Booksy alternative without marketplace commission
Cicini vs Booksy — Booksy packs a lot into $29.99/month, but Boost can take 30% of a new client's first visit, and every extra stylist costs $20 more. Cicini gives you booking, staff, payments, and reminders on flat plans, with no marketplace commission path.
30-day free trial on paid plans · Free plan at $0 · Cancel anytime
Booksy alternative without marketplace fees
Booksy is popular in US beauty and barber markets for good reason: one subscription includes online booking, marketing tools, forms, waitlists, gift cards, and integrated payments. The pricing is transparent at $29.99/month plus $20 per additional team member.
The catch is optional Booksy Boost— a marketplace feature that charges a one-time 30% fee on the total cost of a Boost client's first visit. Even when Boost is off, Booksy is built primarily for beauty businesses. Cicini is a Booksy alternative for teams that want salon scheduling without marketplace economics — and the freedom to serve clinics, wellness, and professional services too.
How Cicini and Booksy differ
Booksy optimizes for independent stylists and small salons that want consumer discovery and mobile-first booking. That focus drives product decisions: beauty-only workflows, US-centric payments, and Boost as a growth lever.
Cicini optimizes for the operation — staff availability, service menus, automated reminders, and Stripe payments on predictable flat plans. You own your booking links, your client relationships, and your margin on every appointment.
The difference isn't features alone — it's who owns the client.
Cicini vs Booksy: feature-by-feature
| Capability | Cicini | Booksy |
|---|---|---|
| Flat monthly subscription | $0 / $19 / $49 org plans | $29.99 + $20/extra staff |
| Marketplace commission on new clients | No | Optional Boost — 30% first visit |
| Online booking page | ||
| Multi-staff scheduling | ||
| Calendar sync | Google sync + FreeBusy busy-block (beta) — Outlook/Apple on roadmap | |
| Email + SMS reminders | Email all plans; SMS on paid | Included (SMS marketing credits) |
| Payments at booking | Full/deposit Stripe + gift cards (paid plans) — packages/memberships on roadmap | Booksy Pay (2.49–2.69%) |
| Deposits & partial payments | Full/deposit Stripe + gift cards (paid plans) — packages/memberships on roadmap | |
| Forms & waivers | On roadmap | |
| Waitlists | On roadmap | |
| Packages & memberships | On roadmap | |
| Reserve with Google | Planned | |
| Beauty-only product focus | No — multi-industry | Yes — salon/barber/spa |
| HIPAA / regulated health compliance | HIPAA-compliant security · BAA / Health tier on Enterprise roadmap | Limited |
| Free plan to start | 14-day trial |
Booksy plans and Boost terms change; check Booksy pricing for current details. Comparison reflects publicly available information as of 2026.
When businesses choose Cicini over Booksy
When businesses choose Cicini over Booksy
- You want flat org pricing instead of $29.99 plus $20 per extra stylist
- You refuse marketplace commissions — Boost, Fresha-style fees, or similar
- You drive clients from your website, Google, and social — not a consumer app
- You operate outside beauty-only workflows (clinics, wellness, fitness, pros)
- You want predictable SaaS billing as the team grows
- You are expanding in Canada and need a compliance-ready path
See transparent scheduling software pricing or explore Cicini vs Fresha for another anti-commission angle.
Switching from Booksy
Switching from Booksy
Own your book, keep your margin
Own your book, keep your margin
Cicini vs Booksy: frequently asked questions
Clear answers about booking, clinic workflows, pricing, and getting started with Cicini.
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Contact our teamFrequently asked questions
Is Cicini a good Booksy alternative?
Yes. Cicini is a strong Booksy alternative for service businesses that want flat, predictable pricing without optional marketplace fees. You get online booking, staff scheduling, payments, automated reminders, and client management — and you can grow beyond beauty-only workflows if your business expands.
Does Cicini charge a commission like Booksy Boost?
No. Cicini does not take a percentage of first visits or charge a marketplace fee when you acquire new clients. Booksy Boost is optional but charges a one-time 30% fee on the total cost of a Boost client's first visit when enabled. With Cicini you pay a flat monthly plan — growth does not increase what you owe per booking.
How does Cicini pricing compare to Booksy?
Booksy charges $29.99/month plus $20/month for each additional team member. Cicini uses flat organization pricing — Free at $0, Starter at $19/month, and Professional at $49/month — so multi-staff teams can predict their bill without per-seat add-ons stacking up.
Can I use Cicini if I am not a salon or barber?
Yes. Unlike Booksy, which is built primarily for beauty and barber businesses, Cicini supports salons, clinics, wellness studios, fitness businesses, and professional service teams from one platform — without beauty-only UX constraints.
Do I own my client list if I switch from Booksy?
Yes. Your clients, booking history, and notes belong to your business on Cicini. You are not sharing client relationships with a consumer marketplace, and you control where clients book — your website, Google, and direct links.
How hard is it to migrate from Booksy to Cicini?
Most teams recreate services and staff in an afternoon, connect their calendar and Stripe, and publish a branded booking page. Export your client list from Booksy, import into Cicini, and run both systems in parallel for one to two weeks before switching your public booking links.
Does Cicini include SMS and email reminders?
Yes. Cicini supports automated email confirmations and reminders on all plans, with SMS reminders available on paid plans. Booksy includes marketing SMS credits in its subscription; Cicini focuses on appointment operations with transparent plan limits.
Book more, keep more
Start a free trial or book a demo to see how Cicini handles salon and service-business booking without marketplace commissions.
30-day free trial on paid plans · Free plan at $0 · Cancel anytime