Booking commission vs subscription: what a booking system really costs

Two ways booking systems charge

Some booking systems charge a percentage of each booking, sometimes alongside a monthly fee. Others charge a flat monthly subscription and take nothing per booking. Card processing fees from your payment provider apply either way.

A simple worked example

Imagine you take $20,000 of online bookings in a month. A 3% booking fee is $600 that month; at $60,000 in peak season it is $1,800. A flat subscription stays the same however much you sell.

Percentage fees can feel cheaper when you are small, but they grow with every booking. Work out the cost at your busiest month, not your quietest.

Who pays the fee?

Some systems let you pass the booking fee to travellers. That keeps your margin, but it raises the price travellers see at checkout, which can make you look more expensive than a competitor showing an all-in price.

Questions to ask any provider

• Is there a fee per booking, and does it apply to bookings you take by phone or in person?
• Is a website included, or only a booking widget?
• Which features cost extra?
• Can you export your bookings and customers if you leave?

How Tourtify charges

Tourtify is a flat monthly subscription with no commission on bookings. Your booking website is included, and payments go straight to your own payment provider account.