers book.

Where Calendia fits

Calendia is a booking and operations platform, not a marketplace, so it takes no commission on any booking, new or returning. The flip side is honest: Calendia does not bring marketplace traffic, you share your own booking page. You choose between paying per bookable employee or per completed booking, with prices on the pricing page, and a free trial that needs no card.

Questions and answers

What is a new-client commission?

It is a one-time percentage of a new client's first booking that a marketplace charges when the client found you through it. Repeat clients and own-channel bookings are normally free.

Which booking platforms charge the highest commission?

Among the providers checked in October 2026, Treatwell in the UK is the highest at 35% + VAT, followed by Booksy Boost at 30% and Fresha and Timma at 20%.

Can I avoid marketplace commission and still take online bookings?

Yes. Use a booking system without a marketplace, such as Calendia, and share the booking page on your website, Google Business Profile and social channels.

Rates are taken from each provider's public pages in October 2026 and may have changed since. Check the provider's own pages before you decide.