The fee for a new client found in an app, in plain words, with the real sums
Most big booking apps have their own app where clients search for a salon. That search is called a marketplace. When a brand new client finds you there and books, the app charges you a fee. It is taken from that first booking.
The fee is not bad in itself. But it is easy to miss, because it only shows up when a new client walks in. So let’s look at what each company really charges.
The rates, side by side
These are taken from each company’s own UK page, checked on 1 November 2026.
| Company | Fee on a new client | Minimum | VAT | Who counts as new |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresha | 20% of the first booking | £4 | Plus VAT | A brand new client who finds you on the Fresha marketplace |
| Treatwell | 35% of the first booking | None | Plus VAT | A new client, or one with no Treatwell booking with you in the last 365 days |
| Booksy Boost | 30% of the first visit | £5 | Plus VAT | A client who finds you through Boost. Boost is optional |
| Vagaro | 20% of the first booking | Not stated | Not stated | A new customer from the Vagaro Marketplace (UK, since July 2026) |
On Fresha, Treatwell and Booksy, clients who come from your own link, website or social pages pay no fee. Returning clients pay no fee either. Booksy charges nothing extra when Boost is turned off.
The sums on a £45 first visit
Here is the fee on one new client whose first visit costs £45.
- Fresha: 20% of £45 is £9.00. That is above the £4 minimum. Add VAT of £1.80. Total: £10.80.
- Treatwell: 35% of £45 is £15.75. Add VAT of £3.15. Total: £18.90.
- Booksy Boost: 30% of £45 is £13.50. That is above the £5 minimum. Add VAT of £2.70. Total: £16.20.
- Vagaro: 20% of £45 is £9.00. Vagaro’s page does not say if VAT is added, so we show it without.
So on a £45 visit, the fee runs from £9 to almost £19 for one client.
A month with 5 new app clients
Now an example. Take one owner with 80 bookings a month at an average of £45. Five of those are new clients who found the salon in the app. This is the example from our calculator, with the monthly plan included.
- Vagaro: £20 plan + 5 × £9.00 = £65
- Fresha: £18 plan + 5 × £10.80 = £72
- Treatwell: £12 plan + 5 × £18.90 = £106 (rounded)
- Booksy: £48 plan (£40 + VAT) + 5 × £16.20 = £129
Without those five app clients, the same month costs £12 on Treatwell, £18 on Fresha and £20 on Vagaro. The marketplace fees can be bigger than the plan itself. Want to try your own numbers? Compare what you’d pay with our free calculator.
To be fair: it can be worth it
A marketplace can bring you real new clients. People you would never have met. If a new client pays a one-off fee of £10 and then comes back every six weeks for years, that fee was money well spent.
The trouble starts when you pay the fee and the client never comes back. Or when the fee is charged on clients who would have found you anyway.
Tips to keep the fee in check
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Send returning clients your own link
On Fresha, Treatwell and Booksy, bookings through your own link are free. Put it in your Instagram bio and on your aftercare card. Ask regulars to use it, not the app search.
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Know the Treatwell 365-day rule
If a client has not had a Treatwell booking with you in the last 365 days, they count as new again. So the 35% fee can come back. Keep in touch with clients before a year goes by.
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Watch your first visit price
The fee is a percentage. A bigger first booking means a bigger fee. A short intro service keeps it down, though the minimums still apply.
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Remember Booksy Boost is optional
You can turn Boost on when your diary has gaps and off when it is full. With Boost off, there is no commission.
If you want the full picture, read why the cheapest booking app can cost you more. And once a client is yours, here is why regulars stop coming back, and how to bring them back.
Where Tavix fits
Tavix charges no new client fee. It is zero commission on every booking. Clients book through your own page, and you pay £29 a month, VAT included. If you rely on an app for new clients, a marketplace may still suit you. If most of your clients already know you, it may not be worth paying for them twice.