What Booking Marketplaces Really Cost a Nail Salon: Commissions, New-Client Fees and Card Fees

The four places a booking app takes money

When you compare salon booking apps, the monthly price on the pricing page is only the first layer. Most tools charge in some mix of these four:

• Subscription: the fixed monthly fee for the software.
• Per-staff fees: an extra charge for each technician or calendar.
• Marketplace commission: a percentage of the booking when a new client finds you through the app's consumer marketplace.
• Card processing: a percentage (and often a fixed amount) on every card payment taken through the app.

The first two are predictable. The last two grow with your bookings, which is why two salons on the same app can pay very different amounts. All fees below were checked on 10 October 2026 on the vendors' own pages unless we say otherwise. Prices change, so confirm them before you decide.

Marketplace commissions on new clients

A marketplace is the consumer side of the app: the place where people search for "nails near me" and book. The salon pays when a client it did not have before arrives that way.

• Fresha: 20% one-time fee on new clients from the Fresha marketplace, with a $6 minimum, according to its help center. The fee is waived for bookings through your own referral link and when the client cancels online.
• Treatwell: 35% + VAT on a new client's first marketplace booking, per its UK pricing page. With 20% UK VAT that is about 42% of the booking. Repeat bookings from that client are 0%, and new clients who book through your own website, Facebook or Instagram are commission-free.
• Booksy Boost: an optional programme that charges a one-time 30% of the first visit, capped at $100, per Booksy's US pricing page.

Subscriptions, per-staff fees and card processing

The fixed costs are easier to compare, but watch how they scale with your team:

• Fresha: Independent $19.95/month; Team $14.95 per team member per month.
• Booksy (US): $29.99/month plus $20/month for each additional user.
• Treatwell Connect: listed as "free to start" on the UK page.
• CutieCure Salon: Basic $29.99/month (1 team member), Pro $39.99/month (up to 5), Enterprise $99.99/month. No commission on bookings.

Card processing is charged on every card payment taken through the app. Some published examples: GlossGenius charges a flat 2.6%, Booksy charges 2.69% + $0.30 on mobile or keyed payments, and Square's free plan charges 3.3% + 30¢ online. CutieCure does not process card payments, so there is no CutieCure card fee, but there is also no online prepayment or deposit: clients pay you in the salon with whatever terminal you already use.

A worked example: one month, three technicians

Assumptions (ours, not data): a nail salon with 3 technicians, 20 new clients a month arriving through a marketplace, and an average first visit of $45. We use the same $45 ticket for every app so the comparison is fair, even though Treatwell charges in local currency.

Fresha

• Team plan: 3 × $14.95 = $44.85
• New-client fee: 20% × $45 = $9.00 per client (above the $6 minimum) × 20 = $180.00
• Total: $224.85 a month

Booksy with Boost

• Subscription: $29.99 + 2 extra users × $20 = $69.99
• Boost: 30% × $45 = $13.50 per client × 20 = $270.00 (if all 20 come through Boost)
• Total: $339.99 a month

Treatwell

• Subscription: "free to start", counted as $0
• Commission: 35% × $45 = $15.75 per client × 20 = $315.00, plus 20% VAT ($63.00) = $378.00
• Total: $378.00 a month

Flat subscription without commission

• CutieCure Salon Pro (up to 5 team members): $39.99 a month, no commission

Card fees come on top for the apps that process payments. If those 20 first visits are paid by card through the app, that is $900 of card volume: $23.40 at GlossGenius's flat 2.6%, or $30.21 at Booksy's 2.69% + $0.30.

When paying a marketplace is worth it

A commission is a marketing cost. It makes sense when the client would not have found you otherwise:

• Your calendar has empty slots you cannot fill any other way. A booked chair at 80% of the price beats an empty one.
• You just opened and have no reviews, followers or regulars yet.
• You are in a tourist or business area where most clients are one-time visitors searching on their phones.
• The client is likely to come back. A 20% fee on the first visit is cheap if that client returns every three weeks for a year.

It makes less sense for clients who already follow you on Instagram and simply used the app because it was the easiest button to press.

How to stop paying for clients you already have

1. 1Put your own booking link everywhere you control: Instagram bio, Google Business Profile, WhatsApp status and your website. A booking link and website widget take the "where do I book?" question away from the marketplace.
2. 2Rebook in the salon. Book the next appointment before the client leaves. A booking made at the desk never touches a marketplace.
3. 3Use the exemptions the marketplaces offer. Fresha waives the new-client fee for bookings through your referral link, and Treatwell does not charge for new clients who book through your own website or social profiles.
4. 4Track booking sources so you know which clients came from the marketplace and which came from your own channels.
5. 5Give regulars a reason to book direct, such as a package or a VIP group discount.

Questions to ask before you sign up

• Is there a commission, and on which bookings exactly? First visit only, or every marketplace booking?
• Is there a minimum or a cap per client?
• Do you charge per technician, per calendar or per location?
• What are the card fees for in-person, online and keyed payments?
• Is a booking still charged if the client does not show up or cancels?
• Can I export my client list if I leave?

If you are comparing tools more broadly, our salon software checklist covers features as well as cost.