A transparent, like for like view of common pricing structures.

When choosing a booking platform, headline pricing often looks simple.  In practice, the total cost is driven by how multiple fee layers combine, including monthly licence fees, booking fees, per transaction charges, payment processing, and tax treatment.

• Multiple fee layers compound quickly at scale.
• Fixed per transaction charges can become material sooner than expected.
• Payment method and payment provider choice can significantly change the total cost.

Assumptions used.

Annual revenue, £500,000. Average transaction value, £50.
Annual transactions, 10,000, approximately 833 per month. Franchisees, 12.

In this scenario, total monthly cost ranges from £1,333 to £2,847, without changing booking volume.

*Figures are illustrative and rounded. Actual fees vary by provider, contract, region, payment mix, and pricing tier.

Many platforms charge across several layers.  These commonly include monthly fees per franchisee or per location, booking or platform fees, fixed per transaction charges, payment processing fees, and tax treatment on platform fees.

Each individual charge may appear small in isolation.  Together, they can push the effective cost to several percentage points of revenue, particularly when fixed transaction fees are multiplied across thousands of bookings.

For example, at approximately 833 transactions per month, a 20p fee alone equates to around £167 per month, before any percentage-based fees are applied.

• Per franchise or per location monthly fees quickly become a fixed overhead across a network.
• Higher booking percentages have an immediate impact on monthly cash flow.
• Fixed per transaction fees compound quickly at scale.
• Payment provider choice materially affects total cost over time.

Another often overlooked factor is how customers pay.  With Booking Autopilot, if a customer pays by bank transfer, there are no card processing fees.  Many other platforms, by contrast, charge a blended booking and payment fee regardless of how the customer pays, meaning providers may still incur card level fees even when no card is involved.

For camps, term bookings, and higher value transactions, this difference can materially affect total costs over time.

Tax treatment varies by jurisdiction and commercial setup.  When comparing platforms, it is important to ensure your total cost comparison reflects any applicable taxes so that you are comparing like for like.

• Are fees charged per franchisee or per location.
• Are there fixed per transaction charges as well as percentage based fees.
• Are payment fees separate or blended into booking fees.
• Do costs change depending on how customers pay.

There is no single right booking platform for every children’s activity provider. However, transparent pricing makes it far easier to make an informed decision and to plan confidently for growth.

At Booking Autopilot, we aim to be clear about how fees work, how payment costs are applied, and where providers can reduce unnecessary charges as they scale. When margins are tight and volumes are high, small numbers really do add up.