Belbo Business Solutions

What Belbo Business Solutions does

Belbo Business Software GmbH (formerly zeitfest GmbH, founded 2011 in Berlin) is a privately held, bootstrapped SaaS vendor that delivers a cloud-based appointment scheduling and business management platform for German-speaking SMB appointment-based service businesses, with deepest traction in hair and beauty salons and extensions into EMS & sports studios, cosmetic and personal care studios, personal trainers, and adjacent verticals such as physiotherapy, alternative practitioners (Heilpraktiker), and pet grooming. The company is led by co-founders Christopher Rudolf (Managing Director Germany, CEO/developer) and Anna-Lena Lewerenz (Managing Director Germany, design and customer service) with Manuel Brun as Managing Director Switzerland running a regional office in Schachen bei Luzern.

The core platform is a browser-based, installation-free calendar accessible across PC, Mac, smartphone, and tablet, with customer data stored on German and French servers. Around the calendar sit a set of paid add-on modules: an integrated POS system (Kassensystem) with product scanning, deposits, customer credits, split payments, EC-terminal connectivity, and automatic or paperless receipting; a legally compliant Cloud-TSE (Technische Sicherheitseinrichtung) certified with Deutsche Fiskal for German KassenSichV compliance with DATEV-compatible exports; marketing and customer-retention tools (email/SMS automation, vouchers, bonus programs, MailChimp-backed newsletters); employee time tracking and shift planning; a customizable customer database (Kundenkartei); statistics, reporting, and forecasting; a Headoffice multi-location dashboard; and hardware integrations delivered via the Belbo Satellite desktop utility for Epson printers (TM-20, TM-T88IV/V, M30, M30 II), Ingenico terminals via ZVT, SumUp Solo readers, and mPOP combo devices. Native iOS and Android apps extend staff access to mobile, and a customer-facing online-booking widget can be embedded on websites, Facebook Pages, and Instagram.

The business model is a transparent, publicly listed monthly subscription. The base calendar subscription is €19.90/month covering the first two calendar/location units, €10/month per additional unit; the POS module is €29.90/month; an SMS reminder package (150 SMS) is €10/month; Cloud-TSE is €12.50/month plus a €99 setup fee; and one-time setup/training fees scale with scope. Go-to-market is product-led growth anchored on the belbo.com website and self-serve free trial, supported by a content ecosystem (handbook, FAQ, YouTube tutorials, status page, blog), inside-sales consultation (Beratungstermin and lp.belbo.com/demo), and organic plus paid social/search marketing (SEO, Instagram, YouTube, Google/MailChimp/Pardot stacks, Facebook Pixel). The product is localized entirely for German-speaking markets; no SDK or public API is offered, and no AI/ML capabilities are claimed in the supplied material.

Name

Belbo Business Solutions

Legal name

Belbo Business Software GmbH

Website

https://belbo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Belbo Business Solutions GmbH (Berlin, bootstrapped, est. 2011) offers a cloud-based appointment scheduling and business management SaaS for SMB hair, beauty, EMS/sports, and wellness operators in the DACH region, with an integrated POS and certified German cash-register compliance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Calendar / Scheduling Subscription: Base subscription covering the online calendar, appointment scheduling, staff scheduling, and online booking module. Billed monthly. Two calendar units included in the base price, with additional units at a per-month surcharge.
2. POS / Cash Register Module: Optional add-on module for the integrated cash register system, including TSE support, receipt printing, and EC-terminal connectivity. Billed as a separate monthly subscription.
3. SMS Reminder Package: Optional SMS reminder package providing 150 SMS reminders per month at a flat monthly rate. Used for appointment confirmation and no-show reduction.
4. Cloud-TSE (Technical Security Unit): Certified cloud-based TSE subscription for German legal compliance. Includes a one-time setup fee and a recurring monthly fee. Required for businesses with a German registered office using the POS module.
5. Setup and Training Fees: One-time setup and training fees are charged separately, scaled to the scope of services received. Not recurring.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Belbo Business Solutions provides a cloud-based, all-in-one SaaS management platform for appointment-based service businesses such as hair salons, beauty and wellness studios, EMS/sports studios, and personal trainers. The platform combines an online calendar with intelligent online booking, an integrated TSE-compliant point-of-sale system, customer database, marketing automation, time tracking, and multi-location dashboards, accessible via browser and native iOS/Android apps.

Product overview

Belbo Business Software is a cloud-based appointment scheduling and business management platform designed primarily for service businesses with customer appointments (hairdressers, beauty salons, EMS/sports studios, physiotherapists, personal trainers). The core platform consists of the Belbo Online Calendar with integrated Online Booking, supplemented by an add-on POS System (Kassensystem) with Cloud-TSE certification for German fiscal compliance. Additional modules include Marketing & Customer Retention tools, Time Tracking (Zeiterfassung), Customer Database (Kundenkartei), Statistics & Reports, and Headoffice for multi-location management. The product is accessible via web browser, dedicated mobile apps for iOS/Android, and integrates with hardware peripherals (printers, card terminals, scanners). Formerly known as 'zeitfest' (founded 2011), the company rebranded to Belbo in October 2025. Pricing starts at €19.90/month for the first calendar unit plus €10/month per additional unit, with POS functionality at €29.90/month extra.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Belbo Online Kalender (Online Calendar)

Quantifiable outcome

• ~30% online booking adoption rate without active promotion; 80%+ reported with good communication
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration17 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Deutsche FiskalcoreTechnology or IntegrationDeutsche Fiskal provides the certified Cloud-TSE (Technische Sicherheitseinrichtung) that Belbo integrates into its POS module. This partnership is mandatory for German customers requiring TSE-compliant cash register functionality under KassenSichV regulations. Belbo Satellite software integrates with Deutsche Fiskal to generate and store digital transaction signatures.
• DATEVcoreTechnology or IntegrationBelbo's POS system supports exporting financial data in DATEV-compatible formats, allowing tax advisors and accountants to directly import business financial records. This is a key requirement for German businesses subject to statutory record-keeping obligations.
• media.net berlinbrandenburgminorOthersBelbo is a member of media.net berlinbrandenburg, a digital industry association for the Berlin-Brandenburg region, providing networking and industry visibility.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GlossGenius: GlossGenius is a beauty and wellness business management platform purpose-built for salons, spas, and independent beauty professionals. It targets the same primary customer profile as Belbo with booking, POS, and client management, primarily in North America.
• Booksy: Booksy is an appointment booking and business management platform for salons, barbers, and beauty professionals. It targets the same SMB hair-and-beauty customer base as Belbo, with mobile-first booking and a comparable all-in-one product offering.
• Phorest: Phorest is a salon and spa software platform known for strong CRM, marketing, and reporting capabilities. It serves the same hair-and-beauty vertical with a comparable all-in-one feature set, though with deeper roots in Ireland/UK.
• Treatwell: Treatwell is a European hair and beauty booking marketplace headquartered in London with strong presence in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is a direct competitor in Belbo's core DACH market, combining salon SaaS with a consumer-facing marketplace.
• Fresha: Fresha is a global salon, beauty, and wellness booking platform with a free-for-business model and a large consumer marketplace. It directly competes with Belbo in the same vertical (hair salons, beauty, fitness) and is the most aggressive VC-funded entrant into Belbo's core market.
• Vagaro: Vagaro is a US-headquartered salon, spa, and fitness business management platform offering booking, POS, marketing, and a consumer marketplace. It serves the same verticals as Belbo but at significantly larger scale and with a broader feature set.
• Salonized: Salonized is a European cloud-based salon and beauty management software, headquartered in the Netherlands. It targets the same SMB salon customer as Belbo with online booking, POS, CRM, and stock management.

Broad incumbents

• Mindbody: Mindbody is a large, established wellness and fitness business management platform serving salons, spas, fitness studios, and wellness practitioners. It overlaps with Belbo in the beauty/wellness segment but operates across a much broader portfolio (fitness, wellness, integrative health).
• Square Appointments: Square Appointments is Block's scheduling and POS product targeting service businesses including salons and spas. It is a broader incumbent offering integrated payments as a primary differentiator, overlapping with Belbo's calendar + POS positioning.

Regional players

• Resamania: Resamania is a French-headquartered salon and beauty management software. It overlaps with Belbo's vertical focus but is primarily positioned in the French market, making it a regional peer relevant to Belbo's broader DACH-adjacent footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BelboBusiness
• Instagraminstagram.com/belbo.business
• Xx.com/belbo_IT
• Facebookfacebook.com/belbo.business
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zeitfest

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Belbo Business Solutions