1. Cost by option
Start at the top of this list and only move down when the option above stops working for you.
| Option | Cost | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Embed your existing tool | $100–$200 | Your Calendly, Acuity, Square, Vagaro or Mindbody booking link or widget placed on your new site, styled to match and tested on mobile. |
| Deeper integration | $200–$500 | Booking buttons per service and staff member, styling to match your site, real-phone testing. Also the price for deeper booking on an existing site. |
| Custom booking system | $1,500–$4,000 | Booking built into your own site and database, with your services, hours, buffers and confirmation emails. |
| Payments and deposits | $700–$1,200 | Connecting a processor such as Stripe, if your site doesn’t take payments yet. |
2. What moves the price
Each range starts with the basics. These add-ons move a quote toward the top, and you choose which ones you need.
| Custom booking system ($1,500–$4,000) | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Multi-staff / multi-resource scheduling | +$700 |
| Deposit + payment at booking | +$500 |
| SMS + email reminders | +$500 |
| Cancellation / reschedule flow | +$400 |
| Admin calendar + overrides | +$400 |
| Booking tool integration ($200–$500) | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Match site branding (colors/fonts) | +$100 |
| Multiple team / location booking | +$100 |
| Custom intake form fields | +$100 |
How many people and resources get booked
One calendar is simple. Several staff, rooms or machines that each have their own availability, and services that need two of them at once, take more work.
How many rules you have
Deposits that vary by service, cancellation windows, buffer times and exceptions for regulars are each written in code. The more of them, the higher the quote.
Where booking has to show up
A single booking page is quick. Booking buttons on every service and staff page, each opening the right flow, take longer to wire and test.
3. What’s included and what’s billed separately
Your new site includes WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility, basic on-page SEO, first-year domain registration and launch. A custom booking system includes confirmation emails and becomes part of the site you own.
Billed separately: embedding your booking tool ($100–$200), hosting ($60/mo, $100/mo or $180/mo), your payment processor’s card fees, any text-message costs if you add SMS reminders, and later changes at $100/hr.
4. Booking software vs. custom: the five-year math
Many booking tools charge per staff seat or per calendar, so the bill grows as you hire. A custom system is paid once and costs the same at any team size. The custom total assumes your site is already on a hosting plan; if it isn’t, add Core at $60/mo. The table below starts at five people who take bookings. Change the numbers to match yours.
| Option | How it's priced | Total | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calendly Teams1 | $16 per user / mo | $4,800 | Custom costs less |
| Acuity Scheduling Standard2 | $27 / mo (up to 6 calendars) | $1,620 | About even |
| Vagaro (per location)3 | $30–$90 / mo by team size (up to 7 users), more staff free | $4,200 | Custom costs less |
| Mindbody Starter4 | $79 / mo (per location, unlimited users) | $4,740 | Custom costs less |
| Custom booking system (ArdinGate) | $1,500–$4,000 once, assumes your site already has hosting | $1,500–$4,000 | You own it |
Each plan at its cheapest published rate (usually billed annually), plus required onboarding fees. Prices checked October 2026; vendors change them, so confirm on their pricing page. Your quote is fixed after a short discovery call.
At five staff over five years, Calendly Teams totals $4,800 (custom costs less), Acuity Standard $1,620 (about even), Vagaro $4,200 (custom costs less) and Mindbody Starter $4,740 (custom costs less), against $1,500–$4,000 for a custom build.
For one or two people, the subscription usually costs less. For one person, Calendly Standard totals $6001 over five years: the subscription costs less. For two, Calendly Standard totals $1,2001: the subscription costs less. If your tool does what you need, keep it and have it embedded for $100–$200.
Custom pays off when per-seat fees grow with every hire, your rules don’t fit a settings page, or booking belongs inside your own CRM or client portal. Keep Vagaro or Mindbody if their marketplace brings you new clients. Full comparison: booking software vs. custom →
5. How quotes and timelines work
The ranges here are budgets. Your fixed quote follows a short discovery call about your services, staff and rules. Adding booking to an existing site usually takes 3 to 7 business days. On a new site, booking is built alongside everything else with no separate phase.
Pricing a whole new site with booking, or the booking system on its own? Try the cost estimator.
6. Common questions
Is there a per-user fee with a custom booking system?
No. It costs the same whether one person takes bookings or fifteen. You pay for the build ($1,500–$4,000) and your payment processor’s standard card rate if you take payments, with no booking-platform fee on top.
Can I keep my current booking tool?
Yes. Embedding your existing booking link or widget on your new site is a small add-on at $100–$200. Deeper integration, such as service-specific booking buttons, links that open the right staff member, and branded styling, runs $200–$500.
How much does it cost to take deposits at booking?
On a custom system, deposits and payment at booking are an add-on to the build. If your site doesn’t take payments yet, connecting a processor such as Stripe runs $700–$1,200, and you pay the processor’s standard card rate directly.
What does a booking system cost to maintain?
A custom system runs on your site’s hosting, so if your site is already on a hosting plan there’s no separate subscription. If it isn’t, add Core hosting at $60/mo. Changes after launch, such as new services or rules, are billed at $100/hr.
Can I start with a booking tool and go custom later?
Yes, and for a small team that’s usually the cheaper order. Before you cancel, export what your plan allows (client list and appointment history where available); that data gets mapped into a custom system when you outgrow the tool.
Calendly, Acuity Scheduling, Square Appointments, Vagaro and Mindbody are trademarks of their respective owners. ArdinGate isn't affiliated with any of them.