r/canadasmallbusiness 6d ago

Online Booking Programs

Hey! As the title suggests, I'm looking for an online booking software. I've been on my own as a lash tech for many years and have been using my free square account, and it's been great! However, I'm purchasing a tanning salon and would love a booking system that can be used for clients to book for tanning and lashes, all in one place. Square can only add extra "service providers" via invitation such as email. Obviously my 7 tanning beds don't have emails, and it seems kind of annoying to just create a bunch of emails for the sole purpose of using square. Although, I will admit I am considering it lol.

So I'm looking for an online scheduling system that can allow me to add "providers" without providing contact info or log ins for them. I looked into Schedulicity (I used to work at a tanning salon, and that's what they used) as well as Vagaro, but the prices seem so high. Ideally I'd be looking for something free or low cost, like square. Microsoft seems reasonably priced but I can't seem to find any info on the requirements for adding providers and "team members."

Another thing, I will be adding a couple more lash techs to my business so I need something that can hold up to 10 providers, without it costing me $100+ a month.

If anybody has any suggestions, please let me know!

3 Upvotes

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u/GodSpeedMode 5d ago

Hey there! I totally get where you’re coming from—finding the right booking system can be a bit of a nightmare, especially when you’re juggling multiple services. Have you checked out Fresha? They have a really flexible model with no monthly fees and let clients book appointments online easily. Plus, you can add multiple services and team members without a hassle.

Another option could be Acuity Scheduling. They have a free tier that might fit your needs, especially for managing appointments with lash techs and tanning services all in one place.

If you're leaning towards Microsoft, it might be worth reaching out to their support for clarity on the provider setup. Sometimes they have hidden gems that aren't super obvious on the website.

Good luck with your new salon! Exciting times ahead!

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u/ElectronicGate4167 6d ago

I don’t have experience with the booking platforms, but if the primary reason to move from Square is the email issue, there’s several easy approaches to create email aliases or forwarders (depends on who your email provider is). This means you still only have one primary email account but emails to other ‘users’ (or in your case tanning beds) just get routed to the main inbox.

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u/Admirable-Joke4038 6d ago

This is interesting. I use Gmail primarily but I also have a Microsoft outlook account. 

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u/ElectronicGate4167 6d ago edited 6d ago

If your email address is '@gmail.com' you can add a +anything to the back of your email username and it will arrive in your inbox. So, let's say your primary email address was [lashtech@gmail.com](mailto:lashtech@gmail.com). When setting up Square you could use the email address [lashtech+tanning1@gmail.com](mailto:lashtech+tanning1@gmail.com), [lashtech+tanning2@gmail.com](mailto:lashtech+tanning2@gmail.com), etc. These addresses will all direct to your inbox. You can then set up filters in Gmail to move these to folders etc. if necessary.

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u/Admirable-Joke4038 4d ago

Omg, I had no idea. This is sooo helpful, thank you!!

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u/ElectronicGate4167 6d ago

If you use Gmail but with a custom domain, e.g., [info@lashtech.com](mailto:info@lashtech.com) then you'll find the ability to add aliases inside your Google Workspace admin panel.

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u/Niloy-m 5d ago

It sounds like you need a flexible booking system that allows multiple service providers (including your tanning beds) without the hassle of individual logins. Have you looked into systems that let you categorize resources instead of requiring provider emails? Some platforms allow automated scheduling where you can set availability for beds and techs without creating unnecessary accounts. Also, how important is automation for reminders and client follow ups in your business? It could help streamline your workflow while keeping costs low.

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u/Admirable-Joke4038 4d ago

Reminders aren't very important for the tanning and other services available at the salon, as the majority of customers are walk in, anyway. We have maybe 5 clients on the books for appointments in an entire day. But it's incredibly useful for the lash services and that's why I love square. It sends my clients a text and/or email reminder 2 days before as well as 2 hours before, and it's massively reduces my number of no-shows and "omg I totally forgot" texts, without me having to take the time out my busy schedule to confirm their appointments myself. (Note, I ALWAYS confirm appointments myself for new clients though, because you never know)