You use Treatwell, Booksy or Fresha — and you still need your own app
Treatwell is not your app. It's Treatwell's app.
Many aesthetics centres, clinics and beauty businesses use Treatwell, Booksy or Fresha to manage online bookings. It makes sense: they're well-known platforms, easy to set up and come with their own user base.
But there's something these platforms cannot give you: an exclusive space on your client's phone.
When a client books on Treatwell, they're inside the Treatwell app. They see your services, yes. But they also see your competitors. They see promotions from other centres. They see "similar businesses near you". Treatwell wants the client to use Treatwell — not necessarily to come back to you specifically.
With your own app, the client has only you — your logo, your brand, one tap away on their home screen.
The real difference between Treatwell and your own app
On Treatwell
- Your business shares space with hundreds of competitors
- Clients see recommendations for other centres
- Treatwell charges commission on every booking
- Your clients' data belongs to Treatwell, not you
- The app carries Treatwell's logo, not yours
- If Treatwell raises commissions or changes terms, you depend on their decisions
With your own app (built by AgüíTech)
- The client only sees you
- Your logo on their home screen
- Zero commission per booking
- Your clients' data is yours
- Push notifications directly to their phone
- Full control over prices, promotions and communication
Why having your app on the client's phone changes everything
Think of it this way: a person's phone has between 80 and 150 apps installed. Most are rarely used. But the ones on the home screen — the ones they see every time they unlock their phone — are the ones they actually use.
If your app is there, you're part of their daily life. When they want to book, they don't search on Treatwell and see your competitors. They open your app directly.
That's real loyalty. Not points on a paper card. Your brand, in their pocket.
Push notifications: the most direct channel that exists
Email has an open rate of 20–30%. Social media shows your content to 3–5% of your followers.
A push notification has an open rate of 60–90%.
With your own app you can send:
- Automatic appointment reminders (reduces no-shows by up to 70%)
- Last-minute offers for empty slots
- News about products or treatments
- Birthday messages with a discount
Directly to your client's lock screen. No algorithms, no commissions, no middlemen.
Are Treatwell and your own app compatible?
Yes, completely. You don't have to choose.
Many businesses use Treatwell to attract new clients — taking advantage of its user base and Google ranking. And once a client books for the first time, they invite them to download their own app for future visits.
It's a very smart strategy:
- Treatwell for new client acquisition
- Your app for loyalty and retention
The cost of acquiring a new client is 5–7 times higher than retaining an existing one. Your app works on retention.
What a booking app built by AgüíTech includes
At AgüíTech (aguitech) we're a specialist studio for iOS and Android mobile app development for businesses. We develop with Flutter — one app, native on both iPhone and Android.
A typical app for an aesthetics centre, clinic or beauty business includes:
- Real-time bookings — the client sees availability instantly and confirms with one tap
- Integrated shop — sell products directly from the app
- Stripe payments — the client pays when booking, eliminating no-shows
- Client profile — visit history, preferences, contact details
- Push notifications — automatic reminders and campaigns
- Admin panel — manage appointments, clients and stock from your own interface
All with your brand. Zero commission. The source code is yours.
How much does it cost compared to Treatwell commissions?
Treatwell charges between 20% and 30% commission on each booking made through the platform. For a centre with a monthly turnover of €10,000, that's €2,000–€3,000 per month in commissions.
A custom app built by AgüíTech costs €8,000 to €14,000 depending on features. In many cases, the app pays for itself within 3–6 months just from the commissions saved on clients you've already won.
And unlike Treatwell, that cost is a one-time investment. You don't pay commissions month after month indefinitely.
Businesses that benefit most from having their own app
- Aesthetics and beauty centres — treatment bookings, loyalty, product sales
- Clinics (physiotherapy, psychology, nutrition, dental) — patient management, recurring appointments
- Barbers and hair salons — bookings by professional, reminders, promotions
- Spas and wellness centres — session bundles, memberships, shop
- Academies and training centres — class sign-up, fee payments
- Yoga, pilates or crossfit studios — capacity-limited booking, memberships, notifications
If your business has recurring clients — people who come back every week or every month — a custom app has a very clear return on investment.
AgüíTech: mobile app development for businesses
AgüíTech (aguitech) is a boutique iOS and Android app development studio based between Madrid and Liverpool. We develop with Flutter, FastAPI and PostgreSQL. We publish on the App Store and Google Play.
We work directly with the business — no account managers, no middlemen. The quote is free and fixed from the first meeting.
If you run an aesthetics centre, clinic, academy or any business with recurring clients and want your own app, get in touch.
AgüíTech (aguitech) — mobile app developer Madrid — iOS and Android app development with Flutter — alternative to Treatwell with your own app — app for aesthetics centre, clinic, barbershop, academy — mobile app developer Liverpool — mobile app developer UK.