Free for you. Really.
No monthly fee, subscriptions or lock-ins.
Little Engine costs you nothing to run your business on. Your clients pay a $1 service fee per booked appointment plus standard payment processing, added at checkout, so the price you set is the price you receive.
Get your business number- Your own local business number for texts and calls
- Suggested replies for every client text
- Booking by text, plus a live booking link
- Your public booking page
- Text reminders before every session
- Two-way Google Calendar sync and client calendar invites
- Automatic payments by card or bank account
- Packages, recurring sessions, and travel time
- Client profiles with full history
- Your Money tab and payouts to your bank
What your clients pay
Two things are added at checkout: Little Engine’s $1 service fee, and standard processing so the payment covers its own costs. Card payments are 2.9% + 30¢; bank payments are 0.8%, capped at $5. You receive your full price either way.
| Your price | Client pays by card | Client pays by bank | You receive |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50.00 | $52.83 | $51.41 | $50.00 |
| $75.00 | $78.58 | $76.61 | $75.00 |
| $100.00 | $104.33 | $101.81 | $100.00 |
| $150.00 | $155.82 | $152.22 | $150.00 |
Packages
When a client buys a block of sessions, the $1 service fee applies to each session in the package, once, at checkout. A 10-session package carries a $10 service fee, and nothing more is charged as the sessions are used.
For example, a 10-session package at $700.00 comes to $731.51 by card or $715.00 by bank, and you receive $700.00.
What you’ll never pay
- A monthly or annual subscription
- A setup fee
- A contract or cancellation fee
- A commission on new clients
- Processing on your own sessions
What other booking tools cost you
Estimated yearly cost to a solo provider doing 1,000 sessions at $75, from each company’s published pricing.
| Booking tool | Yearly cost to you | What makes up the cost |
|---|---|---|
| Little Engine | $0Free for you | Clients cover the $1 fee and processing at checkout |
| Fresha | ~$2,160–$2,530 | $19.95/mo plus processing; 20% fee on new marketplace clients |
| GlossGenius | ~$2,240 | $24/mo (billed yearly) plus 2.6% processing |
| Booksy | ~$2,330–$2,680 | $29.99/mo plus processing; Boost takes 30% of a new client’s first visit |
| Vagaro | ~$2,350 | $30/mo plus processing, before add-ons |
| Calendly | ~$2,600 | $10/mo (billed yearly) plus Stripe or PayPal processing |
| Square | ~$2,775–$3,360 | Free or $49/mo Plus, plus processing |
| Acuity Scheduling | ~$2,800–$2,880 | $27–$34/mo for text reminders, plus processing |
Based on 1,000 card payments of $75 a year, excluding tax, tips, optional add-ons, and marketplace fees. Competitor pricing from official pricing pages as of October 2026. With Little Engine, clients pay about $3.58 on a $75 card payment, so the fees move to checkout instead of coming out of your earnings.
Pricing questions
Is Little Engine really free?
Yes. Little Engine is free for providers, with no monthly fee, no subscription, and no lock-in. It earns a $1 service fee on each booked appointment, which your client pays at checkout.
Who pays the processing fees?
Your clients do. Processing (2.9% + 30¢ for cards, 0.8% capped at $5 for bank payments) is added to their total at checkout, so you receive your full price.
How much does a client pay for a $75 session?
$78.58 by card or $76.61 by bank account. That covers your $75, the $1 service fee, and processing.
Are there charges for texts, calls, or my business number?
No. Your business number, client texts, and reminders are included in Little Engine at no cost to you.
Do you take a cut of new clients?
No. There’s no commission on new clients, whether they find you through your booking page or a friend’s referral.
Can I cancel anytime?
There’s nothing to cancel. With no subscription or contract, you can stop using Little Engine whenever you like.
Keep your full price, every session.
Setup takes about 10 minutes, and it costs you nothing.