Comparison
BookFade vs theCut
No booking fee on your clients, ever
theCut is probably the most downloaded barber app in the game, with a free tier that gets you listed and a $25/mo PRO plan for growth tools. The catch sits on your clients: a $0.95 processing fee on their bookings, a small tax on every appointment that your client pays for choosing you. BookFade never charges your clients anything. Flat subscription, your own booking page, clean checkout.
| Feature | BookFade | theCut |
|---|---|---|
| Base price | $29.99/mo solo (or $99.99/yr), $59.99/mo for a shop (or $199.99/yr) | Free tier; PRO $25/mo |
| Fee your client pays | Nothing, ever | $0.95 processing fee per booking |
| Your own booking page | Yes, yours and brandable | Profile link inside theCut app |
| SMS and email reminders | Included | Client blasts on PRO |
| Shop plan | $59.99/mo flat for the whole team | Staff management on paid tiers |
| Client list ownership | Yours, exportable | Clients live in theCut app |
theCut offers a free basic tier, a PRO subscription at $25/mo with client blasts and growth tools, card processing at 2.75%, and a $0.95 processing fee paid by the client per booking. Competitor pricing checked July 2026 from public pricing pages; always confirm current rates with the vendor.
Which should you pick?
theCut's free tier is a real on-ramp if you are brand new and want to exist somewhere clients already search. Once your book is yours, the math flips: your clients should not pay a fee to book you, and your client list should not live inside someone else's app. That is the BookFade model.
FAQ
Common questions
Is theCut free for barbers?
There is a free basic tier. The PRO plan with growth tools is $25/mo, processing is 2.75%, and your clients pay a $0.95 processing fee on bookings.
Do my clients pay anything on BookFade?
No. There are no client-side booking fees. Your client pays your price and nothing else.
Can I switch from theCut to BookFade?
Yes. Set up your services and hours, share your BookFade page with your clients, and your book follows you. Your client list on BookFade is yours and exportable.
Keep every dollar from every chair
Flat pricing, your own booking page, reminders that kill no-shows. Free trial, no card required.
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