The short answer: For a free start, Square Appointments and Setmore are hard to beat. Salons often choose Fresha or Timely for beauty-specific features. Calendly suits meetings rather than a front desk. If you want bookings, reminders, an AI receptionist, your CRM and marketing in one app with unlimited users, My New Admin is the all-in-one option.
Booking software ranges from free calendars to full salon systems. The right choice depends on your team size, how customers pay and whether you need more than a booking page. Here’s how the popular options compare.
The options at a glance
| Software | Starting price | Watch out for | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square Appointments | Free for one staff member at one location. Plus from A$40 per location a month | Card processing fees | Appointment businesses already taking payments with Square |
| Setmore | Free for up to 4 users and 200 bookings a month | Paid plans are priced per user in US dollars | Small teams on a budget |
| Fresha | From US$19.95 a month solo, or US$14.95 per team member | A one-off commission on new marketplace clients, card fees, US-dollar pricing | Salons wanting marketplace discovery |
| Timely | From A$42 per staff member a month | Per-staff pricing adds up as you grow | Established salons and spas |
| Calendly | Free for one event type. Standard about A$15–18 per seat a month | Built for meetings, not a front desk | Coaches, consultants and sales calls |
| My New Admin | $297 a month incl. GST, unlimited users | More than you need if you only want a booking page | Service businesses wanting booking, an AI receptionist, CRM and marketing together |
Prices are as published by each provider or reported by independent Australian comparison sites in 2026. Plans change, so check each website before you decide.
Square Appointments
A genuinely free booking tool for a single staff member at one location, with payments and point of sale built in.
- Good: free to start, Australian-dollar pricing, works with Square card readers.
- Watch out for: card fees, and paid plans for bigger teams or more locations.
Setmore
A simple, budget-friendly scheduler with a free plan for small teams.
- Good: free for up to four users, easy to set up.
- Watch out for: fewer features than salon-specific systems, and US-dollar pricing on paid plans.
Fresha
A salon and beauty platform with a booking marketplace that can bring you new clients.
- Good: beauty-specific features and marketplace exposure.
- Watch out for: the commission on new clients from its marketplace, card fees and US-dollar pricing.
Timely
A polished booking system built in New Zealand for hair and beauty businesses.
- Good: beauty-focused features, local support, integrated payments.
- Watch out for: per-staff pricing that grows with your team.
Calendly
A popular scheduling tool for meetings and consultations.
- Good: simple booking links, great calendar integrations.
- Watch out for: it’s designed for meetings, not walk-ins, services and front-desk bookings.
My New Admin
My New Admin’s online booking takes bookings 24/7, sends text and email reminders, syncs with Google and Outlook and can take deposits. Every booking is saved to your CRM, and your AI receptionist can book appointments over the phone too.
- Good: one flat price with unlimited users, booking connected to calls, messages, invoices and review requests.
- Watch out for: if you only need a simple booking page, a free tool may be enough.
How to choose
- Count your staff. Per-staff pricing is cheap for one person and expensive for ten.
- Check what reminders cost. Text reminders are the best defence against no-shows, so check whether they’re included.
- Look at payment fees, not just the subscription.
- Decide if you need more than bookings. If you also want call answering, follow-ups and reviews, an all-in-one platform saves juggling apps.
Struggling with no-shows? Read 9 ways to reduce no-shows.
Take bookings while you work. Try My New Admin free for 14 days and share your booking link today.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your business. Square Appointments and Setmore are good free starting points, Fresha and Timely suit salons, Calendly suits meetings, and My New Admin suits service businesses that want booking, reminders, an AI receptionist and their CRM in one app.
Yes. Square Appointments is free for one staff member at one location, and Setmore has a free plan for small teams. Card processing fees and paid upgrades may apply.
Most do, but some charge extra for text messages or only include them on higher plans. Check before you choose, because text reminders are one of the best ways to cut no-shows.
Many booking tools can take a deposit or full payment when people book, through a connected payment provider. My New Admin does this through your connected payment provider.