Straight answers

The questions that actually get asked

What do card payments actually cost?

Stripe's published rate, plus a 0.25% platform fee that funds the payment side of the product. Online that is 2.9% + 30¢, in person 2.7% + 5¢, Interac $0.15 flat. The money settles into your Stripe account, not ours — we never hold it. When volume lets us negotiate interchange-plus we pass the difference on; the target is a flat 2.6% in person.

Is texting really included?

Yes. Confirmations, reminders, receipts, review requests, rebook nudges and the two-way inbox all come out of the plan's allowance — 2,000 on Solo, 6,000 on Shop, 12,000 on Shop+ per month. Almost nobody reaches it; a five-barber shop at 94 appointments per barber typically sends about half its allowance. Past it, it is $0.02 a segment, billed at cost. We do not sell "messaging" as a tier.

What happens to my data if I leave?

You export it, free, in one click, whenever you like — clients with phone numbers and consent state, appointment history, payments, memberships and credits, as CSVs in a zip. There is no export fee, no notice period and no phone call to cancel. Your booking link is yours to redirect. We would rather you left cleanly than stayed because leaving was painful.

Do you charge my clients anything?

No. No booking fee, no card-on-file fee, no 'service fee' at checkout, and no commission on a client who finds you. Deposits and no-show fees are yours, set by you, and they land in your account. The only money we take from a shop is the monthly price and the 0.25% platform fee on card volume.

Is there a contract?

No contract, no setup fee, and no minimum term. Pay monthly and stop whenever, or pay annually and get 2 months free. Founding shops keep 40% off for as long as they stay — including if they move up a tier as they grow.

What counts as a barber?

Anyone who takes bookings. Front-desk staff, apprentices who do not have their own column, and the owner who only cuts on Saturdays are free. Booth renters count, because they get their own statements and their own client list — and they keep the Solo price if they move shops.

What is the AI receptionist add-on?

A dedicated number that answers the phone, books against your live menu and texts you a summary. $149 a month on Solo, $199 on Shop and Shop+, with 500 minutes included and $0.25 a minute after that. It is the one thing with a real per-use cost, so it is the one thing priced per use. Everything else is in the plan.

Do I have to migrate everything on day one?

No. Run both for a week if you want. We import your clients and your upcoming appointments from a Booksy, SQUIRE, Square or Fresha CSV — or type your paper book — and you set the old system to read-only when you are ready. The free audit will show you what your own data says before you commit to anything.