Setmore Pricing Plans: Is It Worth It For You? (2026 Review)

Key Takeaways

Setmore’s paid plan starts at $5/user/month. Pricing scales with every staff calendar you add.

Core features require Pro. SMS reminders, recurring bookings, and two-way calendar sync aren’t included on the free plan.

Add-ons increase your total spend. Payment processing fees, SMS limits, and the $99/month Live Receptionist cost extra.

Pabau starts at $69/month and includes scheduling, clinical records, marketing, payments, and no per-user fees.

Looking at Setmore pricing because it seems cheap? It is at first.

Add staff, unlock Pro features, or plug in third-party tools, and the real cost shows up.

In this guide, we break down Setmore’s pricing and when it makes sense to switch to a clinic-first platform like Pabau.

How much does Setmore cost?

Setmore uses per-user pricing for its paid tier, with an optional receptionist add-on. 

Here’s the full pricing breakdown:

Pabau: An Alternative

Pabau is a complete practice management system built for medical, aesthetic, and wellness clinics.

Unlike Setmore, which focuses on appointment scheduling, Pabau combines:

• Scheduling and online booking
• Electronic medical records (EMR) with notes, consents, and medical history
• Client records with before-and-after photos
• Payments, packages, and memberships
• Inventory and Point of Sale (POS)

Every plan includes core features without per-user charges or feature gating:

See the full breakdown on Pabau’s pricing page.

Setmore Pricing plans: A breakdown

Setmore keeps things simple with two plans: Free and Pro.

Free covers basic scheduling. Pro unlocks the features most growing teams need, like automation, tighter calendar control, and recurring bookings.

Here’s what changes when you upgrade.

Two-way calendar sync

The Free plan includes one-way calendar sync. Setmore can read your Google Calendar or Outlook, but it doesn’t block time back.

That means double-bookings are still possible.

Pro adds full two-way sync:

• Appointments booked in Setmore appear in Google or Outlook
• Appointments added to Google or Outlook block time in Setmore
• Changes update automatically across both calendars

SMS appointment reminders

The Free plan only includes email reminders. 

Pro adds automated SMS reminders before appointments, which helps reduce no-shows and last-minute gaps.

You can customize the message and choose when it sends (from 1 hour to 30 days in advance). Custom notifications run automatically once an appointment is booked.

Recurring appointments

Recurring appointments are only available on Pro.

Pro lets you:

• Schedule weekly, biweekly, or monthly recurring bookings
• Send automatic reminders to every participant
• Host remote appointments through Google Meet for virtual sessions

The Free plan only supports one-time appointments.

Live Receptionist (optional add-on)

Live Receptionist is a separate add-on that costs $99 per month and is available in the US only.

It provides 24/7 call answering through AnswerConnect. Agents can:

• Answer questions and take messages
• Book appointments directly into your Setmore calendar
• Transfer urgent calls
• Offer English and Spanish support

It’s useful for small teams that can’t staff a front desk but don’t want to miss calls.

Setmore hidden costs

Setmore’s pricing looks straightforward at first. But a few costs aren’t immediately obvious:

• Payment processing fees (payment integration required)

Setmore doesn’t process payments itself. You’ll need a separate payment integration with Stripe, Square, or PayPal. Each provider charges transaction fees, typically 2.6 to 2.9% plus $0.30 per payment, which adds up quickly at higher volumes.

• SMS fair use limits

Pro includes SMS reminders, but usage isn’t unlimited. High-volume sending may trigger restrictions or additional charges. SMS availability also varies by country.

• Calendar conflicts without Pro

The Free plan only offers one-way calendar sync. Managing multiple calendars can lead to double-bookings unless you upgrade to Pro ($5 to $12 per user per month) for two-way sync.

• No cancellation refunds

Annual plans are paid upfront. Cancel mid-year, and you won’t receive a prorated refund for unused months.

Expert Picks: What to read next

Need more than scheduling? Review patient management systems for records and daily operations.

Focused on growth? See clinic management software built to increase revenue.

Want easier self-service for patients? Compare top patient portal tools for bookings and messaging.

Setmore pros & cons

Here’s a quick breakdown of where Setmore works well and where it starts to show limits.

Pros

• Generous free plan: 200 appointments per month, payment processing, branded booking page, group classes, and up to 4 users at no cost.
• Low entry price: Pro plan starts at $5/user/month when billed annually.
• Easy to use: Simple interface with minimal learning curve for staff and clients. Available via web app and mobile app on iOS and Android.
• Strong integrations: Connects with Google Calendar, Facebook, Instagram, Zoom, and payment processors.
• 24/7 support: Live chat and phone support available around the clock.

Cons

• Per-user pricing adds up: Costs increase with every staff member, which can get expensive for growing clinics.
• Key features locked behind Pro: SMS reminders, recurring appointments, two-way calendar sync, and Google reviews requests require a paid plan.
• No clinical or EMR tools: No treatment notes, medical records, or built-in HIPAA workflows. Setmore Health is a separate add-on.
• Limited marketing automation: Basic reminders only. No advanced campaigns, recalls, or client segmentation.
• Basic reporting and branding limits: Reports offer minimal business insight, and the free plan includes Setmore branding unless you upgrade.

Want more than basic reports? Check out Pabau’s reporting and analytics tools.

Who is Setmore best for?

Setmore works best for small service businesses that need straightforward appointment scheduling.

It doesn’t include clinical documentation or medical workflows.

Solo service providers

A solid fit for independent professionals such as:

• Personal trainers
• Consultants and coaches
• Tutors and educators
• Home service providers (cleaning, landscaping, photography)

The Free plan includes online booking, payment processing, and a branded mobile app for clients. You can get started without upfront costs.

Small beauty and wellness businesses

Works well for non-medical businesses like:

• Hair salons
• Nail salons
• Massage therapy (non-clinical)
• Yoga and fitness studios

Upgrading to Pro adds SMS reminders and recurring appointments. This makes it easier to manage regular clients and cut down on no-shows.

You can also set business hours and handle bookings across multiple time zones.

For medical spas and aesthetic clinics, Pabau’s medspa software is typically a better fit.

Budget-conscious businesses

Setmore is a practical choice for startups and small teams that only need:

• Basic scheduling and reminders
• Online booking and payment collection
• Simple calendar management
• Group class scheduling

If you don’t need clinical records, marketing automation, or advanced reporting, Setmore’s Free plan is a low-cost starting point.

Need more robust features? Consider software built for primary care, GP clinics, skin clinics, or wellness centres (such as Pabau).

Setmore customer reviews

Setmore earns strong marks for ease of use and its generous free plan, with a 4.6/5 rating on Capterra.

Users like the simple interface and low cost. Common complaints mention limited customization, patchy calendar sync, and key features locked behind paid tiers.

Positives

A Capterra reviewer praises the customization of notifications and alerts, especially for appointments requiring integration with other platforms.

They also appreciate being able to log daily tasks and notes to track productivity throughout the day.

Complaints

Another reviewer notes frustrations with scheduling flexibility and sync reliability.

They report that day-specific scheduling isn’t possible—like restricting virtual appointments to Tuesdays only. The Google Calendar sync doesn’t always work and requires frequent reconnection.

Best Alternative to Setmore: Pabau

Pabau is what clinics move to when scheduling software isn’t enough. 

It handles the clinical and operational work that Setmore doesn’t.

• All-in-one client records & medical documentation

Medical history, consents, treatment notes, prescriptions, and photos are stored in one client record. Staff can view the full timeline at a glance and update everything in the same place.

For more details, see how Pabau compares with other EMR systems.

• Integrated inventory & retail POS system

Setmore has no inventory management or retail capabilities whatsoever.

Pabau tracks:

• Product stock and treatment supplies
• Automated reorder alerts when inventory runs low
• Full POS for retail sales at checkout
• Stock movement reports across multiple locations

Learn more about Pabau’s stock management features.

• Automated marketing & client retention tools

Setmore only offers basic email and SMS reminders. Marketing requires third-party tools.

Pabau includes:

• Pre/post-treatment care sequences
• Birthday campaigns and anniversary messages
• Review requests and re-engagement automation
• Client segmentation for targeted campaigns
• SMS and email marketing with trackable links

You can set up automated recall campaigns for treatments and send personalized aftercare automatically. Engagement and results are tracked inside the platform.

Here’s how Pabau’s pricing compares with Setmore:

For a deeper comparison, see Setmore vs Fresha vs Pabau.

Operate Your Whole Practice in One Place with Pabau

If you’re a solo provider or small salon that only needs basic scheduling, Setmore’s free plan can work well.

But if you’re running a medical or aesthetic practice, costs add up. 

Per-user fees, limited clinical features, and reliance on third-party tools for marketing and inventory create inefficiency.

In those cases, an all-in-one system like Pabau makes more sense.

Book a demo to see how it could work for your practice.

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