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Travel · head to head

Bokun vs SimplyBook.me

Bokun logo

Bokun

Travel

Tour and activity booking platform tied to Viator distribution, from free to $499 a month

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SimplyBook.me logo

SimplyBook.me

Scheduling

Online booking system for service businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bokun viator bookings are exempt from the booking fee while your own direct bookings are not, so the pricing structure rewards selling through the parent marketplace rather than through your own site.; SimplyBook.me pricing model includes many features locked behind custom add-ons
  • They diverge on capability: Bokun covers Channel manager, SimplyBook.me covers Booking website.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bokun and SimplyBook.me actually diverge.

Attributes where Bokun and SimplyBook.me differ
AttributeBokunSimplyBook.me
Pricing modelPer month plus a booking feefreemium
CategoryTravelScheduling
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bokun

  • Channel manager
  • Booking widgets
  • Marketplace
  • Product and availability setup
  • Offline bookings
  • Vouchers and redemption

Only in SimplyBook.me

  • Booking website
  • Client management
  • Payment processing
  • Marketing tools
  • Custom branding
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • Zoom

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bokun

  • An operator already doing significant Viator volume who wants that channel to cost nothing in software feesnot SimplyBook.me
  • A city tour company reselling partner products and taking commission through the Bokun marketplacenot SimplyBook.me
  • An operator wanting a fixed monthly subscription rather than a percentage of every booking as FareHarbor chargesnot SimplyBook.me
  • A business taking most bookings by phone, which incur no Bokun booking fee at allnot SimplyBook.me

SimplyBook.me

  • Schedulingnot Bokun
  • Appointment bookingnot Bokun
  • Time trackingnot Bokun
  • Resource managementnot Bokun
  • Team coordinationnot Bokun

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bokun

  • Viator bookings are exempt from the booking fee while your own direct bookings are not, so the pricing structure rewards selling through the parent marketplace rather than through your own site.
  • The booking fee sits on top of the monthly subscription, so an operator on Start pays $49 plus 1.5% of direct online revenue and the plan price alone understates the cost.
  • The free plan is limited to a single user and constrained features, so any business with staff has to move to a paid tier almost immediately.
  • Adopting it deepens commercial dependence on Tripadvisor and Viator, which is uncomfortable if your strategy is reducing OTA commission exposure.
  • Reporting and back-office depth are lighter than dedicated operator platforms, so businesses with complex resource scheduling or multi-site operations often need workarounds.

SimplyBook.me

  • Pricing model includes many features locked behind custom add-ons
  • No built-in video conferencing, requiring third-party integration
  • Limited CRM capabilities compared to dedicated sales platforms
  • Free plan capped at 5 bookings per month, limiting small business use

Pricing, plan by plan

Bokun

Free
  • FreeFree
    • One user
    • No monthly fee
    • No Bokun booking fee
  • Start$49/month
    • Up to 5 users
    • 1.5% booking fee on direct online bookings
    • No booking fee on Viator bookings
  • Plus$149/month
    • Up to 10 users
    • 1.25% booking fee on direct online bookings
    • No Bokun fee on Viator bookings
  • Premium$499/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 1% booking fee on direct online bookings
    • No Bokun fee on Viator bookings

SimplyBook.me

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50 bookings/month
    • Booking website
    • Basic features
  • Basic$8.25/month
    • 100 bookings
    • Custom features
    • Payments
  • Standard$24.9/month
    • 500 bookings
    • All features
    • Multiple locations

Which should you pick?

Choose Bokun if

  • You need channel manager.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want booking widgets.
Bokun review

Choose SimplyBook.me if

  • You need booking website.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want client management.
SimplyBook.me review

Questions people ask

Is Bokun or SimplyBook.me better?
Neither clearly leads. Bokun starts at Free and SimplyBook.me at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bokun or SimplyBook.me?
Bokun starts at Free and SimplyBook.me at Free.
Does Bokun or SimplyBook.me run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Bokun for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Bokun best used for?
Bokun is most often used for an operator already doing significant viator volume who wants that channel to cost nothing in software fees, a city tour company reselling partner products and taking commission through the bokun marketplace, an operator wanting a fixed monthly subscription rather than a percentage of every booking as fareharbor charges, a business taking most bookings by phone, which incur no bokun booking fee at all. Of those, an operator already doing significant viator volume who wants that channel to cost nothing in software fees and a city tour company reselling partner products and taking commission through the bokun marketplace are not what SimplyBook.me is typically brought in for.
What can Bokun do that SimplyBook.me cannot?
Bokun covers Channel manager, Booking widgets, Marketplace, Product and availability setup. SimplyBook.me covers Booking website, Client management, Payment processing, Marketing tools.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bokun: Are Viator bookings really free of Bokun fees?

Yes on the paid plans. Direct online bookings through your own widget carry 1% to 1.5% depending on tier.

SimplyBook.me: Does SimplyBook.me offer a free plan?

Yes, SimplyBook.me offers a free plan for small businesses, though advanced features and custom add-ons require paid plans.

Source
Bokun: Can I pass the booking fee to customers?

Yes, on the paid plans the fee can be added to the customer price rather than absorbed.

Bokun: Who owns Bokun?

Viator, which is part of Tripadvisor.

Bokun: Is the free plan usable in a real business?

Only for a solo operator. It is one user with limited features.

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