How to choose a booking system for a small business
Start with how customers book, how you take payment and what needs replacing. Use these examples and sources to check the details before choosing.
Updated 24 October 2026
Start with three decisions
This guide is written by Belleminds AB, the company behind Bellebook. We are a supplier, not an independent reviewer. The examples are buying and testing scenarios, not customer testimonials.
- Keep your existing till or replace payment handling too?
- How many people and resources must be bookable at the same time?
- Do you need your own website, a booking widget on an existing site, or a marketplace?
Example: two hairdressers keeping their till
Set up a 30-minute haircut and a 90-minute treatment with different working hours for each person. Book from a phone and check that a busy slot cannot be booked again.
With Starter, customers book on your Bellebook website or through the widget on your existing site. Take payment through your own till and mark the appointment paid in Bellebook. That status does not replace the till receipt or accounting.
Budget for a whole month
Starter costs SEK 399/month excluding VAT, including all staff and locations. SMS costs SEK 1.19 per SMS. Budget for subscription + billed SMS × the SMS price + your existing till and payment costs. A long message counts as several SMS.
Use the same cost categories for each provider: website, users, resources, payments and any new-customer commission. A starting price is not a complete budget.
TimeCenter: count calendars
TimeCenter lists One/Plus/Pro at SEK 299/429/599 monthly for 1, 2–3 and 4–10 calendars when buying 12 months. Each calendar represents a bookable person or resource. Confirm VAT and payment period in your quote.
Timma: count users and website costs
Timma lists SEK 150 per user per month, with no extra user charge above seven users. Its Genie website is listed at SEK 200/month extra. Confirm additional services and VAT in your quote.
Pro is a separate choice
Compare integrated till, payments and administration separately. Bellebook Pro is in pilot. Starter does not include Pro’s till, financial tools or Belle performing tasks. Do not compare a Starter subscription with a competitor total that already includes payment processing.
Try the same booking in each system
Use fictional details and follow both the customer and staff journey. Note every manual step and system switch.
- Book, reschedule and cancel from a phone; inspect the confirmations.
- Check staff availability, duration and price before confirming.
- Test payment handling and find the receipt and accounting record.
- Get written answers on import, export, cancellation and total costs.
Choose for your main need
Starter is worth exploring if your till works and you want booking and your own website together. If marketplace acquisition is essential, include its value in your decision. No new website automatically guarantees customers from Google.