Two subscriptions vs one purchase. Here's the math.
Setmore charges $5/month ($201 over 3 years). Booksy charges $40/month ($1,611 over 3 years). Helix includes bookings as part of a $279 one-time purchase — plus scheduling, CRM, time tracking, and full accounting. You save $-78 vs Setmore and $1,332 vs Booksy over 3 years. Break even in weeks, not years.
| Feature | Setmore | Booksy | Helix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public booking page | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Service menu | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Availability display | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Booking confirmations | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Intake forms | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Deposit collection | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cancellation policies | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Booking reminders | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Price | $5/mo | $40/mo | $279 once |
| 5-Year Cost | $376 | $3,014 | $279 |
Setmore and Booksy are both popular choices for bookings, but they solve the problem differently. Setmore at $5/month is the budget-friendly option, though you may find gaps as your business grows. Booksy at $40/month charges a premium for its broader feature set. Both are subscriptions — meaning you pay every month whether you use them heavily that month or not.
The third option most people miss: stop subscribing entirely. Helix includes bookings as part of a $279 one-time purchase. No monthly drain. Everything is integrated — your bookings connects directly to your CRM, scheduling, invoicing, and time tracking. No Zapier. No copying data between apps.
SaaS tools increase prices an average of 11.4% per year — five times general inflation. Here is what that looks like for these three tools:
By year 5, Setmore has cost you $97 more than Helix. Booksy has cost you $2,735 more. That money goes to a subscription company. With Helix, it stays in your business.
Choose Helix if: You're a solo operator or small team who wants to own your tools and stop paying monthly for bookings.
Helix is built for solopreneurs and small teams (1-3 people) who run service-based businesses. If you are a plumber, photographer, house cleaner, personal trainer, nail tech, landscaper, or any other trade where you book clients, do work, and send invoices — Helix replaces the 3-5 subscriptions you are currently paying for. Everything is integrated: your calendar connects to your CRM, your jobs auto-generate invoices, your time tracking feeds your accounting. No Zapier. No copying between apps. $279 once — or $99 today and two more payments — and you own your tools forever.