Start Booking

What Start Booking does

Start Booking, LLC is a privately held, bootstrapped SaaS company that provides online scheduling and appointment-booking software for small and medium-sized service businesses. Its core platform supports self-serve booking of appointments, classes, and group events, with configurable services, staff assignments, availability rules, customer self-service, and automated email confirmations. The company is legally domiciled in Utah, USA as Start Booking, LLC.

The product stack is built around a cloud-based scheduling engine extended by a native WordPress booking plugin (the flagship distribution vehicle), native iOS and Android mobile apps, a REST API, and Webhooks. Functional modules include a built-in CRM, customer portal, packages/bundles, upsells, and integrations with Stripe (exclusive payment processor, 1%–3% tiered fees on top of Stripe's own fees), Google Calendar (two-way sync), Zoom, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, and Zapier. White-label customization allows the booking flow to be embedded seamlessly into a business's own website.

Start Booking operates a product-led growth model: SMBs sign up for a 14-day free trial, self-configure, and pay monthly subscriptions across Free, Basic/Individual, Business, and Professional tiers. The company also monetizes via tiered per-transaction payment processing fees on Stripe-processed volume and runs a ShareASale affiliate program (35% recurring commission, 90-day cookie). Customer segments span salons, yoga/fitness studios, life coaches, massage therapists, and medical spas, with no disclosed enterprise contracts.

Name

Start Booking

Legal name

Start Booking, LLC

Website

https://startbooking.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Start Booking is a bootstrapped, cloud-based SaaS platform that provides online appointment, class, and event booking with integrated CRM and Stripe payments, primarily serving small service businesses through a self-serve model anchored by a native WordPress plugin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Scheduling and Appointment Booking Software

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Appointment Reservations (Spa, Salon, Wellness) (HSACALAK)

Keywords

• Online booking software
• Appointment scheduling
• WordPress booking plugin
• Small business CRM
• Stripe payment integration

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Subscription Plans (SaaS): Recurring monthly or annual subscription fees for access to the Start Booking platform, with tiers differentiated by feature access and booking volume. Plans are Basic, Business, and Professional, all billed monthly. Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled with 30 days notice.
2. Payment Processing Fees: Start Booking charges a per-transaction percentage fee on all payments processed through its platform using Stripe: 3% for Free plans, 2.5% for Basic/Individual plans, 1.5% for Business plans, and 1% for Pro plans. These are charged in addition to Stripe's own fees.
3. Affiliate Referrals (ShareASale): Start Booking earns revenue through customer referrals via the ShareASale affiliate program. Affiliates earn commissions per paid signup (Basic: $27.65, Business: $52.15, Professional: $104.65) while Start Booking retains the subscription revenue from converted customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Start Booking is a cloud-based online scheduling and appointment booking SaaS platform for small service-based businesses and individual service providers. It enables 24/7 self-service booking of appointments, classes, and group events through customizable booking flows, with bundled CRM, online payments via Stripe, packages, upsells, and integrations with Google Calendar, Zoom, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, and Zapier. A flagship native WordPress plugin and mobile apps for iOS and Android extend booking reach into customer websites and on-the-go staff.

Product overview

Start Booking is a unified online scheduling and booking platform designed for service-based small businesses. The core product consists of the Start Booking Platform with integrated modules for Online Booking, Scheduling & Appointments, Classes & Group Bookings, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Online Payments. The platform includes a WordPress Booking Plugin as the primary website integration, with additional modules including Packages for bundling services, Upsells for cross-selling during booking, Zoom Integration for virtual meetings, and a Mobile App for iOS and Android. All these components work together within a single subscription to provide end-to-end booking management from website embed to payment processing to customer communication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Start Booking Platform Cloud-based online scheduling and appointment booking platform for small service-based businesses and individual service providers. Combines online booking, scheduling and appointments, classes and group bookings, CRM, online payments via Stripe, packages, upsells, white-label customization, and integrations with Google Calendar, Zoom, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, Webhooks and Zapier.
• WordPress Booking Plugin Native WordPress plugin that enables full booking functionality embedded directly within a WordPress website without requiring calendar management from the WordPress admin. Supports shortcodes for embedding, customer-facing booking pages, and admin management.

Quantifiable outcome

• Email marketing generates $42 for every $1 spent (4,200% ROI), according to HubSpot — Start Booking captures email addresses at booking for use in Mailchimp and similar platforms

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature14 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• WordPresscoreTechnology or IntegrationStart Booking offers a native WordPress plugin enabling full booking functionality embedded within WordPress websites. The plugin supports shortcodes, service configuration, and booking flow embedded directly in the WordPress admin experience without leaving the platform.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationStripe is the exclusive payment processor integrated with Start Booking. It handles all payment processing, credit card tokenization, and billing management. Start Booking applies tiered transaction fees (1%–3%) on top of Stripe's fees. Stripe supports customer credit card storage for repeat payments.
• Google CalendarcoreTechnology or IntegrationTwo-way sync between Start Booking and Google Calendar. OAuth connection stores calendar keys and timezone. Start Booking fetches calendar data on each calendar load to display events; no personal Google data is stored on Start Booking servers beyond OAuth keys and calendar IDs.
• ZoomcoreTechnology or IntegrationZoom integration automatically creates Zoom meeting links for booked appointments and classes. Each user connects their own Zoom account at the user level. Links are displayed on the booking calendar and emailed in confirmation messages. Works with both free and paid Zoom accounts.
• ShareASale (Affiliate Program)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerStart Booking uses ShareASale's affiliate network and tracking infrastructure for its affiliate program. Affiliates earn 35% recurring commission on referred customer subscriptions with 90-day cookie tracking. Start Booking manually reviews and approves all affiliates.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Calendly: Widely-used scheduling and appointment-booking SaaS across SMBs and enterprises; directly overlaps Start Booking's online booking, calendar sync, and self-service scheduling core functionality.
• Acuity Scheduling (Squarespace): SMB-focused scheduling product with appointment booking, packages, payments (Squarespace/Stripe), and integrations — serving the same salons, coaches, and wellness providers as Start Booking.
• Vagaro: Salon, spa, and fitness booking and business management platform with appointment scheduling, payments, and marketing — directly comparable to Start Booking's salon/wellness focus.
• Mindbody: Vertical SaaS leader for fitness studios, yoga, salons, and spas with booking, class scheduling, payments, and CRM — overlapping Start Booking's fitness/yoga/wellness segments.
• Setmore: Online appointment scheduling with free tier, Stripe payments, calendar sync, and CRM — competes directly for SMB service businesses across multiple verticals.
• Fresha: Beauty and wellness marketplace/platform with free booking, payments, and marketplace discovery — targets the same salon, barber, and spa customers as Start Booking.
• Square Appointments: Block-owned booking product tailored to service-based SMBs with integrated payments and POS; competes head-to-head for salons, spas, and wellness operators.
• SimplyBook.me: Cloud-based appointment booking SaaS serving providers in healthcare, beauty, fitness, and consulting with online booking, payments, and website widgets.
• Bookly: WordPress-native booking plugin focused on appointments for service businesses; directly competes with Start Booking on the same WordPress distribution channel.

Emerging players

• Dubsado: Client management platform for service-based small businesses with scheduling, contracts, invoicing, and CRM — partial overlap with Start Booking's CRM + scheduling offering for coaches and creators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/startbooking

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Start Booking