Considering an alternative to Timely?
A Timely alternative with flat-rate plans instead of per-staff pricing
Timely prices a solo operator at one rate and charges again for each additional bookable staff member. Book’d Out charges one flat monthly price per business, with a team allowance included and a Free plan at $0 a month.
Free plan, $0 a month · no card required to list
At a glance
The five differences that decide most of it.
| What you are comparing | Book’d Out | Timely |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly starting cost | $0 | A$42 a month exc GST for a solo operator on Build, with no ongoing free plan |
| Commission or new-client fee | 0% | None published |
| Pricing scales with staff | No on Free. Paid plans include a team allowance | Yes, each additional bookable staff member is charged |
| Marketplace | Included | No consumer marketplace published |
| Australian focus | Yes, built and hosted in Australia | Australian-dollar pricing, published exc GST |
Pricing checked 16 September 2026 Source: Timely pricing
Estimate your monthly Timely cost
Pick a plan and a team size. Book’d Out is shown at the flat plan that fits, with Free always at $0.
Free stays $0 a month at any team size.
Estimate only, from Timely’s published tier prices exc GST, capped at Elevate A$436 from 8 staff and Innovate A$534 from 8 staff. Source: Timely pricing
Why businesses consider switching
What the monthly bill does as the team grows
Timely publishes a solo price of A$42 on Build, A$65 on Elevate or A$79 on Innovate, exc GST, then A$42 on Build, A$53 on Elevate or A$65 on Innovate, exc GST for each additional bookable staff member. A Book’d Out paid plan includes a team allowance in its flat price, then $10 a month each.
A $0 option that stays $0
Timely has no standard ongoing free plan. It publishes a Base tier at A$9 a month exc GST, solo only and flagged for new customers for a limited time, plus a “50% off Timely for up to 5 months” offer with its own terms. Book’d Out Free is $0 a month with no plan limits on team members or locations.
A consumer marketplace included
Timely publishes no consumer marketplace, and its social booking is Instagram, Facebook and Messenger. A Book’d Out listing is included on every plan, so local searches can find you without a separate promotion.
Compare capability, not just the subscription
Timely's depth sits across its Build, Elevate, Innovate tiers, so the fair comparison is the tier carrying the features you actually need, at your team size, against the flat Book’d Out plan that carries the same features.
What Timely does well
- A mature, salon-specific feature set built up over many years.
- Payments, online booking, deposits, reminders and stock are on every tier.
- Deeper loyalty rewards, review requests, supplier stock ordering and SMS campaigns higher up.
- Australian-dollar pricing and a long presence here and in New Zealand.
Where Book’d Out differs
- A $0 entry point with no plan limits on team members or locations.
- Flat-rate paid plans rather than a charge for every bookable staff member.
- 0% commission on your appointment revenue, on every plan.
- A consumer marketplace listing included on every plan.
- Phone and online support on every plan.
- Free CSV client import on every plan.
Which one might suit you?
Timely may suit a salon that wants its depth of salon-specific tooling and is comfortable paying for each bookable staff member.
Book’d Out may suit an Australian business that wants a $0 starting option and a flat monthly price that does not move with the size of the team.
How they differ, feature by feature
Only the rows that change a buying decision.
| Feature | Book’d Out | Timely |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription structure | IncludedFree $0, Bookings Plus from $19, Bookings Pro $49. Flat. | Per staffA solo operator pays A$42 on Build, A$65 on Elevate or A$79 on Innovate, exc GST, across the Build, Elevate, Innovate tiers. |
| Marketplace commission | Not charged0% of your appointment revenue, new clients included. | Not chargedNone published. The cost is the per-staff subscription. |
| Customer booking fees | Usage-based$0.30 per 15 minutes booked online on Free, added to the customer's payment. $0 per booking on paid plans. Paid plans set their own customer fee, to $1.00 per 15 minutes, and keep it. | Not publishedNo customer-facing booking fee is published. |
| Staff pricing | IncludedNo plan limits on Free. Paid plans include an allowance, then $10 a month each. | Per staffA$42 on Build, A$53 on Elevate or A$65 on Innovate, exc GST for each additional bookable staff member. Elevate stops rising at A$436 a month and Innovate at A$534 from 8 bookable staff. |
| Online booking | IncludedOn Free with online booking on. From your listing and your own link. | IncludedOnline booking 24/7 on every tier. |
| Google and social booking | IncludedA direct booking link for Google, your website and social profiles. | IncludedInstagram, Facebook and Messenger. Book with Google not published. |
| Automated reminders | IncludedOn Free. Email included, SMS charged per message. | IncludedEvery tier, with a text allowance per staff member that rises with the tier. |
| Deposits and no-show protection | IncludedOn Free with online booking on. Deposits and no-show cover. | IncludedDeposits and cancellation fees on every tier. |
| Marketing and promotions | Paid tierBookings Plus, from $19 a month. Promo codes here, campaigns on Bookings Pro. | Paid tierTargeted email on every tier. SMS campaigns from Elevate, at 12c per text. |
| Client import | IncludedFree CSV import on every plan. | IncludedTransfer data from your current system. Format and cost not published. |
| Payments and Tap to Pay | Paid tierBookings Plus, from $19 a month. Online or in person, processing fees separate. | IncludedEvery tier, with Tap to Pay. In person 1.59% plus 5c, online 1.85% plus 30c. |
| Loyalty and reviews | Paid tierBookings Pro, $49 a month. Loyalty points and review prompts. | Paid tierLoyalty rewards and review requests from Elevate. Advanced rewards on Innovate. |
Total cost can depend on your team size, payment volume, add-ons, marketplace acquisition and any promotion you run.
Switching is easier than you think
Client import is free on every plan.
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Export your client list
Most platforms let you download clients as a CSV.
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Import the CSV into Book’d Out
Preview the matches, then apply. Existing clients match on email.
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Add your services and team
Durations, prices, and each person who takes bookings.
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Set your availability
Opening hours, breaks and days off.
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Publish your booking link
On Google, your website and your social profiles.
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Run both for a week
Keep the old system open while the first bookings come through.
Book’d Out pricing, in short
No monthly subscription for Free. Upgrade only when it makes sense.
Free
$0per month
No plan limits on team members or locations.
Bookings Plus
from $19per month
1 location, 1 (Solo) / 5 (Team) team members, then $10/month per extra.
Bookings Pro
$49per month
3 locations, 15 team members, then $10/month per extra.
- No monthly subscription. No plan limit forcing you to upgrade because your team grows.
- Online bookings on Free are billed at $0.30 per 15 minutes booked online ($1.20 an hour). The booking fee is added to what the customer pays when they pay online at the time of booking, so you are only out of pocket if you have customer payments turned off.
- Paid plans are there for better economics and more features, not because your business got bigger.
- On a paid plan you can set your own customer booking fee, from $0.10 to $1.00 per 15 minutes booked, and keep it.
Frequently asked questions
How does Timely charge, and how is Book’d Out different?
Timely publishes a solo price of A$42 on Build, A$65 on Elevate or A$79 on Innovate, exc GST, then A$42 on Build, A$53 on Elevate or A$65 on Innovate, exc GST for each additional bookable staff member. Book’d Out charges one flat price per business, with a team allowance included and $10 a month per extra team member or location beyond it. Checked 16 September 2026.
Does Timely have a free plan?
Timely has no standard ongoing free plan. It publishes a 14 day trial, and a Base tier at A$9 a month exc GST, solo only and flagged for new customers for a limited time, plus a “50% off Timely for up to 5 months” offer with its own terms. Book’d Out Free is $0 a month on an ongoing basis, with online bookings billed by time booked rather than a subscription.
Is the calculator on this page exact?
It is an estimate. It applies the published solo price for the tier you pick, then the published price for each additional bookable staff member, and the published flat price where Timely stops the price rising. Australian figures are exc GST.
Does Book’d Out match Timely on features?
Not everywhere, and the fair question is which features you use. Consultation forms, promo codes, client records, stock and calendar sync are in Bookings Plus (from $19/month (Solo) or $29/month (Team)); loyalty, campaigns, review automation, team scheduling and featured placement are in Bookings Pro at $49 a month flat.
Can I bring my client list across from Timely?
Yes. CSV client import is free on every Book’d Out plan, including Free. Timely publishes that you can transfer data from your current system, without naming a format or a cost.
Start free, or switch across today
Book’d Out takes 0% commission from your appointment revenue. Free client import whenever you are ready.