Guides · Comparisons
Sway vs Timely for UK salons
Compare Sway and Timely on UK pricing, salon features, setup time, and which suits established multi-chair salons vs growing studios.
Published 25 June 2026
Why UK salons compare Sway and Timely
Timely has been around for years and is a familiar name in salon software. Sway is newer but built for UK appointment businesses that want flat pricing, modern booking UX, and coverage beyond traditional hair salons.
Who Timely vs Sway is best for
Timely suits established salons that want a proven salon management product and are willing to invest in setup and subscription. Sway suits owners who want to launch quickly, avoid marketplace economics, and serve wellness as well as beauty.
Subscription and total cost
- Timely: tiered salon pricing based on plan and staff; confirm current UK rates on their site.
- Sway: free tier available; Individual from £14.99/mo; Team includes 2 staff with add-on seats.
- Neither charges marketplace commission — compare subscription, add-ons, and payment processing for your team size.
Worked example: team of three
A three-stylist salon on Timely pays Timely's per-plan subscription plus any add-ons. On Sway Team, two staff are included with additional seats billed as add-ons — with no marketplace commission on any booking.
Run your real staff count and monthly bookings through both pricing pages before deciding.
Features that matter day to day
Timely offers deep salon management features built over many years. Sway focuses on calm online booking, deposits, group sessions, embeds, calendar sync, loyalty, and passes — with a mobile-first client experience.
If you need heavy inventory or legacy salon workflows, evaluate Timely's full feature list. If you need a modern booking page fast, Sway is often quicker to launch.
Switching from Timely to Sway
Export your client and service data from Timely, recreate services on Sway, and run both calendars briefly while you update your public booking links. Our team can help plan the move if you are on a larger staff setup.
Side-by-side summary
The table below covers Sway vs marketplace-led tools (Fresha, Booksy, Treatwell). Timely is subscription-only like Sway — use the sections above for Timely-specific pricing and features.
Sway pricing at a glance
No marketplace commission on new bookings.
Free £0/mo · Individual £14.99/mo · Team £19.99/mo (2 staff) · extra staff £7.99/seat/mo
Platform fee on online card payments only — from 0.35% on Team to 2.4% on Free. No fee on pay-at-venue bookings.
| Feature | Sway | Fresha | Booksy | Treatwell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo — monthly software | £0/mo Free · £14.99/mo Individual | £14.95/mo min · 7-day trial only | £40/mo + VAT (all features) | Plan fee + marketplace commission |
| Team of 2 — monthly software | £19.99/mo · 2 staff included | ~£19.90/mo (£9.95 × 2 staff) | £50/mo + VAT (2 staff) | Limited team tools |
| Team of 5 — monthly software | £43.96/mo · 2 staff + 3 add-on seats | ~£49.75/mo (£9.95 × 5 staff) | £60/mo + VAT (5 staff) | Limited team tools |
| Marketplace commission on new bookings | None — including Sway marketplace | Up to 20% on new marketplace clients (min £4) | Optional Boost: 30% on first visit (min £5 + VAT) | 35% on first booking from new marketplace clients (+ VAT) |
| Online payment platform fee | 0.35%–2.4% on card payments · £0 on pay-at-venue (+ Stripe) | Card processing fees apply | Processing + subscription fees | Processing + booking fees |
| Free forever plan (not a trial) | ||||
| Deposits & card payments on free plan | ||||
| Your own branded booking URL | Marketplace listing only | |||
| Customers browse without an account | Sign in only at checkout | Account often required | Varies | Required |
| In-app customer messaging | Included | SMS / WhatsApp add-ons | Varies | Limited |
| Website embed on your site | £14.99/mo (Individual+) | Direct links · limited embed | Varies | |
| Gift vouchers | Individual+ | Varies | ||
| Prepaid passes | Individual+ | Packages / memberships | Varies | |
| Promo discount codes | Individual+ | Limited | Varies | Varies |
| Loyalty rewards | Individual+ | Limited | Varies | |
| Team roles, staff calendars & analytics | Included on Team (£19.99/mo) | Per-seat subscription + add-ons | Higher tiers | Limited |
| Calendar sync (Google, Apple, Outlook) | Individual+ · per-staff on Team | Varies |
Sway pricing and platform fees reflect current UK plans. Team includes 2 staff; additional seats are billed as add-ons. Competitor pricing verified June 2026 — confirm on each provider's site (Fresha, Booksy, Treatwell). VAT applies to competitor subscriptions where noted.
Frequently asked questions
Timely uses tiered pricing based on plan and staff. Check gettimely.com for current UK rates — costs vary by salon size and features.
We'll help you switch
On Fresha, Booksy, Treatwell, Phorest, Square, Timely, or something else? Tell us what you use and we'll help you move your services, staff, and bookings.
Free, no obligation. We'll email you to plan the move.
Switch from Timely to Sway
Start free with your own booking page. Run Sway alongside your current tool for two weeks, then move repeat clients to your Sway link.
Related guides
Booking tool comparison for UK salons and wellness
Compare Sway, Fresha, Booksy, and Treatwell on UK commission, pricing, embeds, and client ownership — an honest overview for salons and wellness studios.
Why Sway is often cheaper than other booking tools
Understand Sway's flat UK pricing, no marketplace commission, and platform fee only on online payments — compared to Fresha, Booksy, and Treatwell.
How to switch to Sway from Fresha, Booksy, or another tool
Step-by-step guide to migrating your UK salon or wellness business to Sway: services, clients, payments, embed, and parallel running without losing bookings.
