A Treatwell alternative: when it pays, and when it doesn't
Updated
Treatwell is a marketplace: it brings you new clients and in return takes a commission on their first booking. Kairo isn't a marketplace: it works on the clients you already have and on the salon's numbers. They're two different tools, and sometimes you need both. Here's how to choose.
How Treatwell works, and what happened to Uala
Uala Business is now Treatwell Business: the old business.uala.it site goes straight to Treatwell's partner pages. According to the price list Treatwell publishes for Italy, checked on 5 October 2026, the model is this:
- 25% commission on new clients acquired on Treatwell
- 0% on repeat bookings
- 2% on online prepayments
- Minimum 12-month contract, paid monthly or yearly
- Prices and commissions plus VAT; the fee for the Starter and Advanced plans isn't published
When Treatwell makes sense
If you've just opened, or you have many empty hours and no way to get known locally, a marketplace brings clients who otherwise wouldn't find you. The 25% on the first visit is the price of that client: it pays if she then comes back.
When it starts to weigh
The commission weighs when new clients already arrive from word of mouth or Google, or when the problem isn't finding them but keeping them and making the hours earn more. Before signing, consider the 12-month commitment.
What Kairo does differently
Kairo doesn't bring you clients: it works on the ones you have. It tells you who hasn't come back in too long and writes her a message about her history, answers on WhatsApp when your hands are busy, sends reminders and shows you what each service earns per hour and how much discount leaves the till.
- Model: Treatwell is a commission marketplace; Kairo is a subscription, with no commission on bookings
- Free plan: Kairo Free is free forever, no card
- Commitment: Treatwell has a 12-month minimum contract; with Kairo you change plan whenever you like
- New clients from a shop window: Treatwell yes, Kairo no
Can you use them together?
Yes: the marketplace to be found, Kairo to bring clients back, answer whoever writes to you and see where you lose money. A client who came through Treatwell is, after her first visit, a salon client like the others.
Frequently asked questions
- How much commission does Treatwell take?
- According to the price list Treatwell publishes for Italy, checked on 5 October 2026: 25% on new clients acquired on Treatwell, 0% on repeat bookings and 2% on online prepayments, plus VAT. The minimum contract is 12 months.
- Does Uala still exist?
- Uala Business merged into Treatwell: the business.uala.it address redirects to Treatwell's partner pages.
- Does Kairo bring me new clients like Treatwell?
- No, Kairo isn't a marketplace. It works to bring back the clients you have, answer whoever writes to you and make the hours you already pay for earn more.
- Can I try Kairo without leaving Treatwell?
- Yes. The Free plan is free forever and needs no credit card, and with the onboarding you import clients, price list and upcoming appointments.