The verdict in three sentences
For a network of 5 to 30 centres in London or Toronto (imaging, physiotherapy, vehicle inspection, garages), booking software billed at EUR 50 to 140 per resource per month adds up to EUR 15,000 to 50,000 a year. A custom platform with slot rules, deposits, SMS reminders and calendar synchronisation costs EUR 30,000 to 60,000 (about USD 33,000 to 65,000) and breaks even in 18 to 30 months. The fastest lever remains reducing no-shows (8 to 15% today), which an online deposit often cuts in half.
What you pay today, resource by resource
Market booking tools charge per practitioner, per workstation or per vehicle lift. The bill grows with every new site, while features do not follow your business rules.
| Network size | Bookable resources | Monthly SaaS cost (EUR 50 to 140) | Annual SaaS cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 vehicle inspection centres | 12 lanes | EUR 600 to 1,680 | EUR 7,200 to 20,160 |
| 8 physiotherapy clinics | 25 practitioners | EUR 1,250 to 3,500 | EUR 15,000 to 42,000 |
| 12 dealer network garages | 30 lifts and advisers | EUR 1,500 to 4,200 | EUR 18,000 to 50,400 |
| 6 imaging centres | 18 modalities and radiologists | EUR 900 to 2,520 | EUR 10,800 to 30,240 |
| 20 mixed centres | 40 resources | EUR 2,000 to 5,600 | EUR 24,000 to 67,200 |
On top of this come SMS fees (EUR 0.05 to 0.09 per message), often resold with a margin, and the inability to change slot rules without waiting for the vendor's roadmap.
Booking SaaS or custom platform: the comparison
| Criterion | Booking SaaS | Custom platform |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | EUR 0 to 2,000 setup | EUR 30,000 to 60,000 |
| Recurring cost | EUR 50 to 140 per resource per month | EUR 5,000 to 9,000 a year (support, compliant health hosting where needed) |
| Slot rules (duration per procedure, prep time, machine) | Generic | Your rules, per site and per procedure |
| Online deposit and cancellation policy | Depends on plan, 1 to 3% commission | Stripe or equivalent, 1.5% + EUR 0.25 |
| SMS and e-mail reminders | Included or billed by volume | At carrier price, no markup |
| Calendar sync (Google, Outlook, practice software) | Partial | Two-way, including garage management or RIS software |
| Ownership of patient or customer data | With the vendor | Yours, full export |
Note: in healthcare (imaging, physiotherapy), data must be hosted on compliant health data infrastructure (HDS in France, NHS DSPT expectations in the UK, PHIPA in Ontario), which adds EUR 2,000 to 4,000 a year. For garages and vehicle inspection, standard hosting is enough.
The cost of no-shows
| Metric (2026 order of magnitude) | No deposit or reminder | Day-before SMS only | Day-before SMS + EUR 20 to 30 deposit |
|---|---|---|---|
| No-show rate | 12 to 15% | 7 to 9% | 3 to 5% |
| Lost slots on 30,000 appointments a year | 3,600 to 4,500 | 2,100 to 2,700 | 900 to 1,500 |
| Lost margin at EUR 40 per slot | EUR 144,000 to 180,000 | EUR 84,000 to 108,000 | EUR 36,000 to 60,000 |
| Annual SMS cost (EUR 0.07) | EUR 0 | EUR 2,100 | EUR 2,100 |
In most networks this item weighs far more than the software subscription. A custom platform is justified mainly because it applies your own deposit rules per procedure and per site.
Mini case study
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Stephen runs a network of 9 physiotherapy and rehabilitation clinics across Greater Toronto. He pays for 32 resources at EUR 75 a month, i.e. EUR 28,800 a year. He commissions a platform at EUR 48,000 with a EUR 20 deposit on first sessions, SMS reminders and sync with his practice software, for EUR 8,000 a year to run (compliant hosting included). The net saving of EUR 20,800 a year pays back the project in 28 months. By bringing no-shows down from 11% to 6% on 22,000 sessions at EUR 35 of margin, he also recovers EUR 38,500 a year: break-even then drops below 10 months.
FAQ
How long does it take to build the platform?
Allow 3 to 4 months: 3 weeks scoping slot rules, 8 to 10 weeks of development, then a 3 to 4 week pilot on 1 or 2 centres before the network rollout.
Can we keep visibility on public booking directories?
Yes. Some patients or customers will keep using those directories, and the platform can coexist or connect if the vendor offers an API. Typically 50 to 70% of bookings move to your own site within a year.
Does a deposit scare customers away?
A EUR 20 to 30 deposit, deducted from the bill and refunded for cancellations made 24 h ahead, rarely reduces bookings by more than 3 to 5%, and often halves no-shows.
Do we need compliant health data hosting?
Yes as soon as health data is processed (imaging, physiotherapy), for EUR 2,000 to 4,000 a year. Garages and vehicle inspection centres are not subject to it.
Can we add a centre at no extra cost?
Yes, opening a new site is configuration: no per-resource fee, only 1 to 2 days of setup if the rules are new.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of centres, bookable resources and current software bill: we will cost a platform between EUR 30,000 and 60,000 with a 36-month profitability calculation. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
