Which booking systems make you use their own card processing, what they charge compared with Stripe's standard rate, and when that is a good or bad deal.
Written by me, Ari (Consult With Ari) · figures from vendors' own pages, checked 4 October 2026
Booking systems split into two camps. Some process your card payments themselves and won't let you bring another processor. Others connect to your own Stripe, Square or PayPal and take no cut. Neither is automatically cheaper; what matters is the rate on your mix of online and in-person payments.
Systems that use their own processing (8)
Below, each system's published rates and the fees on $10,000 a month of card payments at a $75 average, half online and half in person, next to Stripe's standard rate ($303 on the same payments).
| System | Online | In person | Fees on $10,000 | vs Stripe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square Appointments | 3.3% + 30¢ | 2.6% + 15¢ | $325 | +$22 |
| Vagaro | 3.5% + 19¢ (keyed; no online rate published) | 2.6% + 10¢ | $324 | +$21 |
| Fresha | 2.79% + 20¢ | 2.29% + 20¢ | $281 | −$23 |
| Booksy | 2.69% + 30¢ | 2.49% + 10¢ | $286 | −$18 |
| GlossGenius | 2.6% | 2.6% | $260 | −$43 |
| Goldie | 2.5% + 30¢ | 2.5% + 30¢ | $290 | −$13 |
| SimplePractice | 3.15% + 30¢ | 3.15% + 30¢ | $355 | +$52 |
| HoneyBook | 2.9% + 25¢ | 2.7% + 10¢ | $303 | +$0 |
Square's figures are its Free plan's; Plus and Premium are lower. Rates are the vendors' standard published US rates; most will negotiate at high volume.
Bring your own processor (13)
Calendly, Acuity Scheduling, Cal.com, YouCanBookMe, Google Calendar, Setmore, SimplyBook.me, Zoho Bookings, Picktime, Appointy, Wix Bookings, Dubsado, Sign In Scheduling. These connect to an account you own (Stripe, Square, PayPal and others) and, on their own pages, add no fee of their own. The calculator costs them with Stripe's standard rate, 2.9% + 30¢ online and 2.7% + 5¢ in person, and labels it as an estimate.
Not stated (6)
Microsoft Bookings, Mindbody, Booker, Jane, Timely, Boulevard have built-in payments (or, for Microsoft Bookings, none documented) but their pages don't say whether you can use another processor.
When a built-in processor is worth it
- Deposits and no-show fees often only work through the built-in processor (Booksy, Fresha, Vagaro, Square Plus).
- Low average tickets favour no or low cents per payment: GlossGenius has none; Vagaro charges 10¢ in person.
- Switching later is harder: your card-on-file clients live inside that processor.
Quick answers
What is a forced payment processor?
A booking system that only takes card payments through its own processing service, so you can't connect your existing Stripe, Square or PayPal account. Deposits and no-show fees usually only work through it too.
Is it always more expensive?
No. GlossGenius charges a flat 2.6% with no per-payment cents, and Fresha and Booksy charge less than Stripe's standard in-person rate on a typical ticket. SimplePractice (3.15% + 30¢) and Square Free online (3.3% + 30¢) charge more than Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢.
How does this site cost systems that use my own processor?
With Stripe's standard US rate, 2.9% + 30¢ online and 2.7% + 5¢ in person, labelled "estimated with Stripe's standard rate". Square, PayPal or a negotiated rate will be a little different.
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